Mages are always important and useful, and vlad is no exception. Vladimir is a truly 1vs5 machine who just needs farm and playing smart. He is a cheap way to grind through the ranks and he is no dificult mechanicly champ, he just needs brain. Also he is super fun to play.

Well vladimir is better than yasuo and much easier to play. While yasuo and other hyper carries need fingers and a good team comp, vladimir needs nothing of all these(maybe except a team some CC), he only needs farm. By doing so vladimir can truly 1vs5 and carry teammfights

-Late game hyper carry
-One shots almost every one
-Great at teammfights
-Doesnt have high skill cap
-One of the best engages champs
-Huge AoE damage
-Good sustain
-One of the best scales ingame

-High CDs early
-No CC
-Lacks mobility
-Hard to farm due to low AD
-Very Farm depended
-Struggles a lot early
-Easy kit to learn, Hard to master

We can all agree that early game is the toughest part for Vladimir, he has no damage, no CC, no mobility and he is slow AF. Your number 1 prio is FARMING, maintaining a 9cs per min is what will make you carry late. IF you have low CS at all stages of the game you will be useless or not using your true potential. Its even better not following fights so you can stay farm, remember farming is more important fights since it will be very difficult for you to win, unless its a sure win 3vs1 or 4vs2, dont bother joining your teammates

Now you have at least 1 item and boots and you have decent farm, you must keep farming. By this point of the game you are strong enough for 1vs1 or at least survive them, but still mid game isnt your place to shine, keep farming and maintaining high cs per min and still dont join meaningless fights, avoid dying at all cost and try to stack your dark seal, IF you have high stacks your can go for mejais souleater.

Finally the time is here. The moment for you to shine. The time to 1vs5 and demolish your opponents. Vladimirs 1st prio now should be engaging and making good use of his ult, u can make huge damage and your survivability is amazing, you can 1 shot adcs and other squishys carries by this point. Even if you make a bad engage you can easily survive or if you play good you may die and take 2 kills. Try to approach from behind if you can and focus the adc and other squishys use zhonyahs to extend your pool or if need time for taking the HP from your ult

1) Avoid using pool before trading or when you are about to trade as you are going to lose a huge amount of HP
2)Use WISE your W as its your only tool to escape sticky situations
3)While having empowred Q, charge your E and flash onto enemy, Q him and ignite him.This is a lethal combo even in early game that can finish any low enemy(use this trick ONLY IF the enemy if low in HP)
4)You can easily dive low hp enemies, Use Q and E then pool and finish him, by pooling you no longer have turret aggro and can score easy kill
5)Before joining a game, go to practise tool and try making 100 cs at mins, using only AA so you get used to-get better at CSing as vlad
6)While in teammfigths Try using ult at the center of the Enemies and it will hit the most of them and make most damage and heal you the most

Vladimir is an excellent option if you want to climb, he is a monster champ at any elo if played correctly. Your only worry is farming if you can do that successfully congrats you can climb in higher ranks