League of Legends best Malzahar build guide: Itemization, Counters, Strategy, and more 

Malzahar’s best build paths and item options make him one of the more reliable Mid Laners to pick up in League of Legends 14.11. He is mechanically quite simple and will help you learn the various macro-mechanics of the role.

Malzahar scales well into the Late Game and fits most team compositions. He has some AOE CC tools up his sleeve which makes him great at teamfights while having the ability to melt down isolated targets.

However, Malzahar requires good positioning around a skirmish. As he is squishy, he can be immediately taken out if caught out of position. His lack of mobility tools also makes him a bit tricky to execute against a dive-heavy comp.

But if you are able to master his kit, Malzahar will be able to help you have a much easier time climbing ranked.

Contents:

• Best Malzahar build
• Pros and Cons of playing Malzahar
• Malzahar Tips and Tricks for Early Game, Mid Game, and Late Game
• Malzahar counters, matchups, and champion synergy

League of Legends 14.11 Best Malzahar build

Runes 

Itemization

Spells

• Flash
• Ignite/Exhaust/Teleport

Skill Unlock Priority

Q: Call of the Void		2						8		10		12	13
W: Void Swarm			3											14	15		17	18
E: Malefic Visions	1			4	5		7		9
R: Nether Grasp						6					11					16

Malzahar Pros and Cons in League of Legends Season 14

Pros:

• Malzahar is one of the easiest Mid Lane champions to pick up in Riot’s MOBA. He is mechanically simple and will help you learn the Mid Lane matchups and lane macro if you are new to the role. His kit is easy to pilot, and you won’t require much practice to pick him in ranked matches.
• The Prophet of the Void scales quite well the later a game goes. Malzahar’s best build options let him be a DPS powerhouse on he gets some of his core items under his belt. He can 1v1 almost any carry in the game and can melt the enemy backline in a single rotation of spells.
• Malzahar fits most team compositions. His kit has a very versatile set of tools that comes in handy in almost every situation. From zoning away the backline with his Call of the Void to chunking out the enemy frontline with his E+W combo, he has a lot of potential around fights and skirmishes.

Cons:

• Malzahar is weak in the early stages of the game. He struggles quite a bit in lane before level 6 and is quite item-reliant. He will not have much of an impact on the game if you are not farming well and hitting his item spikes. Malzahar can fall behind easily and struggle to stay relevant.
• Malzahar is squishy and lacks any form of mobility tools. This makes him vulnerable to enemy CC if his Void Shift is down. This makes him weak against engage and high-CC comps who have easy access to the backline. If caught, Malzahar will find it very hard to escape from a skirmish.
• Mlzahar’s Nether Grasp, while an excellent tool for locking down a single target, can be countered by a Quicksilver Sash. So if the ADC does build a QSS and then upgrades it to a Mercurial Scimitar, Malzahar will have to change his target priority. This will force you to change up your gameplay quite a bit.

How to play Malzahar: Tips and Tricks for League of Legends Season 14

Early Game:

• As Malzahar is pretty weak early you will need to stick to last-hitting minions, acquiring farm, and making his best build as soon as possible. If you are up against an assassin in the lane, you will likely be pushed into the tower. Fortunately, Malzahar is pretty easy to farm with, his E+Q combo is one of his best waveclear tools.
• Ward around your lane to spot the enemy Jungler. Malzahar is squishy and can be taken down if he is pushing far up into the lane. So try and avoid a gank by being aware of the Jungler’s pathing. 
• After you hit level 6 you will have a fair amount of kill pressure. However, the best use of Nether Gasp during the laning phase will be to wait for your Jungler to come for a gank and then root the enemy with your R allowing for an easy gank. Additionally, if you have pushed the tower in, you can roam and look to make plays in other lanes. Nether Grasp is amazing at securing early leads.

Mid Game:

• Malzahar starts coming online once he has a few items under his belt. He has amazing single-target threat at this point and can solo almost any enemy carry. So look to roam th map with your jungler and secure kills or assists. As Malzahar is great at securing neutral objectives, feel free to help you Jungler take down the Herald and the Drake.
• If not much is happening around the map you will primarily want to stick to the side lanes. Malzahar has good wave clear, and you can keep pushing in the lanes to threaten tower damage. This will force the enemy team to react to his push, allowing your team to make plays in other parts of the map.
• Don’t be shy to skirmish. Malzahar has good chip damage at this point, and he can chunk out the enemy team even before a fight starts. His Q is an amazing CC tool that can make it hard for the enemy frontline to pull off a successful engage. The ability silences those hit by it. Hence, it will help you have more control around a fight.

Late Game:

• The Late Game can be a bit tricky if you are not getting access to the enemy backline. Malzahar’s Nether Grasp is best used on enemy carries so you will likely have to wait for your opportunity to go in. Till you find an isolated target, stick to your team and keep chipping away at the enemy front line. 
• Help your team in taking down neutral objectives, Malzahar can help melt through the Baron or even the Elder Drake. So if your team is positioning for a neutral take, join them, and try using your Q to make it difficult for the enemy to contest it.
•  Positioning is key when it comes to making the most of Malzahar in a fight. You will need to kite properly so that you are not caught by the enemy CC. Malzahar is squishy with no mobility options. So you will be taken down immediately if caught out.

Malzahar counters, machups, and champions synergy

Countered by:

• Viktor
• Ahri
• Yasuo
• Zed
• Diana
• Qiyana
• Galio
• Irelia

Malzahar primarily struggles in lane against assassins who have a lot of mobility.

Favorable Matchups:

• Karma
• Annie
• Xerath
• Zilean
• Brand
• Lux

Malzahar has a much easier time getting gol leads when up against these picks.

Champion Synergy:

• Nocturne
• Rek’Sai
• Shaco
• Vi
• Lee Sin
• Evelynn
• Warwick

Malzahar’s kit synergizes perfectly with these champions.