This item is the best showcase of what xItem has to offer.
Whereas a lot of the xitem sampler pack items are neat and good, a lot of them were more like curiosities and showcases more than anything. It's great that we are getting now items that are as tightly balanced as the base game's (or at least trying to do so).
I've played with prerelease versions of it and it feels very nice to use. The fact that it's a lasting hazard is surprising, but it plays really well with the ebb and flow of all the other items, and it helps that it's very highly visible as well.
Looking forward to seeing it more often in netgames.