Talk:Cassiopeia/@comment-25532677-20150103062540/@comment-3974211-20150108065018

Rylai's is usually one of my first two big purchases; the other usually being Rabaddon's or Zhonya's Deathcap. Before they changed her stack generation to time-based, I would rarely get magic penetration early game. However, since that change I have noticed I've needed Void Staff much earlier in my builds. Tear of the Goddess usually doesn't get upgraded until it's already at 600+ charge; and Will of the Ancients only usually gets upgraded when I encounter a fight that was too-close-for-comfort (i.e. they're almost out-damaging my healing).

Maybe I just subconsciously dismiss her early game mana problems because her mana goes up and down like an energy champion, and the inability to kill someone with one Q/W+E+E+E+E+E+E+E combo is frankly an obvious balance decision (because if she did have enough mana to kill someone with one mana pool she would be overpowered...). I never feel vulnerable though. That said, 90% of my games with her are bottom lane (two people to kill is twice as much gold) and I haven't encountered all mid matchups yet (I've trumped every AD mid I've gone against due to sustain; I've gone even with Viktor; hit-and-miss against Katarina and Orianna; trounced Akalis, Jaxes and Rivens). I imagine Syndra would probably be a challenge... but who doesn't find Syndra a challenge?

P.S. I have never once bought Boots of Speed on her (or its upgrades). Ever. Those games in my image that look like full-build-sold-boots - nope, I just never had boots to start with.