Sandstorm Ekko

First time I saw Sandstorm Ekko in loading screen I thought someone was running a custom skin. The desert gold look on Ekko just reads differently from anything else in his lineup. Been running this as my default Ekko skin since around season 8 I think, and it still holds up way better than it has any right to for a 975 RP skin.

The desert treatment on Ekko’s kit

So the Guardian of the Sands theme swaps Ekko’s tech-street-kid aesthetic for this ancient desert guardian vibe. His bat turns into what looks like a curved golden blade, almost ceremonial. The sand particles on his Q are clean. Not gonna lie, the way the boomerang trails golden dust across the lane makes it feel weightier than base.

W is where it gets interesting. The stasis field takes on this sandstorm look, swirling sand instead of the usual blue-white bubble. In teamfights its actually easier to track than base Ekko W in my experience, which is a weird advantage for a cosmetic. Could be wrong here but I think the particle contrast against Summoner’s Rift green just reads better.

E dash leaves a small sand trail. Nothing crazy. The recall animation is new though, Ekko does this whole sand manipulation sequence that fits the Guardian of the Sands fantasy. Voice lines stay base, no new VO. Standard for a 975 RP skin back in 2015.

R rewind has sandy particles too. Played maybe 40 games last month with this skin in Diamond and the ult VFX never got old. Simple change – huge impact on how the ability feels.

Guardian of the Sands and the 2015 release

Sandstorm Ekko dropped May 27, 2015. Joshua ‘HUGEnFAST’ Brian Smith nailed the splash. The composition puts Ekko in this desert ruin setting with golden light hitting just right. (Random aside: this splash carried my desktop wallpaper rotation for like three months straight.)

Guardian of the Sands is one of Riot’s older skinlines. Kha’Zix, Xerath, Skarner, Rengar all got skins in the same theme. Ekko fits the line naturally. The desert aesthetic works on a champion who already has that agile, acrobatic moveset.

7 chromas available total. Obsidian is my pick, the dark tones turn the whole skin into something that looks way more expensive than it is. Tanzanite hits this deep purple that reads like a mystic desert sorcerer vibe. Pearl is fine if you want something lighter but honestly I keep coming back to Obsidian. Shop has it permanently, 975 RP.

Should you grab Sandstorm Ekko?

Real verdict: for 975 RP this is solid value. You get new VFX on every ability, a custom recall, and the Guardian of the Sands theme executed well on Ekko. Kinda feels like Riot underpriced this one considering what some 975 skins from the same era look like.

If you’re climbing with Ekko and dont want to drop 1350 on PROJECT or True Damage, Sandstorm Ekko is the budget pick that doesnt feel budget. The sand particles on Q and W genuinely look good in lane. Last Tuesday around 2 AM I was spamming Ekko in solo queue and a Zed on my team asked if it was a Legendary. Thats the kind of punch above its weight class this skin delivers.

Skip it if you already own PROJECT Ekko and only play one skin per champ. But for Ekko mains who rotate skins between games, Sandstorm Ekko deserves a slot. 975 RP well spent for mains. The chromas give it extra life too, seven options means you wont get bored looking at the same gold palette every game. Obsidian specifically turns this into a different skin entirely.