I have officially replaced Flash with Exhaust, as far as my main (Anivia) goes.

The range on Flash is pitiful. If you're using it to rush into a fight, forget it. You're better off using Ghost. If you're using it to gtfo, you'd better be near a wall.

Honestly flash sucks nowadays. I've found Exhaust to be my bread and butter with Anivia. I just did a ranked 5v5, their Xin rushed me, we were both full HP. Dropped my ult, blew exhaust/ignite on him (note that he can't land his 3 talon strike while Exhausted!), and proceeded to nuke him into oblivion. By the time he turned around to run it was too late.

Casters take note, instead of fleeing, turn around and show people what's what.

Disclaimer: Fiddlesticks is exempt from this post.

please do try that when im against you :P

This one time I was going to die but I was near a wall and I hit flash and I didn't die.

This other time I was going to die but I was near a wall and I exhausted one of the people ganking me and I died anyway.

I'm not saying exhaust is bad, or even that exhaust is worse than ignite, but if I want an almost guaranteed escape skill I'm going with flash over exhaust every single time. The only champions I really use flash on are Twitch and Malzahar because they both have good ganking potential already and thus don't need exhaust, but neither of them has an escape skill at all.

i just love the way exhaust lets you go thru walls

I find with Anivia I very rarely get myself into situations I shouldn't be in. I've played probably over 400 games with her alone, so I pretty much know where I should and shouldn't be. So if I find myself in need of a good escape, I'm usually dead anyways. Most of my deaths occur in a lane or teamfight where Flash probably wouldn't have helped anyways. I find when I play Anivia I use Flash more for offense than defense, and I find Exhaust excels so much more than Flash. Not to mention getting 1 point in Cripple makes it that much better.

Offense: Exhaust > Flash
Defense: Flash > Exhaust

Personally I think the best defense is a good offense :P

Oh, I suppose your Xin Zhao is somehow different than other people's Xin Zhaos?

I don't really see what you could do differently. The other Xin Zhao charged me, and I'm pretty sure you would too, seeing as how it's a great opening move.

I then drop my ultimate down on you, coupled with Exhaust and Ignite, the Exhaust rendering you worthless for 3.5 seconds, as well as reducing your MR by 10, coupled with my 9.5 Magic pen from runes and possibly an additional 20 from Sorcerer boots...yeah, it's not looking pretty.

After the exhaust/ignite combo I drop flash frost/frostbite combo, followed up with autoattacks.

I dunno why people think Xin is immortal - he's just as squishy as Pantheon. Under most 1v1 circumstances I can easily out-damage a xin zhao. Sure, I'd probably need Exhaust, but it gets the job done.

/inb4 cleanse