Enduring Sword Talon

First time I saw Enduring Sword Talon load in, I thought someone was playing a different game. The whole aesthetic shifts Talon from Noxian back-alley assassin to this ethereal swordsman floating through ink paintings. Been running this skin since it dropped in season 8 and honestly its one of those skins that just feels cleaner to play. Might be overthinking it but the W animation reads differently with those blade trails.

What Enduring Sword actually changes on Talon

The model rework is solid for an Epic. Talon gets flowing robes, a completely redesigned blade, and this spectral energy that wraps around him during abilities. His Q lunge leaves behind a trail of ink-like particles that fade into nothing. Clean. The W rake throws out these glowing spirit blades instead of the standard metal ones, and the return animation has this slight shimmer that I swear makes it easier to track in teamfights.

His E wall hop is where Enduring Sword Talon really shines though. The vault animation has Talon gliding over terrain with an almost supernatural smoothness. Played maybe 40 games in one weekend last November just to abuse the parkour in Diamond ranked, and the skin made every roam feel cinematic. Not sure if it’s just me but the E feels faster visually even though the actual speed is identical.

R is the highlight. Shadow Assault sends out these translucent spirit blades in a circle, and the converge animation has a satisfying pulse effect. The stealth portion keeps that ink-wash visual going. Voice lines stay base, no VO refresh here, but the new VFX carry the skin hard enough that it doesnt matter. The recall has Talon performing this meditation with his blade before slashing through a spirit gate. Short and stylish.

The Immortal Journey line and release context

Enduring Sword Talon dropped September 4, 2018. Late into season 8, right around Worlds hype. Pan Chengwei nailed the splash, the composition puts Talon mid-stride through clouds with the blade trailing energy behind him. One of the better splash pieces in Talon’s lineup honestly.

The Immortal Journey skinline pulls from wuxia and Chinese mythology. Talon fits naturally into the theme because his kit is already built around the blade fantasy. Master Yi, Janna, and Fiora got Immortal Journey skins too, but Talon’s execution stands out. The ink-painting VFX are more prominent on him than the others in the set. (Random aside: my duo partner bought every Immortal Journey skin day one and I think Talon was the only one he kept in rotation past week two.)

7 chromas available for this one. Obsidian turns the whole thing dark, almost shadow assassin vibes, thats my go-to for when I want to look menacing in lane. Amethyst swaps to purple energy that reads like a mystic variant. Sapphire hits a cold blue that pairs well with the spirit theme. The rest fill out the roster but those three carry it.

Is Enduring Sword Talon worth 1350 RP?

Real talk though. For 1350 RP this is one of Talon’s best skins. The competition in his catalog is stiff now with Withered Rose and High Noon existing, but Enduring Sword Talon holds up because the VFX are distinct. High Noon leans western, Withered Rose leans dark romance, and Enduring Sword gives you that wuxia swordsman fantasy that nothing else in his collection touches.

Still in the shop. If you main Talon or even just pick him for mid prio and roaming comps, this skin earns its price. Been spamming this in Diamond games this season specifically and the parkour animations alone justify the RP. The W poke in lane looks phenomenal with those spirit blades.

Could be wrong here but I think Enduring Sword ages better than most Epics from 2018. The art direction was ahead of its time for that patch cycle. Skip it if you already own High Noon Talon and only want one skin in rotation, but for Talon one-tricks who want variety, this is a must-have. 1350 RP well spent for mains. Season 9 I think or 10 dont remember exactly, but there was a stretch where every Talon in my games was running this skin. Tells you something about how the community rates it.