Do you have a penchant for fortune-telling and the occult?
If your answer is yes, then the League of Legends Arcana skin line is perfect for you!
The line takes inspiration from the 22 Major Arcana tarot cards which are historically used to gain insight into a person’s past, present, or future.
These skins don’t represent any particular tarot card, but have adopted a variety of Major Arcana designs, explained Riot Games Principal Writer Jared “Carnival Knights” Rosen.
What are the Major Arcana cards?
Major Arcana cards depict different scenes and symbols subject to interpretation by tarot practitioners. These cards are the common tools of cartomancy, granting spiritual guidance to any individual.
NUMBER | MAJOR ARCANA CARD |
0 | The Fool |
1 | The Magician |
2 | The High Priestess |
3 | The Empress |
4 | The Emperor |
5 | The Hierophant |
6 | The Lovers |
7 | The Chariot |
8 | Justice or Strength |
9 | The Hermit |
10 | Wheel of Fortune |
11 | Strength or Justice |
12 | The Hanged Man |
13 | Death |
14 | Temperance |
15 | The Devil |
16 | The Tower |
17 | The Star |
18 | The Moon |
19 | The Sun |
20 | Judgment |
21 | The World |
In League of Legends, the Arcana cards are represented by the Archetypes which are “living patterns that shape reality itself.”
Here are all nine Arcana skins in League of Legends ranked from worst to best.
Ranking every Arcana skin in League of Legends
9. Arcana Xayah
8. Arcana Lucian
7. Arcana Hecarim
6. Arcana Rakan
5. Arcana Ryze
4. Arcana Ahri
3. Arcana Tahm Kench
2. Arcana Xerath
1. Arcana Camille
9. Arcana Xayah
Naturally, League of Legends marksman and support duo Xayah and Rakan represent The Lovers tarot card.
Riot Games missed a small opportunity to include a special shared recall animation in this skin line that could have paid homage to The Lovers tarot card, where a front facing man and a woman stand side-by-side.
The Arcana skin line plays on red, gold, and purple colors. While this palette works great for other champions, these colors are too close to Xayah’s base model, making her Arcana skin look pretty similar to her default look.
Save for the gold elements on her costume, the Arcana Xayah skin actually looks more like a Prestige version of her classic appearance.
8. Arcana Lucian
Lucian embodies the Justice tarot card with his striking red robes and sleek black suit. Casting his ultimate lets out a deck of beautiful red cards that even card master Twisted Fate would envy.
Arcana Lucian’s recall is the best part of this skin, which is a simple yet enthralling animation that combines mysticism symbols the sun, moon, a crown, and a diamond. In the last second of the animation, a glowing, balanced scale flashes, signifying his commitment to justice.
The visual effects on his Arcana look a bit similar to his High Noon skin, making this a good buy for players who are on a tight budget.
7. Arcana Hecarim
What’s tall, has eight-pack abs, blessed with four legs, and walks down his own red carpet? Why it’s Arcana Hecarim!
Tarot card readers will instantly recognize Hecarim as The Chariot, a card that’s all about determination and victory.
Casting his Devastating Charge ability gives the knight a red and gold aura that stands out on Summoner’s Rift. His ultimate ability, Onslaught of Shadows, summons five mighty illusions that charge forward along with Hecarim, making him look like a force to be reckoned with.
Despite his flashy ultimate, other champions in this skin line overshadow the half-human, half-beast, especially when it comes to particle effects.
6. Arcana Rakan
Rakan’s Arcana skin is a breath of fresh air from his usual topless skins. The League of Legends champion looks quite dashing in his red and purple robes, complete with his wing cloak that shines in lovely gradient color.
His Grand Entrance skill temporarily displays an apple tree on the ground, an imprint that references Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. His Gleaming Quill ability takes the shape of a large apple, reminding fans of the classic Biblical story.
VFX fans will surely love Arcana Rakan, which is miles ahead of his partner’s skin, Arcana Xayah.
5. Arcana Ryze
As a skilled sorcerer, Ryze is one of the few champions that perfectly fit the concept of the Arcana skin line. From his splash art down to his recall animation, this skin is almost on par with Championship Ryze, his best skin to date.
We’re absolutely fond of the effects on his Spell Flux and Realm Warp abilities. The quick golden glow and sound effect on his E ability will give a sense of satisfaction to players when cast.
The minor staircase detail in his ultimate ability makes all the difference, giving Realm Warp the visual depth to truly feel like a magical portal.
4. Arcana Ahri
Arcana Ahri’s nine crimson-red tails will surely charm you with their intricate dotted design, giving life to the magical fox’s usual plain-colored fur. She carries a powerful piece of floating card with her which is a nice visual upgrade from her standard orb.
The trickster draws her power from the moon, noticeable in the visual effects on her Fox-Fire and Spirit Rush abilities. Her splash art even shows the four primary moon phases, a subtle detail that adds to the overall beauty of this Arcana skin.
Arcana Ahri has the potential to outshine the other skins in this set should Riot Games update her base animations, which would greatly improve the look and feel of the skin’s effects.
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3. Arcana Tahm Kench
Somebody call 911, because this Tahm Kench skin is literally on fire!
Arcana Tahm Kench carries a burning crown on top of his head, a fitting accessory for the skin inspired by The Emperor card.
The river king is adorned with gold jewels that go nicely with his large maroon horns and deadly claws. Overall, the Kench looks like he cannot be unbenched in his Arcana skin, portraying him as a monstrous royalty powered by gluttony.
Take a closer look at his Abyssal Dive, and maybe you’ll get sucked into unlocking this beautiful monster we call Arcana Tahm Kench.
2. Arcana Xerath
Arcana Xerath stands out from the rest of the pack, especially since this is the first time we’re seeing his human form.
From his lore, fans would remember that the mage champion Xerath is a powerful magus taking the form of shards of a broken coffin. In this Arcana skin, Xerath’s shards have been transformed into a sturdy golden armor. Xerath himself is glowing red with noticeable white hair, a ball of flame on his head, and a pair of huge horns.
The same open eye symbol appears throughout his Eye of Destruction and Shocking Orb skills, which is a nice reference to the Eye of Providence or the all-seeing eye, a common mysticism symbol.
Xerath mains will absolutely love the particle effects on Rite of Arcane, which showers enemies with big, fiery shooting stars that burst into pits of blood-red rings.
For anyone looking into a mix of chaos and magic, the Arcana Xerath skin is perfect for you.
1. Arcana Camille
From its particle effects down to its recall animation, Camille’s Arcana skin is simply divine.
Her Tactical Sweep and Hookshot abilities, in particular, include intricate dashed lines and hollow diamond shapes inspired by celestial-themed tarot card decks. Camille’s ultimate, The Hextech Ultimatum, shows the seven phases of the moon interconnected by glowing lines of golden stars.
Not to mention, Arcana Camille’s splash art is a gorgeous masterpiece that paints the Hextech user in a different light. She is sitting on a throne, cross-legged, with a stern expression on her face. The splash art’s golden background is full of stars and sparkles, complementing the black and deep red color palette on Camille’s costume.
Arcana Camille skin actually takes inspiration from The Hanged Man tarot card which is about self-sacrifice.
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