Aatrox vs Vladimir

Aatrox
vs
48.9%

over 88 games

Vladimir

Skill matchup

High sustainHeavy AP damageHigh burstSustained DPS

Build vs Vladimir

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Aatrox: Eclipse, Sundered Sky, Death's Dance, Mercury's Treads, Spear of Shojin, Executioner's Calling, Maw of Malmortius, Voltaic Cyclosword.

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Eclipse
1
Sundered Sky
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Spear of Shojin
5

Summoner spells

FlashDot81%
FlashTeleport17%

Other options

Spear of Shojin
Executioner's Calling
Maw of Malmortius
Voltaic Cyclosword
Black Cleaver
Spirit Visage
Mortal Reminder
Hubris
Serylda's Grudge
Endless Hunger
Sterak's Gage
Profane Hydra
Bastionbreaker
Guardian Angel
PrecisionPrecision
ConquerorConqueror
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
RevitalizeRevitalize
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Vladimir's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Crimson Pact (P)

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).

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
39s28s13s–
66.8s28s13s2m
94.6s25s13s2m
114.6s22s13s2m
164.6s16s9s2m
184.6s16s5s2m

Playing as Aatrox

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Hit with the edge of your blade

    Land the edge of The Darkin Blade (Q): enemies hit by the edge take a short knock-up and more damage, so Umbral Dash (E) heals you for more.

  2. Reposition your blade with your dash

    Cast Umbral Dash (E) during The Darkin Blade (Q) to put the edge on your target: the dash doesn't interrupt your other spells.

  3. Trap your target with your chains

    Cast Infernal Chains (W) when the target can't leave the zone, against a wall or in a chokepoint: if they stay inside, they get pulled back to the impact point.

  4. Transform before the teamfight

    Cast World Ender (R) before you engage, not in the middle of the teamfight: you instantly gain AD, increased healing and move speed.

Playing against Vladimir

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Force his Sanguine Pool early

    Force him to use Sanguine Pool (W) early in the fight, when it costs him the most health: he can't become untargetable again for 28 to 16 seconds.

  2. Back off from his empowered Transfusion

    Back off after his first two Transfusion (Q) casts: the next one is empowered, hits harder and heals him based on his missing health.

  3. Play hard before his items

    Get ahead early: Vladimir mostly shines later, once he has his items, since Crimson Pact (passive) turns his ability power into health and his bonus health into ability power.

  4. Kill him before his Hemoplague pops

    During Hemoplague (R), focus him if you can kill him before the blast, otherwise back off: you take increased damage until then, and the blast heals him per champion hit.

  5. Cut his healing

    If you have Grievous Wounds, apply it to him: Transfusion (Q), Sanguine Pool (W) and Hemoplague (R) all heal him.

Patch 16.21.1