Locke vs Vladimir

Locke
vs
Not enough games
Vladimir
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 Locke: Lich Bane, Shadowflame, Zhonya's Hourglass, Sorcerer's Shoes, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Banshee's Veil, Stormsurge.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Lich Bane
1
Shadowflame
2
Zhonya's Hourglass
3

Standard

Sorcerer's Shoes
4Magic pen
Rabadon's Deathcap
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Rabadon's Deathcap
Void Staff
Banshee's Veil
Stormsurge

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 Locke

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. Finish them with autos

    Finish off wounded targets with autos: Silver Stake (passive) adds magic damage that grows with their missing health.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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

  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