Riot Games has always had an edge over much of its competition when it comes to in-game cosmetics. There are so many amazing skins in League of Legends that it’s really hard not to spend money on them.
But Orange Essence allows us to get these skins for free!
Riot Games already works on a tight skin schedule. And thousands of new skins for our champions have been added since League’s beginning.
But spending money on so many skins is ill-advised and you’re better off using the Orange Essence offered in the Loot System.
There are pros and cons of using the Orange Essence in League of Legends. And in this post, I’ll talk about all of them.
So without further ado, let’s learn how you can get some of your favorite skins in League for free with Orange Essence!
What is Orange Essence in League of Legends?
Orange Essence, or OE, is a currency in the Hextech Crafting reward loot system for League of Legends.
When players receive a skin shard, they can either convert it into Orange Essence or use the OE they already have to upgrade the skin shard and unlock that skin permanently.
Besides Orange Essence, there’s also the Blue Essence currency in LoL. And even though they’re similar, Blue Essence can’t be used to acquire skins, only champions.
So, it works like the old Influence Points, or IP.
On the other hand, Orange Essence can only be used for purchasing champion skins and ward skins.
In a nutshell, Orange Essence is a free way of getting skins in League of Legends without paying any money for them.
The bad thing about it is that the skins you get in the loot system are totally random and you have no control over which one you receive.
Also, the skins cost way more Orange Essence than they’re worth if you want to disenchant them. And so, to acquire one skin with Orange Essence, you might need to destroy three or four of them in order to get it.
But the great thing about Orange Essence is that it’s free! Skins in League of Legends can be really expensive, especially the ultimate ones.
Players can farm Orange Essence, collect skin shards, and unlock them simply by playing the game and not by wasting money.
So, what are the best ways for players to increase their Orange Essence and obtain free skins?
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What Can You Buy with Orange Essence in LoL?
Riot Games always aimed for League of Legends to be a free-to-play game, and they take great pride in that fact. Because of this, Orange Essence was introduced in 2016 to make up for the not-so-valuable Blue Essence.
LoL’s Orange Essence can buy anything cosmetics like champion skins, ward skins, champion Eternals, and even Summoner’s Icons.
The currency has undergone some adjustments since it was first introduced, but its value remains high.
Obtaining Champion Skins
Champion skins in LoL are variations of the original design. They’re purely cosmetic and do not affect the gameplay too much, even though there are some skins that give obvious advantages to players.
So, champion skins are still widely valued because of the prestige they symbolize.
The most straightforward approach to getting a skin is by purchasing RP and buying the skin from the shop. But, the loot system is another option.
As a reward for reaching the “S” rank on a champion for the first time, Hextech chests are given to you and your party friends. And looting Hextech Chests in the League of Legends client gives you a chance to receive a champion skin shard.
By paying with Orange Essence, these skin shards can be turned into permanent champion skins. And, there is no Orange Essence cost to re-roll three of the champion skin shards you’ve collected if you don’t like them.
This way, you’ll get a random skin permanent skin for free at no Orange Essence cost.
Read Also: How Do Matchmaking & MMR Work in League of Legends?
Champion Eternals
Eternals are champ-specific stats trackers that record, honor, and flex your glorious moments in and out of League of Legends.
In 2020, Eternals were added to LoL where they keep track of everything you’ve accomplished in the game, from champion kills to victories and damage done.
For example, callout appears in the game for everyone to see when you reach a milestone like “50 Bicycle Kicks” with Lee Sin.
A League of Legends Eternal Capsule with Eternals Shards for RP-only Eternals sets can be obtained by specific missions throughout the game’s annual events or by attaining Gold rank throughout a season.
Eternals shards are contained in this capsule and are obtained entirely through Orange Essence instead of Riot Points.
Exclusive Summoner Icons
You can use the Summoner Icons in Riot’s game as a profile picture for your account. Summoner Icons are available to all players, but the exclusive ones are the most sought-after. And Orange Essence will get them for you for free.
Hextech Chests may sometimes drop Summoner Icon’s shards. And these can be unlocked with Orange Essence and turned into permanent icons that you can use on your account.
The cost of the Summoner Icon in Riot Points is used to determine the price of the Orange Essence upgrade.
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Purchasing Ward Skins
Ward skins can be easily obtained from chests, but they are far less common than champion skins.
Ward skin shards are upgraded permanently with Orange Essence the same way as the other items. Once you get a ward shard from a Hextech Chest, the option to unlock it permanently into your collection will become available.
Can You Buy Champions with Orange Essence?
No, Orange Essence is only used for in-game cosmetics. Blue Essence, on the other hand, can be used to unlock a new champion in your collection.
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Is Orange Essence the Same as RP?
No, Orange essence and RP are different even though both can be used for buying skins. Players get Orange Essence for free and can use it to unlock cosmetics in LoL without spending money.
But Riot Points cost real-life money and can only be purchased from League’s store.
Even though players often confuse Orange Essence and RP, these currencies differ vastly.
While Orange Essence is limited to the Hextech loot system and can’t be used in League’s store, RP can be used for literally anything.
You can use Riot Points to purchase almost any skin you want in the game directly without waiting for a skin shard to drop.
Moreover, RP can be used for acquiring champions, masterwork chests, and other accessories instantly and without waiting.
And Orange Essence simply can’t do that. And its only advantage is that it’s a free currency and not a paid one.
Can You Turn Orange Essence in RP?
No, Riot Games doesn’t allow players to exchange Orange Essence for RP. You can only get Orange Essence by disenchanting skin and ward shards, Eternals, and chests.
And Riot Points can only be purchased from the shop with real money.
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How Do You Get Orange Essence in League of Legends?
Hextech Chests and Masterwork Chests
Opening Masterwork Chests is the quickest and easiest way to acquire Orange Essence.
When it comes to obtaining Hextech chests, there are two options. The first option is more expensive. The Hextech Chest bundle, which costs 975 RP, comes with a free bottle of Orange Essence.
The other option is free but a little more challenging to accomplish. When you or a team member receives an “S-” or greater in a matchmade game, you’ll receive a Hextech Chest.
This can only be done once per champion, so be careful.
So, let’s say you recently played a game as Jinx. One of your premades received an “S” grade, but you didn’t. A Hextech Chest will still be added to your loot inventory automatically.
And, keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if you or another team member gets an “S” grade in your next match as Jinx. Since you’ve already gotten a Hextech Chest with Jinx, you simply can’t get another one.
And you’ll have to play another champion!
The Collection > Champions menu lets you see which champions have already given you a Hextech Chest. Just look for the small treasure chest icon next to the champion image (look at the image above).
This can tell which champions you need to play in order to earn your next chests.
Remember that the ARAM game mode is an excellent place to grind “S” grades and Hextech Chests. Because it’s quicker, improving your grade in this mode is much easier than in ranked or normal games.
Now that you’ve obtained your treasure chest, you’ll need to use keys to access it. Bonus Orange Essence can be found in a Hextech Chest’s drops, so make sure to play well and earn chests.
Read Also: How to Get Enough Mythic Essence in League of Legends?
Shards and Eternals
Disenchanting the shards you get from chests and orbs is another method of obtaining Orange Essence. You can turn these shards into Orange Essence if you want to use it on another skin in the future.
The more expensive skin shards give you more Orange Essence.
Skin shards, ward skin shards, and Eternals can all be disenchanted. In the loot tab, select the shard you would like to disenchant, and you’ll get Orange Essence in return.
Conclusion
Orange Essence is the only in-game currency bridging the crack between the thousands of free-to-play games and those behind a paywall.
It allows us to get some of our favorite skins in League of Legends for free and it’s awesome.
I hope this guide helped you figure out how Orange Essence works in LoL, you should earn it as well as how you should spend it.
Good luck and have fun!
