Dragonslayer Xin Zhao

First game I loaded into with Dragonslayer Xin Zhao, my duo support asked if I was on a different champion. Thats how distinct this reads on the Rift compared to base. Xin Zhao already has clean animations baseline, but the Dragon World skin pushes it somewhere you wouldn’t expect from a standard 1350 Epic. The armor is heavy, the spear has purpose, and the whole visual kit communicates “I am here to jungle and specifically to ruin your backline.” Locked in this one the week it dropped in 2017 and haven’t touched the default since.

What Dragonslayer Xin Zhao actually changes in-game

New VFX across the full kit. Basic attacks hit with a crackling golden energy that base Xin Zhao just doesn’t carry, and the Q – Three Talon Strike – lands the third hit with noticeably more visual punch. Real talk though, the E – Audacious Charge – is where this skin earns the price: the dash reads faster, the impact pops clearly, and in teamfights you can actually track yourself connecting instead of just watching numbers scroll. That gold-and-red palette threads through every ability in a way that feels designed rather than slapped together.

The W – Wind Becomes Lightning – has a trailing effect on the spear slash that isn’t dramatic but is clearly there. Nothing insane. It’s the kind of detail that makes a skin feel finished rather than lazy. The R – Crescent Guard – gets proper treatment: ult VFX with heavier knockback visuals, particle work that makes opponents register what’s happening a beat faster. Not Legendary particle density, but clearly above what you see on 975 skins.

New recall too. Xin Zhao runs through a short combat sequence with his spear before teleporting. Tight. No padding. Some Epic recalls go on eight seconds like they’re auditioning for something. This one doesn’t overstay. Voice stays base – voice is unchanged from base, Richard Epcar’s performance carries over – but for a dive-heavy jungler that’s not really what you’re buying this for anyway.

Dragon World skinline, Kelly Aleshire, and the six chromas

Dragonslayer Xin Zhao released March 9, 2017 during Riot’s Dragon World push that patch cycle. Kelly Aleshire handled the splash, and they captured the energy right: Xin Zhao mid-charge, scale fragments flying, body language of someone who kills dragons professionally. (random aside: this splash has been my second monitor wallpaper since the day it dropped and I keep forgetting to change it)

The Dragon World skinline has some solid entries. Dragonslayer Pantheon, Dragonslayer Jarvan, Dragonslayer Vayne. Xin fits better than most because his kit is literally about diving into something large and killing it before it kills you. That thematic fit is earned, not just a recolor with a fantasy font slapped on.

Six chromas available. Obsidian is the standout – full black armor, reads like a completely different skin tier at a glance. Amethyst goes deep purple-gold and actually hits harder aesthetically than the base version in certain map lighting. Catseye runs bright yellow, not my vibe personally, but I’ve seen it in three Diamond games this season and it tracks for people who lean into that look. Shop has it, 1350 RP, permanent rotation.

Is Dragonslayer Xin Zhao worth 1350 RP?

Real verdict: yeah, especially for anyone spamming Xin Zhao in jungle this season. New VFX across Q, W, E, and R. New recall. Kelly Aleshire’s splash. Six chromas. The skin makes ganking feel more impactful on your own screen, which for a jungler reading cooldowns under pressure in live games actually matters. Opponents in their lane clock you slightly faster visually, which sounds like a downside but just means the dive telegraphs cleaner from your side.

Could be wrong here but I think Dragonslayer Xin Zhao is the best Xin Zhao skin before Cosmic Defender dropped later. For Xin Zhao mains or one-tricks hard-stuck climbing through Diamond on jungle, 1350 RP well spent. Casual players who lock him in once every ten sessions can probably wait for a sale, but mains should just buy it now and grab Obsidian while they’re in there.