Talk:Xerath/@comment-4741157-20140201122233/@comment-4741157-20140201141354

Although the mana you gain isn't even enough for one more spell (until later game) it effectively increases your mana regen by 15/5 at level 1. That's the equivalent of having up to 5 free Faerie charms.

Additionally, if you're not coming into interaction range early on as a Lux or Ziggs (by interaction range I mean close enough to auto minions) you're not actually able to farm effectively, or deal any damage to the enemy. Why would I play Xerath? Because he has his damage in his kit instead of on his autoattack, and if the other long-range pushers are in range to do anything to him, they're in range to get walloped and maybe even free mana-farmed by him.