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Vladimir · Mid

Vladimir for Beginners

BeginnersData-drivenEasyPatch 16.19.1
2.8KUpdated

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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

Vladimir belongs to Riot's Mage and Fighter classes and is played mainly as Mid (58% of the public matches we measured). It attacks from range (450 units) and uses crimson rush. In this guide you play it as Mid: your job is to win the central lane, roam to the side lanes and control the river. Vladimir is demanding, so start with the simple build below and add the rest as you get comfortable.

Strengths

  • Sustain from Transfusion.
  • High magic damage: Riot rates it 8/10 in magic.
  • Clear job in the team: win the central lane, roam to the side lanes and control the river.

Weaknesses

  • No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
  • The enemy jungle and supports will target you for ganks.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Builds

Simple build

BalancedRecommended
Open build

When to use it

The standard build with only two situational answers: fewer decisions, so you can focus on your lane and your abilities.

Where it's played

Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.

Summoner's RiftRed side · bottom leftBlue side · top right
  1. MidMain58% of matches
  2. TopPriority 242% of matches

Starting items

Doran's RingHealth Potion

Core items

  1. 1Cryptbloom
  2. 2Dusk and Dawn
  3. 3Cosmic Drive

Boots

Sorcerer's Shoes

Situational

Zhonya's HourglassAgainst heavy physical damage.Banshee's VeilAgainst heavy magic damage.

Runes

Primary· Sorcery

PrecisionDominationSorceryInspirationResolve
Summon AeryArcane CometStormraider's SurgeDeathfire Touch
Axiom ArcanistManaflow BandNimbus Cloak
TranscendenceCelerityAbsolute Focus
ScorchWaterwalkingGathering Storm

Secondary· Inspiration

PrecisionDominationInspirationResolve
Hextech FlashtraptionMagical FootwearCash Back
Triple TonicTime Warp TonicBiscuit Delivery
Cosmic InsightApproach VelocityJack Of All Trades

Shards

Adaptive ForceAttack SpeedAbility Haste
Adaptive ForceMove SpeedHealth Scaling
HealthTenacity and Slow ResistHealth Scaling

Summoner spells

  • Flash
  • Ignite

Abilities

  • Crimson PactPassiveEvery 30 points of bonus Health gives Vladimir 1 Ability Power and every 1 point of Ability Power gives Vladimir 1.6 bonus Health (does not stack with itself).
  • QTransfusion9/7.9/6.8/5.7/4.6sVladimir steals life from the target enemy. When Vladimir's resource is full, Transfusion will benefit from massively increased damage and healing for a brief time.
    Cooldown
    9·7.9·6.8·5.7·4.6
    Range
    600
    Basic ability — heals. Time it for the enemy's burst, not for chip damage.
  • WSanguine Pool28/25/22/19/16sVladimir sinks into a pool of blood, becoming untargetable for 2 seconds. Additionally, enemies on the pool are slowed and Vladimir siphons life from them.
    Cooldown
    28·25·22·19·16
    Range
    350
  • ETides of Blood13/11/9/7/5sVladimir pays his own health to charge up a reservoir of blood which, when released, deals damage in the area around him but can be blocked by enemy units.
    Cooldown
    13·11·9·7·5
    Range
    600
  • RHemoplagueUltimate120sVladimir infects an area with a virulent plague. Affected enemies take increased damage for the duration. After a few seconds, Hemoplague deals magic damage to infected enemies and heals Vladimir for each enemy Champion hit.
    Cooldown
    120
    Range
    625
    Ultimate — heals. Time it for the enemy's burst, not for chip damage.

Strategy

1What Vladimir does

Vladimir belongs to Riot's Mage and Fighter classes and is played mainly as Mid (58% of the public matches we measured). It attacks from range (450 units) and uses crimson rush. The kit brings sustain with Transfusion. Its ultimate is Hemoplague.

2The basics

In this guide you play it as Mid: your job is to win the central lane, roam to the side lanes and control the river.

  • Push and move: a pushed wave is what gives you time to help the rest of the map.
  • Ward the sides of the lane: most mid deaths are ganks from the side.

3Common mistakes

Most new players lose games with the same few mistakes. Avoid these and you'll already be ahead:

  • Staying in lane while fights happen around the dragon.
  • Using your key ability on minions right before the enemy jungler arrives.
  • Walking into fog without vision in the late game.

4Your first games

Mid is the shortest lane: trades are fast and the enemy jungler is always close. Push the wave when you can, so you are first to the river when a skirmish starts. Use the simple build in this guide and don't worry about situational choices yet.

Tips

  • Push and move: a pushed wave is what gives you time to help the rest of the map.
  • Ward the sides of the lane: most mid deaths are ganks from the side.
  • Check the minimap every few seconds: most deaths come from a jungler you didn't see.
  • Learn what Hemoplague does before anything else: it's the ability that wins fights.

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 16.19.1.

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