User blog comment:StrategicMagic/Xerath and AD Mids/@comment-5014153-20130104102728

Hm I want to say there are many circumstances, heres the general arguments I come across of while reading the comments


 * Xerath's range vs range if gap closer (Xerath outranges but also roots himself)


 * Xerath's skillshots vs dodging or blinks (due to skillshot nature a blink can mess up his aim)


 * Xerath's stun combo vs getting jumped (will the stun combo prevent a full on combo from an opponent, or tilt them in his favor)


 * Xerath's passive usefulness vs time (when does Xerath's passive become useful)

Regarding cooldowns, Xerath's Q usually comes quicker then an assassins gap closer so if they use the gap closer to dodge the Q and the gap closer wasn't used on Xerath, that would be a fair win, since Xerath's Q would come sooner allowing him to use it again.

Damage-wise I don't think a Xerath combo would destroy an AD casters, unless he was in Sniping mode, which comes to more circumstances, with the assassin blink to Xerath shuting his combo and puting Xerath at a bad spot, or will they retreat.

Defensive stats, Xerath does have his Passive, which isn't too help ful early, you need 100 AP for a simple cloth armor (15 Armor) which is pretty pathetic, and around the time you get that much the opponent would most likely have a brutalizer which would negate almost all of it, not accounting for any runes.

Now regarding speed of a combo, I don't believe Xerath has this. Talon can blow up an AD carry as quick as 5 seconds, if the player is quick enough, Zed around 6. Xerath probably around 7-9 due to the gaps on his ult and assuming the stun combo landed.

Personally I don't believe Xerath would work out, as the current meta calls for speed, which is something he just doesn't have. Combo speed, movement speed/gap closer, Xerath doesn't have much of them, but a counter to AD casters possibly if they remove the gaps between his ult or make them shorter, have his passive scale with level or just increased altogether or just change it (defeats the purpose of being long range artillery), or just make his stun, stun without another spell (if you want to argue LB can silence with two cast, well it silences longer and hurts like hell, plus she can mimic it). Then I would consider him a true counter, barring the trade off at escapes, but he's not suppose to be around the fight anyways.

Sorry for the wall, just making sure everything is accountable, and I got through most of the circumstances.