Riven Skins

Riven has one of the most stacked skin catalogs in League and honestly its not even close when you compare her to other top laners released around the same time. 17 skins spanning from 2011 to 2024. Been maining her on and off since season 3 and I've probably owned every single one at some point. Some are absolute S-tier cosmetics that change how the champion feels in your hands. Others are filler. Real talk though, Riven mains are spoiled and most of us know it.

Riven's Skin Collection Over the Years

Seventeen skins total. Five Standards, eight Epics, two Legendaries, two Mythics. That breakdown alone tells you Riot knows Riven sells. She's been getting consistent releases since Crimson Elite dropped back in 2011, and the most recent addition is Primal Ambush Riven in 2024. Thirteen years of skins. Wild to think about.

The early years were rough in terms of skin quality. Redeemed Riven and Crimson Elite Riven are products of their time. Basic recolors, no new particles, no new animations. They exist and thats about all I can say. But once you hit the 2012-2013 era things started picking up. Worlds 2012 Riven became one of the most sought-after skins in the entire game. Not because it looked incredible but because of rarity. Championship skins from that era carry weight.

The real turning point was Dragonblade Riven in 2015. First time Riot gave her a skin that felt like it belonged in a higher tier. New particles on every ability, clean recall animation, the whole package for 1350 RP. From there the quality just kept climbing. Dawnbringer in 2017 set a new bar for Legendary skins period. Not just for Riven. Could be wrong here but I think Dawnbringer was one of the first Legendaries where the community universally agreed it was worth the price tag.

Then you got the Valiant Sword era in 2019 with two Prestige variants, Pulsefire, Spirit Blossom, Sentinel. Riot was pumping out Riven content at a pace that made other champion mains jealous. (My buddy who one-tricks Ornn still brings this up every time we play.) The 2023 Broken Covenant Legendary showed Riot wasn't slowing down. And Primal Ambush in 2024 rounded things out with another Epic. Seventeen skins deep and I dont think we're done.

Best Skins for Riven

Dawnbringer Riven. Full stop. If you're locking in Riven and you own this skin there is zero reason to use anything else unless you're cycling for variety. 1820 RP Legendary released in 2017 as part of the Nightbringer and Dawnbringer line. Everything changes. New model, new voice lines, new animations on Q, W, E, R. The Q combo feels different in a good way. Each strike has this golden light burst that makes your fast combo look cleaner than it has any right to. Been spamming this in Diamond ranked for seasons and the R2 execute wind slash with the Dawnbringer VFX is chef's kiss. Might be overthinking it but the animations actually feel smoother, like the skin has slightly better visual feedback for animation cancels.

Broken Covenant Riven is the second Legendary and its a completely different vibe. Dark, gothic, 1820 RP, released 2023. New VO that goes hard. The voice lines carry this skin honestly. Q animations have this shattered glass effect, W stun has a cathedral window burst pattern. Played maybe 40 games with it last season in my Diamond promos and the R2 projectile reads so clean against the Rift. If Dawnbringer is the light side, Broken Covenant is the shadow. Both earn their Legendary price.

Dragonblade Riven. Best Epic she has. 1350 RP, Lunar Revel Warring Kingdoms skinline. The blade redesign looks incredible, Q strikes have red and gold particle trails, and the recall where she sheathes the broken sword hits different. Season 8 I think, I ran this skin exclusively for an entire ranked split. Still holds up years later.

Spirit Blossom Riven deserves a mention too. Clean pink and white aesthetic, nice particle work on E shield. Not gonna lie, the splash alone sold me on this one before I even saw it in game. Solid Epic that fits the champion fantasy of a wandering swordswoman.

Battle Bunny Riven is the meme pick but its genuinely a good skin. Been around since 2012 and it still gets locked in constantly. The updated Battle Bunny Prime version modernized it with new VFX but the original has that nostalgic charm. Seen more Battle Bunny Rivens in my games than any other skin on her. Not even exaggerating.

Skinlines and Themes That Fit Riven

Riven shows up in eight different skinlines and not all of them hit equally. Nightbringer and Dawnbringer is probably the best thematic fit. Riven's whole identity is a broken warrior seeking redemption. Dawnbringer takes that concept and cranks it to eleven with divine warrior energy. Perfect match.

Lunar Revel Warring Kingdoms with Dragonblade works because Riven already has that wandering swordsman archetype. Eastern fantasy aesthetics suit her kit naturally. The blade, the flowing combat style, all of it clicks. Kinda feels like this skinline was designed with her in mind even though other champions got skins in the same set.

Pulsefire Riven is fine. Tech-suit aesthetic on a sword fighter is an odd pairing and I think it shows. The skin looks good objectively but it doesnt capture what makes Riven feel like Riven. Same issue with Sentinel honestly. Generic good-guy armor doesn't do much for a champion whose whole deal is nuance and inner conflict.

World Championship skins are their own category. Worlds 2012 Riven and the Reignited variant are status symbols more than cosmetics. If you have the original 2012 version you flex it in loading screen. That's the whole point. (Random aside: I've seen maybe five original Worlds 2012 Rivens in my entire time playing and every single one was either cracked or running it down, no in between.)

Crimson Elite is forgettable. Day Job is whatever. The Otherroads skinline for Primal Ambush is newer territory. Not bad, not groundbreaking. Solid Epic execution.

Budget vs Premium Picks

Price range on Riven skins goes from 520 RP up to 1820 RP for the Legendaries, with the two Prestige Mythics being special currency. If you're on a budget, Battle Bunny Riven at 975 RP punches way above its weight. Iconic design, clean model, and honestly it gets more reactions in chat than half the Epic skins.

Redeemed Riven at 520 RP is the cheapest option but you get what you pay for. No new particles, no new sounds. Just a color swap. Skip it unless you're collecting everything.

For Epics the value pick is Dragonblade at 1350. Best bang for your RP in her entire catalog outside of the Legendaries. If you can only buy one Riven skin and Legendary pricing isnt in the cards, Dragonblade. Easy call.

If you're going premium then Dawnbringer Riven at 1820 is the answer. Two Legendaries to choose from and Dawnbringer edges out Broken Covenant for most players. Not by a huge margin though. Fair warning - if you prefer darker aesthetics, Broken Covenant might be your pick. Both earn the 1820 price tag. For mains who play 200+ games a season on Riven, a Legendary is worth it. The animation quality difference between Epic and Legendary on Riven specifically is massive because her kit is so animation-dependent. Fast Q combos, E cancels, all of it looks and feels better on the Legendary tier.

Frequently Asked Questions