She just comes into lane and makes you sit in the corner while she beats up the enemy. And well, I think it’s about time mom got a makeover. So let’s take a look at all of Leona’s skins and rank them to find out which are truly “the best”. We’ll be ranking based on each skin’s overall appearance, appeal, and price.
12. Defender Leona
Released: July 13th, 2011 Price: 750 RP This is one of those skins that has you fork up RP to downgrade your champion. Like seriously, nothing about this skin really works. It doesn’t offer any new particles or animations, settling on just completely ruining the base model instead. Her new armor looks bulky and weak, like she just found it behind the dumpster. Her shield looks like it is on the verge of breaking, and her sword is just okay. When you also take into account that this isn’t even the cheapest Leona skin on the market right now, and that even the splash art is kind of horrible, you start to understand why it came in last place.
11. Barbecue Leona
Released: September 7th, 2016 Price: 750 RP Although I do find the concept somewhat funny, this skin just doesn’t work as well as it should. The base model is changed so that you’re in a chief’s uniform, hat and all, and you’re wielding a grill and the world’s most intimidating fork instead of your usual shield and sword. You also have a sausage for extra grease damage. That all sounds fine for a joke skin – but it simply doesn’t feel that good. The E feels extremely wonky and out of place, as the base animation overlaps your model, and the ult just doesn’t make a lick of sense. If some of the particles were changed, I could potentially see this skin ranking a bit higher. But for now it stays here.
10. Valkyrie Leona
Released: July 13th, 2011 Price: 520 RP Although this skin didn’t live up to the potential its concept had, it is still pretty solid. Just like the last two, Valkyrie Leona doesn’t offer any new effects or animations. But considering its price, I can’t really hold that against it. The character model itself is pretty well-made with Leona rocking some very detailed gold armor, a curved blade, and a firm shield. Of course, she has the iconic Valkyrie helmet as well. Overall this skin fits both her playstyle and theme pretty well – but it won’t exactly blow anyone away.
9. Pool Party Leona
Released: September 9th, 2013 Price: 975 RP Although this skin is pretty iconic, I can’t really say that it goes beyond B-tier. Like all Pool Party skins, it stylizes the champion around the beach. So Leona is now rocking a parasol, AKA sun umbrella, as a sword and a surfing board instead of her shield. Since her main thematic is the Sun, the animations fit in more or less naturally – but it still feels a bit underwhelming. You won’t look all that powerful or tanky, and your new backing animation is just awkward: it presents her lying back and taking in the sun, but they picked the worst pose ever, and she just looks like she’s in pain. Overall I think it could be fun to pick this skin during the summer months or as part of a group cosplay game – but it is somewhat mediocre otherwise.
8. PROJECT: Leona
Released: September 7th, 2015 Price: 1350 RP PROJECT: Leona is that adorable top you’ve been wearing for years that just went out of style. The skin itself is fine overall. The character model is pretty detailed, with the armor appearing strong but also mobile, and her weapons looking like a mix of ordinary metal and some sort of hologram technology. The animations are also pretty decent, with all of them sporting the usual PROJECT bells and whistles of futuristic sound effects and particles. Even your voice got a filter so that it seems more natural. So what went wrong? Well, a different Leona skin came out and simply did the concept in a much cooler way. This is now the Wish futuristic Leona, and as such it can’t get all that high in this ranking.
7. DWG Leona
Released: April 29th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP If you like the League professional scene, this skin will probably rank even higher in your personal list – but even if that’s not the case, I think it’s a skin worth looking at. The blue aesthetic worked way better than I would have guessed, as it never crosses that line of looking like an aqua skin. The armor, the shield, and the sword all look very stylized without being too flashy here. And the animations are all slick and distinct. The backing animation does throw everything a bit off though, as it really hits on the Worlds aspect of it. But it isn’t a grave enough offense to dock more than a few points. Overall DWG Leona is a very solid skin that also ends up being one of the more unique choices in Leona’s arsenal.
6. Iron Solari Leona
Released: February 10th, 2012 Price: 975 RP This skin feels like someone just took base Leona and clicked “upgrade” a few times. It has the same exact vibe as the base skin (aside from being yellow I guess). But it does it better across the board. The character model looks a lot more threatening, and it makes Leona out to be a warrior and not just a tank. Base Leona can take a hit – but Iron Solari Leona can dish one back as well. The skin only has one new effect, that being the burnt crest after using her ult, but the base animations fit the skin really naturally so it doesn’t really matter. Plus if you’ve been around these parts for a while, the words “Iron Solari” paired with that particular crest will bring up some intense nostalgia.
5. Debonair Leona
Released: December 9th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP Did I expect Leona of all people to get a Debonair skin? No. But is she kind of working it? Yes. The character model here actually goes against the usual bulky aesthetic, and it has you don some slimmer and more fitting clothes, while your shield and sword are as huge and detailed as ever. Also the snake crest on your shield looks extremely cool. And since there’s a snake also wrapped around your sword, I can proudly say this is the first Leona skin that makes her E seem logical. Now, the ability effects themselves are all rather decent – but nothing I would lose my head about. But also, your backing animation is an absolute flex that showcases how little you care about ADCs attacking you. Overall I think Leona works this skin well. But I’d be lying if I said that I love it completely, as I still prefer Leona to look like a proper tank, as opposed to someone who would steal my girl.
4. Battle Academia Leona
Released: March 18th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP When it comes to weeb skins, you either love them or hate them. However, I will say that Battle Academia Leona is on the less offensive side of things as far as Battle Academia skins go. The character model is very detailed and cool, especially if you can cop the Prestige edition or the Obsidian chroma, and the animations are beyond polished. The only real “weeb” aspect to the skin is the backing animation. And even then, it doesn’t do all that much. What I’m trying to say is that you should not disregard this skin just because you don’t like anime, as it honestly offers a lot of cool features without ever being in-your-face with its theme. And since I’ve already mentioned it, yes, I do prefer the Prestige edition. But the base would have gotten this ranking as well.
3. Solar/Lunar Eclipse Leona
Released: November 27th, 2018 Price: 1820 RP Both of these skins are just visually astonishing. They offer a character model that fits Leona’s original theme – but everything is cranked up to an eleven. Especially with the armor, the shield, and the sword looking more powerful than they ever looked before. Both skins include a transformation after you hit your ult, as well as a new voice over, emotes, and backing animation. Pretty much a brand new champion. I did include both of these skins as a single entry, as they’re basically variants of the same skin. But if I did have to choose one to rank “higher” it would be the Solar Eclipse. The transformation is just a lot more noticeable, and it feels right to stick to the original Sun theme. Also, I just have to say that the new dance emote is the most beautifully haunting thing ever. You’re definitely getting your money’s worth with either of these skins.
2. Mecha Kingdoms Leona
Released: January 15th, 2020 Price: 1350 RP Mecha Kingdoms Leona is everything that PROJECT Leona wanted to be. It takes the robotic mecha aesthetic and just really pushes it to its limits, making you feel more powerful than ever. You walk into lane with this skin and you can already sense the enemy’s fear. Like seriously, this has to be one of the best character models in the game. Especially when you take into account that each and every chroma for this skin is also a certified banger. The animations are all pretty clean too, with the W being my personal favorite. And just like with PROJECT Leona, you get that nice voice filter as well. The only nitpick I can point out is that the backing animation is rather dull. But that still doesn’t take away from the fact that this skin is miles ahead of anything else you can find for this champion — unless you’re willing to cough up more money.
1. High Noon Leona
Released: May 12th, 2022 Price: 1820 RP I can’t say that I had high expectations for this skin – but man was I taken aback. Honestly, the new VO alone makes this skin legendary. The cowboy attitude mixed in with some really nice special interactions is just a winning combination. And in terms of new particles, this skin also hit the nail on the head. I was initially worried that the ult would feel a bit bland (because I couldn’t see how you can work a Western aesthetic into it). But the scorching butterflies came out beautifully! The fact that you also hear a bell sound effect when you actually hit your ult is also a very nice touch. The character model is predictably beautiful, with the new W animation making you feel like a true front-line terror! And features such as your homeguard pony are just icing on the cake. But probably the biggest selling point for OTPs is the overall polish. Never have a seen a smoother Q+AA combo in any Leona skin. And if you really want to play at the top of your capabilities, that’s quite important. I honestly didn’t care too much about the chromas (except for the Nomad) but it’s not like this skin needed any more selling points anyway. Overall, High Noon Leona showcases some top-notch craftsmanship, a cool aesthetic, and a really unique experience thanks to the VO. Definitely worth getting. Note: this content was created under Riot Games’ “Legal Jibber Jabber” policy using assets owned by Riot Games. Riot Games does not endorse or sponsor this project.
