I bought my first Star Guardian skin without knowing anything about the line, just liking the sparkly recall on Lux. That’s how most people start out.
It wasn’t until I owned five of them that I started paying attention to price tags, rarity tiers, and which ones had quietly vanished into the vault.
Studying mathematics left me with a habit of tracking things in spreadsheets long after I should have stopped, and skin prices turned out to be a fun thing to track.
Somewhere between comparing chromas and tracking release dates, Star Guardian skins started telling a bigger story than any single splash art shows on its own, worth working through properly.
Why Do Players Come Back to Star Guardian?
You don’t need the deep lore to enjoy these skins, but one line helps things click for me: ordinary people get chosen by a cosmic entity, the First Star, powered through their bond with their team.
Before the list, it’s worth saying why this line has topped wishlists since League grew into one of esports’ biggest stages.
Star Guardian turns champions into magical protectors, borrowing heavily from Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. That pitch alone hooked me.
What’s kept me buying is that the animations are full rebuilds, not recolors.
New recalls, attack effects, death animations, and unique homeguards even on Epic-tier skins, which most other lines reserve for Legendaries only.
The color language stays consistent across a decade of releases too. Pink, teal, gold, star motifs, sparkle particles everywhere. A 2023 skin and a 2016 skin instantly read as the same universe, same family.
It also feels like a story you can watch grow, with real named characters added instead of random reskins.
My WoW Classic character has over 40 days played, so I know exactly what it feels like to watch a game keep building on the same world for years instead of starting over each time.
Star Guardian scratches that same itch. And the 8-color chroma packs let you personalize the fantasy, which is what actually pulled me in.
Every Star Guardian Skin, Wave by Wave
I’ve grouped these the way Riot actually released them, since that’s roughly how price tiers and legacy status break down too. Here’s the full lineup, wave by wave, starting from where it all began.
Wave 1: The Original Team (2015–2016)
Wave 1 brought the original five champions into the Star Guardian universe back in 2015 and 2016, setting the visual template every later release would build on.
- Star Guardian Lux: The one that started it, with a light and gold magical girl look and a wand staff. 1350 RP, Epic, released May 17, 2015, Legacy vault only, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Janna: A softer, wind-themed take with pastel wings and a gentler palette than her base kit. 1350 RP, Epic, released October 5, 2016, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Jinx: The standout of this batch, a Legendary rework with a full new voice set and huge player demand. 1820 RP, Legendary, released October 5, 2016, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Lulu: Bright, playful, and a near-perfect match for her personality, with Pix getting a matching makeover too. 1350 RP, Epic, released October 5, 2016, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Poppy: The most understated skin of the original five, though the hammer VFX rework still holds up well. 1350 RP, Epic, released October 5, 2016, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
All five are Legacy now, meaning none sit in the standard shop anymore. You’ll only catch them through Vault sales or loot drops, so grab them when they surface.
Wave 2: New Horizon (2017)
Wave 2 landed in 2017 under the New Horizon banner, doubling the roster and bringing the first male champion into the line alongside four new Epic tier additions.
- Star Guardian Ahri: Still one of the most iconic skins in the game, a pink and purple transformation with a flashy ultimate. 1820 RP, Legendary, released September 6, 2017, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Ezreal: Brought the boys into the line for the first time, with a lighter, more armored magical hero look. 1350 RP, Epic, released September 6, 2017, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Miss Fortune: Dual pistols reworked into star cannons, paired with a confident, leader-coded design overall. 1350 RP, Epic, released September 6, 2017, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Soraka: A support-focused pastel design, one of the gentler palettes across the whole skin line. 1350 RP, Epic, released September 6, 2017, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Syndra: The base version, worth remembering later since this predates her corrupted storyline entirely. 1350 RP, Epic, released September 6, 2017, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
That covers the first two waves, five champions each, and both are now vault locked rather than sitting in the standard shop. Up next, the roster starts expanding into new territory.
The Pajama Guardian Spin-Off (2018)
When these dropped in November 2018, the community couldn’t quite decide where they fit.
Five champions, Lux, Lulu, Ezreal, Miss Fortune, and Soraka, all reimagined in sleepover mode rather than battle mode, released together as one cohesive set.
For a while I treated them as lesser versions of the Star Guardian skins, and I was wrong about that for longer than I’d like to admit.
They’re intentionally softer and cozier, and once that clicked, the 1350 RP Epic price point started making a lot more sense. They’re Legacy now, so loot, or the Legacy Vault, is the only way in.
Newer players miss that window more often than you’d think, and the limited chromas tend to fly under the radar too, which honestly feels fitting for a line built around staying in and keeping things quiet.
Wave 3: Bonds and Burdens (2019)
This wave is where the line started feeling like it had genuine ambition behind it. Riot took bigger swings, introduced lore-heavy decisions, and delivered two Legendaries in the same drop.
- Star Guardian Neeko: Neeko’s shapeshifting kit gave Riot room to push VFX detail further than most entries before her. 1350 RP, Epic, Legacy, September 12, 2019, with a Prestige variant at 150 Mythic Essence, Mythic Shop only.
- Star Guardian Rakan: Paired thematically with Xayah, introducing a bonded duo whose connection amplifies each other’s power. 1820 RP, Legendary, released September 12, 2019, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Xayah: Rakan’s counterpart, sharp-winged and precise where he’s showy and warm in design. 1820 RP, Legendary, released September 12, 2019, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Star Guardian Zoe: Notable mostly in hindsight, since Zoe is also the entity behind the corruption storyline in the lore. 1350 RP, Epic, released September 12, 2019, Legacy, chromas via loot/vault only.
- Prestige Star Guardian Soraka: A later addition to this era’s Prestige lineup, arriving well after the rest. 150 Mythic Essence, Mythic, released November 24, 2020, no chromas, Mythic Shop rotation only.
This wave introduced the paired bond concept and quietly planted Zoe’s role in the corruption arc. Wave 4 is where that groundwork actually pays off.
Wave 4: Scattered Stars (2022)
This is the wave that expanded the roster the most, and also introduced the corrupted side of the story as playable skins for the first time. Riot’s own rundown of the event is worth a look too: Hope Burns Brighter Than Fear in Star Guardian 2022.
- Star Guardian Kai’Sa: Leader of the new generation in the lore, and the flagship Legendary release of this wave. 1820 RP, Legendary, released July 14, 2022, standard shop, chromas yes, 8 chromas, in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Akali: Runs with Kai’Sa in the story, a sharp, confident design and one of the better reviewed Legendary reworks. 1820 RP, Legendary, released July 28, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Ekko: Time-bending VFX given a starlight coat of paint, also released with a matching Prestige edition. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 14, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Sona: Her instrument reworked into a star harp, with a gentle palette matching her support kit. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 14, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Nilah: Released alongside her champion debut, so this was many players’ very first Nilah skin. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 13, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Quinn: A less flashy release overall, but still a solid visual upgrade over her base kit. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 28, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Rell: An armored, heavier-feeling design that stands out from the softer skins around it. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 28, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Nemesis Fiddlesticks: One of the first two corrupted side skins ever made playable, not just a lore reference. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 14, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Nemesis Morgana: The other corrupted release, framed as the villainess side of the same event. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 28, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Taliyah: Rock and star motifs combined into one of the more unusual palettes in the line. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 28, 2022, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Prestige Star Guardian Ekko: 150 Mythic Essence, Mythic, same release window, Mythic Shop only.
Prestige Star Guardian Syndra also released in this window, tying back to her original 2017 skin: 150 Mythic Essence, Mythic, Mythic Shop only.
Twelve releases in one wave, plus the corrupted side finally made playable. That sets up the last stretch, where two of these threads get resolved.
Wave 5: The Redemption Arc (2023)
The 2023 wave felt like Riot finally closing loops they’d left open since 2019. Redemption arcs, concert energy, and some of the line’s most technically refined VFX work arrived together.
- Star Guardian Orianna: her mechanical ball reworked into a star core, one of the more technically detailed VFX sets in the line. 1350 RP, Epic, released June 28, 2023, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Seraphine: full concert idol energy with 8 chromas available, consistently one of the best-selling skins the line has produced. 1350 RP, Epic, released June 28, 2023, standard shop, chromas yes, 8 chromas, in game shop plus loot.
- Star Guardian Senna: a softer, more mournful color story than most of the line, fitting her character well. 1350 RP, Epic, released July 20, 2023, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Redeemed Star Guardian Rakan: this is the payoff, resolving his 2019 corruption arc with a brighter, more assured design that reads as returned to the light. 1820 RP, Legendary, released October 11, 2023, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
- Redeemed Star Guardian Xayah: released alongside Rakan’s redemption, closing out the paired bond storyline from 2019. 1820 RP, Legendary, released October 11, 2023, standard shop, chromas via in-game shop plus loot.
That’s every mainline PC release, and it closes the loop that Wave 3 opened. Wild Rift has its own smaller Star Guardian set, and Legends of Runeterra has card versions of several.
The Counterpart: Star Guardian vs. Star Nemesis
This is the part I misunderstood for a long time. I assumed Star Nemesis was just an evil skin variant, the same way some lines do a light-and-dark palette swap for fun.
A palette swap is not what this is. Star Nemesis is a narrative outcome, and once that clicked, the whole line started reading differently.
| Aspect | Star Guardian | Star Nemesis / Star Corrupted |
|---|---|---|
| What it represents | A Guardian actively bonded to the First Star and their team | A Guardian who lost that bond and got overtaken by the opposing force |
| Visual language | Bright pastels, gold, star-shaped particles | Dark purples, cracked light, corrupted star motifs |
| Playable examples | Kai’Sa, Akali, Ekko, Sona, and the rest of the main roster | Star Nemesis Fiddlesticks, Star Nemesis Morgana |
| Story function | The protectors | The thing the protectors are fighting, sometimes literally their own former teammates |
What actually changed things was realizing Fiddlesticks and Morgana weren’t designed as generic villains who happen to share a skin line by coincidence.
In the lore, they’re framed as what structurally happens when a Guardian’s connection breaks. That reframing made the corrupted skins feel less like a dark mode toggle, more like a real consequence.
If you’re buying purely for the aesthetic, none of this changes anything, and that’s fine. But if the story matters to you, it changes how you see owning one of each side.
How These Skins Actually Look In Game?
Screenshots undersell this line, because most of what makes it worth the price is in motion, from recall sequences to attack trails to full voice-over work on higher tiers.
1. The Recall Sequences
Recalls are usually the most elaborate single animation on any given skin. They get the most production time, the most particle work, and the most attention overall.
Ahri’s, Jinx’s, and Seraphine’s recalls in particular are frequently cited as some of the best in the game, and honestly, they’re a big part of why I bought those three.
2. Homeguard Animations
Homeguard animations are unique to nearly every skin in this line, Epic tier included, which is genuinely unusual for League.
Most skin lines reserve homeguards for Legendaries only.
That extra polish on cheaper skins is part of what makes the line feel consistent. You get top-tier treatment even on a 1350 RP purchase, not just the flagship releases.
3. Ability VFX and Color Swaps
Ability VFX consistently swap standard colors for the pink, teal, and gold star palette, so even low-key champions like Quinn or Rell read very differently in a teamfight.
It’s a small detail until you’re actually in a match. Suddenly abilities you’ve seen a thousand times feel new again, which is the same reaction I get watching a familiar WoW zone get a graphical update.
Same bones, different feel, from a small shift in color and particles.
4. Voice Lines on Legendary Skins
Legendary skins, Ahri, Jinx, Rakan, Xayah, Kai’Sa, Akali, and the Redeemed pair, get entirely new voice lines on top of the visual work, not recycled base lines with different pitch.
That’s what separates Legendary from Epic in practice. You’re not just paying for better particles; you’re paying for a fully rebuilt character performance.
A Legendary-tier spotlight video is worth watching before buying, since price alone never tells you how a recall actually feels in a real game.
When’s the Best Time to Buy?
I learned this one the expensive way. I paid full price during a normal week, then watched the same skin get discounted a month later.
If it’s a currently sold skin (2022 or later), wait for a sale cycle. Riot rotates these through discounts a few times a year, typically 30–50% off, plus personalized “Your Shop” offers.
There’s rarely a reason to pay full RP for anything from the 2022 or 2023 waves.
If it’s a Legacy skin (2015–2020 wave), you’re not waiting for a sale; you’re waiting for a Legacy Vault event, usually timed around holidays or major anniversaries.
Outside that window, loot boxes and orbs are your only shot, so grab one if it appears. If it’s a Prestige skin, it only returns when Riot puts it back into Mythic Shop rotation, which isn’t predictable at all.
Anniversary years are also worth watching, since Riot leans on re-releases and Vault windows around round numbers.
Tip: Set a reminder around major League anniversaries and holiday sales, that’s when new discounts and Legacy Vault windows tend to line up together.
The short version: new releases go on sale, old releases go into the vault. Buy new ones during a discount, and grab old ones the moment you see them, since that window won’t stay open long.
Conclusion
Star Guardian skins are easier to judge when you look past the splash art and check what each release actually offers.
The best pick is not always the newest or the rarest, because Legacy status, Prestige rotation, chromas, animations, and story links all change the value.
I would treat RP like a small budget, not a quick impulse buy, especially when sales and Vault returns can make a big difference.
If a skin fits your champion, your taste, and the right buying window, it is much easier to feel good about the purchase later.
Which Star Guardian skin would you buy first? Tell us, share with us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are old Star Guardian skins like Lux or Ahri still available to buy?
No. The original 2015 to 2017 wave skins are Legacy, meaning they’re not in the permanent shop. They only return during Legacy Vault events or drop occasionally through loot boxes and orbs.
When do Star Guardian skins go on sale?
Riot rotates currently sold Star Guardian skins through discounted sales, typically 30 to 50 percent off, a few times a year, and also surfaces them through personalized “Your Shop” offers.
Is there a Star Guardian skin for every League champion?
No. Star Guardian covers a curated cast of around two dozen champions rather than the full roster, and Riot tends to add two to seven new champions per wave rather than filling out every role at once.
