So to honor our old bull friend, we’re going to take a look at his skin catalogue and see how fancy we can make him look in-game. This ranking will take into account each skin’s price and features, and determine which Alistar skin is the most milkable of them all!
14. Unchained Alistar
Released: September 22nd, 2011 Price: Reward Although this skin can serve as a badge of honor that showcases how you’ve been on the Rift for quite some time, it just isn’t all that great. The best way to describe it is like a visual polish of the base skin with some color changes thrown on top. Not to say that this is the only color swap skin in Alistar’s arsenal, since he has been around for quite some time… but I just find it to be the least exciting of them all. It goes without saying that there are no visual or sound changes whatsoever here either.
13. Matador Alistar
Released: May 11th, 2010 Price: 975 RP Although this skin is thematically the most coherent of the bunch, I just don’t think it’s all that worth it. Most of the older recolor skins are 520 RP or even less – and this one asks for a full price just because they gave our boy a jacket. If it came with some new animations and really hammered down the Matador theme, then it would probably be worth it. But as it is, this skin is just asking way too much. If you don’t agree on this point, just keep reading and see what kinds of skins you can get for 975 RP and it will make a lot more sense.
12. Infernal Alistar
Released: July 13th, 2012 Price: 975 RP I’m ranking Infernal Alistar so low strictly because of disappointment. Because with that said, the splash art and the base model are extremely cool. I really like Alistar’s new armor here as well, plus the head piece and the overall devilish vibe he has going for him. However, the skin does kind of fall apart once you get in game. Being that there are no new animations (or at least recolors of the base ones), the skin feels out of place. You feel less like an infernal bull that came to set the world on fire, and more like a victim of a severe sun burn and a bad temper.
11. Golden Alistar
Released: January 13th, 2010 Price: 390 RP Although the splash art here would make you think this skin is a complete wreck, it’s actually very decent. The new yellow/white color palette makes you feel like some sort of deity. And unlike the previous skin, the base animations don’t take away from this design. The E animations especially fit very nicely with the whole “god-bull theme”. Plus, the skin is dirt cheap. It might not be the most visually impressive – but it offers a great bang for your buck.
10. Hextech Alistar
Released: March 26th, 2018 Price: 10 Gemstones Hextech Alistar is just all over the place. It has brand new animations, but they vary greatly when it comes to quality: The Q animation feels really impactful, but the E animation feels underwhelming and the W particle seems unnecessary. But the R animation fits in pretty well. And the backing animation is just okay. Then we move on to the base model and it’s more of the same. The head piece looks really cool, but the entire model looks somewhat clunky. And the splash art looks epic, but the price is just way too high. I will forever have a love-hate relationship with Hextech skins – and this is why.
9. Black Alistar
Released: June 13th, 2009 Price: Reward Black Alistar was a pain in the neck to rank. When it comes to design, it’s nothing special, just a simple recolor. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the in-game model does look pretty good – and makes Alistar seem slightly more intimidating and badass. On the other hand, this is one of the rarest skins in the entire game and having it is a supreme flex on everyone around you. I personally have never even seen it in-game, so I know I would fall in love with it if I ever did. Overall, it’s an okay skin that’ll get you all the street cred you could ever want.
8. Sweeper Alistar
Released: June 18th, 2014 Price: 750 RP This skin is on the more jokey side of things. But I still think it’s okay for what it is. You might not be faking injuries, but it definitely feels authentic when you dive into the enemy in order to secure that precious victory. Sweeper Alistar offers no new animations, and the in-game model has you strapped in a football kit, with some nice dreads tied into a ponytail. If you like themed-premade games, this will come in quite handy against that enemy Rammus. And if not, well it’s still a pretty decent looking skin.
7. Longhorn Alistar
Released: February 16th, 2011 Price: 520 RP I honestly feel like this skin has no business being so far up on this list – but I can’t help it. The High Noon skin line is among my favorites, and this is the closest Alistar is getting to that party. The skin offers no new animations but it doesn’t really need them either. You get strapped into a leather vest, some boots, and a nice classic cowboy hat, with a pretty decent splash art to go with it. Although I am disappointed that this isn’t called “Bullboy Alistar”… but I still think it’s worth a look.
6. Lunar Beast Alistar
Released: February 4th, 2021 Price: 1350 RP When it comes to Lunar Beast Alistar, I think Riot went just a bit too crazy. The base model looks really cool, and all of the abilities have been polished to hell and back, however it does get a bit too flashy. There was no need for his Q to leave his symbol in the ground. And there was definitely no need for his W to have a red trail behind it. The E sound cue is pretty fun here – but the counter itself isn’t easy to spot in a teamfight. So if you really like flashy skins and you want Alistar to look like he came out recently, with all the bells and whistles we’ve gotten used to, this one’s a top-tier skin. If you like simpler skins then this feels more like a mid-tier choice.
5. Marauder Alistar
Released: September 30th, 2015 Price: 750 RP I’ll just say it: this one is damn cool. It takes the unmilkable bull we all know and love, and turns him into a real threat on the battlefield. You’re covered in dark armor, with only your white main sticking out of the back, and you just feel like a death lord or something. The mask is brilliant here, and the design for your arm-guards just fits the theme perfectly. The skin doesn’t offer any new animations. But considering it’s only 750 RP, I think it’s worth the price without them.
4. SKT T1 Alistar
Released: August 17th, 2016 Price: 975 RP This skin kind of takes what I liked about Lunar Beast Alistar and takes it down a more subtle route. The in-game model for this skin is just dripped out completely. You have a cool jacket, some sweet shades, headphones, and the charisma to control a crowd. That’s not even just my head-cannon, as your backing animation literally has you controlling a crowd. In terms of animations, only his R was changed here, meaning that his basic abilities don’t feel as overwhelming as with Lunar Beast Alistar – while the champion itself still feels brand new.
3. Conqueror Alistar
Released: April 30th, 2019 Price: 975 RP I really like this design because it feels very natural for Alistar. It takes that initial theme of being this giant powerful bull denying milkability, and makes it even more badass. The new armor set looks intimidating, but it also doesn’t feel out of place. And the new animations are just slightly more polished versions of the base ones. The skin feels so natural for the champion that I could easily see it as the new base skin for Alistar. However, it still can’t compete with the absolute insanity of the rest of the top skins in this ranking.
2. Blackfrost Alistar
Released: March 5th, 2020 Price: 1350 RP Blackfrost Alistar just makes you feel powerful. It definitely leans more towards Malphite than the Alistar that we know – but it is so distinct in doing so that it ironically became one of Alistar’s best skins. The base model makes you look like a world-destroying demon. And the ability animations also pack quite the punch. The new Q animation actually has visible debris, which makes the skill feel a lot more impactful, and the indicator for the E proc just looks like a Norse curse, which I quite like. Also the ult animation is very solid here, and the backing animation has that chaotic energy you need in order to play this dude effectively. All in all, probably the most badass skin of the bunch.
1. Moo Cow Alistar
Released: March 29th, 2017 Price: 975 RP Let’s be honest: We all knew this skin would be at number one. But let’s go over the less important stuff first. The base model is just hilarious here, with Alistar literally wearing a cow costume. The ability animations are also quite funny and clever, with cow bells sounding off with your E, your R forming some picket fences, and lots of mooing overall. But the real reason why everyone both loves and hates this skin is the emote spam. Boy, that cowbell ding can make a grown man cry. And if your Q and W are on cooldown, mental warfare is the only route left for you. In fact, it’s probably more effective than a proper engage. Note: this content was created under Riot Games’ “Legal Jibber Jabber” policy using assets owned by Riot Games. Riot Games does not endorse or sponsor this project.
