So I was reading this post about proper teamfight strategy as an AD carry, when SKCandyPanda (a pro AD player) said this about Infinity Edge versus Bloodthirster:

Get IE always, BT provides less damage and you dont need the lifesteal in most cases and if you do a simple vampiric scepter is the better choice.

Currently, I pick up BT on Vayne, Cait, and MF, and IE on Ashe and Kog. My thought process is that the champs who are more likely to get either get caught (with no real escape or kiting ability) or mix it up a bit closer (hi Vayne) will take more hits and need some lifesteal (and it’s great for dueling with somebody who underestimates you), while Kog’s monster W/R range and Ashe’s kiting means they’re less likely to need the extra health. I should probably start getting IE on Cait for her awesome range, but I feel more like I can’t always trust my front line at this Elo, so I’d rather have the comfort of patching myself up rather than relying on others to back me up. Another point of interest is that the different between stacked BT and unstacked BT is almost an entire B.F. Sword (40 AD!), so BT’s value changes a lot depending on how much you die.

Let’s look at some numbers before we break it down.

The Bloodthirster

3000g = 900g + B.F. Sword (45AD, 1650g) + Vampiric Scepter (12% LS 450g)

60 Attack Damage (+15) unstacked, 100 Attack Damage (+55) fully stacked

15% Lifesteal (+3%) unstacked, 25% Lifesteal (+13%) fully stacked

Passive: Gain 1 Attack Damage and 0.25% Lifesteal per kill, max 40/10%

Infinity Edge

3830g = 375g + B.F. Sword (45 AD, 1650g) + Pickaxe (25 AD, 975g) + Cloak of Agility (18% Crit, 830g)

80 Attack Damage (+15)

25% Crit Chance (+7%) – an additional 25% of the time, you do an extra 150% damage, so this is an effective 37.5% AD bonus that further scales with crit chance

Unique Passive: Critical Hits deal 250% damage instead of 200%

There are two wildcards in the mathcraft: BT’s stacks and IE’s crit synergy. BT’s AD can nearly stack to another B.F. Sword and Vamp Scepter (40 AD and 10% LS vs 45 AD and 12% LS), but IE’s crit synergy is absolutely unmatched. Let’s do more crit math.

Zeal + IE = (10% + 25%) * 150% = 52.5% bonus AD

Trinity Force + IE = (15% + 25%) * 150% = 60% bonus AD

Atma’s + IE = (18% + 25%) * 150% = 64.5% bonus AD

Phantom Dancer + IE = (30% + 25%) * 150% = 82.5% bonus AD

Thanks to Reddit user chaos386 for a correction on my math!



You are almost DOUBLING your AD from IE’s passive and the PD you’ll buy after. That is ON TOP OF bonus AD and FURTHER SCALING with your base crit chance.

Versus 25% Lifesteal. If you don’t die. And 830 extra gold.

I’m with SKCandyPanda – IE forever. You don’t need lifesteal if you instagib them (and if you position better). I’m just gonna learn to position like a boss (and use Vayne’s R->Q combo well) and buy IE all day.