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For future reworks, if you could take Vladimir's concept in one direction, which one would it be?

Blood Magicks·5/12/2017, 8:24:39 AM·12 votes·1,420 views

It's no secret that our guy's current concept is dated and a mess, even though his lore IMO is among the coolest in the game. There was a hot male character thread last night and the replies got me thinking Vladimir 's current concept is somewhat split between two of the types of desirable male fans described. These were:

  • An incubus-like promiscuous vampiric creature which uses magic to achieve its goals; confident, darkly handsome and extremely dangerous
  • A sadistic scholar of the dark arts who uses his magic to obtain beauty, power and the adoration of the opposite sex (and user Tides of Blood)

I myself am a firm supporter of the second option, because it is fresh, far less generic and utterly terrifying. But as it is his concept is equally split between both and the sooner it is clarified, the sooner we can have a unique champion who is the other one of those things. You could say Vladimir is a vampire name, but to us Slavs that is not quite true - it means "he who rules the world" and is ironically the name of the infamous most powerful man in the world, so it could equally well belong to a power-hungry, hyper ambitious mage. There is also his awesome lore and involvement with a mage order and Sion. (Also, Dracula's first name was Vladislav.) On the other hand every. single. skin. Vlad has is a vampire reference (Soulstealer being Legacy of Kain, for which I thank you wholeheartedly, Riot, and Academy being Twilling which makes me less happy).

So, which one would you prefer and why?

(Alucard, I believe Vlad's original inspiration)

http://imgur.com/MLxILe1.jpeg

(Some outrageously hot blood mage concept that was likely inspired by Vlad)

http://imgur.com/dXvzmE4.jpg

18 Comments

Malicious Metal5/12/2017, 8:39:03 AM9 votes

Honestly, even thought it has become the butt of a lot of jokes, I think Vlad shouldn't be a vampire. He works better as an example that even unconventional types of magic can be revered in Noxus and used to climb that slippery ladder to the top of the Noxian food chain.

Over Innsmouth5/12/2017, 8:38:49 AM6 votes

Personally a fan of the latter concept surprise surprise. One of the interesting things about Vladimir to me is that while he drinks of the vampires calling-card, he himself is not limited by the same restrictions as one. A hedonistic, self-serving human who delved into dark arts for no one but himself strikes me as more interesting than a character who commits bloody murder out of a biological need.

He could gain a bit more black with a hopeful VGU, y'know, Noxus colours, but still remain primarily pale and crimson.

Escheton5/12/2017, 11:55:21 AM2 votes

I would go into the area of blooddrinking ability stealing life-thief. As in, steal their identity.

I'd make him a hybrid champ with a different ult. Instead of +magic damage debuff. I'd let it passively work on his other abilities like little trundle ults. Except offence. Where his actual scalings change based on who he attacks with what. And a short buff active on Vlad himself that drains ad and/or ap in a small area. (Might tag 3 enemies if they are really clustered, but thats about it)

And with that a whole story of classic vampire having to take new identities to avoid angry mobs etc.

reaperteaser5/12/2017, 5:46:31 PM2 votes

vlad is not a vampire, nor will he ever be. he probably knows some vampiric magic but that doesn't make him a vampire. remember that he is noxion, and noxions always give wolf his chase. vampires cheat death, vlad doesn't try to cheat kindred he just prolongs it. hes the darkly scholar that makes puns and has an affinity for blood magic. he can be monster like with his lack of conscience, but he is still a living human.

the only thing vlad needs are more puns

GreenLore5/12/2017, 10:24:25 AM1 votes

While I agree that the second interpretation is more unique than the first,there is little to support this,as none of Vlads quotes or his current lore refer to any of that.(though he shouldn't care much about beauty,because Elise is already doing that)

In general I fear that at the current speed of VGUs and lore updates,Vlad will likely get his lore update before he gets a VGU,meaning the lore team will have to work with his current VO(which they did pretty well with Mundo)

Sure they changed Dianas personality quite a lot in her lore update(as she isn't as bitter as her ingame counterpart in the new lore),but Diana had a pretty iconic lore,that didn't change that much,wheras Vlads current lore is pretty forgettable and will likely be redone from scratch.

Dragon Master5/12/2017, 7:54:42 PM1 votes

I've always wanted him to be a bit darker similar to Blood Lord. I feel he needs to be more primal while not like Warwick but someone who can go from a sly charm oozing blood mage to a monster with a thirst for blood that cannot be sated.

Also if Vlad does get updated the blood ball needs to go. It looks ridiculous. Also, if the blood ball goes then that opens up a whole bunch of new animations for him.

For clarity we all know Vlad hurts himself to perform half of his abilities so why not show that Inuyasha style? I always felt that would look better and portay his theme and kit better than a silly blood ball.

ABlueQuaker5/12/2017, 5:50:43 PM1 votes

I didn't even think he was a 'Vampire'. I always thought he was a Hemomancer.

SEKAI5/12/2017, 10:32:12 AM1 votes

Mma idea because I'm selfish and only care for myself:

He should be someone who's got some unknown and impossibly rare deadly disease (possibly man-made and experimental) that causes his blood to go bad and failing his body. He managed to learn some kind of blood magic before his demise (can be expanded on) and so he starts running around using magic to transfuse blood into himself and exchange blood with others to prevent himself dying (effectively spreading the disease onto others while he's at it), even if that's only delaying the inevitable. He holds an apocalyptic and an extremely cynical world view due to his condition, and couldn't careless with the epidemic he'd caused from his doing.

Evil, downright disgusting even, but stylish. He will be a DoT mage with drain-sustain capabilities, suitable for roaming and hit-and-run tactics.