Vladimir vs Sylas
Favorable matchup
You are stronger late game. Farm safe and avoid early trades.
Build vs Sylas
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, Cosmic Drive, Dark Seal, Oblivion Orb, Hextech Rocketbelt.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Sylas's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
After casting a spell, Sylas stores a charge of Petricite Burst. Sylas's basic attacks will expend a charge and whirl his energized chains around him dealing bonus magic damage to enemies hit. While Sylas has a charge of Petricite Burst, he gains attack speed.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10s | 12s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 8s | 12s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 9 | 6s | 10.5s | 13s | 1m20 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 55s |
| 16 | 6s | 6s | 11s | 30s |
| 18 | 6s | 6s | 9s | 30s |
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 Sylas
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Keep minions between his chain and you
Stay behind your minions after his Abscond (E): the Abduct (E) chain pulls him to the first enemy hit, and only that one takes the knock-up.
- Don't trust his low health
Don't go all-in just because his health is low: Kingslayer (W) heals him more as he loses health.
- Back off after each of his spells
Get out of his range as soon as he casts a spell: each spell charges Petricite Burst (passive), and his next auto hits around him with bonus magic damage.
- Fight when he can't steal from you
Take the fight when Hijack (R) is on cooldown: he then can't copy your ult and turn it against your team.
Other Vladimir matchups
Patch 16.21.1