Vladimir vs Locke Counter Pick

Silver Stake looks like it was drafted with Vladimir in mind. Locke’s hits add bonus magic damage that grows with the target’s missing health, and Vladimir spends his own health to fuel Tides of Blood. The item that gives him area damage also raises the number on each of Locke’s later attacks. Across 235 games on patch 16.13.1, Vladimir lands at 45.5%.

Locke starts as the bulkier champion, with 655 health to 600 and 32 armor to 24, and keeps that lead at level 18, 2,508 to 2,470. His damage is physical, so Vladimir’s low armor is the weak spot, not his 30 magic resist. Ashen Pursuit teleports to a target before dashing and damages everything it passes, so the 450 to 125 range gap lasts only as long as that cooldown.

Vladimir has to win on timing more than on raw numbers. Sanguine Pool takes him out of targeting for two seconds, and it’s worth saving for Purgatory, which deals damage and can execute whatever it binds. Soul Ignition trades Locke’s health for attack and move speed, which briefly drops him into the wounded range that a full Crimson Rush Transfusion punishes hardest. Locke moves at 340 to Vladimir’s 330 and pays mana, the only mana cost in the matchup, since Crimson Rush refills on its own. Locke is rated difficulty 5, Vladimir 7. Kits: Vladimir, Locke.