Graves’ upcoming Sentinels skin will have ‘slightly different’ VFX after level 11 in League of Legends

Even though the Ruination threatens to take over Runeterra, Sentinel Graves is ready to purify the Black Mist.

League of Legends senior VFX artist Kevin “Sirhaian” Leroy shared a thread today that details Graves’ upcoming Sentinels skin, showcasing its features and animations. And the cosmetic has a “slightly different” VFX kit after level 11 as the Outlaw’s abilities fight the corruption.

The Black Mist, spawned after Viego tried to revive his true love, threatens to take over Runeterra. And Riot devs stayed true to the Ruination lore when creating Graves’ Sentinels skin. The skin will have Black Mist surrounding his Sentinel of Light energy, subtly appearing around his abilities. Once the jungler hits level 11, however, the Black Mist disappears and Graves’ abilities remain uncorrupted.

Riot made this VFX change minimal “as to not confuse [the] player so that it doesn’t look like the gameplay suddenly changed,” Sirhaian said. While players likely won’t be bothered by the slight animation change, it’s a unique way to pay homage to the MOBA’s lore without affecting gameplay.

Sirhaian shared other features as well, like Graves’ dance animation and the gun shining brightest when it has full ammo. Sentinel Graves’ death animation interestingly nods to Twisted Fate since the Outlaw reaches for a blue card to teleport him to safety.

The Sentinels of Light event kicks off tomorrow with Patch 11.14. Sentinel Graves will likely release in the following patch.

Make sure to follow us on YouTube for more esports news and analysis.