[b]"Is the piorate bay still the go-to spot for torrents, or has it been replaced?"[/b] or [b]"What’s the current

Honestly, it’s a ghost town compared to its peak.

Alternatives? Try Torrentz2 or Zooqle. Less clutter, more reliable.

And yeah, VPN is non-negotiable unless you wanna risk a nasty letter from your ISP.