How to beat Malzahar

Common role: Mid

A control mage whose ultimate is a guaranteed single-target lockdown.

What makes Malzahar dangerous

Malzahar spreads a silence (E-like) and voidlings, shields himself with his passive after taking damage, and his ultimate suppresses a target in place — an unstoppable, point-blank lockdown that sets up his team for a free kill. He pushes waves effortlessly and roams.

How to play against Malzahar

• 1Bring QSS or Cleanse: they break his suppression ult and neuter his whole kit.
• 2Pop his passive shield with poke before you all-in — under shield he is untouchable.
• 3Don't stand in his spreading pool/voidlings; they ramp damage the longer you sit.
• 4He is immobile — dive him or send a roaming jungler; he cannot escape a gank.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Completely immobile — no dash or escape.
• ✓When his passive shield is on cooldown he is extremely vulnerable.
• ✓His ult locks only one target; the rest of your team is free.
• ✓Weak to dives, roams and hard engage.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Malzahar's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Alteración del Vacío

  Cuando lleva un tiempo sin sufrir daño ni efectos de control de adversario, Malzahar obtiene una gran reducción de daño e inmunidad al control de adversario. Perdurará unos instantes tras sufrir daño.

  Strong: a shield that makes him immune to CC while it holds. Weak: it only forms after not taking damage — poke him to keep it down, then engage.

• Q
  Llamada del Vacío

  Malzahar abre dos portales al Vacío. Tras unos instantes, disparan proyectiles que infligen daño mágico y silencian a los campeones enemigos.

  Strong: two portals silence and damage in a wide area. Weak: telegraphed with a delay and a gap between portals — step to the safe zone.

• W
  Enjambre del Vacío

  Malzahar invoca entes del Vacío que atacan a los enemigos cercanos.

  Strong: summons voidlings that add sustained damage and push. Weak: the voidlings are fragile and slow — ignore them and focus him.

• E
  Visiones maléficas

  Malzahar infecta la mente de su objetivo con crueles visiones sobre su muerte, lo que le provoca daño prolongado. Las visiones se reiniciarán si usa sus otros hechizos contra ese objetivo.Si el objetivo muere mientras se encuentra afectado por las visiones, estas pasan a una unidad enemiga cercana y Malzahar obtiene maná. Los entes del Vacío de Malzahar se sienten atraídos por las unidades afectadas.

  Strong: a DoT that spreads to nearby enemies and refunds mana on kill. Weak: pure damage, no CC — just don't clump so it can't spread.

• R
  Tenaza infernal

  Malzahar canaliza la esencia del Vacío para suprimir a un campeón enemigo en una zona de energía negativa y dañina.

  Strong: an unstoppable point-blank suppression that hands you to his team. Weak: single target and channelled — QSS or Cleanse breaks it, and CC on him cancels it.

Itemization

A QSS/Mercurial line is the single best buy against him. Add magic resist; poke him out of his shield before committing.

This guide covers Malzahar's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.