Welcome to the ultimate guide on how to play Malzahar, the enigmatic Voidling who commands the dark forces of the abyss. In this comprehensive walkthrough, we’ll delve into Malzahar’s abilities, strategic item builds, effective runes and summoner spells, and advanced gameplay mechanics.
Get ready to unleash the Void’s wrath and dominate the League of Legends battlefield with our expert insights.
Malzahar’s Abilities
Malzahar possesses a unique set of abilities that revolve around controlling the battlefield with voidlings and suppressing enemies. His passive, Malefic Visions, grants him bonus magic penetration, making him a formidable damage dealer. Call of the Void summons voidlings that harass enemies and provide vision.
Void Swarm releases a swarm of voidlings that damage and slow enemies, making it a potent area-of-effect ability. Malefic Visions places a mark on enemies, which Malzahar can detonate to deal damage and heal himself. Finally, his ultimate ability, Nether Grasp, suppresses a single target, preventing them from moving or using abilities for a short duration.
Item Builds for Malzahar
Malzahar benefits from items that enhance his damage output and survivability. Core items include Liandry’s Anguish for its bonus magic penetration and burn damage, Rylai’s Crystal Scepter for its health and slow effect, and Void Staff for its additional magic penetration.
Situational items such as Morellonomicon, Zhonya’s Hourglass, and Rabadon’s Deathcap can further enhance Malzahar’s effectiveness depending on the game situation.
Runes and Summoner Spells for Malzahar
Malzahar’s primary runes typically include Arcane Comet for its burst damage, Manaflow Band for its mana sustain, Transcendence for its ability haste, and Scorch for its early-game damage. Secondary runes may include Biscuit Delivery for its sustain and Cosmic Insight for its ability haste reduction.
For summoner spells, Flash is a must-have for its mobility and escape potential, while Teleport or Ignite can be taken as the secondary spell depending on the matchup and game strategy.
Laning Phase as Malzahar: How To Play Malzahar
In the laning phase, Malzahar excels at controlling the wave with his Void Swarm ability. He can use his voidlings to harass enemies while farming safely. Malzahar’s Malefic Visions passive also provides him with additional damage, making him a potent threat in trades.
However, he is vulnerable to ganks due to his lack of mobility, so it is crucial to ward effectively and position cautiously.
Team Fighting with Malzahar
In team fights, Malzahar’s role is to control the battlefield with his abilities. He should focus on suppressing key targets with Nether Grasp and dealing sustained damage with Void Swarm. Malzahar’s Malefic Visions passive also allows him to deal significant burst damage to enemies marked with the debuff.
Positioning is crucial, as Malzahar is relatively immobile and vulnerable to focus fire.
Advanced Malzahar Mechanics
Advanced Malzahar mechanics involve optimizing the use of his abilities and understanding their interactions. Void Swarm can be used to scout for enemies or clear waves quickly. Nether Grasp can be used to interrupt enemy channels or prevent them from escaping.
Malzahar can also use his voidlings to block skill shots or body block enemies. Mastering these mechanics can significantly enhance Malzahar’s effectiveness in all stages of the game.
Malzahar in Different Roles
Malzahar can be played effectively in various roles, including mid lane, support, and jungle. In the mid lane, he is a strong control mage who can dominate the lane with his voidlings and harass. As a support, he provides vision control and crowd control with his abilities, making him a valuable asset to his team.
In the jungle, Malzahar can clear camps quickly with Void Swarm and provide gank assistance with Nether Grasp. However, his lack of mobility can make him vulnerable to invades and ganks.
Essential FAQs
What is Malzahar’s role in team fights?
Malzahar excels as a team fight initiator and disengager, using Nether Grasp to suppress key targets and Void Swarm to control the battlefield.
How do I counter Malzahar in the laning phase?
Champions with high mobility or crowd control abilities can effectively counter Malzahar in the laning phase, as they can disrupt his abilities and prevent him from farming safely.
What are the core items for Malzahar?
Liandry’s Anguish, Rylai’s Crystal Scepter, and Zhonya’s Hourglass are essential core items for Malzahar, providing him with increased damage, crowd control, and survivability.