Vladimir is a mage who trades health for power in League of Legends. His spells let him burst opponents while healing the damage he takes. In the late game he controls team fights with wide‑area damage and huge self‑sustain. This guide covers every stage of play—from his weak early levels to the point where he can decide games on his own.

Ability Overview

Crimson Pact (Passive)

Every point of bonus health turns into a small amount of ability power, and part of Vladimir’s total ability power returns as bonus health. The two conversions never overlap, but together they keep him scaling in both damage and durability as the match drags on.

Transfusion – Q

Vladimir drains an enemy for magic damage and heals himself. Each cast adds a Crimson Rush stack. When he reaches two stacks, the next Transfusion becomes instant, deals much more damage, and restores a larger chunk of missing health. The empowered cast is his main trading tool in lane and his safest source of healing in fights.

Sanguine Pool – W

By paying fifteen percent of his current health Vladimir sinks into a pool of blood for two seconds. While submerged he is untargetable, he slows enemies who stand on the pool, and he recovers part of the magic damage the pool inflicts. Because the cooldown is long and the cost scales with current health, using Sanguine Pool at the wrong time often leads to certain death later in the duel or to a failed escape from a jungle gank.

Tides of Blood – E

Holding the key charges this spell for up to one and a half seconds. During the charge Vladimir slows himself but ramps up the final damage. Releasing unleashes a ring of blood bolts that strike nearby foes. A charge longer than one second adds a brief slow on those hit. The spell costs a slice of maximum health, but if Vladimir falls below twelve percent of his maximum health it becomes free, giving him an emergency wave clear under tower.

Hemoplague – R

Hemoplague infects enemies in a circle, making them take ten percent extra damage from every source for four seconds. When the infection ends it explodes for a burst of magic damage and heals Vladimir for each champion caught in the blast. Against grouped teams this ultimate can swing an entire fight, especially when layered with a fully charged Tides of Blood and an empowered Transfusion.

Strengths

Vladimir scales harder than most mid laners because every point of health and ability power feeds into the other. Once he completes a mythic item he starts to win trades through raw numbers rather than through tricky positioning. In team fights Hemoplague multiplies the damage of his allies as well as his own, and Sanguine Pool lets him dodge key spells or stall until cooldowns return. Close‑quarters brawls in the jungle or around objectives suit him best, since enemies lack the space to avoid his area effects.

Weaknesses

Before his first big item Vladimir struggles to push waves or win skirmishes. He brings no hard crowd control, so junglers rarely choose to gank for him. Grievous Wounds slashes his Transfusion healing, turning every trade into a losing exchange. Finally, misusing Sanguine Pool leaves him exposed for over twenty seconds, giving opponents a clear window to force all‑ins or tower dives.

Power Spikes and Game Plan

Early game (0–15 min)

Vladimir’s goal is simple: gather gold and experience without dying. Farm with basic attacks and unempowered Q, saving the empowered Q to punish over‑aggressive opponents or to heal after taking poke. Reaching level six gives him kill pressure, but only if the enemy is low and Sanguine Pool is ready as a safety tool. Otherwise he should continue scaling and wait for his first completed item.

Mid game (15–25 min)

With two ranks in Hemoplague and at least two core items, Vladimir can join small skirmishes. Clear side waves quickly, then shadow your roaming teammates. In the fog of war look for flanks where Ghost or Flash can place Hemoplague onto carries. If the enemy respects your engage, use your wave clear to knock down outer towers or pressure neutral objectives.

Late game (25 min+)

At level sixteen and three items, Vladimir becomes a primary win condition. His ultimate now deals lethal damage, heals for a large chunk of his health bar, and resets fast enough for every major fight. Watch timers on enemy anti‑heal items; fight when their effects are down, and communicate with supports to apply your own anti‑heal against enemy lifesteal champions. In tight spaces like Baron or Elder Dragon pits, a single well‑placed Hemoplague often ends the match.

Optimal Rune Page

Phase Rush remains the staple keystone because the burst of speed it grants after three hits lets Vladimir stick to fleeing targets or escape retaliation. Nimbus Cloak extends that mobility after each summoner spell, while Transcendence offers ability haste that lines up his cooldowns for longer fights. Gathering Storm supplies extra ability power that stacks forever, matching Vladimir’s plan to scale. In the Precision tree Triumph returns health on takedowns, and Legend: Tenacity keeps him moving through crowd control.

Summoner Spells

Flash plus Ghost covers every situation. Flash handles sudden dodges and wall hops, while Ghost gives sustained speed for chasing and repositioning in drawn‑out battles. Ignite can secure early kills, but it weakens Vladimir’s late‑game presence compared with the mobility that Ghost provides.

Core Items

Riftmaker is almost always the mythic of choice. Its omnivamp and stacking true‑damage effect rewards the extended skirmishes Vladimir loves. Sorcerer’s Shoes supply flat magic penetration early. Cosmic Drive follows for haste and movement speed, letting him weave spells more often. Rabadon’s Deathcap multiplies the growing ability power pool. Defensive pivots include Zhonya’s Hourglass against assassin bursts, Spirit Visage when the enemy team leans on magic damage, and Shadowflame when shields are common.

Lane Matchups and Counters

Assassins with quick bursts such as Zed or Qiyana push Vladimir to his limits because they threaten lethal damage before he can pool or heal. Long‑range mages like Xerath and Zoe chip his health from outside Transfusion range and force early recalls. Against these lanes position behind minions, keep Sanguine Pool for the enemy’s most dangerous crowd control, and invest in early defensive components. Executioner’s Calling or Oblivion Orb on the opposing side will appear soon, so keep track of those items and play cautiously while their effects are active.

Team‑Fight Role

Successful Vladimir fights start on the flank. Approach unseen, pop Ghost, then Flash toward the backline. Cast Hemoplague on multiple carries, weave a quick Tides of Blood plus Transfusion combo, and immediately dip into Sanguine Pool to draw cooldowns and stall for healing. Rise from the pool with another round of spells as Hemoplague detonates, restoring a large part of your health and often finishing off low targets. Repeat this pattern around every objective and tower siege.

Advanced Tips

• Tides of Blood bolted through walls can tag unsuspecting targets.
• Pool during empowered Q’s Crimson Rush to extend the buff; the timer drains 75 % slower while untargetable.
• When below 12 % HP, E becomes free—use it to wave‑clear safely under tower.
• Q‑flash mid‑cast squeezes extra range; practice in Practice Tool.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many new Vladimir players trade too long in the first levels, forgetting that their cooldowns are high and their base damage is low. Some burn Sanguine Pool at every hint of danger and find themselves helpless while it refreshes. Others ignore the presence of anti‑heal, which can cut their sustain by forty percent. Be mindful of these traps, and match your aggression to item strength and cooldown availability.

Final Takeaway

Vladimir rewards patience. Survive the early game, strike hard once your mythic item lands, and manage your cooldowns with care. When used at the right moment, his combination of area damage, mobility, and self‑healing turns late‑game engagements into victories that carry the whole team across the finish line.