Vladimir is the man. With this guide you will be able to melt your enemies with high Ability Power and regenerate tons of health at the same time while casting frequently with cooldown reduction. Try out this guide and see just how well you do with Vlad. Don't forget to comment!

Pros:
No mana
Tons of health
Item health turns into ability power
Item ability power beefs up health
2 second "butt cheeks" button

Cons:
Even though tons of health, NOT a tank
Relatively close range for a caster
Uses own health to cast most abilities

What you should get

Ghost is pretty much a staple for most of my champs. It allows for faster get aways, easier chases, and all kinds utility.


Exhaust is my favorite second summoner spell. If unable to kill your opponent within a full rotation of spells and you've got some space to attack before a turret, exhaust can always allow for that extra time to get the kill


Ignite is also sweet for that extra damage at the end of a fight early game. I love when an enemy gets back to their turret with low life but still dies from the ignite.

Do NOT get

You don't have mana! you don't need clarity!


I feel that heal isn't necessary with vlad since you can easily regen health yourself with transfusion

Haunting guise is my first item as it provides bonus health and ability power and gives my additional spell pen which I will be missing from my boots.



Since I focus on getting cooldown reduction, I tend to use these boots rather than Sorc's or Mobility.


I like Mejai's for Vlad since the bonus Ability Power also adds to his health. There are obviously times where Mejai's or any kind of Snowballing item is not appropriate. This item isn't a MUST HAVE staple in my build, but I tend to use it as long my team is not getting dominated


In my opinion this is Vlad's most necessary item. It gives great ability power and health bonuses which increase each other and the slow gives you the time to blow up a retreating enemy


Spirit visage is a great Vlad item, the magic resist is great, 20% increase healing makes transfusion even more dangerous, and the CDR allows for even faster spamming of skills


Rabadon's gives you that last huge increase in AP and makes your enemies blow up. After this, your last item really is up to you, I prefer void staff for some additional magic pen and AP, but Warmog's and a few others are viable options as well.

Early Game:

So I begin by grabbing Amplifying Tome and a Health Potion. I actually prefer being in a lane if the right partner is available, but will gladly head to mid as well. I prefer to lane with any champion that has a stun, allowing for the stun, followed by dps, and then an exhaust and slow from sanguine pool. Hopefully you can achieve a kill by lvl 3 or 4 this way, either way continue to harass/last hit with Transfusion and build up some money.

At level 6, I evaluate if there is chance for a gank or not. If there is, head to the grass, wait for the enemy to be at least even with you in distance away from their turret. Plan ahead, if you partner is in lane with you, ping and let him know its time to attack! Pop Ghost, run in and drop Hemoplague, followed by a Transfusion and Tides of Blood. If you have exhaust up pop it on him. Follow the enemy if they have not died yet, pop Sanguine Pool to slow their movement and deal some damage, and finish off the gank.

If you decided not to gank yet or once you have completed the gank, head back and pick up Haunting Guise and either the Boots or Ionian Boots of Lucidity depending on money

Mid Game:
Unless it is a clear game where our team is going to run train on the enemy all day, I tend to stick to my lane and react to what the other team is doing until around level 10-11. At this point I head out and help push towers, gank enemy champs, and kill some dragon/creeps. Transfusion is an AMAZING harassing skill so if both teams are in the step in step out phase with one another, deal some damage and suck up some health with Transfusion as long as you like.

If the game is going our way, I almost always pick up a Mejai's Soulstealer Mejai's Soulstealer since all the bonus ability power also translates into bonus health as well. If the game is very close or in favor of the enemy I sometimes skip this item.

End Game:
Watch out for enemies with stuns or CC. Play the grass and spam often. With the Cooldown Reduction you should be spamming consistently and dealing as much damage as possible. If there is no true tank on your team, Vladimir is a very good initiating champ as he can drop his Ult and pop Sanguine Pool to avoid Damage.