Darius vs Vladimir

Darius
vs
54.3%

over 304 games

Vladimir

Skill matchup

High sustainHeavy AP damageHigh burstSustained DPS

Build vs Vladimir

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Darius: Youmuu's Ghostblade, Force of Nature, Dead Man's Plate, Mercury's Treads, Stridebreaker, Sterak's Gage, Death's Dance, Executioner's Calling.

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Youmuu's Ghostblade
1
Force of Nature
2
Dead Man's Plate
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Stridebreaker
5

Summoner spells

FlashHaste63%
FlashDot29%

Other options

Stridebreaker
Sterak's Gage
Death's Dance
Executioner's Calling
Maw of Malmortius
Spear of Shojin
Randuin's Omen
Kaenic Rookern
Trinity Force
Spirit Visage
Bramble Vest
Thornmail
Chempunk Chainsword
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Quicksilver Sash
The Collector
Black Cleaver
Serrated Dirk
Tiamat
Guardian Angel
73.3% WR30 games
SorcerySorcery
Stormraider's SurgeStormraider's Surge
Nimbus CloakNimbus Cloak
CelerityCelerity
Gathering StormGathering Storm
PrecisionPrecision
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
TriumphTriumph
Attack SpeedAdaptive 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 Darius

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Hit with the edge of your axe

    Aim the outer edge of Decimate (Q): only the blade heals you and applies Hemorrhage (passive). The handle, in the center, deals less damage.

  2. All-in at five stacks

    Go all-in when your target has five Hemorrhage (passive) stacks: you gain a massive AD bonus, and Noxian Guillotine (R) hits harder with each stack.

  3. Save Apprehend for runners

    Save Apprehend (E) to pull back an enemy who retreats, not to start a trade: it's your only pull, on a 26 to 16 second cooldown.

  4. Execute to recast your R

    Cast Noxian Guillotine (R) on the lowest-health target: its true damage ignores armor, and if it kills, you can recast it right away.

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