Talk:Frost Queen's Claim/@comment-50.36.90.135-20121128190642/@comment-50.36.90.135-20121129041337

Certain adcs that double as casters than others like (Miss Fortune, Graves, Ezreal, etc.) can chew through mana quicker than others. Mana Manipulator was made for that early game purpose, but its older 475g cost made it a poor starting game item choice since it takes all your starting gold (-40g if you had that one mastery). And the initial lane phase was supposed to be the best time for it.

What makes this item path viable on Taric (and possibly Alistar) it's an alternate option to Philosopher Stone for MP Regen and the end item still gives gold count. And of course there's a lot of deadly people you can give the active buff to. Sejuani is one, Fiddlesticks, Shyvana, Malphite, Amumu, and nearly any other initator are viable picks too.