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Karthus vs Vladimir

Karthus
vs
Not enough games
Vladimir
Analyze a draft with Karthus
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 Karthus: Blackfire Torch, Shadowflame, Rabadon's Deathcap, Sorcerer's Shoes, Void Staff, Zhonya's Hourglass, Stormsurge, Malignance.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Blackfire Torch
1
Shadowflame
2
Rabadon's Deathcap
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Void Staff
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Void Staff
Zhonya's Hourglass
Stormsurge
Malignance

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 Karthus

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Aim for isolated champions

    Aim Lay Waste (Q) at a champion away from their minions: if the blast hits only one enemy, it deals much more damage.

  2. Wall before your combo

    Place Wall of Pain (W) in their path before your combo: anyone who crosses it is slowed and loses magic resist.

  3. Keep playing after you die

    After you die, keep casting your spells: Death Defied (passive) keeps you in spirit form for a while, and you can still cast Lay Waste (Q) and Requiem (R).

  4. Requiem for the finish

    Save Requiem (R) to finish off wounded enemies, often right after a teamfight: it hits every enemy champion wherever they are, after a 3-second channel.

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.

Other Karthus matchups

Patch 16.21.1