For this reason I have come before you, suggesting that you ditch the tank beta and be a true bruiser Chad. Of course we’re talking about Darius here. And since you want to be a giga Chad, you might as well look the part. So let’s take a look at all of the skins Darius has to offer, and rank them based on their Chad-ness and total price.
10. Academy Darius
Released: August 26th, 2015 Price: 750 RP I’m usually all for budget skins. And when it comes to Darius, this is the cheapest one you can get, but it just doesn’t work. The theme isn’t all that consistent, as you still have your axe and the base bleed animations – but you also have a jersey on and look twenty years younger. I’ve heard some Darius mains claiming that it’s a good skin when it comes to animation cancelling and the like – but I just can’t say that it’s all that worth it in general. I’m sure Darius was a Chad in high school – and I didn’t need this skin to confirm that.
9. Lunar Beast Darius
Released: February 4th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP This skin is all over the place. Let’s go over the positives first. The axe design for the skin is just beautiful and looks as badass in-game as it does in the splash art. The Q animation is very clear, and makes hitting the edge a bit easier. And the recall animation is fittingly dope for a skin line such as Lunar Beast. On the minus side, however, there’s quite a lot to say. The in-game character design is just mediocre, and misses that badass vibe that a lot of us associate with Darius. This impression isn’t really helped by the fact that his bleed stacks just look like tiny flying peppers. And considering that this skin is carrying quite a hefty price-tag, I can’t really put it any higher than it is.
8. Dreadnova Darius
Released: April 12th, 2017 Price: 10 gemstones Now this skin isn’t bad, so much as it is disappointing. Just look at that splash art and tell me it doesn’t look like peak Darius performance. You get a feeling for this cybernetic punky Darius that’s out to chop some fools into two. But in-game it just looks like your average mecha or project skin. The character model isn’t bad, but it looks rather janky. And the bleed stack animation is just weird. I will say, however, that this skin has the coolest axe design – as well as the most badass W animation. It feels unreasonably good using his W. But since everything else is on the meh side, he’ll have to stay here.
7. Bioforge Darius
Released: November 13th, 2012 Price: 975 RP Bioforge Darius is pretty cool. But it also makes me think that Darius is having an identity crisis. By that I mean it visually reminds me of Urgot way too much to not mention. I like that the valves light up whenever you’re using an ability – and the overall color palette of greens and greys does look quite good. But it just doesn’t look like Darius. Granted it is on the cheaper side of things, and has some other positive qualities, like a very clean Q animation. But in my heart I know how I want my Darius to look – and this is not it chief.
6. Lord Darius
Released: May 22nd, 2012 Price: 975 RP Now this is more in-line with what I expect from my dunk god. As the skin name suggests, it just makes him look like royalty. With plenty of ornamentation and casual bloodshed to go around. I just love the armor design here since it looks positively terrifying and expensive at the same time, as is fitting for a lord. His resemblance to Draven is also quite evident in this skin, so bonus points for some subtle visual story-telling. On the minus side, it’s pretty barren in terms of theme. And the animations are all the same as the base model.
5. Woad King Darius
Released: June 16th, 2013 Price: 975 RP To be honest, if this skin came with a completely unique Scottish voiceover, I would put it at number one. But number four will have to do for now. The is very simple in design, but it simply works with the champion on so many levels. Giving him some bear skins overlapped with some more traditional armor gives Darius that rough and tough vibe – something we all know Darius carries in his heart. And by changing some of the animations so they lean more towards blues and blacks instead of reds, you get the sense that you’re battling a true man of the north. There isn’t much more to say about it. It’s just cool, alba gu brath.
4. Crime City Nightmare Darius
Released: August 26th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP I’d say the number one quality that makes this skin stand out is its impact. Your W feels a lot more powerful than usual, with little tentacles emerging from your hands. And your ult feels even more devastating now that it looks like a resurrection ritual for Cthulhu. Your backing animation is rather simple here – but it does give you quite the dashing hat, which I’m pissed off for not being a taggable accessory. Plus you get a pretty demonic voice filter and as much as nine different chromas. However, there are two nit-picks I have to point out. First off: the character model looks like Sett’s emo brother. And even in terms of lore, that parallel stays true. Secondly: this general aesthetic has already been done with a legendary skin. Which means this unavoidably feels like a step down. So Crime City Nightmare Darius isn’t perfect, but definitely worth a look.
3. High Noon Darius
Released: October 10th, 2019 Price: 1350 RP Now we’ve reached the big three; the three skins that will all murder your financial status, but give you the best Darius experience. I want to start off with High Noon Darius, as he doesn’t seem to be as universally loved as the other two. But that’s not to say it isn’t fantastic. Bullets instead of bleed stacks? Yes, please. The character model is also just straight dripping with that western outlaw vibe, sporting a cool cowboy hat, a badass cape, and the iconic red bandana. His axe looks amazing too – and the animation on his W makes you feel like you’re about to brand your new horse. Which you are, if you really think about it. A lot of people are sleeping on this skin, even though it’s equally as badass as the top two.
2. God-King Darius
Released: June 27th, 2018 Price: 1820 RP Darius is definitely the type of dude who would wear a title such as “God-King”. And this skin just makes it feel like a reality. It’s hard to put into words just how cool this skin looks in-game. I feel like I’m about to go and slay a god, and not just slap some hooded blobs. Plus this skin also has some really nice features in terms of gameplay, since it offers the best sound cue for both your W and your R when you execute someone. How can you not completely commit to a trade or a team-fight if you have a wolf howling at your back? Absolutely amazing skin that definitely earns its price tag.
1. Dunkmaster Darius
Released: October 12th, 2014 Price: 1820 RP If you have ever played League of Legends in your life, you knew this one was coming. I usually don’t like joke skins all that much – but Dunkmaster Darius is so iconic that it’s literally illegal to main the champion if you do not have this skin in 42 different states. Because the skin just makes him the ultimate douche. And at the end of the day, that is precisely what Darius is. Nothing can really beat the thrill you get once you dunk some fool who forgot to count the flying basketballs around his body. I don’t know why it’s as good as it is, but I will definitely not underplay its iconic status. 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.
