Obviously Vlad is in a position that noone knows where. Therefore, we must buff him. How? Easy.
I looked at cool champions. Cool ones like 
. And I thought to myself. " Huh. What is cool about this champion who identifies themselves as a yordle, but may actually not be a yordle?"
Clearly, it must be the stacking of Ability Power. So the answer is therefore obvious.
Solution:
Allow Vlad's E to grant him 1 AP per unit that he strikes with it. If he hits 10 minions and 1 champion and 1 scuttle crab with his E, then he gains 12 AP.
- BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE
This stacking AP is enhanced based on the number of E stacks he has. If he has 2 stacks, then he gains 2 AP instead of 1, and so on.
Clearly this buff will balance Vlad just right to a position of being played, but never complained about.
I'm pretty gosh darn sure that this buff can't possibly make Vlad broken. 
do quite well against him top lane. Vlad is very weak early game. He's pretty pathetic until like level 7 or 8 tbh. He depends on short trades that he's most likely going to lose then, sustaining back up over time. He can't really duel any of them the later the game goes unless he gets really far ahead or the opponent makes mistakes.
or 
. He has his strengths and weaknesses. I view him as pretty balanced as he is. He has room to get counterplayed while having the potential to carry a fight. He trades early game strength for late gate power. Leave him as he is. He's in an ok spot and can even survive against some of the juggernauts. You just have to focus on farming and not fighting
