The April 2026 Starlight skin goes to Zetian, the Celestial Empress, with a skin called "Sunset Luminance." Released in June 2025, Zetian has been one of MLBB's most popular mages, but her skin catalog has been thin. This Starlight addition is her first premium cosmetic outside of her base skin and the "Timeless Jade" Epic, making it a significant pickup for anyone who mains her.
The skin drops April 1, 2026, and comes with two Painted Skin variants: "Elysian Luminance" and "Golden Luminance." At 300 diamonds for the Standard Starlight Pass or 750 diamonds for Starlight Plus, this is one of the more appealing Starlight offerings in recent months.
#What Does the Zetian Sunset Luminance Starlight Skin Look Like?
Sunset Luminance dresses Zetian in a warm amber-and-gold palette that contrasts sharply with her default purple-and-blue Celestial Empress design. The splash art depicts her holding a radiant phoenix fan with sunset-colored feathers, surrounded by soft golden light that bleeds into deep orange at the edges. The overall aesthetic leans into a twilight empress theme rather than her usual cold, cosmic look.
The color shift alone makes this skin feel distinct from her existing options. Her "Timeless Jade" Epic skin uses green and gold tones, while the base skin sticks to deep purples. Sunset Luminance occupies its own visual space, which is exactly what you want from a Starlight skin.
#Zetian Sunset Luminance Skill Effects and Animations
Every skill gets reworked particle effects. Here is what stands out:
- S1 (Phoenix Waves): The projectiles shift from purple energy to warm amber-gold waves. The trailing particles leave a faint sunset glow on the ground that lingers for about a second after impact.
- S2 (Phoenix Embrace): The area-of-effect circle changes to a sunburst pattern with golden ripple effects. The slow and magic defense shred visuals are distinct from the base skin, using fiery orange rings instead of purple.
- Ultimate (Phoenix Descent): The global stun indicator takes on a deep golden hue. The phoenix that descends during the ultimate is fully recolored in sunset tones, with feather particles scattering outward on impact.
- Entrance Animation: Zetian descends from a golden sky, her fan unfurling with ember particles cascading around her.
- Recall Animation: Features Zetian sitting on a floating golden throne, brushing her phoenix fan as sunlight particles rise around her before she vanishes.
The particle quality is strong for a Starlight tier skin. Moonton has been steadily improving Starlight-level effects throughout 2025 and into 2026, and Sunset Luminance continues that trend.
#Painted Skins: Elysian Luminance and Golden Luminance
The two Painted Skin variants add recolor options to the base Sunset Luminance skin:
- Elysian Luminance: Shifts the warm amber palette toward a cooler lavender-silver tone. The phoenix motifs remain, but the feathers take on an ethereal, moonlit quality. This variant pairs well with players who prefer a more subdued look while keeping the reworked effects.
- Golden Luminance: Pushes the gold elements harder, turning the outfit almost entirely metallic gold with white accents. This is the flashiest version of the three and the one that looks most distinct during teamfights.
Painted Skins are typically available as bonus rewards within the Starlight Pass or purchasable for around 100 diamonds each, but only if you already own the base Starlight skin.
#Is the Zetian Starlight Skin Worth 300 Diamonds?
For Zetian mains, this is close to a must-buy. She only has two other skins (her base "Celestial Empress" and the "Timeless Jade" Epic), so the options are limited. Sunset Luminance gives her a completely different color identity and reworked effects across every skill.
At 300 diamonds for the Standard Pass, you also get access to the Starlight Shop, avatar border, recall effects, fragments, and other monthly rewards. The skin alone would be worth the price, but the bundled extras push it over the line.
If you already own "Timeless Jade," Sunset Luminance is still worth picking up. The Starlight skin's warm amber effects are more visible in teamfights than the green-gold tones of the Epic skin, and the recall animation is noticeably more polished.
The only reason to skip is if you don't play Zetian at all. For everyone else who has her in their hero pool, 300 diamonds for this skin plus the full Starlight reward track is strong value.
#How to Get the Zetian Sunset Luminance Starlight Skin
- Open the Starlight menu in MLBB starting April 1, 2026.
- Purchase either the Standard Starlight Pass (300 diamonds) or Starlight Plus (750 diamonds).
- The Zetian "Sunset Luminance" skin unlocks immediately upon purchase.
- Complete Starlight tasks throughout April to earn additional rewards, fragments, and Painted Skin access.
- The Painted Skins "Elysian Luminance" and "Golden Luminance" can be acquired through the bonus reward track or purchased separately for Starlight members.
The skin is only available during April 2026. Once the month ends, it rotates into the Starlight Shop where it can be redeemed with Starlight Fragments, but availability there is not guaranteed immediately.
#How Does Sunset Luminance Compare to Zetian's Other Skins?
| Skin | Tier | Price | Skill Effects | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celestial Empress | Base | Free | Default purple | Functional, nothing special |
| Timeless Jade | Epic | 599 diamonds (event) | Green-gold rework | Solid Epic with clean effects |
| Sunset Luminance | Starlight | 300 diamonds (pass) | Amber-gold full rework | Best value, warmest palette |
Sunset Luminance offers comparable effect quality to Timeless Jade at nearly half the price when factoring in the Starlight Pass rewards. The amber-gold color scheme is also more readable during chaotic teamfights, where Timeless Jade's green tones can blend into certain map elements.
For a hero with only three skins total, each one fills a distinct visual niche. There is no bad option here, but Sunset Luminance delivers the most value per diamond spent.
#FAQ
When does the Zetian Sunset Luminance Starlight skin release?
The skin releases on April 1, 2026, and remains available through the Starlight Pass for the entire month. After April, it may appear in the Starlight Fragment Shop on rotation.
How much does the April 2026 Starlight Pass cost?
The Standard Starlight Pass costs 300 diamonds. Starlight Plus, which includes extra fragments, a premium name color, and a 10% EXP boost, costs 750 diamonds.
What are the Painted Skins for Zetian Sunset Luminance?
Two Painted Skins are included: "Elysian Luminance" (lavender-silver recolor) and "Golden Luminance" (full metallic gold recolor). Both require the base Sunset Luminance skin to equip.
Check out our March 2026 skins roundup for everything releasing this month, and visit our guide on how to get free skins in MLBB if you want to stretch your diamond budget further.
