Vladimir vs Karma — Top Lane Matchup Guide

How to win lane as Vladimir against Karma · 51.58% win rate over 1,392 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27

Verdict: Vladimir is favoured — Vladimir owns 2 of the 7 game windows. Vladimir wins 51.58% of games vs Karma in top lane (1,392 Emerald+ games analysed).

Favour timeline — who owns each window

StageFavouredWhy
Level 1Even / skillLevel 1 is even as both of you just poke and last-hit with no all-in threat.
Level 2Even / skillLevel 2 stays skill-based since Karma's empowered root is her only real tool and it's on a long cooldown.
Level 3Even / skillLevel 3 is even — you trade her Q poke against your Transfusion sustain evenly.
Levels 4-5Even / skillLevels 4-5 remain skill-driven as her enchanter damage plateaus and you heal the chip.
Level 6Even / skillLevel 6 is even because Karma's Mantra was already online, so she gains no new spike.
First itemVladimirFirst item favours you as your sustain and Q-E burst finally out-pressure her thin bar.
Two+ itemsVladimirWith two items Vladimir's Hemoplague all-in and pool safety hard-beat the escape-light enchanter.

Early game (levels 1–5)

Levels 1-2 are skill-based: Karma's base Q pokes but she has no lockdown yet beyond a short empowered root, so trade Transfusion when her Mantra is spent.

Read the rest of this matchup

The full Vladimir vs Karma report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.

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Related guides

Playing the other side? Karma vs Vladimir guide →
All Vladimir top lane matchups →

Also played in: Mid Lane