Starting Bloodthirster on Riven?

Cruice·Dec 22, 2015·1 votes·1,486 views

Curious if anyone has any comment on if this would be good. Got looking into items to improve my Riven play, and sometimes I feel like starting yomuu's ghostblade or hydra first item, just isn't enough damage/sustain balance. Noticed that bloodthirster has 20% lifesteal and the same damage as hydra (75 attack damage). I know the active on hydra creates a little more damage, but the extra 8% lifesteal early game seems like it could be really strong. Especially against high damage, or high sustain champs.

Riven is my main and it isn't like I'm struggling in lane, I'm just always looking to improve my play as everyone should. Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated, even if they aren't specifically about bloodthirster. Tips always welcome.

Thank you

12 Comments

WoodakoodashoodaDec 22, 20151 votes

Bloodthirster is an item that generally compliments an AD champions attack speed with its overhealing effect. It's not something I advise building on a fighter.

When playing a melee champion and I'm in need of life steal, I choose one of three items depending on my needs.

item 3153 For taking down especially tanky opponents and mowing down especially mobile enemies.

item 3812 For some additional sustain.

item 3074 For improved farming and resetting my autos with its active.

CruiceDec 22, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Chocolate Frost,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=AU4BUJUk,comment-id=0000,timestamp=2015-12-22T04:43:25.536+0000)

Bloodthirster is an item that generally compliments an AD champions attack speed with its overhealing effect. It's not something I advise building on a fighter.

When playing a melee champion and I'm in need of life steal, I choose one of three items depending on my needs.

For taking down especially tanky opponents and mowing down especially mobile enemies.

For some additional sustain.

For improved farming and resetting my autos with its active.

I see very few builds online for Riven that are using item 3812 . I'm mostly looking for improvement on the first item build path. Going into second item and later I can judge better. I'm looking to get the earliest and best snowball chance from my first item. Especially with the early game damage Riven does.

Question is do you think item 3812 is a viable/improved first item start ahead of item 3142 or item 3074 ?

Nanuk PihoqahiakDec 22, 20151 votes

I think Death's Dance is very underrated. She has ways to fight off the bleed, so it's a massive amount of damage reduction. It also gives her CDR and non-autoattack based sustain, which compliments her ability spam mid / late game. Additionally, the CDR allows her to shield more, which is effective health and sustain in itself.

I don't think it's a first rush item, but it could definitely be put in second or third.

Cows Are HolyDec 22, 20151 votes

{quoted}

I see very few builds online for Riven that are using . I'm mostly looking for improvement on the first item build path. Going into second item and later I can judge better. I'm looking to get the earliest and best snowball chance from my first item. Especially with the early game damage Riven does.

Question is do you think is a viable/improved first item start ahead of or ?

he's bronze 5...don't listen to those tips lol.

Ruin king sucks in general on every champ, even champs that used to synergize with it really well like aatrox and trundle dont but it at all anymore. Death's dance seems nice for the 12% "lifesteal" and the cdr but there are better items to go for, especially since you get 10% from ghostblade + 10% from boots and normally 15% from runes at lv 18, you don't really need the cdr. Hydra is by far the best choice over those to options due to the waveclear, lifesteal and animation cancelling. Bloodthirster is a great item on riven (life steal in general is) but you normally get BT first only when you can abuse ur lane oppenent and snowball like crazy or get it late game (sheild is huge late game ontop of your e)

tldr: never ever ever ever buy ruin king on riven. deathsdance is alright but BT is better in most cases, hydra is prolly the safest and best option for lifesteal. If you are going against tanks, regards/reminder is better than botrk. and if tehy have a shit load of tanks, dont pick riven

CruiceDec 22, 20151 votes

[{quoted}](name=Cows Are Holy,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=AU4BUJUk,comment-id=000000000001,timestamp=2015-12-22T05:15:30.113+0000)

he's bronze 5...don't listen to those tips lol.

Ruin king sucks in general on every champ, even champs that used to synergize with it really well like aatrox and trundle dont but it at all anymore. Death's dance seems nice for the 12% "lifesteal" and the cdr but there are better items to go for, especially since you get 10% from ghostblade + 10% from boots and normally 15% from runes at lv 18, you don't really need the cdr. Hydra is by far the best choice over those to options due to the waveclear, lifesteal and animation cancelling. Bloodthirster is a great item on riven (life steal in general is) but you normally get BT first only when you can abuse ur lane oppenent and snowball like crazy or get it late game (sheild is huge late game ontop of your e)

tldr: never ever ever ever buy ruin king on riven. deathsdance is alright but BT is better in most cases, hydra is prolly the safest and best option for lifesteal. If you are going against tanks, regards/reminder is better than botrk. and if tehy have a shit load of tanks, dont pick riven

Thanks for the comment. I didn't figure much else would be stronger than hydra first item, just trying to experiment with the new season and items. I do find I have to build into ghostblade first sometimes. Especially against tanks.

VesarixxDec 22, 20151 votes

The lifesteal from item 3812 isn't really worth the loss of armor pen from item 3142 or item 3071 , I wouldn't really start Hydra, having some early CDR is just too good, usually when I play Riven I get item 3133 for the first bit of CDR, then item 3158 and then either build into item 3077 if I'm in a match up that allows short trades for more burst or a item 3067 (gold efficient and has a high sell back value) to cap off my CDR since and then into I take 5% flat and 5% scaling in runes if I'm not in a match up where I would build item 3071 . I usually finish off item 3074 / item 3133 item and then look into potentially building item 3072 if I don't need a item 3140 .

z14GaKI7TODec 22, 20151 votes

BT is amazing on Riven....

z14GaKI7TODec 22, 20151 votes

I mean I typically go brutalizer (whatever the renamed it to) into hydra - lucidity boots - put brutalizer Into cleaver or ghost blade then build from there. You can get like lord Dominiks or BT or GA. Really whatever you want. Hydra is too important for the animation cancel and makes you super strong in lane for the extra damage.

HYdra - Boots - Cleaver - BT is probably gonna be the most common 4 item rush. After that the team comps come into play. You can go like frozen heart - GA or Mallet+GA or really any tank item and GA. If you're good on riven, the GA is pretty important.

ShonjlDec 22, 20151 votes

It isn't really worth picking over a Hydra as a first item. Hydra does have less LS and not noticable less AD, but compensations with having an active that deals more damage.

Its more of a last pick item before building some defense on her kinda deal. (And any good Rivens know that building pure damage is an easy way to get killed and suck no matter how fed you are. You would be amazed how something like a 5/5 Riven is when she built defensive item+GA and hands down is better than vs the Riven that is pure glass that is 18/18 and is just removed when anyone smart players)

That damage doesnt mean much when she has like 1400hp and the support can kill you in less than a few spells once you get cced. At least the other one gets to revive and gets another chance to cause more chaos.

Mister MackeyDec 22, 20151 votes

Hydra active = more cs faster. Only reason why I'd always choose hydra over bloodthirster if a choice had to be made

VesarixxDec 22, 20151 votes

I usually don't finish Hydra right away and having a tiamat in your inventory I find does more for you than just a BF sword, even though it doesn't give as much AD