Valkyrie Leona

First Leona skin I ever used. Not sure if it’s just me but there’s something about the Valkyrie aesthetic on a champion who already feels like she walked out of a Norse myth that just clicks. Locked this in back when I was still learning support in season 2, and honestly it holds a weird sentimental spot for me even now in Diamond.

What Valkyrie Leona actually changes

Real talk though, this is a Standard tier skin at 520 RP, so set expectations accordingly. You’re getting a model swap and thats about it. No new VFX on her Q stun, no fancy particles on Solar Flare, no recall animation. Voice lines stay base. Wendee Lee’s VO carries over untouched.

The model itself does look clean for its age. Leona gets Nordic-inspired armor, winged helmet, a different shield design. The color palette shifts from her gold-and-red Solari look into silvers and blues. Feels colder, more steel than sun. When you’re peeling for your ADC in a teamfight the shield reads well against the Rift background, which matters more than people think.

Her sword got a visual rework too. Slimmer, more like an actual Norse blade than the chunky Solari weapon. Small detail but I notice it every time I proc Sunlight passive in lane. The wing motifs on the shoulders and helmet sell the Valkyrie fantasy without going overboard. Simple change – huge impact on silhouette.

(Random aside: this skin made me a Leona main for like three months straight back in the day before I went back to jungle.)

The Fables line and some history

Valkyrie Leona dropped July 13, 2011. Season 1 era. Pre-6 Leona was already terrifying back then and this skin made her look the part. Part of the Fables skinline, which is one of Riot’s older thematic collections pulling from mythology and folklore.

The Fables line doesn’t get much love these days. Riot moved on to bigger productions like Coven and Spirit Blossom. But back in 2011 a skin referencing Norse valkyries felt fresh. Leona fit the warrior maiden archetype perfectly, she’s literally a holy knight who dives the backline with a giant shield.

No chromas on this one. Zero. What you see is what you get. No splash artist credited in the data either, which tracks for skins from that era. Riot wasnt exactly keeping detailed production credits in season 1. Available any time in the shop, permanent stock, 520 RP.

Should you buy Valkyrie Leona?

Okay, the real question. At 520 RP this is one of the cheapest Leona options. And Leona has a massive skin catalog now. Pool Party, PROJECT, Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Battle Academia. Might be overthinking it but I think Valkyrie still has a place if you want something understated.

Last Tuesday I played three ranked games with this skin specifically to see how it held up. The answer: fine. Not spectacular. The lack of new VFX means your E engage and R ult look identical to base Leona. In a comp where you need to be the engage tank, visual clarity doesnt change at all. Been running this alongside Iron Solari in my skin rotation and Valkyrie gets the pick maybe once every five games.

Worth 520 RP if you main Leona and want variety without spending serious money. Skip it if you already own any of her Epic or Legendary skins, those outclass Valkyrie in every category. But for a budget pickup on a champion you lane with occasionally? Solid. The Fables skinline deserved more entries than it got, and Valkyrie Leona is proof the concept worked even at a low price point. For Leona one-tricks building a collection, grab it on principle. For everyone else climbing ranked, your RP goes further on her 1350 options.