Vladimir vs Samira
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Samira
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Vladimir: Stormsurge, Rabadon's Deathcap, Void Staff, Sorcerer's Shoes, Dark Seal, Zhonya's Hourglass, Mejai's Soulstealer, Cosmic Drive.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Samira's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Samira builds a combo by hitting attacks or abilities unique from the previous hit. Samira's attacks in melee range deal additional magic damage. Samira's attacks against enemies affected by Immobilizing effects will dash her to her attack range. If the enemy is Knocked Up, she also keeps them Knocked Up briefly.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6s | 30s | 20s | – |
| 6 | 4s | 30s | 20s | 5s |
| 9 | 2s | 28s | 20s | 5s |
| 11 | 2s | 26s | 20s | 5s |
| 16 | 2s | 22s | 16s | 5s |
| 18 | 2s | 22s | 12s | 5s |
Playing as Vladimir
Tips to maximize your impact
- Save your empowered Transfusion
After two Transfusion (Q) casts, the next one is empowered for a few seconds: save it for a trade, since it hits harder and heals you based on your missing health.
- Farm safely with Transfusion
Last-hit minions with Transfusion (Q) until your items come in: it deals damage before healing you, and costs you nothing.
- Charge Tides of Blood at least 1 second
Charge Tides of Blood (E) for at least 1 second before releasing: the missiles then also slow, and their damage grows with the charge.
- Dodge in your Sanguine Pool
Save Sanguine Pool (W) to dodge CC or a burst: for 2 seconds, you're untargetable. It costs you part of your current health.
- Hemoplague first, burst second
Cast Hemoplague (R) before your burst: infected enemies take increased damage from all sources, then the blast heals you for each champion hit.
Playing against Samira
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Trade after her Wild Rush
Take a trade once Wild Rush (E) is used: it's her only dash, and it only comes back if a champion she damaged dies within 3 seconds.
- Hold your projectiles
If you have projectiles, wait for Blade Whirl (W) to end: it destroys those that enter its area, but not spells without a projectile.
- Back off when she chains hits
Back off when she chains her hits: each one that differs from the last builds her Style, and at an S rating, Inferno Trigger (R) shoots every enemy around her.
Other Vladimir matchups
Patch 16.21.1