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
  Spostamento del Vuoto

  Se non ha subito danni o effetti di controllo di recente, Malzahar ottiene una grande riduzione dei danni e l'immunità agli effetti di controllo, mantenendo questo stato per un breve periodo dopo aver subito danni.

  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
  Portali del Vuoto

  Malzahar apre due portali verso il Vuoto. Dopo un breve ritardo, sparano proiettili che infliggono danni magici e silenziano i campioni nemici.

  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
  Sciame del Vuoto

  Malzahar evoca delle Creature del Vuoto per attaccare i nemici nelle vicinanze.

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

• E
  Visioni malefiche

  Malzahar infetta la mente del suo bersaglio con orrende visioni della sua dipartita, infliggendo danni nel tempo. Utilizzare le altre abilità di Malzahar sul bersaglio rinnova le visioni.Se il bersaglio muore durante il processo, le visioni passano a un'unità nemica vicina, facendo guadagnare mana a Malzahar. Le Creature del Vuoto di Malzahar sono attratte dalle unità sotto l'effetto delle visioni.

  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
  Presa infernale

  Malzahar canalizza l'essenza del Vuoto per sopprimere il campione nemico in un'area di energia negativa che infligge danni.

  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.