Monarch Kog'Maw - Splash, Price & Release Info

First time I saw Monarch Kog’Maw in a loading screen I thought someone modded their client. A butterfly Kog’Maw. The little void creature with monarch butterfly wings just sitting there looking almost cute. Not gonna lie, it caught me completely off guard back when I was still learning the game around season 1.

The butterfly treatment on Kog’Maw

So this is a Standard tier skin at its core. No new VFX, no ability particle changes, voice lines stay base. What you get is a full model swap that turns Kog’Maw into this orange and black butterfly creature. The wings are the main draw here. They pulse slightly when he moves and the color palette is clean for a skin this old.

The recall animation is actually new which surprised me. For a 520 RP skin from 2010 thats kind of generous by Riot standards. Most skins in this price bracket just give you a texture swap and call it a day. Kog’Maw flutters those wings during the recall and it looks genuinely charming.

In lane the skin reads well. Playing ADC with this equipped, your auto attacks are still base particles but the model itself is distinct enough that you wont lose track of yourself in a teamfight. Been running this in a few ARAM games last week around midnight and the butterfly silhouette is immediately recognizable even in the chaos of a 5v5 engage.

No VO refresh on this one. Patrick Seitz still doing the base Kog’Maw voice which honestly fits fine. The goofy void puppy voice coming out of a butterfly is part of the comedy.

When Monarch Kog’Maw dropped and where it sits

Released November 16, 2010. Deep into the early days of League. Season 1 era. The Legacy skinline tag means this one rotates in and out, but shop has it currently. 520 RP is about as cheap as skins get these days outside of the 390 tier stuff.

No chromas exist for Monarch Kog’Maw. Kinda expected given the age and price point. Riot doesnt usually go back and add chromas to skins this old unless there’s some event tie-in, and a butterfly Kog’Maw chroma pack seems unlikely at this point. (Random aside: I’d actually buy a blue morpho butterfly version if they ever made one.)

Could be wrong here but I think this was one of the first “cute” skins Riot ever made for a void champion. Before Pug’Maw, before Bee’Maw, Monarch was the original “make the scary thing adorable” concept for Kog’Maw specifically. Season 1 Riot had some wild ideas and this one landed better than most.

Should you pick up Monarch Kog’Maw

Real verdict: this is a nostalgia pick. Pure and simple. If you’re a Kog’Maw one-trick who’s been spamming him in bot lane since the early seasons, Monarch carries sentimental weight that newer skins cant replicate. I had a duo partner back in season 3 or maybe 4 who refused to play Kog’Maw with anything else. Said the butterfly wings were “good luck for cs-ing.” Wild logic but he was Diamond so who am I to argue.

At 520 RP it’s the cheapest way to change up your Kog’Maw look. Not the flashiest option compared to something like Battlecast or Hextech Kog’Maw, but those cost significantly more. For the price this is solid. The model swap is clean, the wings add personality, and the recall is a nice bonus.

Skip this if you want particle changes or new ability VFX on your Q/W/E/R. This skin doesnt touch any of that. But if you appreciate the weird humor of a void monster cosplaying as a butterfly and you dont want to spend more than a couple bucks, Monarch Kog’Maw earns its spot. Best budget Kog’Maw skin full stop. Might be overthinking it but there’s something about the simplicity that works better than some of the overdesigned legendary skins in the game right now. Sometimes a butterfly is enough.