A Deadly Numbers Game: BotrK vs. The Bloodthirster

As an ADC in League of Legends, the potential for drastically different play styles does not quite measure up to the diversity found in other roles. The difference between Graves and Ash is not as pronounced as say Evelyn and Zac (jungle), or Kennen and Renekton (top). Nearly all ADCs purchase the same items, with a very few exceptions. Even blue Ezreal, the most standout play style among ADCs has resorted to buying a Bloodthirster first as the build has evolved.

There is one choice all ADCs do face, whoever they are.  An ADC will inevitably have to choose between a Blade of the Ruined King or a Bloodthirster at least at the start.  If a BT is purchased early, a BotRK usually wont show itself until late game, and vice versa, so this choice plays a big part in gameplay and also build progression for the champion.  Lets take a look at the base stats for these two heavy hitters.

The Bloodthirster
-Damage: 70 (+30 when stacked)
-Life Steal: 12% (+6% when stacked)

Blade of the Ruined King
-Damage: 25 (plus 5% of targets current health)
-Life Steal: 15%
-Attack Speed: 40%
-Active: 15% of champions maximum health

For the direct comparison I am going to start with the hardest one, the attack speed. I am going to use Graves for the base numbers, assume he is level 6, assume he has got exactly 3200 gold for either BotRK or Bloodthirster AND assume he has no runes or masteries. At level 6 graves has 0.799 base attack speed, and therefore has that same number with Bloodthirster and 1.049 with BotrK. It boils down to the fact that with a BotrK graves will have one more autoattack than if he had a Bloodthirster every 5 seconds of auto-attacking.

the friendly Attack Speed equation

The next hardest calculation is the 5% of the targets current health in physical damage BotrK deals. This is very hard to factor in because enemy health is constantly different, so we will have to try it at different points. I am going to use 1000 health and also 2500 health. 5% of 1000 is 50 while 5% of 2500 is 125.

That is quite the number isn't it.

That means that Blade of the Ruined King gives (before any modifiers) about 150 total attack damage to the users auto-attacks on the average level 18 opponent at max health, not to mention the 15% of max health active it uses as well. Once an enemy champion gets down to about half health of course, assuming they are not a tank, BotrK will be doing about half of what it did at full health, but any mage with a Rod of Ages or Liandry's is going to feel the full force of the weapon.

Looking at all the evidence then, the 150 damage to most targets on auto-attacks, the extra attack every 5 seconds and the 15% max health active, Blade of the Ruined King really seems to have a damaging edge over Bloodthirster. In every respect it deals more damage and provides more lifesteal (with the active) except when it comes to AD abilities. Graves will probably never buy a BotrK as one of his first couple items because of how well flat AD helps 3 of his 4 abilities. Try BotRK on Ash, on Lucian, on Ezreal, on any adc.  The deadly game of numbers says this isnt the niche dualist item anymore and has possibly reached equal standing with the all powerful Bloodthirster.