@Riot, you're never going to balance Vlad if you balance around GW

Here is the problem you've created. Vlad is too strong without Grievous wounds, but the entire concept of his kit is gutted with it. Strong without it, garbage with it. All you've done is created a funnel that forces people to build a GW item to destroy him. The problem with this is that you've effectively balanced a champion around an item. 800g effectively guts the core of Vlad's kit. Any changes to the item is going to have a massive impact on the viability of Vlad.

This problem doesn't extend to just Vlad. You now have to balance ALL of the drain/ sustain champions around Grievous Wounds, which again is available for just 800g

On a side note, making GW so easily accessible has also dumpstered , who was already in a weakened state. Where are the compensation buffs for Mundo?