You have to watch all these new champions with their ten page passives and brand new animations, while you just sit there poking people with a spear. Luckily, skins are a thing – and they can help close that visual gap. But which skin should you get? Well that’s what we’re looking into as we rank all of Xin’s skins from worst to best, in search of which designs really stand out the most.
10. Imperial Xin Zhao
Released: July 13th, 2010 Price: 520 RP Release skins are rarely all that good, as they’re always old as hell and usually lack that bit of oomph that newer skins get. Imperial Xin Zhao is especially problematic, as a somewhat new player probably couldn’t even differentiate it from the base model. Your hair is now white, and your armor is a bit more samurai-esque. Oh and your spear is now yellow instead of the usual silver color. Not really revolutionary, is it? Even the splash art is mediocre at best. Definitely cannot recommend this one.
9. Commando Xin Zhao
Released: July 13th, 2010 Price: 520 RP Although Commando Xin Zhao is a bit more unique, it’s still way too bland to spend money on. The Commando skin might have done wonders for Jarvan. But here it just looks like a chroma, as you can’t even see those sweet shades that he is rocking. His spear does have a different design, which is why I prefer it over the last pick. But it still easily goes unnoticed. That said, this splash art has a certain Darksiders vibe – which I do find cool. But that’s about it.
8. Viscero Xin Zhao
Released: November 22nd, 2010 Price: 975 RP Finally, a skin that at least has a recognizable aesthetic. With half of his upper body covered in bulky metal armor, and the other half being completely unprotected, this skin just screams “gladiator”. Your spear is also now substituted for a trident, which works better than expected. However, Viscero Xin Zhao does not offer any new particles or animations – which was reasonable for the previous skins, but at this price point it seems like a scam. The splash art is okay, and the skin feels alright to use. So yeah, not really glowing reviews but I can see the appeal.
7. Winged Hussar Xin Zhao
Released: September 26th, 2011 Price: 975 RP Even though on paper this skin doesn’t seem all that different from the previous design, with the price being the same and neither offering any new particles or animations, Winged Hussar Xin Zhao has quite the vocal fan club. That’s because it’s somewhat rooted in history, aside from the Pegasi, which is not all that common in League. The character model looks rather convincing, with realistic armor and the iconic “wings” that the Polish Hussars used to scare the hell out of their enemy. Plus this splash art is one of the best in Xin’s catalogue. It truly carries a sense of a real warrior going into battle. So if you’re a history buff, this skin might be perfect for you. But if you know nothing about history and had to Google “Winged Hussars” like I just did, then this skin doesn’t seem worth it.
6. Firecracker Xin Zhao
Released: January 26th, 2022 Price: 1350 RP This skin is rather decent, but definitely on the minimalistic side of things. As far as the character model goes, it’s pretty nice. The color scheme makes you pop out a bit, and the armor really sells Xin’s royal warrior vibe. I can’t say that it really blew me away or tried something new – but I can’t really say that it looks bad either. And with nine chromas to choose from, you still get a decent amount of variety. When it comes to the animations, everything is very satisfying but also very repetitive. All of your abilities just have a simple firework sound effect and some subtle new particles. And that makes me a bit torn when it comes to this skin. On the one hand, the firework sound effect is actually really useful for knowing when you hit your W. And the last auto attack on your Q is very satisfying. On the other hand, it also makes your kit feel very stagnant. Especially when it comes to your ult – as it just feels like another basic ability. Overall, I think the skin is serviceable. And for some it might even be an absolute banger. But I like a bit more diversity when it comes to skins.
5. Dragonslayer Xin Zhao
Released: March 9th, 2017 Price: 1350 RP At a glance, Dragonslayer Xin Zhao is pretty top tier. You get some really cool dragon-like armor, a magma trident, fire particles everywhere, an inferno for your ult, and even a new backing animation where you stay true to your name and actually slay a dragon. However, there are two main factors holding this skin back from entering the big leagues (in my opinion). First off, his hair looks like a floppy noodle. And I hate it, as it totally destroys the whole badass vibe he has going on. Secondly, there’s a newer skin that uses an extremely similar color palette, plus it hits most of the same notes but in a slightly better fashion. So overall this is really nice and it can be your pick for #1 if you really like the design, but it’s not mine.
4. Warring Kingdoms Xin Zhao
Released: February 8th, 2013 Price: 1350 RP If this skin came out just a few years later, it probably would have been the best. But alas, Riot is a cruel mistress. When it comes to the character model, I think Warring Kingdoms Xin Zhao perfectly nails Xin’s champion fantasy. You look extremely powerful without going too deep into the supernatural territory. Really, you just look like a really badass warrior that came out of legends. However, the character model is also a bit old. And it shows – so it can’t compete with the newer skins in terms of detail and polish. That said, all of your abilities get this nice thunder effect, which compliments the skin’s theme quite nicely. But they also can’t compete with modern flashy particles. Plus, you don’t even get a new recall animation. So this design is great idea and it’s still one of the better picks. But age has not been kind to Warring Kingdoms Xin.
3. Secret Agent Xin Zhao
Released: March 16th, 2015 Price: 975 RP Even though this skin feels like it completely came out of left field, it quickly became a go-to for many Xin players. Wearing a suit plus shades combo just makes you look elegant as hell, and murdering with elegance is every action hero’s dream. Your spear also gets a bit of a touch-up, appearing to be a lot more modern and high-tech than before. Plus you even get a pretty cool new backing animation, and people trying to attack outside of your ult range are going to be blocked by two metal suitcases – because business is life. Secret Agent Xin Zhao is blatant fun, and a perfect choice for players who don’t really care about Xin’s lore or champion fantasy – but rather just want to beat people up and look cool while doing it.
2. Marauder Xin Zhao
Released: January 7th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP There isn’t much to say about this skin other than that it’s really cool. You get a full suit of armor that has some serious dark knight vibes, and a weapon that looks like it should be wielded by a demigod or something. The color scheme is basically the same as in Dragonslayer but a bit more pronounced, especially when it comes to the particles. All of your abilities feel a bit more impactful too, with the whole “dark energy aesthetic” the particles are giving off. And your backing animation seems very appropriate, defending from arrows and then performing some type of ritual. I can’t say this theme blows me away or anything. But the skin is pretty cool, and sometimes that’s all you need.
1. Cosmic Defender Xin Zhao
Released: August 21st, 2018 Price: 1350 RP Although historical and down-to-earth skins are cool, sometimes you just want to feel powerful. And no skin makes Xin feel more important than Cosmic Defender. With it, you’re given the full deity treatment, with flashy particles, a weapon that presumably carries a universe in side of it or something, a voice change to make you sound larger than life, and a ponytail made out of the fabric of the universe. This design also comes with some really nice chromas that I highly recommend you take a look at. They elevate the experience even more. Overall, Cosmic Defender Xin Zhao has a very cool yet powerful aesthetic. It can make you feel like a new champion on the Rift who’s ready to throw down with space dragons, and not just some dude with a spear. 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.
