Gothic Orianna

Finally got Gothic Orianna from a mystery chest last week and honestly wasn't expecting much from this 520 RP skin. After around 55 games though, I'm actually surprised how clean it feels compared to base Orianna. The darker color palette makes her ball way easier to track in messy teamfights, especially when everyone's popping off with their abilities.

The Q feels more responsive somehow, probably because the gothic ball has this sharper visual that makes it easier to judge distance. Her W shockwave has this purple burst that's actually clearer than most of her other skins, and I've been landing way more ults because of it. During a baron fight yesterday, I could perfectly track my ball position through all the chaos and caught their fed ADC with a three man ult that won us the game. The E shield return animation is smoother too, making those quick shield bounces between allies feel less clunky when you're trying to peel.

Compared to other Orianna skins like Winter Wonder, Gothic actually gives better visual clarity despite being way older and cheaper. It's not flashy but the muted colors help you focus on positioning instead of getting distracted by particle effects. Sure it doesn't have fancy recalls or special animations, but for an exclusive skin that randomly dropped, it's become my go to. Is Gothic Orianna worth it if you main her? Absolutely, especially at that price point. The visual improvements alone make CSing and teamfighting cleaner, and while it's not technically pay to win, the better ball visibility definitely helps in clutch moments. My experience with Gothic Orianna turned me from a skeptic into someone who uses it in ranked regularly.