Vladimir: A stain, splattered on the pages of history.
It's certainly been a while, hasn't it?
Hello and welcome to the kind of thread I've spammed these boards with for the past four years leading up to Mordekaiser's rework.
The kind that analyzes a character, stripping them down to their core identity and offering potential avenues in which the archetype can be truly explored.
Now, with Mordekaiser having gotten the rework I've always wanted him to get, delivering on literally all fronts and fulfilling my wish for a perfect Iron Revenant, I find myself out of a creative outlet.
Well, until now it seems.
The fight never ends, with each VGU taking care of yet another unfulfilled champion fantasy, another one rises in its place. It's like a damn hydra.
But I'm digressing.
Judging from the thread's title you might have already figured out what this one's going to be about.
Namely a very basic analysis of Vladimir-The Crimson Reaper and the untapped champion potential he holds.
It is true that Vladimir is one of the most controversial champions in the game. Love him or hate him, his gameplay has been a sore spot for the balance AND the design team, being quite annoying to play against while still offering plenty of neat outplay potential.
It is true that compared to the likes of pre-rework Mordekaiser, Vladimir's gameplay still holds up quite well, which I suspect is the reason he has escaped the VGU team's loving embrace until now.
That or he simply pooled out of their grasp.
Either way, gameplay isn't going to be the main topic of this thread, oh no.
This little thing right here will try to provide a distilled, high-intensity shot of the essence of what I perceive Vladimir to be.
It is to note that this is only my personal opinion and people are bound to have their own. While the reworked Mordekaiser is exactly what I wanted him to be, there are those who disagree with that notion, as will be the case with this Vladimir thread.
But without any further ado, let's get into what I wanted to discuss in this thread: #Vladimir's three main character pillars
#1 THE USURPER
Probably my favorite bit about Vladimir's new lore is the idea of him not being born with unmatched blood sorcery in his lineage, but having acquired it through cunning and opportunity.
Vladimir should always remain a character who had found himself a mere mortal among gods, but instead of cowering and worshipping, he seized that power for his own.
Not through brute strength or deceit, but through study, through trying to comprehend the wicked powers his masters commanded.
A prince offered to the darkin as a tribute, Vladimir was stripped of status, of wealth, of his very identity, simply a fallen god-warrior's tool.
But instead of succumbing to such a fate, he decided to acquire his master's own powers.
Vladimir is not a schemer, or a powerful warrior, but as his lore frames him, his biggest advantage is the ability to adapt, to learn, to find his place among new surroundings and make them his own.
He is a cultural chameleon, able to reinvent himself in order to further his goals.
But this simple skill of playing the obedient underling while studying the forbidden arts, waiting for his moment to strike, was only increased through him succeeding in this monumental task.
Vladimir usurped the Darkin.
He did not simply topple the tyrants, but stole their powers for himself. Like Prometheus stealing away the fire to grant its power to humanity, Vladimir seized Blood Magic and made it his own.
This is what I believe to be the core of Vladimir's narrative: He stole the fire that is blood magic from the Darkin.
#2 A CRACKED VESSEL
But this power was never meant to be in the hands of a human vessel. Vladimir may have acquired unmatched mastery over blood magic, but in doing so he pushes the very limit of his mortal form.
He may have absorbed his previous darkin master and acquired the capacity for the dark arts that way, but he is still mortal.
Vladimir at the core, should never be a true Immortal like Mordekaiser or other comparable entities.
Oh no. Vladimir is still just a mortal who acquired god-like powers. Thus his form suffers from the long term effects of holding such might.
He is deranged, cracked, flawed, but he persists.
Vladimir's greatest strength is his persistence, his ability to adapt and survive, which made him last through the ages.
He is a stain, splattered across the pages of history.
In that he is incapable of leaving any grand-scale impact upon the world, but by leaving his mark in other ways.
He did not erect an eternal kingdom in the afterlife, but instead influenced humanity with his own agenda throughout the centuries.
Vladimir does not work from the shadows like the Deceiver, nor from the front like the Grand general.
Instead, Vladimir persists simply as a focal point of the dark arts. He is merely a cracked vessel, immortality within his grasp but never truly his own.
Vladimir is supposed to be flawed, to be a mortal wielding godly power that was never meant to be held by such a weak, frail vessel.
And yet he persists, finding new ways to hold on to such power and hone his skills to perfect it one fateful day.
#3 A CULT OF PERSONALITY, OF REVELRY
Vladimir, as previously mentioned, is not a man of lofty goals and grand scale schemes.
Instead, his power lies with influencing every age he dwells in.
He shapes culture around himself, like the literary vampire, he is counter-culture.
Vladimir's influence throughout the ages is one of fostering the growing depravity in people's hearts, to bring the gift of blood magic to those willing to listen to his honeyed words.
Thus, the crimson circle is born.
Vladimir is the sun, his underlings basking in his glory.
He teaches, he refines, he rewards those willing to take a chance and punishes failure.
Vladimir is a father to his children, relishing in their exploits and leading them down the path of the dark arts.
He is a guide, a father, a master, a god.
Vladimir does not lead, he does not command armies or spies.
And yet he commands authority, by being the entity that leaves its stain throughout the ages, bringing his dark gift to those willing to surrender their minds, spirit and body to their Crimson God.
But this is just a small peek into what Vladimir could be, the three pillars on which his fantasy will stand and reach for one of many suitable directions.
As any character, Vladimir can be reinterpreted and reimagined in a plethora of different ways, making him a champion whose VGU will definitely be quite the thing to behold.
If you enjoyed this thread, feel free to share your thoughts so we can have a lil' discussion on the topic of Vladimir!
I may or may not write more of these in the future, depending on whether people are interested in continuing this little exploration!
