Vladimir is Broken

WHAT VLADIMIR IS

Scaling AP battlemage with strong sustain and burst.

Wins by surviving lane, hitting 1–2 item spikes, then AOE nuking teamfights with ultimate plus empowered Q.

RUNES

DEFAULT BEST ALL-AROUND: SORCERY + INSPIRATION
Sorcery

Phase Rush

Nimbus Cloak

Transcendence

Gathering Storm

Inspiration

Magical Footwear (or Stopwatch for safety)

Cosmic Insight

Shards

Attack Speed or Ability Haste

Adaptive Force

Health (or Armor/MR into matchup)

Why: Phase Rush lets you trade, escape ganks, and stick to targets after combo.

ALTERNATIVE INTO HEAVY POKE OR HARD LANES: SORCERY + RESOLVE
Sorcery

Phase Rush

Nimbus Cloak

Transcendence

Gathering Storm

Resolve

Second Wind vs poke or Bone Plating vs burst

Revitalize

SUMMONERS

Ghost + Flash (best scaling/teamfight carry setup)

Ignite + Flash (if you must pressure kills, riskier)

Teleport + Flash (top lane standard, safer macro)

SKILL ORDER
Max order: Q then E then W
Take R whenever available

Key rule: Play around Empowered Q (red bar). That’s your lane win tool.

ITEMS

STANDARD CORE
Option 1: Riftmaker (best for sustained fights and bruiser-ish games)
Option 2: Rocketbelt (best for picks, burst, and needing gap close)

Common next items

Rabadon’s Deathcap

Void Staff if they build magic resist

Cosmic Drive if you need movement and tempo

BOOTS

Ionian Boots most games

Mercury’s Treads vs heavy CC and AP

Plated Steelcaps vs heavy AD and auto-attack teams

SITUATIONAL ITEMS

Zhonya’s Hourglass: essential vs burst/AD threats, buys time after diving with ultimate

Spirit Visage: good vs AP heavy comps and strengthens healing

Shadowflame: strong vs squishies and shields, early damage option

Morellonomicon: only if your team truly lacks anti-heal and they have major healing

LANE PLAN

LEVELS 1–3

You are weak early. Prioritize CS and health preservation.

Use Q to last hit and heal; avoid heavy E spam early unless you must manage the wave.

TRADING PATTERN
Basic trade

Stack passive then use Empowered Q on the enemy champion, then back off.

Use E as a short charge or tap while backing away.

ALL-IN AFTER LEVEL 6

Prep Empowered Q

Use R on as many targets as possible

Charge E while closing distance

Use Q on priority target

Use W if needed to dodge burst or CC

Finish with another Q/E cycle

WAVE CONTROL TIPS

Dangerous matchup: let wave come to you, farm near tower, avoid long lane.

Safe matchup: slow push, crash wave, reset. Vladimir loves clean recalls.

TEAMFIGHTING: YOUR WIN CONDITION
You are not a frontliner. You are an AOE execution mage.

IDEAL FIGHT SEQUENCE

Approach from an angle or flank if possible.

Use R on 2–4 targets or their backline.

Immediately charge E while moving in.

Use Empowered Q on the priority target.

Use W reactively to dodge key CC/burst or to buy time for ultimate pop and another empowered Q.

Re-enter as cooldowns come back. Do not stand in front without Q and W ready.

Big rule: Do not waste W just to start a fight unless it guarantees a multi-hit ultimate and kills. W is your insurance.

MATCHUPS: QUICK RULES

HARD OR ANNOYING

Long-range poke and anti-heal pressure

Point-and-click CC into burst

Plan

Consider Resolve secondary

Early boots

Play for farm, do not force trades pre-6

EASIER MATCHUPS

Melee champs that cannot punish your sustain or have predictable engage

Plan

Farm safely and punish with Empowered Q every time they walk up

MECHANICS THAT WIN GAMES

Empowered Q timing: If it’s about to expire, use it even on a minion so you don’t lose tempo.

E charge discipline: full charge only when safe or committing; short taps are fine for wave/trade.

Ultimate value: damage amp plus healing. Hitting multiple targets often matters more than a “perfect 1-shot.”

W usage: dodge skillshots and CC after they commit. Treat it like a parry.

COPY-PASTE BUILD TEMPLATES

DEFAULT MID VLAD
Runes: Phase Rush
Build: Riftmaker, Ionian Boots, Deathcap, Void Staff or Cosmic Drive, Zhonya’s or Spirit Visage

BURST AND PLAYMAKING VLAD
Runes: Phase Rush
Build: Rocketbelt, Ionian Boots, Deathcap, Void Staff, Zhonya’s

ANTI-CC AND SURVIVABILITY
Runes: Phase Rush plus Resolve
Build: Riftmaker, Mercury’s Treads, Deathcap, Spirit Visage, Void Staff or Zhonya’s