Blackfrost Sion

First game I played with Blackfrost Sion was around 3 AM on a Tuesday, fresh off a loss streak in Diamond. Locked it in expecting the usual “dark ice reskin” treatment Riot gives half these skinlines. Was genuinely surprised. The whole model feels heavier somehow, like Sion actually belongs in a frozen wasteland instead of just having blue paint slapped on him. Not gonna lie, it grew on me fast.

What Blackfrost Sion actually changes

So the big draw here is the VFX overhaul. Q charges up with this deep frost energy crackling across the ground, and the slam itself throws ice shards outward. Looks clean in lane, reads well in teamfights. The E shout sends out a projectile that feels colder, more menacing. Hard to describe but the particle work has this dark crystalline vibe that base Sion completely lacks.

W shield pops with frost fragments. Small detail but it matters when you’re peeling in a 5v5 and need visual clarity on when the shield breaks. R is where it gets fun. The unstoppable charge leaves a trail of cracked ice behind Sion, and the impact zone on arrival has this satisfying frozen shatter effect. Been running this in ranked for maybe 60 games now and the ult VFX still hits different every time.

New recall animation too. Sion slams his axe into the ground and this ice formation erupts around him. Quick, thematic, doesnt overstay its welcome. Voice lines stay base though, no new VO. Kinda feels like a missed opportunity given how much personality Sion’s base voice already has. A frost filter would have pushed this into near-Legendary territory honestly.

Model itself is solid. Dark armor with ice growths breaking through, glowing blue eyes, the axe has frozen edges. Stands out from Mecha Zero and Worldbreaker pretty clearly. In-game silhouette reads well at all zoom levels which matters more than people think for a champ who needs to land Q channels from fog of war.

The Blackfrost line and release context

Blackfrost Sion dropped April 15, 2021. Mid season 11. Sora Kim and West Studio handled the splash, and they captured this imposing frozen titan energy perfectly. The Blackfrost skinline started way back with Anivia in 2013 and has grown into one of Riot’s more consistent thematic sets. Sion fits the line naturally, maybe better than some of the other additions.

7 chromas available for this one. Obsidian is my personal pick, turns the ice elements dark and gives Sion this volcanic frost look thats unique. Amethyst hits a purple crystal fantasy that reads well against the Rift’s green. Ruby exists for the completionists but I think it clashes with the frozen theme a bit. Could be wrong here but the base color scheme already works so well that most chromas feel like sidegrades rather than upgrades.

This is an Epic tier skin at 1350 RP. Permanent shop, grab it any time. For the price point you’re getting new VFX, new recall, and a strong model redesign. Standard Epic package but executed above average. (Random aside: the splash art is genuinely one of the better ones in the Blackfrost set, been my desktop background for a while.)

Worth the 1350 RP?

Real verdict: if you play Sion with any regularity, Blackfrost is competing directly with Mecha Zero for best skin. Mecha Zero has the Legendary tier advantage with new VO and animations, sure. But Blackfrost looks cleaner in actual gameplay. The VFX don’t clutter your screen during Q channels, the ult trail is visible without being obnoxious, and the overall aesthetic just works for a champion who’s supposed to feel ancient and terrifying.

1350 RP feels fair for what you get. Not overpriced, not a steal. If you’re a Sion main climbing through ranked this season, Blackfrost or Mecha Zero are your two real options. High Noon exists but leans into a completely different fantasy. Worldbreaker is fine but dated. Maybe just my experience but I see more Blackfrost Sions in my Diamond games than any other skin except Mecha Zero, and there’s a reason for that.

Skip this if you already own Mecha Zero and only play Sion occasionally. But if Sion is in your top 3 champs and you want a skin that looks premium without the Legendary price tag, Blackfrost is the one. Been daily driving it since last season and I keep coming back over everything else in the collection. Top pick for Sion mains who want clean VFX and a strong theme without paying 1820.