Lunar Empress Lux

First time I saw Lunar Empress Lux load in during a ranked game, season 8 I think, I actually thought it was a Legendary for a second. The splash alone carries that kind of weight. Been playing Lux on and off since maybe season 5, mostly as a support pocket pick when my duo locks in an ADC that needs peel, and this skin changed how I felt about queuing her up. Not gonna lie, the Lunar Revel aesthetic just works on Lux in a way I didnt expect.

VFX and what Lunar Empress actually changes

The big selling point here is the particle work. Her Q fires off with this golden phoenix trail that reads way cleaner than base Lux binding. Easier to track in teamfights too, which matters when you’re trying to catch a backline Jinx or Kai’Sa from fog. The E gets a full rework visually, dropping a lantern-style zone with warm reds and golds. Looks great in the river especially.

Her ult is where Riot put the most work. Final Spark fires with this massive burst of red and gold light, phoenix wings spreading out from the beam. In a late-game teamfight where you’re hitting three or four people from the backline, it genuinely looks premium. Could be wrong here but I think the ult VFX on this skin rival some Legendary tier effects.

The recall animation is custom. Lux does this ceremonial dance with paper lanterns floating around her. Clean stuff. Voice lines stay base, no new VO, which is standard for a 1350 RP Epic skin. The model itself puts Lux in a red and gold imperial outfit with an ornate headdress. (Random aside: my friend who mains Ahri was jealous this skin wasnt for her champion instead.)

Lunar Revel context and release details

Lunar Empress Lux dropped February 8, 2018. Right in the middle of the Lunar Revel event that year. Xu ‘Crow God’ Cheng nailed the splash, the composition with the phoenix behind Lux is one of the better pieces in the entire Lunar Revel skinline.

The Lunar Revel line has been one of Riot’s consistent performers. Every year they roll out a new batch and some hit harder than others. Lunar Empress sits near the top for me. The thematic fits Lux naturally since her whole kit is light-based and the warm festival palette just amplifies that.

5 chromas total if you can get your hands on them. Amethyst shifts everything into deep purple which honestly reads like a completely different skin. Rose Quartz goes soft pink and I’ve seen maybe two people running it in my Diamond games all season. Turquoise is interesting but kinda clashes with the Lunar Revel vibe in my opinion. The chromas add decent variety but the base red and gold is still my go-to.

Legacy vault and is 1350 RP fair?

Here’s the catch. Lunar Empress Lux sits in the Legacy vault. You cant just walk into the shop and grab it whenever. Gotta wait for the vault rotation or get lucky with Hextech crafting. Last time I saw it available was around Lunar New Year 2024 I think, which makes sense given the theme.

At 1350 RP this is standard Epic pricing. For what you get, new VFX on every ability, custom recall, solid model, it earns that price tag. Might be overthinking it but compared to something like Star Guardian Lux at the same tier, Lunar Empress offers a completely different mood. Star Guardian is flashy and loud. Lunar Empress is refined. Elegant.

If you main Lux and you like skins that feel premium without being over the top, this is a strong pick. Spammed this in Diamond for a couple weeks last Tuesday through the weekend and the animations never got old. The Q especially, landing a binding with that phoenix trail in the bot lane specifically just hits different. Real talk though, Lux has like 15 skins at this point so the competition is steep. Dark Cosmic and Elementalist exist. But for a seasonal skin locked behind the vault, Lunar Empress Lux punches above its weight. 1350 RP well spent for mains, if you can find it available.