User blog comment:C4bal/Corki in the Tank Meta. How to./@comment-24036535-20150614163022/@comment-4091261-20150617060420

When I say "utilize tank stats," I mean resistances, and it isn't limited to simply items. I also mean runes as well. Resistances makes the damage number the champion takes smaller which essentially makes any form of sustain or health stronger. Lifesteal is a form of sustain, which is why I'm saying it is a tool that allows them to utilize resistances to a degree--whether it is from runes or for from items. Inevitably, sacrificing damage does mean less sustain, so it does not mean they are able to ignore autoattack damage outright. But it undoubtedly makes it more useful when the incoming damage is massive in comparison to the damage outputted. In otherwords, trading--as you said yourself.

If carries have a harsh lane, they need sustain in order to build up health, but if they don't have resistances then it is useless because the enemies' damage is so massive that it doesn't even matter how much sustain is obtained; they will get pushed out due to how easy it is to hurt them. The reason I'm making a point on the runes is because it is possible to scale so well with a stat and so poorly with another that secondary runes are more viable. This point is made all the time with physical damage quints as they are actually secondary quintessences. Some supports even replace their marks with armor due to how little damage they utilize. If damage was an insane priority on carries, they would go as far as to replace their seals and glyphs with damage just to amp it up, but it isn't. Only assassins reach that degree of damage reliance. Even then, this build doesn't completely ignore damage.

There is still the ungodly and  damage items. And the replacements are pretty much fighter items. They just make kiting even easier. I will say that if you are so skilled and have an incredibly reliable team that you can leave all the peeling to the teamates, then get damage because self-peeling isn't necessary. Although, in a meta where three tanks on one team can be seen, there will definitely be a lot more diving--and thus a lot more peeling required. Lifesteal is great when you can kite, and boosting kiting ability will just make it even better. So situationally, it could work against a multiple tank diving enemy team. Otherwise, the sacrifice is unecessary.