PROJECT: Leona

First time I saw PROJECT: Leona load in, I thought Riot finally figured out what a futuristic tank support should look like. Clean lines, neon accents, the whole cyberpunk soldier vibe. Been running this in Diamond for a couple seasons now and it still holds up. Not sure if it’s just me but there’s something about the way Leona looks in this skin that makes me want to engage harder. Placebo? Probably. Still real though.

How PROJECT changes Leona’s kit visually

The VFX overhaul is where the 1350 RP earns its keep. Zenith Blade (E) shoots out this orange-gold energy tether that reads way cleaner than base. You can actually track the hitbox better in teamfights, which sounds like cope but I swear its true. The Q proc on Shield of Daybreak gets this satisfying tech-burst effect on stun contact. Short and sharp.

Solar Flare (R) is the highlight. The ult indicator on the ground swaps from the sun motif to a geometric targeting grid. Feels like calling in an orbital strike instead of summoning sunlight. Played maybe 150 games with this skin and the R animation still hits different at 2 AM when you land a five-man ult in dragon pit.

W activation wraps Leona in this orange shield matrix. Looks great. The particle density is just right for an Epic tier skin from 2015. Some older 1350s feel thin on effects but PROJECT: Leona was ahead of its time honestly. The recall animation has her doing this whole system-boot-up sequence, kneeling down while holographic displays materialize around her. Clean execution.

Voice lines stay base. No new VO, which is expected at this price point. Wendee Lee’s original Leona voice works fine with the aesthetic anyway. The audio design on abilities leans into synthetic, techy sound effects that pair well with the visuals.

The PROJECT line and where Leona fits

PROJECT dropped September 7, 2015 as part of that massive PROJECT wave. Season 5. Christian Fell nailed the splash, the pose captures Leona mid-charge with her blade extended and shield forward. Classic engage stance. (Random aside: that splash was my desktop background for like three months straight.)

The PROJECT skinline is one of Riot’s most successful. Yasuo, Zed, Fiora, Lucian – Leona sits comfortably in that roster as the tank representative. Kinda feels like Riot designed the whole line around carries and assassins first, then realized they needed a frontliner and picked Leona. Smart choice. She translates naturally into the cybernetic soldier fantasy.

No chromas on this one. Thats a miss from Riot in my opinion because a blue or white chroma variant would look incredible with the PROJECT aesthetic. But it released in 2015, before chromas became standard on every Epic skin. Shop has it permanently so you can grab it whenever.

Should you lock in PROJECT: Leona?

Real verdict: PROJECT: Leona is a strong pickup for support mains who want something futuristic without going full mecha. At 1350 RP the VFX package delivers. The R alone justifies the price for me. Been spamming Leona in ranked since season 8 or 9 dont remember exactly, and this skin stays in my rotation alongside Solar Eclipse.

If you’re comparing within Leona’s lineup, Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse are newer and flashier with the toggle mechanic. But PROJECT has its own identity. It’s less fantasy, more sci-fi. Different mood entirely. For pure engage support gameplay where you’re diving the backline and peeling for your ADC, the clean particle work on PROJECT makes ability tracking easier in chaotic teamfights.

Could be wrong here but I think this aged better than most 2015 skins. The PROJECT design language is timeless in a way that some other skinlines from that era aren’t. Worth 1350 RP if you main Leona. Skip it if you already own one of the Eclipse variants and only play her occasionally. But for one-tricks and Leona mains who want variety in their skin rotation, this is an easy recommend. Top pick for Leona mains who lean toward the tech fantasy.