Barbecue Leona

Saw this skin in my promos last week and honestly couldn't tell if the enemy Leona was running Barbecue or base until she started throwing spatulas at me. After grabbing it myself and putting in around 35 games, I can see why some people sleep on this one while others swear by it.

The Q feels way smoother than base Leona, probably because the spatula swing has a cleaner animation than her usual shield bash. Your E actually throws a sausage link which sounds ridiculous but makes it easier to track in messy teamfights. And the ult? Instead of the usual solar flare you get this massive grill that crashes down, which feels more responsive when you need to peel for your ADC. During a dragon fight yesterday, I landed a three man ult and the grill effect made it super clear who was stunned versus just slowed, something I struggle with on Solar Eclipse Leona where everything's just bright orange explosions.

Compared to other Leona skins like Project or Lunar Eclipse, Barbecue sits in this weird spot where it's actually helpful without being pay to win. The abilities are distinct enough that enemies can react properly, but you get better visual feedback for your own plays. Is Barbecue Leona worth it though? For 750 RP it's not breaking the bank, and if you're tired of the serious armor aesthetic this brings something different. It won't make you suddenly pop off if you're inting on Leona already, but for anyone who plays her regularly, the improved clarity makes those clutch engages feel that much better. Just maybe mute the sizzling sounds if you're playing while hungry.