A Re-Evaluation of The Bloodthirster

[quote=Jebus McAzn]So a while back there was a lot of discussion about why you should never buy Bloodthirster except as a late-game finishing item. Mathematically it gave a lot less overall DPS than Infinity Edge did, and Phantom Dancer was a better second item to get after it. But recently Bloodthirster has gained a lot of popularity, and this goes to show that math is not capable of fully determining the viability of an item. Hit for hit, Infinity Edge FAR outplays The Bloodthirster. Yet BT has a very niche role on many AD champs - the role of sustain. 25% lifesteal is HUGE and allows an AD carry to heal back up after getting a kill or a teamfight, and also lets an AD carry successfully 1v1 without too much worry, especially against common tower-divers nowadays like Jarvan. Double Doran's into a Vamp Scepter is a pretty strong opening for a lot of AD carries if you can't afford to either straight rush Zeal or B. F. Sword after your Doran's. On AD carries with many abilities that scale off of AD, BT is a little more useful in some roles to maximize the DPS on those skills - Caitlyn is a prime example. In addition, an early Bloodthirster is a lot like an early Rabadon's - the minute you farm it up to full charges, your team has an inherent edge in the next teamfight. With that said, Infinity Edge is still the best late-game DPS option for AD carries but Bloodthirster is filling a niche role right now that makes it extremely effective in the mid-game where skirmishes and poke wars by towers are likely to happen and the lifesteal becomes EXTREMELY helpful. Thoughts?[/quote]

[quote=Pwnzor1130]I would rush BT on caitlyn, probably vayne (haven't really played her though), sivir, and sometimes tristana. Ashe/Corki usually have different, more optimal builds (rushing IE/trinity respectively).[/quote]

[quote=Xenasis]I pretty much always rush BT... but then, I am an EU player, don't everyone rush IEs over in NA?[/quote]

[quote=Shankalot]I agree, rushing BT is a good idea. for caitlyn, that might not be the best idea though. she is usually mid and can't afford to miss out on regen items such as philosopher's stone in order to get bloodthirster. if you have a malz or someone tho, and you are laning, it would be a great idea.[/quote]

[quote=Trojan995]For auto-attackers: IE definitely. For ability-users: BT sometimes, IE other times. From reading a lot of Solomid, it seems like IE is the "kicking ass" item, that you get when you're doing amazing on champions like Corki, Vayne, Caitlyn, Ezreal, etc. Who have damage from spells. However, in a normal scenario (where both teams are roughly equal), bloodthirster provides heavy damage (the gap between IE and BT damage mitigated by the cost and extra AD scaling with spells) for 800g less and sustain/indirect survivability. For auto-attackers, such as Ashe and Tristana, their damage won't really be bolstered comparatively by bloodthirster because they have no heavy damage from AD-scaling abilities (Ashe's volley isn't really all that impressive for heavy damage IMO, but it could count I guess...). Therefore to get ANY damage, they NEED that IE. Their builds are really cookie-cutter because of their design, and so the BT/IE flexibility doesn't quite exist there. [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=3001]Vayne example[/url] of optional BT/IE [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=3053#chap7]MF example[/url] of optional BT/IE [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=2147]Corki example[/url] of optional BT/IE (says BT helps in 1v1s, IE is raw damage) [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=633]Ashe example[/url] of IE as core on auto-attackers [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=2091]Tristana guide 1[/url] and [url=http://solomid.net/guides.php?g=7]Tristana guide 2[/url] with IE as core on an auto-attacker I think this is enough evidence to support my claims[/quote]

[quote=Rudmed][quote=Xenasis] I pretty much always rush BT... but then, I am an EU player, don't everyone rush IEs over in NA? [/quote] Ashe and TF yes. Though on TF it makes you a derp, because I can kill you as TF with just Zerks, and SOTD. Glad you rushed that IE you fool. Though I think Bloodthirster is pretty good, but I think it could be a bit better in some cases. Like instead of all the bonus you lose like half or a 1/4th. But /2cents.[/quote]

[quote=Temzilla][quote=Shankalot] I agree, rushing BT is a good idea. for caitlyn, that might not be the best idea though. she is usually mid and can't afford to miss out on regen items such as philosopher's stone in order to get bloodthirster. if you have a malz or someone tho, and you are laning, it would be a great idea. [/quote] uh? Are you trollin? BT > Philo for Caitlyn in mid ALL DAY. No need for philo on cait, she doesn't really use anything but traps and headshot procs, and both of those are basically free by level 10.[/quote]

[quote=Freddy Shopan]Not to mention cait's ult... the ad on bt is nomnomnom.[/quote]

[quote=Jebus McAzn]Trojan: Yeah, Ashe and Trist are the two ranged DPS where it's uncommon to rush BT over IE. Corki usually rushes either BT, Manamune, or Triforce nowadays - I haven't seen a Corki rush IE yet.[/quote]

[quote=Temzilla][quote=Jebus McAzn] Trojan: Yeah, Ashe and Trist are the two ranged DPS where it's uncommon to rush BT over IE. Corki usually rushes either BT, Manamune, or Triforce nowadays - I haven't seen a Corki rush IE yet. [/quote] I was watching The Rain Man's stream yesterday since the internet where i'm staying is too bad for LoL, and he had TEN corki's in a row rush IE after Berserker's Greaves. Zerker Greaves->IE->TF[/quote]