They offer no advantage, aside from bragging rights.
League of Legends' Rare Skins In Season 14: A Guide
While Riot Games relies heavily on in-game purchases for its revenue, some League of Legends skins have become unavailable for purchase, making them incredibly rare and valuable. These are the skins that can make you stand out on Summoner's Rift. Let's dive into the world of the rarest League of Legends skins out there.
Only a select few possess the skins featured on our list - the seasoned veterans, the exceptionally skilled, or perhaps just the extraordinarily lucky. And there are those who have acquired accounts already in possession of these skins, but that can cost a pretty penny these days.
Rarest Skins in League of Legends: A Comprehensive List
PAX Twisted Fate
Released on September 03, 2009, the PAX Twisted Fate skin is older than most of the champions in League of Legends. What sets it apart is that PAX Twisted Fate has never been available for purchase.
This skin is both promotional and event-limited, distributed only at gaming conventions and events. It has never, and will never, grace the in-game store for purchase. PAX Twisted Fate could only be unlocked with a special code distributed at the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2009, making it a badge of honor for mid-lane mains.
Black Alistar
The Black Alistar skin reigns supreme as the rarest League of Legends skin. This is primarily because the only way to obtain Black Alistar was through the Retail Collector's Edition Pack, alongside a few other skins, featuring some of the oldest champions in the game.
Interestingly, the Black Alistar skin is also the very first non-Classic or Original champion skin ever released in League of Legends, making its debut on June 13, 2009. It's fair to say that it played a pivotal role in shaping the League of Legends industry we know today.
Silver Kayle
Surprisingly, Silver Kayle isn't the oldest Kayle skin. That distinction goes to Viridiscent Kayle. However, due to its acquisition method, similar to Black Alistar, Silver Kayle has earned its place among the rarest skins.
While it may not reach the same value as Black Alistar, it's still a rarity. The name alone harks back to a simpler time when skins were associated with a color prefix matched to a champion's name.
Championship Riven
The Championship Riven skin had only two methods of acquisition. The first was purchasing it from the League of Legends in-game store during 2012, while the second involved obtaining it for free by achieving a perfect pick in Worlds Pick'em 2015.
This skin fully embraces Riven's Roman theme, as evidenced by the Roman numerals that appear when using her abilities. It's a cool feature, especially for a top lane champion with a high skill ceiling.
Rusty Blitzcrank
The original lore of Blitzcrank portrayed him as a discarded Zaun-made golem that gained sentience on its own. That's why the Rusty Blitzcrank skin seemed like a tautology, and it's one of the rare skins that were entirely removed from League of Legends. Those who own it still have access, but nobody else can use this skin, which, in reality, had only minor differences from the default champion skin.
Young Ryze
Before Ryze graced the Fields of Justice, he was young and untouched by Rune magic or Riot Games' reworks. That's precisely what Young Ryze represents. Like many others, this skin could only be obtained by purchasing the Retail Collector's Edition Pack, an option long gone. It makes the skin rare, although not as rare as seeing Ryze win a solo queue game.
PAX Jax
Another champion with a rare PAX skin is Jax, the top lane menace. This skin was awarded two years consecutively, during the PAX Events of 2010 and 2011, making it slightly less rare than PAX Twisted Fate.
It's a skin that doesn't take itself too seriously, featuring prominent pop-culture references on Jax's clothing. With this skin, Jax is not only without a weapon but proper armor as well.
King Rammus
King Rammus, much like Rusty Blitzcrank, didn't offer much that his default skin didn't. It was intended as a nod to Bowser from the Super Mario franchise, but Rammus was already quite the Bowser without the skin.
However, if there's one skin that signifies you as a League of Legends OG, it's King Rammus. This skin was exclusively available to those who participated in the League of Legends beta test, back when it was known as Clash of Fates.
Neo Pax: Recolors Are Rare Aswell
After the Jax Rework in Patch 13.20 he has received the Neo Pax Jax Skin. It counts as a mythic recolor and was available in that Mythic Shop Rotation for 200 Mythic Essence. It has since been vaulted and Riot Games has confirmed that it will not come back. This means in a few years it will also count towards one of the rarest skins.
Even rarer than Neo Pax Jax is Neo Pax Sivir which was released in 2017. It is a recolor to the original Pax Sivir and does not count as a mythic recolor but rather as its own skin. It was available for around 4 months at the end of 2017 and has since been in the Legacy vault.
Other Rare Skins in League of Legends
Aside from these skins, there are other rare skins scattered throughout the game. Most of these skins owe their rarity to unique acquisition methods, as demonstrated by our list. Some other skins that share a similar level of rarity, although to a lesser extent due to increased availability:
- Grey Warwick - Friend Referral
- Medieval Twitch - Friend Referral
- UFO Corki - Account registered before January 14, 2010
- Victorious Jarvan IV - First end-of-season reward in League of Legends history
While there are also skins that are simply too expensive for many players to own, such as the Ultimate skins, these skins remain static in rarity while the number of players owning them grows daily.
Understanding Skin Tiers in League of Legends
Riot Games categorizes skins by their value, mainly in terms of RP (Riot Points) cost. It's essential to distinguish this from illegal account trading. Currently, there are officially eight skin tiers in League of Legends:
- Chroma Skins
- Classic Skins
- Budget Skins
- Standard Skins
- Epic Skins
- Legendary Skins
- Mythic Skins
- Ultimate Skins
When it comes to skin rarity, it's clear that the tier or type of skin is not the primary factor. Instead, rarity stems from unique circumstances and exclusivity that those circumstances create. So, hold onto your accounts; you might possess a skin that could become a valuable asset in the future.
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