Mordekaiser should control the lane pace to force Vladimir into extended trades where his passive and (W) healing give him advantage.
Prioritize denying Vladimir a calm, scaling lane by using (E) to pull him into unfavorable fights and keep wave pressure high.
This is a control vs scaling matchup where Mordekaiser aims to dominate early and mid-game duels to prevent Vladimir from reaching his late-game power.
Trading pattern
Start trades by threatening or landing (E) to pull Vladimir into your range, then hit isolated (Q) for maximum damage.
Extend trades only when your passive is active or (W) shield is charged to convert damage into healing.
Punish Vladimir heavily when his (W) is on cooldown, as he loses untargetability and sustain in trades.
Danger windows
(W) untargetability creates a threat window; avoid committing when it is available and ready.
Be cautious during Vladimir's empowered (Q) trades, as he heals more and can burst harder.
After missing (E), your engage threat drops; avoid extended trades until (E) is back up to prevent being poked down.
Early game
Use early wave pressure and threat of (E) to zone Vladimir and prevent him from freely using (Q) to sustain.
Avoid missing (E) pulls early, as it significantly lowers your threat and allows Vladimir to trade safely.
Keep wave slow and near your side to maximize chances of landing isolated (Q) and maintaining passive damage during trades.
Power spikes
Level 6 (R) is a major spike; use it to isolate Vladimir and force duels where he cannot kite or rely on team help.
First AP bruiser item significantly increases your durability and sustained damage; force longer trades when you have it.
Respect Vladimir's level 6 (R) window by holding (E) and (R) for defensive or counter-engage, avoiding blind all-ins.
Win conditions
Use (E) and wave control to force Vladimir into extended trades where your passive and (W) healing outvalue his sustain.
At level 6, use (R) to isolate Vladimir and secure kills or force summoner spells, denying his scaling.
Maintain lane pressure and force Vladimir to use (W) defensively, then punish the long cooldown windows to snowball lane dominance.
Tip: For Mordekaiser vs Vladimir, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Top lane check.
