I don't like the death animation, but maybe it's because of the repeating gif. For example the slabs could be blown apart spinning, and then the main body would fall down like it is doing now.
Agreed, I think the dots on the staff don't seem like they're popping out (if they're supposed to be 3d, and not a pattern). In my experience, coloring gold materials is better when you handle the details in the masks; for example, you could go add weathering to the gold flower base so it looks scratched and worn in the…
OK I see Well first of all from what I see you are using half of the triangle limit. My guess is that you are using the rest at the bottom of the hat but you don't need to do that Specially in LoD1 cause the bottom will never be seen in game. So if I were you I would retopologize the hat in a way that includes those…