This is the only build I use for Malzahar. Always take solo-mid, and you'll do well as long as you follow this guide. :)

Malzahar is probably my best champion. Here's my view on his Pros and Cons:

PROS
- Ethereal visions is an in-built ignite.
- Nether Grasp does crazy damage combined with other moves, as well as completely stunning enemy.
- In one-on-ones, common in mid, he almost always wins. E, W, R, win.
- Amazing farming with E. Pop the minion with E on it and you get mana back, plus a free E on the next minion.

CONS
- Squishy and you will get focused.
- Not very useful against multiple enemies.

I choose to max Q last because I only really use it for the silence, which you get on level 1.

W, E, and R are you main tools. Tag them with E, put W under them, and keep them in your W with R. Huge damage this combo will kill most mid champions.

I like to take Flash and Exhaust.

Flash is obvious, because it's just amazing and can always save your ***, aswell as get you kills.

The second one is a toss-up between Exhaust and Ignite because Malzahar's E (Ethereal Visions) is basically an ignite in itself. Most of the time I take Exhaust because it can save your *** as well as make it easy to land your killer combo. OH NO! A GAREN! Exhaust and win.