PROJECT: Pyke

First time I saw PROJECT: Pyke load into my game I thought someone was running a custom skin. Not gonna lie, the silhouette alone made me do a double take in champ select. Pyke already has one of the most intimidating kits in the game, and wrapping him in full cybernetic assassin gear just makes the whole thing feel like you’re getting ganked by a Terminator. Been running this in Diamond since around season 10 I think, and it still holds up years later.

What the PROJECT upgrade actually does to Pyke’s kit

This is a full Legendary skin so everything changes. New model, new VFX on every ability, new voice lines performed by Darien Sills-Evans, new recall animation. The whole package.

Starting with Q, the Bone Skewer charge-up gets this electric tether effect that pulses orange and teal. When you tap Q for the stab, there’s a clean digital slash. Holding Q for the hook though? The VFX on the projectile reads way better than base in teamfights. Could be wrong here but I think the hitbox visual actually matches the actual hitbox more closely than default Pyke, which is rare for Riot. My duo partner swears hes imagining it but I’ve landed hooks on this skin I miss on base.

W is where things get interesting. Ghostwater Dive turns Pyke into this flickering holographic phantom. The camouflage effect has digital distortion around the edges, and the movement speed trail leaves behind these data fragments. Played maybe 150 games with this skin last season and the W stealth animation never got old. Clean entry into lane, peel back into fog, repeat.

E, Phantom Undertow, leaves a circuit-board pattern on the ground where Pyke dashes. The phantom that snaps back has full PROJECT styling with the cybernetic frame visible. Banger ability VFX honestly. In a comp where you’re diving the backline, the E stun visual communicates clearly to your team what you just hit.

R is the showpiece. Death from Below gets this massive holographic X marker on the ground, and the execute animation has Pyke dropping through a digital rift. The reset sound effect when you chain ults in a teamfight? (Random aside: I’ve had teammates in voice chat literally cheer when the triple ult sound goes off.) Three things stood out after hundreds of games: ult VFX, recall, voice.

The PROJECT line and where Pyke fits

PROJECT: Pyke dropped August 1, 2019. Late into season 9 if I remember right. Bo ‘chenbowow’ Chen nailed the splash, the composition with Pyke emerging from underwater data streams captures the skin’s vibe perfectly.

The PROJECT skinline is one of Riot’s longest running theme sets. Pyke fits it naturally because his lore already involves death and transformation, so the cybernetic augmentation angle works without feeling forced. Not like some champions where they just slap the aesthetic on and call it a day. Kinda feels like Pyke was designed with something like PROJECT in mind from the start.

8 chromas total for this skin. Reckoning is my go-to, the orange and dark teal contrast pops hard against the Rift. Obsidian goes full dark mode which reads well if you want that stealth assassin look even outside of W. Amethyst shifts the palette to purple and honestly it hits the mage-assassin crossover fantasy harder than you’d expect on Pyke. The rest are fine but those three carry the chroma set.

Full Legendary price at 1820 RP. Permanent shop, grab it whenever. For what you get with the new VO, completely reworked ability VFX, and the recall where Pyke interfaces with his augmentation rig, the price checks out. Last Tuesday around 2 AM I was browsing skins during queue and compared this side by side with Sand Wraith. PROJECT wins by a mile on production value.

Voice lines and personality shift

The new VO changes Pyke’s character from vengeful drowned man to vengeful augmented operative. Still obsessed with his list, still threatening, but now filtered through this cold digital processing. Some of the kill lines reference being rebuilt and hunting targets from a database rather than a waterlogged notebook. Real talk though, the voice filter sits in a sweet spot where it sounds mechanical without losing the menace that makes Pyke’s voice work.

Darien Sills-Evans brought the same energy as base Pyke but adjusted for the PROJECT universe. Not sure if it’s just me but some of the movement voice lines feel more aggressive than default. In my Diamond games when I’m roaming bot after shoving mid prio, hearing the PROJECT callouts while in W stealth just sets the mood for the engage. Simple change – huge impact on how the champion feels during a gank.

Should you lock in PROJECT: Pyke?

Verdict time. PROJECT: Pyke is arguably the best Pyke skin if you care about the full package. The VFX clarity on Q hook and R execute give it practical value beyond cosmetics. You know what surprised me? After switching back to base for a week during that ranked game where my Kayn inted three times pre-6, I genuinely missed the PROJECT audio cues. The sound design carries weight.

If you’re a Pyke one-trick or even just someone who pulls him out for support or mid, this Legendary earns its 1820 RP. The 8 chromas give you variety for months without getting bored. Reckoning alone justifies the extra investment if you like warm tones over the default blue-orange scheme. Skip this only if you already own Ashen Knight and refuse to run anything else. For everyone else spamming Pyke in solo queue, PROJECT is the skin. First choice for Pyke mains, no question.