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Vladimir Build Guide by Roman le russe

AP Carry Vladimir - thoughts of a Vladimir main 6.4 (outdated)

AP Carry Vladimir - thoughts of a Vladimir main 6.4 (outdated)

Updated on March 9, 2016
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League of Legends Build Guide Author Roman le russe Build Guide By Roman le russe 63,088 Views 5 Comments
63,088 Views 5 Comments League of Legends Build Guide Author Roman le russe Vladimir Build Guide By Roman le russe Updated on March 9, 2016
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Choose Champion Build:

  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    Standard 6.4 runes next pages
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    runes 1 - AD matchups 20%CDR
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    runes 2 - AP matchups 10%CDR
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    runes 3 - Standard 20%CDR
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    runes 4 - No Luc' or SV 30%CDR
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    6.4 Tenacity build (recommende
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    6.3 Swiftness madness
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    Facultative items
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    Snowballing build
  • LoL Champion: Vladimir
    You have no CDR runes

Spells:

LoL Summoner Spell: Teleport

Teleport

LoL Summoner Spell: Flash

Flash

Items

Threats & Synergies

Threats Synergies
Extreme Major Even Minor Tiny
Show All
None Low Ok Strong Ideal
Extreme Threats
Ideal Synergies
Synergies
Ideal Strong Ok Low None

Introduction to this guide



This guide is simply written to put a Vladimir's main own thoughts "on paper", for better visualization. Then if it could become a hub of knowledge accessible to anyone, so be it.

Almost forgot ; Hi, am Roman le russe, a Platinum player on EUW. I started playing Vladimir since my first days on League, back in season 3. Also, I'm french-russian, sorry for possible writing mistakes in English. Note, this is my first guide which I write directly from my mind flow, it may look like a draft until the completion.

Under construction, started 13/12/2015.


14/12/2015 update, builds separated into multiple pages.
23/12/2015 update, added anchors. Now my summoner name is MaƮtre Vladimir (23/12/2015 rename).
23/12/2015 : let's see what the "PUBLISH" button does. (and send the link to a contact)
04/01/2015 : update, added (a lot of) content, started the formatting.
16/01/2016 : update, content added.
22/01/2016 : now I'm Silver II (placement matches)
01/03/2016 : build quick update, 6.3 Swiftness and 6.4 Tenacity added into the build part.
Was busy and now played some matches before updating the guide. Now I'm Gold 1 100LP and currently ranked as fluctuating "XXX best Vladimir world" (lolskill), (loading scoot).
09/03/2016 : Oops, forgot to delete my not edited at all notes in the item section. Quickly moved it in a spoiler for the moment. Sorry guys. Still busy with rankeds, in Plat III now.
Some matchups updated.


Things to do :
Continue the guide.
Add colors, formatting effects.
Correct typos and misspellings.
Tweak informations about matchups etc.

You can already explore the build and Vs. Champions part above.

Any feedback is welcome. :^)
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Introduction

In a world of endless buffs, nerfs and meta changes

one man

stand still and finds the way to reach his great destiny...
even without valorized itemisation.


Some say he gives cancer
others say he is handsome
but everyone says
HE
IS
THE
HEMOMANCER

ooooh-yeah !
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Versus anchors

Champion list by difficulty :
1 - Malphite Singed
2 - Ahri Corki Jayce Maokai Sion Varus Zac
3 - Gangplank Garen Katarina Kennen Kog'Maw Lissandra Morgana Nasus Nidalee Poppy Syndra Talon Twisted Fate Vel'Koz Yasuo
4 - Aatrox Ekko Gnar Mordekaiser Shyvana Zed
5 - Akali Azir Diana Ezreal Fizz Heimerdinger Illaoi Karthus LeBlanc Orianna Rengar Shen Teemo Vladimir Volibear Ziggs Zyra
6 - Galio Karma Kassadin Lux Tahm Kench Trundle Xerath
7 - Anivia Annie Cassiopeia Cho'Gath Dr. Mundo Hecarim Quinn Kayle Lulu Nunu Ryze Veigar Viktor
8 - Brand Jarvan IV Olaf Pantheon Tryndamere Riven Rumble Yorick
9 - Darius Fiddlesticks Jax Irelia Malzahar Renekton Wukong
10 - Fiora Swain Xin Zhao

Now Ctrl+F THREATS TO VLADIMIR WITH THIS BUILD
and find details about your opponent.
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Summoner spells

Your main spell :


Flash is a must have, it bring too much utility, can be used offensively as well as defensively.

Your second spell (choose one) :


If your lane is easy, this summoner spell will translate the best into the late game. To choose if you don't need the spells below.

If your lane is even and/or you have some kill potential, pick this to get kills in lane. Vlad don't need it like a burst champion would, a champion which's success is decided on the ability to kill his target using one single combination of spells (LeBlanc as example).
If your lane is hard and you may be bullied out of lane early on, choose Teleport in order to keep on XP. It's also a useful spell when facing split pushers or when you want to split push. Overall, it gives you opportunities if you are aware. But note that Vlad cannot use Teleport in order to gank, as effectively as other champions do, because he lacks of a gap closer or CC (the enemy team can disengage during the Teleport's windup).



Extreme choices :


Situational. When you are going into a hard lane. When you expect to be dived, 100 to 0 under your tower. Highly situational, only take Cleanse if you know what you are doing. You expect the game to be played on a single CC.


Spells you don't want to use :


Even if Heal synergyse with the self healing buff of Tides of Blood and eventually with Spirit Visage's passive, it gives only raw stats instead of utility (the short speed boost is not enough). Also, 3 Qs alone give more health, starting from level 9, even without spell vamp. On top of that, note how little the Heal's benefits are regard to your large health pool and your native self regeneration. Add to this the eventual Grievous Wounds debuff.

Spoiler: Click to view
Gives only raw HP for a short duration. A poor choice for the same reason as Heal.
( Heal is better)

Useless spells on Vlad :


Do not take Smite in lane, you have no benefit of it. Smite doesn't even count as a spell (spell vamp is not triggered).
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Runes

After the CDR nerf of the Lucidity boots and masteries, in order to be able to attain max CDR (without blue buff and suboptimal items), we need to use CDR runes, at least 10%.

Vladimir is a champion which highly profit from cooldown reduction.
His only limitation are his cooldowns (being a mana-less champion).
In a long duration fight, an added percentage of CDR is basically an added percentage of damage, which means at the same time sustain-durability though Q's healing and spell vamp as well as utility-durability though W.
Take note that each aditional percentage of CDR is worth more than the previous.
Being able to reach 45% CDR is awesome.
Sadly, there is a drawback : you move slower due to your recurrent cast-times and you are an easier target for skill-shots.
*add maths here*
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Masteries

Summary : Thunderlord's Decree + 45% CDR.

Spoiler: Click to view

Merciless is the way to go since Vlad don't benefit from Meditation .
Intelligence allow Vladimir to reach 45% CDR and that means his pool is now on a 7.7 seconds cooldown so his rotation R-E-Q-Z-E-Q-Zhonya-E-Q-Z(again)-E-Q is easier to pull off in a team fight, with such a high CDR.

Why Thunderlord's Decree over Deathfire Touch :
When Vladimir is dominating his lane, he enjoys the possibility to poke his opponent under tower, punishing him for every CS taken alternately with Tides of Blood and Transfusion, every two seconds. The problem with Deathfire Touch is it's 2-4 second DoT, which forces the tower to preemptively target you if you comes into it's range for your poke rotation.

*in construction*
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Spells

General Transfusion (Q), Tides of Blood (E).


Q ( Transfusion) and E ( Tides of Blood) have both 0.25 second cast time. In other words :
- On one hand, your Transfusion is canceled if the target moves out of vision during the cast-time. You would prefer to use your Tides of Blood (if possible) when you want to damage a champion entering a bush.
- On the other hand, you can E- Flash your opponent ! It shortens the cast time of Tides of Blood after your flash and becomes useful in order to let less time to react to your opponent.

Transfusion have a 600 units range and Tides of Blood a 610 units range.
If the targed walks out of Transfusion's range during the cast time, the ability's range will extend proportionally and Transfusion will hit, but if the targed walks out of Tides of Blood's range during it's cast time,
Tides of Blood will not hit it.
That being said, if you want to apply damage to an on-the-edge-of-your-range fleeing targed, you need to use your Q because E would not hit in that case.



Note that even if Transfusion have a cast time,
at the end of it the damage is instantaneous.


Spoiler: Click to view




Tides of Blood is a flash burner.



Spoiler: Click to view

Freezing lane with Tides of Blood stacks :
When you have some points into your Q and don't want to push the lane, you can keep your Tides of Blood stacks by E-ing out of range of the creep wave then simply compensate the cost with the Transfusion's regen.



Sanguine Pool (W) in general :


Sanguine Pool is a self targeted speed boost and AoE slow.

- Your Sanguine Pool gives you a little movement speed boost, so your pool can be used as a gap closer when chasing an enemy. Or, if you are next to your target, can also be used to slow the fleeing target when your Q and E are on CD, in order to let yourself more time before he reach a safe zone or to help a running-behind ally to catch up.
Use it this way only if it brings no risk. If the enemy team is visible far away on the map or dead, and the champion you are chasing cannot turn on you and kill you when your pool is on cooldown.
Keep in mind Sanguine Pool has a long cooldown and is not to be used lightly.

Sanguine Pool can help to break chains thanks to the movement speed you gain over your opponent.
Spoiler: Click to view


Sanguine Pool can easily trigger the Thunderlord's Decree 's proc.

You are as hard to hit with skill-shots at the end of Sanguine Pool as you are normally moving, unlike at the end of Zhonya's Hourglass active which makes you vulnerable to well timed skill-shots.

If you are hardly focused, using Sanguine Pool and Zhonya's Hourglass before using both or any of your offensive abilities can save life. It's not worth instantly dying in order to throw one single Tides of Blood into the whole enemy team.
You need to see lethal effects coming at you before it actually happens and prevent them.
An example : dodging a combo with Zhonya instead of using Tides of Blood.




Hemoplague (R) in general :


Your ultimate, Hemoplague is your only long range ability. You can use it in order to "snipe" a fleeing enemy (make sure he has no self healing / shields / immunity).


Rotations :


E cost you health, Q gives health back. So, ideally, you want to cast E before Q. E->Q will be your bread-and-butter rotation.
Also, casting E (which less than 4 stacks of Tides of Blood:Empowered) before Q, you will benefit from the stack buff on your Q healing.

Under tower poke :


Let's say you want to poke your melee opponent when he is under his tower.
He is dash dancing between near his tower and your minions which are close to the edge of the tower's range.
- He is last hitting next to you : you can easily E-Q-AA him.
- He is near to his tower : This generally let you the window to use only one skill (due to your cast times) before the tower shoots you back.
E when he is far and you have to go deeper. Q+AA when you are on the edge of the tower's range and can just abuse the tower's slow attack speed.
**

*in construction*
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Pool interactions

Sanguine Pool have a little delay before Vlad's untargetability takes effect. Activating the pool at the moment of receiving a lethal amount of damage may result in a death with the pool going on it's full cooldown. An example.

Things you cannot dodge with Sanguine Pool :

- Master Yi's Alpha Strike will deal damage in your pool.
Even if the wiki says "The damage is calculated after Master Yi becomes targetable, meaning that bonus AD from auras will be factored.", meaning there is no damage value when Vlad enters his pool, as I may understand.

- Lee Sin's Resonating Strike will deal damage in your pool. You have to pool the Sonic Wave.




Things you can dodge with Sanguine Pool :

- Nautilus' Depth Charge,

- Karthus' Requiem.

*in construction*
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[Draft] Early-game

Spoiler: Click to view


Last hitting - the first wave :



Note : last-hitting is easier from shorter distance. The hit delay becomes shorter so your timing becomes more accurate. If you are facing a difficult last-hitting situation or are new to Vlad, last-hitting from a point blank range may help a lot.

Preparing minions for better last hitting. (no early trade situation)


When you come to lane lvl 1, in order to last hit all the melee minions you need to prepare them (unless you are hard pushing starting by them anyway, which you are not supposed to do since you want to keep your lane equilibrium).

We need to make the minion life bars crenellated in a stair effect. In other words, each minion have to have a different health amount in order to die successively each after another but not at the same time, and we setup them as such.

Spoiler: Click to view


Using one auto-attack to lower one of the 3 creeps will allow to last hit all of them later, using two successive autos and Transfusion.

Using three auto-attacks to lower two of the 3 creeps will allow to last hit all of them later, using three successive autos.

The same pattern as before but pushing the lane (to compensate your opponent push for example) and applied to both types the wave minions.

Lane equilibrium (push, freeze)


Due to your sustain, you can easily freeze your lane next to your tower, tanking a wave until yours arrive. Just keep using Q anytime it comes off cooldown.

Trades


In lane, in the early stages, due to your long CDs, you need to avoid extended trades.
Restrict yourself to periodically poke your opponent and proc Thunderlord's Decree 's passive when available.

Because players often ignore their opponent's cooldowns, you can fake your spell availability. Position yourself offensively, similarly as if you want to Q again while it's still on some seconds CD, your opponent will fear the incoming poke, will keep his distances. You can zone him while playing this little mind game.

*in construction*
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[Draft] Mid-game

Putting the 5th point into your Q- Transfusion is signing your laning phase (lvl 9) power spike. You are still only good for poke and lane trades.
Putting the 5th point into your E- Tides of Blood is signing your main (lvl 13) power spike. Now you are good to go into team fights and unleash your power with your high, low cooldown AoE damage. Level 5 stacked Tides of Blood is what makes Vladimir a monster in team fights.

Now you need to keep 4 stacks of Tides of Blood constantly because it's your strongest spell and you can now afford the cost.
*in construction*
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[Draft] Late-game

E- Tides of Blood, late game have "no cost" (covered by your massive health pool and regeneration).

*in construction*
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[Draft] Items

Spoiler: Click to view


General notes


If you are winning hard, you can build pure AP because the enemy team will have not enough damage to kill you anyway (large HP pool) and you will be able to snowball harder.

If you are your team's single front-line and the enemy team can peel from you, you should think about building defensively.

Reminder : Since you get 5% from masteries, you want to reach 45%.

Early game you need cost efficient items, cheap or built from cheap parts unless you need to rush an item like Rylai.
The first items should fill your needs in lane, be adapted to help you to face your opponents.

Like with any AP carry, we need Zhonya's Hourglass' active to help us in mid-game fights (drop aggro). Utility over damage. Zhonya's Hourglass is good even vs AP teams.
**

Elixir of Sorcery When you feel the next team fight will be decisive, signing the snowball of one of both team or at least leading to a huge objective take, you can consider buying an elixir. It will pay for itself in objective value or overall team benefit. Though, to be able to recognize these situations, you need to visualize in the future, think further than "now".

Rylai's Crystal Scepter will not help against Stormrider's Surge users. The same about champions with mobility (dashes / high movement speed boost).

**
Spoiler: Click to view
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About the Hemoplague and Ignite

Spoiler: Click to view
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Top or Mid

Vladimir top lane :
Pros :
- On one hand, top lane Vladimir counter a number of champions.
- Vladimir can abuse of melee champions.
Cons :
- On the other hand, some top matchups are nearly impossible for Vlad.

Why Vlad is a bad mid laner :
Pros :
- Safer laning phase.
Cons :
- Mid lane, he brings no burst damage, the burst damage the team usually need in mid-game.
- If Vlad is dominating, he can't deny farm a champion which has a third or twice more range over him on spells.

**
I think Vladimir is better top than mid.

Mid becomes a refuge for Vlad when top lane becomes too hard for him. (5.22 Tryndamere, Jax, Mundo) But it's an endured adaptation, not a chosen one.
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[Draft] Matchups notes

*empty*, read notes on
"THREATS TO VLADIMIR WITH THIS BUILD"
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[Draft] test

Ability Sequence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Let's take a look closer to the opening :
We have a choice lvl 2
Ability Sequence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Taking Sanguine Pool lvl 2 is the safe choice. If you are ganked lvl 2, lvl 3, you can escape it without using flash.
Ability Sequence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Can help you proc Thunderlord's Decree .

Poor openings :
Ability Sequence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
lvl 1 Q and E (30 HP cost) vs lvl 2 Q + AA + 25 HP sustain
Ability Sequence
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Spamming E + AA (and cycling potions) to bully out your opponent...
Health Potion gives you back the E's cost after 3 to 6 seconds depending

Sorry if you see the guide under development.



Have a nice day, guys and gals ! See you later. :^)
sub S sup
Code:
[sub]code[/sub]

Error: Your guide was not saved. Error: Your guide contains blacklisted text.
Ok, that is some non-instinctive code tolerance. ^^
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Outro

Anyway
You got this, you got this
you are the lord, the blood manipulation master
you are a legend and you look great.
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Runes










































f
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Vladimir pros and cons

Pros :
No skill shots, his damage can not be avoided (movement dodged, juked, outplayed).
Has outplay potential with Sanguine Pool.
Hard to peel from, due to Sanguine Pool.
Has higher health pool, compared to most mages.
Cons :

No mobility.
Low range on spells and auto-attacks.
The constant spamming of abilities force Vladimir to stay static a big part of the time, making him
slow,
vulnerable to skill shots.1

Spoiler: Click to view
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League of Legends Champions:

Teamfight Tactics Guide