Guide Sections (15)
- Champion Stats
- The Pool Bait
- Ranking Vladimir's Skins
- When They Ban Vladimir
- Vladimir's Keystone Choice
- Skill Max Order for Vladimir
- Mastering Vladimir's Kit
- The Vladimir Matchup Sheet
- Pool Timing Ego
- When Scaling Isn't an Option
- Positioning for Maximum Damage
- The Late Game Vlad Build
- When Vladimir Comes Online
- The Crimson Rush
- Recent Patch History
Champion Stats
Low elo players don't respects Vladimir's empowered Transfusion (Q). They will let him walk up with a full red bar and chunk them for 30% of their HP. They also fail to pressure him early, allowing him to free-farm and reach his late-game 'raid boss' state. A smurf can use Hemoplague (R) to amplify the team's damage and then survive an entire team's burst with a perfectly timed Pool-Zhonya's-Pool combo.
The Pool Bait
Start Q (Transfusion). Poke the enemy every time your red bar is about to fill. Level 1, your sustain is higher than almost anyone. Level 2 with E (Tides of Blood) allows you to start charging up your AOE burst. Just stay safe until Level 9 when your Q is on a short cooldown.
Hold W. Hold it. They dive you. Turret shot. Ignited. Then W. You live, they die. W dodges projectiles too.
Get low HP. Bait the dive. W (Pool) under tower. They take aggro. E-Q burst. They die. You heal. Classic Vladimir outplay.
Ranking Vladimir's Skins
'Blood Lord Vladimir' is the classic 'try-hard' smurf skin—the unique voice and animations are legendary. 'Dark Waters Vladimir' is a top-tier choice for its 'hidden' sound effects and sleek visuals. 'Cosmic Devourer Vladimir' offers amazing modern effects. Avoid 'Marquis Vladimir' as it's very basic.
'Blood Lord' for the classic fear. 'Dark Waters' for the invisible skills. 'Cosmic Devourer' for the sheer scale. Vlad is the master of blood—pick the one that drinks the most. A gift from the heart.
'Blood Lord' is the legendary. 'Cosmic' is flashy. 'Dark Waters' makes ult hard to see (Pay to win). Blood Lord voice lines are top tier.
When They Ban Vladimir
If Vlad is gone, Kassadin is the best 'level-16-win-condition' pivot. If you want more sustain, Swain. But nothing replaces the 'pool' and the 'red Q'. The rift is dry without you.
Kassadin for the scaling. Swain for the drain. Kayle for the late game. Kassadin matches the 'Level 16 Win' condition.
Vladimir's Keystone Choice
Phase Rush is the best choice for maximizing your kiting and safety. It allows you to proc the speed burst and escape a gank or chase down a low-HP target. Secondary Inspiration with Magical Footwear and Cosmic Insight for cooldowns.
Skill Max Order for Vladimir
Max Q first—it's your entire identity, providing the damage and heal you need to survive. Max E second for the massive AOE burst. Max W last as the cooldown is long and primarily used for safety.
Mastering Vladimir's Kit
Transfusion. Vladimir drains life from an enemy. After two casts, his next Q is empowered, dealing more damage and healing significantly more. This is your core sustain and damage spell.
Sanguine Pool. Vladimir sinks into a pool of blood, becoming untargetable and slowing enemies above him. It costs health, so use it as your primary defensive dodge tool.
Tides of Blood. Vladimir charges up a blast of blood that deals AOE damage. The damage increases the longer it's charged. It also slows enemies at full charge.
Hemoplague. Vladimir infects a large area. Enemies take increased damage from all sources for 4 seconds, and then take a massive burst of magic damage which heals Vladimir.
The Vladimir Matchup Sheet
Hard Matchup. His R (Nether Grasp) is a nightmare for you. You have to wait for him to waste it or get a QSS/Zhonya's early. His passive shield also stops your initial combo.
Scaling War. You both out-scale almost everyone. It's a race to level 16. You have a better lane, but he has better late-game mobility. Focus on shutting him down early.
Hard Counter. She can dash through your E and Q and out-duel you. You have to stay near your tower and use your Pool (W) to dodge her stun (E). Wait for late game.
Pool Timing Ego
Stop pools-ing for no reason! Sanguine Pool (W) is your only defensive tool and costs 20% of your CURRENT health. If you waste it, you're an easy target. Also, don't miss your Hemoplague (R)—missing it means losing out on the 10% damage amplification and the massive heal! Also, use your empowered Q on champions, not minions, whenever possible.
Don't W for damage unless it kills them. It costs HP. It has a long CD. If you W with full HP, you are bad.
When Scaling Isn't an Option
Dodge if facing heavy 'disengage' or 'shields' comps with Janna, Lulu, or Morgana if your team has no other engage. They can push you away or block your burst. Also dodge into Irelia who can out-duel you in lane.
Malzahar suppresses you. Kassadin outscales you. Anivia walls you off. Against these, you need Ghost and Flash to function.
Dodge Anivia/Malzahar. You can't reach them. They push you in. You can't roam. The game ends before you are strong.
Positioning for Maximum Damage
In teamfights, you are a backline-diving monster. Your job is to reach the enemy squishies. Approach with Phase Rush, activate E (Tides of Blood), Flash into the team, and use R (Hemoplague) on as many people as possible. Release E, then use Sanguine Pool (W) to avoid return damage while your R and E charges tick. You are the chaos that heals while they die.
Flash-E-R-Q. That's the combo. Pool to avoid the return fire. By the time you reappear, your R pops and heals you back to full. It's the most tilting loop in the game. Pure blood-craft.
The Late Game Vlad Build
Full AP 'One-Shot' Vladimir. Night Harvester -> Shadowflame -> Rabadon's Deathcap. With this build, your empowered Q-E combo will literally delete an ADC in half a second. It's hilarious to see an entire team panic as you disappear into a pool and reappear with full health and three kills. Maximum BM, high-risk.
Protobelt and Rabadon's. You need the reach and the raw AP. Your passive converts AP to HP—you become a 4000 HP tank who one-shots everyone. You're a late-game nightmare. Blood for blood.
When Vladimir Comes Online
Level 9 is your first major spike (Q max). Level 16 with two or three items is your 'raid boss' spike. Your biggest item spike is reaching Hextech Rocketbelt and Zhonya's Hourglass, which gives you the perfect engage and safety combo.
Level 9 for the Q-max. 2-item core. Level 16 for the ultimate scaling. By late game, you can walk into 5, pool, and kill them all. You're a raid boss who heals through everything.
Level 9 (Q max cooldown). 2 Items (Riftmaker/Liandry). Level 16 (Damage amp). Late game you 1v5. Be patient.
The Crimson Rush
Type 'A gift from the heart' in all-chat after a successful multi-kill. Spam the 'dance' emote while pooling under their tower. The sight of a Vladimir walking at you with a full red bar is a psychological trigger that makes enemies scatter and panic.
Watch your bar! Red Q deals double damage and heals for 10% Missing HP. It's the most powerful non-ult in the game. Use it to bait them. You're the original sustain king. Drink up.
Flash-R-E-W into 5 people. Pop out. Q the carry. Zhonya's. Everyone dies. Full HP. Type 'gg' in chat. Hemomancy at its finest.
Recent Patch History
Recent Balance Changes
| Patch | Date | Type | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V14.19 | Sep 25, 2024 | BUFF | W adjusted |
| V14.12 | Jun 12, 2024 | BUFF | W buffed |
| V13.7 | Apr 5, 2023 | BUFF | Q adjusted |
| V13.3 | Feb 8, 2023 | ADJUST | Base stats adjusted |
| V12.10 | May 25, 2022 | BUFF | Base stats buffed |
