errrrr you downvote it because you have no ****ing clue what the build is supposed to be for. get the **** out instead of downvoting someone for knowing how to play differently than the meta.

err Ninja Tabi and mercury treads?

Malzahar definitely hard-counters Vladimir. That Malefic Vision will stop you from farming and totally zone you, otherwise you take too much damage to heal. That Null Zone deals % magic damage based on hp.

A decent AP Tristana will be able to secure a kill on you from pretty much level 2 onwards - heal reduction, damage over time AND burst damage? How is that not a hard counter?

And I already mentioned that damage over time is lethal to Vladimir so a decent Swain will zone you as well in the same manner as Malzahar.

Ryze's Rune Prison still works if he tags you with it before you use Sanguine Pool so anyone ganking you against a lane with Ryze will probably still be able to kill you. Not to mention that Ryze is about as tanky as Vladimir can get and still be a lethal nuker.

And if champions give you a 'hell of a lot of trouble', that kind of means they hard-counter him... There are more ways to hard counter someone other than getting kills on them. Denying them farm and experience and opportunities to effectively gank other lanes is just as much of a hard counter.

But meh, I've beaten counters before. You just have to be a slightly bit more inventive with gameplay, I suppose.

To be fair, I don't think that this guide is so bad as to warrant downvotes. It's actually quite similar to what I usually build and play. I take Ionian Boots of Lucidity and Abyssal Mask instead of Mercury's Treads and Rabadon's Deathcap. I just passive farm (kill if I can) and then develop into a mid-late-game monster after I get Rylai's Crystal Scepter and Hextech Revolver.

I just don't think that it's good enough to warrant an upvote... so no vote either way from me.

I main Vlad mids... Spirit Visage is a nice option because of the synergy with your E, but it's only TRULY useful if your playing for less carry, and more utility (max stack E and Spirit Visage Passive for group heals of up to 850 late game). You've got the right idea, but Vlad really becomes lethal when you gain ability to spam. Try CDR boots out. In most cases I'd recommend getting rid of the Spirit Visage for Void Staff, and since you didn't include a 6th item, go for an Abyssal. Again, your references to being a lategame APC are kinda invalid because your build lacks the raw output that makes Vlad a heal tanking troll-pooling fiend with sickening teamfight ability after the 40 minute mark.

EDIT: Also should include Elixirs for once you finish your build.

If anyone even builds the smallest amount of MR, your damage will fall off imidiatly... I suggest you buy sorc boots as well as a haunting guise (early game) or a void staff (late game) , even with boots/hextech revolver/haunting guise, his damage is ALOT higher then your early build, you should try it out...

EDIT: you forgot Talon mid couter, who will blow you up at lvl 3.

I already covered those champs, Sirell, they do not hard counter him, they give him a hell of a lot of trouble, but you can still beat them, ALL of them, as long as you play correctly.. and Void staff isnt really *needed* playing vlad, unless they have over 190 MR, and in most cases they wont go that far.

Void staff is nice to have but you play it a different way than i do, you probably play it like salce, where he doesnt stay on the front lines, where as the way i play, im always in the front, If you give it down votes because it doesnt include a *meta* item, dont bother replying This build is fully functional and works great against anything.

The build is not that good since you dont even buy Void Staff and have no magic pen boots, you deal not enough damage to be called "Ap Carry".

Vlad is my main champ

Is not hard-countered in mid by anyone? Lolwut?

Fizz, Swain, Malzahar, Wukong, Ryze, Akali and AP Tristana amongst others all counter Vladimir. Damage over time is especially lethal to him.