7 mp/5 is also solid mid-game. Especially if you don't get other mana items.

I often get p. ring AND a mana potion, and buy 1-2 mana potions to have on all times on some champions.

I almost always start with crystal and tome for casters because of haunting guise. Yes, you trade several states, but the upgraded item which comes almost always on your first back can make up for them. Mana should not be an issue if you are scavenging relics between fights and not just camping your tower. The extra ability power gets made up for with the magic pen. after your first back and is then useful for the rest of the match rather than an item you would eventually replace (and you should really always plan on a match going for that long).

Depends on the champ you're playing. On champions that only really get good after building their first big item, Prospector's items might not be a good idea. For example, I wouldn't buy Pros blade on Irelia because she really really wants Trinity Force ASAP. Getting the ruby crystal + long sword at the beginning makes you strong faster.

In most cases I'd say Prosp items are a good buy.

It depends on what you're playing.

Here's the general consensus:
Prospector's Ring: 30 Ability Power, 200 Health, 7 Mana Regen for 5 seconds.
Total cost: 950g.

Haunting Guise: 25 Ability Power, 200 Health, +20 Magic Penetration
Total cost: 1485g

While Haunting Guise is good, you're paying more generally for 5 less Ability Power and 20 Magic Penetration. You're essentially spending an extra 530g, which in many cases can cut into building the rest of your build, and in some cases putting you at a disadvantage. With Prospector's Ring, that 530g that you would've spent on upgrading Haunting Guise could be used for upgrading your boots (and if Magic Pen is a big thing for you, that could be money put into upgrading to Sorc boots).

Let's not forget as well that until you upgrade your Tome and Crystal, you're sitting at +180 HP and 20 Ability Power, so you're at a slight disadvantage early on due to weaker stats (sure you can buy a mana pot to make up for the mana regen on the Ring, but generally you're going to be putting out less effective damage and will generally die faster early on (the amount is miniscule but that miniscule amount could be the difference between killing someone and dying while they have a sliver of health left)

The tradeoff for getting Haunting Guise is that you have to either wait to upgrade it from the items that build it and build boots or build boots but not upgrade Haunting Guise until afterwards. Not to mention, you'd be putting yourself at a -10 AP disadvantage than what which would definitely help up top (every little bit counts), and the by the time you'd upgrade HG in order to benefit from the Magic Pen by that time people would've already bought something like Merc Treads while you're still waiting to grab boots.

Naturally I'd say upgrade your boots before finishing Guise, however weigh things out and see how they work for you.

I wish HG would build into a Trinity like build. Say HG + Codex + revolver

And it would have to give movement speed.

The Dominion passive mana regen aura works like a chalice, so the 7 MP5 actually gives you a pretty massive regen boost. Even in games where the final score is 1-0, it is extremely rare for an AP champion to get a full build on Dominion unless they were bot the whole game. You usually end up keeping the ring the entire game, so it not building into anything never becomes an issue. Ruby Crystal + Tome is a fine start on someone like Vlad though.

not everyone builds haunting guise.

i use void staff for penetration and the extra 200hp from ring is nice.

I always start with a Pros item if i'm going top, that fight is important, not so much for bot thoughwhere i only start with Ring on alistar and blade on Yorick

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeanorAlmighty I would say it's the other way around. In SR it's easier to make a comeback with one good teamfight. And you say something about a mana potion, dude you need health not mana.