Welcome to my Vladimir guide by Smurf. I hope you will manage to get to an end of this one:)

I'd highly appreciate, if you could leave a comment and read the whole guide. Arigato.

Thanks:
- Spoon with "Why sow serious" guide for Shaco. It's style inspired me a lot
- Calculator, my biggest friend when playing with/against Vladimir

Acrynoms:
ToB: Tides of Blood
Sanguine: Sanguine Pool
Vamp: Spell Vamp
MPen: Magic Penetration

Table of Contents:

1. Passive. (Rabadon Included: +34% due to Ardor Mastery)
2. Healing.
3. Magic Penetration.

Crimson Pact is surely one of the best Passives in the whole game. Let me count and tell you why.

AD.1:
AP to HP:
1. Will of the Ancients:
Standard: 70 AP
Rabadoned: 94 AP
Passived: +169 HP

2. Rylai's Crystal Scepter:
Standard: 80 AP || 500 HP
Rabadoned: 107 AP || 500 HP
Passived: 92 AP || 693 HP

3. Rabadon's Deathcap:
Standard: 155 AP
Rabadoned (If you got 2 of them): 207 AP(See, you Double Rabadon Haters? 50 AP for free...)
Passived: + 372 HP with 2 Rabadons

4. Abyssal Mask:
Standard: 70 AP
Rabadoned: 94 AP
Passived: +169 HP

5. Zhonya's Hourglass:
Standard: 100 AP
Rabadoned: 134 AP
Passived: +241 HP

6. Void Staff:
Standard: 70 AP
Rabadoned: 94 AP
Passived: +169 HP

7. Warmog's Armor:
Standard: 920 HP
Passived: 920 HP ---> 23 AP (920 / 40 = 23)

8. Randuin's Omen:
Standard: 500 HP
Passived: 12,5 AP

9. Haunting Guise:
Standard: 20 AP || 180 HP
Rabadoned: 27 AP || 180 HP
Passived: 27 AP > 48 HP || 180 HP > 4,5 AP

10. Sunfire Aegis:
Standard: 450 HP
Passived: 11 AP

11. Spirit Visage:
Standard: 250 HP
Passived: 6 AP

12. Mejai's Soulstealer at 20 Stacks:
Standard: 180 AP
Rabadoned: 241 AP
Passived: 433 HP

13. Leviathan at 20 Stacks:
Standard: 820 HP
Passived: 20,5 AP

*This are only some basic items, that grant you AP/HP, you will probably use on Vladimir most of the time. Our opinion about using them may differ.*

AD.2:
Healing:
Note: Notice that I will count it only for Transfusion.
Template: Basic Heal || Basic Heal + Spell Vamp (20%) || Basic + Spell Vamp (20%) + Spirit Visage (15% Increased Healing || Basic + Vamp (20%) + Visage (15%) + 4 ToB Stacks (32% Increased Healing) || Basic + Vamp (20%) + 4 ToB Stacks

AP scaling: 450 AP (Basic value of AP you get after Will of the Ancients, Rabadon's Deathcap, Rylai's Crystal Scepter, almost any other item (Elixirs may vary).

Transfusion hits for 520 damage considering you have about 34 MPen it will deal a value between 480-520 to all squishers/carries like each 2,8 second.
175 || 279 || 321 || 410 || 368

Overall of HP given:
1. Transfusion - 175
2. Will of the Ancients - 104
3. Tides of Blood improve healing by - 89
4. Spirit Visage Improves heal by - 42
5. Total HP gained (from lowest to highest): 175-279-321-368-410

Conclusion: Avoid taking Spirit Visage, this item is nothing on Vladimir since you already got doubled SV with your Tides of Blood.

AD.3:
This one is shorter, don't worry. Now, why 2 MPen Quints a 1 Flat HP?
Let's start from HP, as with Masteries it's a total of 70 HP meaning you will get about 560 HP at the beggining.
About Magic Pen. it's tricky. As most of your Mid Lane enemies won't have more than 40 Magic Resists (Usually) you will deal true damage to them.
You are asking how?

Counting time:
Let's say the enemy has 40 Magic Resist. We should take 15% from it.
40 - (0,15*40) = 34
Now count the Boots.
34 - 20 = 14
Now add Runes.
14 - 14 = 0

Good luck squishes/carries, you will need it. If the enemy has more than 70 MR take Void Staff as it will be.
70 / 2 = 35
35 - 34 = 1

If you don't have gold for Void Staff take Haunting Guise Instead to rip Tanky DPSes early-mid game.

This build contains 9/21/0 Master set up. I would'nt adivse taking Utitlity Masteries as CD Reduction is not necessary on Vladimir unless you want to go fully CDR (40 %).

Offensive:
Tier 1: Standard.
Tier 2: Cooldown Reduction
Tier 3: 15 % Magic Penetration

Defensive:
Tier 1: Magic Resist and Armor for early game survability
Tier 2: Dodge Mastery maxed
Tier 3: Reduced minion damage for more survability
Tier 4: Veteran Scars for Extra HP early game.
Tier 5: Ardor For the pure win with AP.
Tier 6: 4% Reduced damage make you Mid dominative.

Magic Penetration: Stated before.
HP per Level: Improves you a bit throughout the whole game.
Magic Resistance: Most of Mid Champions are Casters so having more than 45 Magic Resist benefits you greatly.

If you want you can swap Magic Resist with Flat CDR Runes, it's up to you.

These two are the items that You should always get first. Will of The Ancietns gives you outrageous value of healing done with Transfusion (And it's for free), when Rabadon is a must get for Vladimir as it works wonders on him. If you can afford it (meaning your enemy is not a threat and you can more Nuke-like then head for 2 Rabadons as it will increase the second Rabadaon drastically).
I'll add an exta section for WoTA and Rabadon.


Two pair of boots you may take. If you feel like taking Void Staff for 100% mid-late game then you can use Ionian Boots of Lucidity, if not just stick with Sorc. Shoes and improve your Healing Nuke abilities.


IMO, it's a real must get on Vladimir but it surely helps against higher ELO teams. 92 AP || 693 HP and more with Rabadon gives you a really big Impact on the game, this item should be builded 3rd or 4th, depending on the enemy.


Abyssal Scepter is kind of a big brother for Haunting Guise, why? Haunting Guise is cheaper and it works well early-mid game. So, if your enemies are tanky and have like 55-60 MR (They probably got Mercury's Treads) feel free to take this first with your boots instead of Will of the Ancients and head straight for Rabadon to increase your Cap between them and You.
I'll add an extra section for Abyssal Mask.


The item I stopped using after I found Will of the Ancients. WoTA outranks Warmog, just as AP Vladimir outranks HP Vladimir. I don't to be pitchy, but it doesn't help against Higher ELO teams, at all. Use it if you like it thou.


Even if real Vampires don't sparkle, this item is a win on Vladimir as it gives you needed HP and 40 Magic Damage per second, which is just lovely for farming with your Tides of Blood and later for clearing minions waves with Sanguine Pool.



FoN against Casters. Thornamil against heavy DPSes, I think you get my point. If you need them they should be your 4th or 5th items just after Sorc. Shoes -> WoTA -> Rabadon -> Eventually Rylai. With your tons of AP and HP, slow from Rylai and Continous healing you will easily outrank everyone in 1vs1.


Main Item against any tanks stacking MR. If you are able, avoid Rylai and get this one along with Abyssal Mask so you dominate them clearly.


I've never been a fan of Snowball items but if you can affored 20 Stacks of Mejai + Rabadon and WoTA then I'll pity your enemies, Sir/Madam. Leviathan isn't a big thread unless you MUST go more Tanky and you know, You can do it!

Have you ever seen any AoE Caster with this item?
Have you ever seen what can Ryze do with it if he busts into the team fight?
Have you ever seen a total Aoe DOMINATION with Fiddlesticks- Vladimir- Nunu & Willump- Ryze- Kennen?

If you are able to answer for all three questions positively... then it's okay.


How much I love this item on Vladimir, I can't really describe it. Along with my Runes it's a wonderful 100 Magic Resistance, which you will surely like against any Caster. But the deal here is it's Magic Resistance Reduction. If used correctly, you can bump into a team fight and spam your spells for maybe even an additonal percentage of damage ( Hemoplague + eventually a percent of their Minus Magic Resist). And now, along with Will of the Ancients you will gain 2 items. Two Items that highly boost your own potential and powers of your teammates.

Overally:
I'm not saying it's a typical must get Item on Vladimir, but really, it helps a fu**ing lot. Consider taking it each time you can.

Let me start from saying this:
I Love this Item. I really do. It's the best Item ever for Vlad.

But Why? It's only mere 70 AP... The thing is It Is 70 AP and 30 Aura. The Main Reason this item is so *cough* Overpowered *cough* on Vladimir is because of his Transfusion, which becomes a free Nuke with 250-300 Healing each 3 seconds. Sounds *cough* Overpowered, doesn't it? Now add a Squishy right here, like 500 AP on You and maxed Transfusion.
Results:
- Squisher has been *cough* instantly *cough* killed
- Vladimir has earned 255 gold
- Vladimir is legendary
- Squisher has left the game
- Team Purple agreed to a surrender with 4 Votes for and 0 against!
Something like this... yeah.

Overally:
Will of Ancients is simply your 2nd Item to get. No doubts about it, it just raises your survivability drastically. In terms of usability it can even outrank Rylai.

Okay, this item is reall Overpowered. I still remember my first comment on Youtube about the patch adding this item: "Vladimir + Rabadon = Mage Trynda". And so, I was right...
People usually avoid taking two of them giving me an excuse of "wasting money". Do you remember how powerful was stacking B.F. Sword? It's the same with Rabadon because the 1st Rabadon will raise the second Rabadon to 200 AP, not just 155. Meaning you get over 200 AP for each next Rabadon. Do you still want to call me an idiot for stacking them, Mister Hater?

Overally:
A must get for 3rd item. Healing with WoTA and Rabadon will become a real pleasure and you will be able to annihilate minions in seconds = getting lots of gold.

Let me ask:
Look at the picture of Sanji kicking Jyabura. Now tell me, if you have ever felt the same way when Vladimir escaped from you/your gank with Sanguine Pool?

If you didn't, it was a weak Vladi. Good Vladimir always find a way to escape or to kill them. So Kick them in the face and read the ads. below.
Sanguine Pools dodges:
- Enchanted Crystal Arrow
- Trueshot Barrage
- Requiem
- Absolute Zero
- Monsoon
- Death Lotus
- Time Bomb
- Explosive Cask
- Dazzle
- Cryptic Gaze
- Petrifying Gaze
- Flash Frost
- Rocket Grab
- Slicing Maelstrom
- Bullet Time
- Javelin Toss
- Wild Cards
- All Skillshots (It dodges Sona and Lux skills as well)

Sanguine Pool doesn't dodge:
- Bountiful Harvest
- Soul Shackles
- Decrepify
- Event Horizon
- Nevermove
- Nether Grasp
- Ace in the Hole (Not sure, if anyone could confirm I'd be grateful)

Tides of Blood can be cast without having any enemy targets nearby. This can allow you to keep the buff constantly active or build stacks to prepare for an attack. It can also increase the effectiveness of a Health Potion if used prior to activating it; Tides of Blood can also be used to check for stealthed equipment, such as Jack In The Box.

Transfusion is considered a single-target ability, not receiving the 2/3 healing reduction (i.e. 6.6% instead of 20%) penalty for multi-target abilities.

None of Vladimir's abilities will trigger the 35% movement speed reduction from Rylai's Crysal Scepter; all four of his abilities are considered "multi-target" spells, including Transfusion.

Keep on saying "Go ahead, B negative. You'll be just my type." - It'll piss them off^^
Ad:B negative is a rare blood type.

Pictures used:
- One Piece characters: Sanji, Zoro, Luffy, Usopp, Jyabura, Mihawk.
- Fonts: Milkman Conspiracy, 28 Days Later, Circ Handwriting
- Main Banner Character: Sanji

Programs used:
- Calculator!
- Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended

More to come:
- Mid Opponents (It'll be a seperate guide for all champions)
- GFX and Design improvements as the time goes on

Thank You for reading the whole guide, Vote + or - depending on whether you liked it or not.

If you want to share your screenshots while using this guide feel free to post them and I'll add them here.

20.03.2011: Draft published.
20.03.2011: Voting system added.