Uncle Ryze

Grabbed Uncle Ryze from a chest last week and honestly wasn't expecting much from this goofy patriotic theme. After around 40 games though, this skin's grown on me way more than I thought it would, especially compared to other Ryze skins I've tried on friends' accounts.

The Q feels surprisingly smooth with cleaner animation cancels than base Ryze, making those quick EWQ combos flow better during lane trades. His E spread has this satisfying firework effect that's actually easier to track in teamfights than something like Zombie Ryze where everything blends together. And the ult is probably the best part with that eagle screech sound that lets everyone know you're about to make a play. During a baron fight yesterday, I ulted my whole team behind their backline and the enemy Jinx literally typed "that skin tilted me" in all chat after we aced them.

Is Uncle Ryze worth it compared to something like Championship or Dark Crystal? For 520 RP it's definitely not pay to win, but the animations feel more responsive than base skin which might give you a tiny edge. The recall where he salutes with fireworks going off is pretty cringe but good, and the whole American theme either makes you love it or hate it. My experience with Uncle Ryze has been way better than expected though, especially since the VFX updates made everything pop more without being distracting.

If you're looking for a budget Ryze skin that actually feels good to play, this one's solid value. Championship still looks cleaner overall, but Uncle Ryze has personality and smoother combos that make it worth considering when it shows up in Your Shop.