Locke vs Vladimir
Build vs Vladimir
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Locke: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Vladimir's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 9s | 28s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 6.8s | 28s | 13s | 2m |
| 9 | 4.6s | 25s | 13s | 2m |
| 11 | 4.6s | 22s | 13s | 2m |
| 16 | 4.6s | 16s | 9s | 2m |
| 18 | 4.6s | 16s | 5s | 2m |
Playing as Locke
Tips to maximize your impact
- Nails first, then Pursuit
Cast Ritual Nails (Q) before Ashen Pursuit (E): your hits consume the nails stuck in the target, and each extra nail adds damage.
- Finish them with autos
Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.
- Activate W as the trade starts
Activate Soul Ignition (W) at the start of a trade: it costs you health, but at the end, you heal back part of the last damage taken, plus more based on your missing health.
- Save E for a kill or a gank
Save Ashen Pursuit (E) for a sure kill or to escape a gank: it's your only instant movement, it has a 10-second cooldown, and only a takedown resets it.
- Save Purgatory to finish
Save Purgatory (R) to finish: it seals marked enemies below a health threshold, and when you pick up the artifact, each sealed champion raises that threshold for good.
Playing against Vladimir
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Cut his healing
If you have Grievous Wounds, apply it to him: Transfusion (Q), Sanguine Pool (W) and Hemoplague (R) all heal him.
Other Locke matchups
Patch 16.21.1