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Top · Ranked Solo/DuoMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Vladimir vs Vex

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

VladimirVSVex

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search every champion, choose the assigned role, then open the exact queue page.

VS
Role
Selected laneTop

Choose two champions from the list.

Role fit

TopVladimir

Vladimir has a reviewed secondary role here. It is less common than the primary roles, but it has a recognisable role-specific plan.

Reviewed secondary
Historical referenceRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
16.16 Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Ranked Solo/Duo · Top

Manaless battle mage

Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Reviewed secondary
S
Draft / Ranked opening · separate from item 1

Doran's Ring

400 gold

This is the most-supported Draft/Ranked starting item in the frozen prior-patch public role snapshot. Compare its durability, sustain and damage trade-off before leaving base.

1
First item

Hextech Rocketbelt

2,650 gold

Adds health and movement for the first committed spell rotation.

2
Boots

Ionian Boots of Lucidity

900 gold

This is the most-supported Boots choice in the frozen prior-patch public role snapshot; change it when the opposing damage or crowd control calls for a different defence.

3
Repeated spells

Riftmaker

3,100 gold

This item is part of the most-supported coherent core in the frozen prior-patch public role snapshot. Treat the sample as context, then adjust only for a clearly identified matchup problem.

4
Late power

Rabadon's Deathcap

3,500 gold

Adds late ability power after the core is complete.

5
Vs resistance

Void Staff

3,000 gold

Answers meaningful magic resistance later in the match.

6
Repeated spell rotations

Cosmic Drive

3,000 gold

Completes the six-item inventory with movement speed and ability haste for repeated late-game spell rotations.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingMorellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.View full route

Best when: Morellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Morellonomicon
  4. Late powerRabadon's Deathcap
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive
AlternativeThey burst meZhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.View full route

Best when: Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Zhonya's Hourglass
  4. Late powerRabadon's Deathcap
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive
AlternativeOne spell stops meBanshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.View full route

Best when: Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Repeated spellsRiftmaker
  4. Banshee's Veil
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededManaless battle mageRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Repeated spellsRiftmaker
  4. Late powerRabadon's Deathcap
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive
AlternativeToo much healingMorellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.View full route

Best when: Morellonomicon applies anti-heal. Buy it earlier only when healing is already deciding fights.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Morellonomicon
  4. Late powerRabadon's Deathcap
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive
AlternativeThey burst meZhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.View full route

Best when: Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Zhonya's Hourglass
  4. Late powerRabadon's Deathcap
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive
AlternativeOne spell stops meBanshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.View full route

Best when: Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

  1. First itemHextech Rocketbelt
  2. BootsIonian Boots of Lucidity
  3. Repeated spellsRiftmaker
  4. Banshee's Veil
  5. Vs resistanceVoid Staff
  6. Repeated spell rotationsCosmic Drive

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsVladimirTop

Use range to manage the wave and take measured trades without surrendering the escape route. Teleport supports the long solo lane.

Ranked Solo/Duo
Primary tree

Sorcery

Arcane CometManaflow BandTranscendenceScorch
Secondary tree

Resolve

Second WindOvergrowth
Summoner spells
FlashTeleport
Long-lane safety

Teleport preserves recalls and side-lane access. Ignite is a deliberate pressure trade-off, not a universal upgrade.

Respect the matchup

Keep the defensive secondary runes when repeated poke or one committed trade can decide the lane.

Matchup notes

What changes when Vex is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Kit comparison

Respect the opponent's reliable threat

Track the cooldown and range of the ability that starts their safest trade. Do not treat this page as a statistical counter claim.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Treat Vex as one part of the map state. Their Jungler, nearby waves and which teammates can move determine whether the same trade or rotation is safe.

Ability reminders

Vladimir reminders

  • 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.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Only when enemy healing is deciding fights

Oblivion Orb

Oblivion Orb supplies healing reduction without committing to a completed Morellonomicon. Skip both when healing is not the problem or an ally already covers your target reliably. Healing reduction does not reduce shields.

Conditional component, not a core item. Complete Morellonomicon only when its stats and slot efficiency justify delaying another purchase.
They burst me

Zhonya's Hourglass

Zhonya's stasis can absorb a committed dive or lethal burst window.

One spell stops me

Banshee's Veil

Banshee's spell shield can protect the first important cast against you.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1

Vladimir

  1. P
    Crimson Pact

    Every 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).

  2. Q
    Transfusion

    Vladimir 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 (s) 9/7.9/6.8/5.7/4.6 · Listed range (units) 600
  3. W
    Sanguine Pool

    Vladimir sinks into a pool of blood, becoming untargetable for 2 seconds. Additionally, enemies on the pool are slowed and Vladimir siphons life from them.

    Uses health. Check the current ability tooltip for the health amount and any additional resource cost.

    Cooldown (s) 28/25/22/19/16 · Listed range (units) 350
  4. E
    Tides of Blood

    Vladimir 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.

    Uses health. Check the current ability tooltip for the health amount and any additional resource cost.

    Cooldown (s) 13/11/9/7/5 · Listed range (units) 600
  5. R
    Hemoplague

    Vladimir 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 (s) 120 · Listed range (units) 625

Vex

  1. P
    Doom 'n Gloom

    Vex periodically becomes empowered, causing her next basic Ability to fear enemies and interrupt dashes. Whenever a nearby enemy dashes, Vex applies a mark that can be consumed for bonus damage that also reduces the cooldown of her empowered state.

  2. Q
    Mistral Bolt

    Launch a damaging missile that accelerates mid-flight.

    Cooldown (s) 8/7/6/5/4 · Cost 45/50/55/60/65 · Listed range (units) 1200
  3. W
    Personal Space

    Gain a shield and damage nearby enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 75 · Listed range (units) 475
  4. E
    Looming Darkness

    Summon a damaging and slowing zone that applies Gloom to enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 70/80/90/100/110 · Listed range (units) 800
  5. R
    Shadow Surge

    Fire a missile that marks an enemy champion. Recast to dash to them and deal damage.

    Cooldown (s) 140/120/100 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 2000/2500/3000

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around the wave and your strongest cooldowns

1
Lane

Keep health and minions balanced so one poor trade does not decide the lane.

2
Map play

Move after the wave is handled and communicate if the opposing Top laner leaves first.

3
Fights

Choose between front-line duty, side pressure and carry access according to the champion kit.

Pings, movement and objectives

Vladimir Top map plan

Manage the long lane before leaving it. A useful move begins with a handled wave, a visible route and a teammate who knows you are coming.

Ahead

Use the side-lane lead without donating it

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing when the opposing Top leaves, then On My Way before a flank or objective move.
Stay or move
Push the wave before moving. Stay if leaving would hand several minions or your tower back to the opponent.
Objective
Arrive through a known route and mark whether you are front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry. Do not enter alone before the team can follow.
Even

Make the wave create the first move

Ping
Use Enemy Missing early, Danger on the route they may take, and On My Way only after your own wave is handled.
Stay or move
Move after pushing or on a shared recall. Do not follow through unwarded river merely because the opponent left first.
Objective
Tell the team whether you can move before the objective starts. Approach with vision and save the cooldown needed for the first real commitment.
Behind

Protect experience and communicate the pressure

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing immediately and Retreat if teammates are about to meet the stronger Top laner without you.
Stay or move
Do not match a stronger opponent through darkness. Clear the safe wave, then group by the shortest controlled route.
Objective
State early if you cannot contest. If the team still fights, provide control or protection instead of attempting an isolated flank.
Objective setup

Four calls, in order

Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.

  1. 1
    Handle the wave

    Push, catch or communicate the wave before leaving so the opponent does not gain a free move and free income.

  2. 2
    Signal the route

    Use On My Way for the route you are actually taking and Danger where an unseen opponent may arrive.

  3. 3
    Enter together

    Move through controlled vision with the Jungler or another ally instead of face-checking the objective alone.

  4. 4
    Choose the job

    Decide whether you are engaging, front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry before the fight begins.

Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.

Keep preparing

Use the champion page or choose another opponent

The matchup page is a pre-game reference. It does not predict the result or alter its recommendation from changing live match data.

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