Game patch 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1
Reference patch 16.20.1
the Crimson Reaper
Vladimir is a spell-focused champion who plays around range, cooldowns and controlled areas. This overview keeps the explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and the current in-game tooltip.
Usual roleMidStrengths and limits
These are kit-level patterns, not a promise that every lane or matchup plays the same way.
Transfusion instantly deals damage to the enemy before healing Vladimir, making it one of the best last hitting tools in the game.
Cast Hemoplague where it will afflict the most units.
Sanguine Pool pops incoming missiles, so it can be used to dodge disables.
Try to take Vladimir down before Hemoplague detonates, as it will heal him for each afflicted enemy Champion.
Making Vladimir use Sanguine Pool at the start of a fight will maximize the Health cost of the ability to him.
Items that counter Health stacking, such as Liandry's Torment and Blade of the Ruined King, are very effective against Vladimir.
Practical champion reading
Use these patterns to ask better questions before choosing an item, target or commitment. They describe the kit, not a guaranteed result.
Magic resistance can reduce the broad spell profile, but positioning and cooldown tracking still decide whether the important abilities connect.
Do not judge the champion from one button. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools are available before choosing a trade or commitment.
Ranged attacks are useful only while a safe line to the target remains. Flanks, hard control and blocked escape routes can remove that advantage quickly.
Extended contact can favour the kit, but only when the champion reaches the right target without losing too much health on the way in.
Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement answer.
Anti-heal or anti-shielding is situational. Buy it only when the effect is materially protecting targets and your champion can apply the answer reliably.
A spell being available does not mean the complete sequence is sustainable. Watch the resource bar as well as the setup and escape cooldowns.
Defensive item reference
Start with the threat that is actually affecting the match. These are conditional comparisons, not an automatic counter build.
Magic resistance addresses the broad damage profile, while Tenacity can shorten reducible control.
Choose Plated Steelcaps instead only when physical basic attacks from this champion or the rest of the team are the larger repeated threat.Normal Draft and Ranked role map
Each lane is assessed separately. Open a role to reach its queue-specific build and matchup preparation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Vladimir has a secondary role listed in this historical reference. It is less common than the primary roles, but it has a recognisable role-specific plan.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Vladimir is normally played Mid and does not currently have a reviewed Jungle route. Jungle usually needs repeatable monster clear, safe pathing and objective control without lane income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Vladimir has an established central-lane plan with access to waves, both sides of the river and meaningful pressure between objectives.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Vladimir is normally played Mid and does not currently have a reviewed Bot route. Bot usually needs dependable duo-lane scaling and sustained damage with shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Historical reference. Recommendation review pending. Vladimir is normally played Mid and does not currently have a reviewed Support route. Support usually needs useful engage, peel or utility while operating on low gold income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, not a standard recommendation.
Situational AP purchase
Buy healing reduction when enemy healing or regeneration is deciding fights and you can keep damaging the relevant target. Grievous Wounds reduces healing; it does not reduce shields, magic damage or crowd control.
Oblivion Orb can provide healing reduction without immediately paying for a completed Morellonomicon. Fit the component around your core damage, mana and survival needs; check the current queue's item tooltip.
Complete Morellonomicon when its stats and slot efficiency suit your build. Do not treat it as a mandatory first item just because your champion deals magic damage.
Multiple Grievous Wounds sources do not add their percentages together. Another reliable applier may cover the same target, but you may still need your own source for a separate fight or target.
Repeated spell damage and damage over time can maintain coverage more reliably than a single hit. Match the purchase to your actual spell access, enemy sustain and the teammates who can apply the debuff.
If you die before dealing damage, you apply no healing reduction. If your target dies before healing, there is little healing to prevent. The debuff applies on qualifying damage immediately; it does not need to build up. It remains briefly after your last hit, so teammates can benefit even after you disengage.
Only healing during the active debuff counts. For example, 40% reduction prevents 80 of a 200-point heal, or 400 of a 1,000-point heal, before other modifiers. Compare that with the damage, penetration or survival you delayed; neither example guarantees a kill. Healing after the debuff expires is unaffected.
See the Oblivion Orb and Morellonomicon references for current effects and queue availability. These are situational decisions, not a measured best-build claim.
Kit reference
Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.
What it doesEvery 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).
Practical readCrimson Pact is the always-on rule shaping Vladimir's normal trading and fight pattern. Watch its in-game state before committing.
What it doesVladimir 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.
Practical readTransfusion contributes protection or sustain and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.
What it doesVladimir sinks into a pool of blood, becoming untargetable for 2 seconds. Additionally, enemies on the pool are slowed and Vladimir siphons life from them.
Practical readSanguine Pool contributes a slowing effect. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
What it doesVladimir 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.
Practical readTides of Blood contributes movement or repositioning and damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
What it doesVladimir 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.
Practical readHemoplague contributes damage. Its value changes with cooldown, range and target access; recognise the setup before moving into its effective area.
The protection or sustain is part of the cast's value. Compare its timing with incoming damage rather than reading only the offensive effect.
Levels 1–18
Base values exclude items, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns are the listed base cooldown before ability haste.
Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Can receive its first point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
First rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.
| Level | Health | Crimson Rush | Ability milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 600 | 2 Crimson Rush | Choose the first basic ability |
| 2 | 679 | 2 Crimson Rush | Add another basic ability or rank |
| 3 | 762 | 2 Crimson Rush | Add another basic ability or rank |
| 4 | 849 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 5 | 940 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 6 | 1,035 | 2 Crimson Rush | First ultimate rank normally available |
| 7 | 1,133 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 8 | 1,235 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 9 | 1,341 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 10 | 1,451 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 11 | 1,565 | 2 Crimson Rush | Second ultimate rank normally available |
| 12 | 1,683 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 13 | 1,805 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 14 | 1,930 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 15 | 2,059 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 16 | 2,192 | 2 Crimson Rush | Final ultimate rank normally available |
| 17 | 2,329 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
| 18 | 2,470 | 2 Crimson Rush | Spend one ability point |
Choose the next question
Choose a queue-aware build, compare a lane opponent, or return to the full champion library.
