User blog comment:DamonDraven/Oh, dear Reaver.../@comment-8468980-20141213060728/@comment-8468980-20141224033214

it's still going to be just a luxury item. No ADC buys BT before their core items, and no ADC that really likes Bork (Vayne, Twitch, Kog) is going to buy your Essence Reaver instead of Bork.

The AD item changes during mid S4 were more than just nerf BT, Buff IE. The changes that granted dorans blades lifesteal again made it wholly viable to skip vamp scepter and by extention a lifesteal item during your laning phase entirely. This became the norm for most ADCs that do not buy bork.

due to it's flat armor pen, high chunk of AD, and mana replenishing ability; your essence reaver is meant to be a centerpiece rush item. BUT due to it's lack of force multiplicative stats compared to other core rush items (IE, TF, Bork) it's never going to be queen of that particular pageant. PLUS, once I do get my core items, the laning phase is most likely over so I *really* won't need that mana replenishing passive (as opposed to simply just LTP-shouldn't need that passive), the flat armor penetration isn't looking so hot, and the CDR isn't quite as worthwhile since I'm not constantly using spells to whittle away my laning enemy through better trades.

I don't not want to be rude to you gents, but real talk, what niche does this item fulfill? You could say that some ADCs are going to buy this item instead of BT after their core set, but again, we're shoehorning this ugly stepsister into a glass slipper for reasons I've mentioned above.