Skins are a game mechanic in Stick War: Legacy and Stick Empires that allows you to cosmetically alter units. In Stick War: Legacy, the skins provide a buff.
Stick Empires
In Stick Empires, Skins (otherwise known as Items) are bought by Empire Coins in the Armory. These are grouped into Weapons, Armor (Armor in-game), and Miscellaneous (Misc in-game).
Each weapon is an item that must be bought seperatly.
Variants
Order
Miner
Weapons
- The default pickaxe available to Miners is a simple iron one.
- The second pickaxe is a pickaxe made up of stone.
- The third pickaxe available to Miners is a hammer, presumably meant to break rocks. This hammer is available for 75 Empire Coins.
- The fourth pickaxe available to Miners is a pickaxe made of ice. The ice pickaxe is available for 100 Empire Coins.
- The fifth pickaxe available to Miners has a head that is less prominent on one side compared to the other. This pickaxe is available for 100 Empire Coins.
- The sixth pickaxe available to Miners is a "nature" one with a wooden handle with leaves and a stone head. The nature pickaxe costs 100 Empires Coins.
- The seventh pickaxe available to Miners is a gold one with red bindings to attach the head to the handle. The gold pickaxe costs 175 Empire Coins
Miscellaneous
- The first bag available to Miners is the default grey one. It is free
- The second bag available to Miners is very similar to the default one, only having more folds and bumps. This one is 75 Empire Coins.
- The third bag available to Miners is actually a cart made of stone. This one costs 100 Empire Coins.
- The fourth bag available to Miners is the "nature" bag, made of leaves and twigs. This one costs 125 Empire Coins.
- The fifth bag available to Miners is the ice bag. This one also costs 125 Empire Coins.
- The sixth bag available to Miners is a cart made of metal. This one costs 200 Empire Coins. (Unconfirmed, because this editor bought the cart, and can't remember the price)
- The seventh bag available to Miners is a wooden cart with one big wheel showing. This one costs 300 Empire Coins.
- The eighth bag is similar to the seventh one. It's a wooden cart, but it has 2 wheels showing. This one also costs 300 Empire Coins.
Swordwrath
Weapons
- The default weapon for the Swordwrath is a simple short sword.
- A club. This weapon is a reference to Stick War I, when Order's Swordwrath units started out with clubs. It is available for 25 Empire Coins.
- A katana. It is available for 40 Empire Coins.
- A greatsword. It is available for 50 Empire Coins.
- A machete. It is available for 60 Empire Coins.
- A claymore, a large 2-handed sword. The claymore is available for 75 Empire Coins.
- A wooden sword with leaves for a cross-guard. This wood sword is available for 100 empire Coins.
- A leafblade. The leafblade is available for 125 Empire Coins.
- A stone blade. Basically a blade made of stone. Available for 125 Empire Coins.
- An ice sword (indigo). This sword is available for 150 Empire Coins.
- A frying pan. It is available for 250 Empire Coins.
- A simple rapier with a golden handle. The rapier is available for 275 Empire Coins.
- A large silver sword with four blue circles near the handle of the blade. This sword is available for 275 Empire Coins.
- A fire sword (orange and dark red). The fire sword is available for 300 Empire Coins.
- A crowbar. This is a reference to Gordon Freeman from the Half-Life series. The crowbar is available for 300 Empire Coins.
- A brown/tan sword, with a hole at the tip section of the blade. It is available for 325 Empire Coins.
- Cloud's Buster Sword from Final Fantasy. The Buster Sword is available for 350 Empire Coins.
- A chainsaw. This could be a reference to how chainsaws are used to fight zombies, or in this case, Deads. The chainsaw is available for 550 Empire Coins.
- A Type-1 Energy Weapon, or the Energy Sword from Halo. The Energy Sword is available for 600 Empire Coins.
- A golden sword with gems (red, blue and purple) embedded into it. The golden sword is available for 750 Empire Coins.
Armor
- Regular bald head of swordwrath, it is free
- An ice helmet, costs 125 empire coins (not confiremed)
- A stone helmet, costs 175 empire coins
- A leaf helmet, costs 300 empire coins
- A lava helmet, costs 325 empire coins
Archidons
Armor
- The default armor is nothing
- The castle archer helmet, costs 75 empire coins
- A stone helmet, costs 175 empire coins
- An olive green samurai helmet. Available for 150 Empire Coins.
- An ice helmet. Available for 150 Empire Coins.
- A Native American styled helmet (Red and White). Available for 150 Empire Coins.
- A volcanic themed helmet. Available for 175 Empire Coins.
- A helmet made up entirely of leaves. Available for 175 Empire Coins.
- An ice helmet that completely covers the face, leaving holes for the eyes of the Archidons. Similar to the 5th helmet. Available for 175 Empire Coins.
- A cowboys hat, Available for 250 empire coins.
- A tan hoplite (Athenian soldiers) helmet. Available for 275 Empire Coins.
- Robin Hood's hat. Available for 300 Empire Coins.
- A golden Roman troop helmet. Available for 350 Empire Coins.
Miscellaneous
- The default quiver for Archidons is a black quiver.
- A green quiver. Available for 75 Empire Coins.
- A silver quiver. Available for 100 Empire Coins.
- A stone quiver. Available for 100 Empire Coins.
- A Native American styled quiver. Available for 125 Empire Coins.
- An ice quiver. Available for 125 Empire Coins.
- A grass quiver. Available for 150 Empire Coins.
- An alternate ice quiver which is more glossy. Available for 150 Empire Coins.
- An ancient tan quiver. Available for 225 Empire Coins.
- A golden quiver. Available for 300 Empire Coins.
Meric
Weapons
- Default staff of the Meric is silver with a blue gem in between
Wip
Stick War: Legacy
Based from the Stick Empires items, Stick War: Legacy has some skins, Unlike Stick Empires, each skin provide buffs to the units. Buying a skin also let units have all weapons.
Variations
Classic - The classic look.
Classic
Classic is the default skin for all units. It has been the uniform attire for every Order unit since the original game, and does not give any additional stat buffs.
The Classic variant is the only skin to appear in all four main-series games.
Considering that none of the other skins have any downsides, it's recommended to avoid using classic skins for practical reasons.
Leaf
Leaf is the second skin in the game. It can be purchased for 100 gems per unit, making it the cheapest purchasable skin.
The Leaf skin gives the added perk of a reduced build time for the unit the skin is applied to, a build cost decrease, and an increase in the user-control speed for most units, excluding Miners and Giants.
It's useful for all units, allowing to rush production and amass an army faster, for lower cost. It's mainly useful in campaign and tournament modes, where attacking unprepared enemy with already maxed out force is beneficial, but loses much of its effectiveness when it comes to strength for given population limit in Endless Deads.
It's especially useful skin for Miners - all other skins improve damage or survivability, but none improves mining capacity - while Leaf Skin allows to get to peak-efficiency of 8 miners faster than others. Another beneficients are the Swordwrath, whose advantage of quick training and low costs are put further with the skin, giving player even more feasible emergency / Gold Rush miner intercepting option.
In Swordwrath Counter scenario, enemy troops appear to be using this skin.
Unlike most skins, they have to be bought for gems or taken from chests, as defeating Woodland Tribes in fourth secondary scenario "Gold Rush" rewards the player with a chest rather than a skin for any unit.
Ice
Ice - + Slows enemy units + User control short freeze
Ice is the third skin in the game. It can be purchased for 500 gems per unit, putting it on the lower end of the price spectrum.
The Ice skin gives the added perk of slowing down every action enemy troops do if hit by the unit the skin is applied to, and if a unit with the Ice skin is controlled, can completely freeze an enemy for a short time, approximating to about a second per freeze.
It is the most dangerous when given to Archidons, as it increases period in which melee unit are exposed to being shot while unable to retaliate due to movement slowing, and to lesser degree, Magikill or Giants, who excel in area damage, although from shorter distances and at slower rate.
It should be noted, however, that the skin is relatively dangerous when used by all units, as frostbitten enemies not only walk, but also strike, and even mine slower. However, since ranged units always automatically target closest enemies, enemy ranged killing power usually stays unchanged. Additionally, frostbite effect does not affect living Giants - luckily for the player, while unstunable, Giant Deads can still be frostbitten.
In the third of secondary missions, defeating Glacial Uprising provides player with Ice skin for Archidons.
Savage - + Stun Reduction + Bonus Damage to Deads + User control Speed and Attack Speed increase
Savage
Savage is the fourth skin in the game. It can be purchased for 1000 gems per unit, putting it roughly in the middle of the price spectrum.
In the canon of the Stick War universe, the Savage skin is made from the skins and bones of their conquered enemies, giving the armor its signature abilities.
The Savage skin provides a stun reduction, bonus damage to Deads per hit, and a User speed bonus, both to movement and to speed of damage being dealt.
The first ability is useful for tournament mode for melee infantry, like Speartons or Swordwrath, who are the most exposed to being stunned, less so for midline of Magikill and backline of Archidons and Miners, and lacks use for stun-immune Giants.
The second ability is very useful for all units (except Miners, but they can also be equipped for benefits of unified skins), especially damage-dealers, like Archidons, in Endless Deads mode.
The third ability doesn't affect Miners and Giants.
Defeating United Savage Tribes of Inamorta in second secondary mission gives player Savage Magikill skin for free.
Lava
Lava - + Damage Reflect + User control Burn Damage
Lava is the fifth skin in the game. It can be purchased for 1500 gems per unit, putting it on the higher end of the price spectrum.
In the canon of the Stick War universe, the Lava skin was forged by Borderland Flame Feeders, who combined fiery magical element with stone, creating weapons claimed to be the most powerful Inamorta has ever known.
The Lava skin gives the user the ability to deal a fraction of taken damage back to the enemies - including ranged units - and provides the unit with added fire damage with each hit if they are user-controlled.
The main use of Lava skin is for tanky units, like Giants and Speartons - having lots of health and taking the most damage, they dish out the most damage to enemy via reflection, possibly even killing enemy Archidons who try to kill them. However, said lava units are also effectively countered by tanky units, who can much more easily take the fraction of damage they give themselves.
This is reflected by the fact that defeating Borderland Flame Feeders in fifth secondary mission gives the victorious player Lava Spearton skin for free.
Note: while your opponent uses lava-themed weapons during the Last Stand in the Desert, they are not true lava skin, and may be engaged without risk of reflection damage.
Vamp
Vamp is the sixth skin in the game. It can be purchased for 3000 gems per unit, making it the most expensive skin.
In the canon of the Stick War universe, the Vamp skins are said to contain the power of Chaos, created by the Marrowkai, undead mage, also known as the dark lord of the dead.
The Vamp skin allows equipped units to steal a fraction of health from enemy units, gives them immunity to poison, and, if user-controlled, makes them deal splash damage to enemies.
Vamp skin is overall useful for melee units - Swordwrath, Speartons and Giants, for they, besides dealing damage, also have to take it in retaliation. It increases relative endurance of units even further in Endless Deads mode - Toxic Deads are the only poisoning units, who also happen to be in this mode in abundance, and only reappear in sixth secondary mission in very limited quantity.
While high-DPM melee Swordwrath benefits from the skin in large degree, it is also the unit fairly efficient in countering this skin - killing enemies before they manage to drain enough much health. Alternative counters are ranged units, who can engage the enemy without being damaged themselves.
If The Vampire Soulsteelers in sixth secondary mission "Deal with the Dead" are defeated, the player is rewarded with Vamp Swordwrath skin.
Bonuses
When all units have the same skin, the statue will gain +4 additional gold and regain 5 hp every few seconds, giving player a choice - whether to streamline his army with one skin at cost of potentially sub-optimal skin use, or maximize efficiency of each unit individually, at cost of lack of statue regeneration and additional gold surge.
Additionally, every skin, aside from Vamp and Classic gives Miner a HP bonus, while every skin aside from Classic lets player-controled Giant use Earthquake ability with fast animation and massive area damage in a straight, horizontal line, but with a long cooldown.
Notes
- Giants were the last unit to receive skins, now rounding out the set and allowing all Order units (in Stick War: Legacy, and excluding Merics) to wear skins.
- The Classic, Leaf, Ice, Savage, and Lava skins are available in Order armoury in Stick Empires, while the Vamp skin belongs to Chaos. Unlike Stick War: Legacy however, these skins have no effect and are merely cosmetic.
- When Giant skins were added, Griffon the Great was granted the “Earthquake“ ability.