Lunar Beast Jarvan IV

First game I played with Lunar Beast Jarvan IV was around 3 AM on a Tuesday, right after the Lunar New Year event dropped in 2021. Locked it in for a Diamond ranked game and immediately noticed the splash loading screen hitting different. Not gonna lie, the red and gold aesthetic on J4 just works. Banger first impression.

What Lunar Beast actually changes on Jarvan IV

The VFX overhaul is where this skin earns its 1350 RP. His Q – Dragon Strike – gets this golden energy trail that reads way cleaner than base, especially when you’re threading the E-Q combo through a teamfight. The flag on his E drops with new particle effects too, fiery red and gold accents that match the Lunar Beast theme. Been running this in ranked for a solid stretch and the combo feels visually satisfying every single time.

W shield pops with these crimson ripple effects. Subtle change but it adds up. His ult – Cataclysm – slams down with beast-themed VFX, golden energy radiating outward from the crater walls. Looks great when you dive their backline and trap someone in the pit. Trapped their Jinx in dragon pit last week with it and the visual payoff was clean.

The recall animation sells the Lunar Beast fantasy hard. Jarvan IV channels this beast spirit energy, very Lunar New Year vibe. Voice lines stay base though, no VO refresh on this one. Standard for an Epic tier skin. Kinda feels like Riot could have added a voice filter at minimum, but the VFX carry it.

Lunar Beast line and the February 2021 drop

Released February 4, 2021. Middle of season 11 if I remember right. Ina Wong and West Studio handled the artwork, and they cooked on the splash. The pose captures J4’s engage energy perfectly, spear forward, beast aura flaring behind him.

The Lunar Beast skinline was one of Riot’s Lunar New Year pushes. Jarvan IV fits the theme naturally since his whole kit revolves around diving in like a predator. Fiora, Darius, Aphelios, and Viego all got Lunar Beast skins too. Could be wrong here but I think J4’s version is one of the stronger executions in the set. The red and gold color scheme reads well on his armor silhouette compared to some of the others.

Legacy vault skin now so you cant just grab it from the shop whenever. Hextech crafting or waiting for a vault rotation is your path. 7 chromas total if you managed to pick them up during the event window. Obsidian goes full dark mode on the armor which honestly looks cleaner than base in certain lighting on the Rift. Amethyst swaps everything to purple and leans into a mage-king aesthetic thats unexpected on J4. Sapphire is decent too if you want something cooler-toned.

Is Lunar Beast Jarvan IV worth 1350 RP?

Real verdict: this is a solid Epic skin for Jarvan IV mains. The VFX changes on E-Q and ult are noticeable in-game, the recall animation is good, and the Lunar Beast theme suits his engage-heavy playstyle. (Random aside: the splash has been my Discord avatar for like two years now and nobody has ever recognized the champion. People keep guessing Xin Zhao.)

If you’re climbing with J4 in the jungle or running him top lane for the splitpush angle, this skin feels good to play. The golden Q trail genuinely helps you track your own ability in messy late-game fights. Maybe just my experience but I land more E-Q combos with this skin because the visual feedback is so crisp. Might be placebo. Probably is.

Compared to Dark Star or Hextech Jarvan IV, Lunar Beast sits comfortably in the middle. Not his absolute best skin but far from the worst. 1350 RP feels fair for what you get, especially with the VFX package. The Legacy status means you need to be patient or lucky with Hextech crafting. Worth it if you main Jarvan IV and want something that pops during ganks and teamfights without going full Legendary price. Season 11 or 12 I think I had maybe 150 games on this skin before rotating to something else, and I keep coming back to it every few months. Top pick for Jarvan IV mains who missed the event window and find it in a chest.