*Item added 22.02.2011
*Items added & Item Purchases changed 23.02.2011

Hey all. This is my first build, so would be nice with some constructive feedback.

There's some good Malphite builds allready especially: Malphite - They say he is the Coon..
(the build I started out using when playing Malphite), but none that tells mutch about what items to get. There is serveral ways to build your Malphite, all depending on what you play against and what champions you have on your team.

Note:
Linking pictures to Skills & items I will do as soon as I understand how to do it the way I want!

Standard masteries with 9 / 21 / 0.

I cant see any other way to build Malphite, jungling you should not be doing since there is other champions better suited!

Runes

9 x Greater Mark of Armor
9 x Greater Seal of Armor
9 x Greater Glyph of Scaling Mana Regeneration
3 x Greater Quintessence of Health

Armour is key early game for Malphite for getting the minion kills that he needs to become the champion that everybody follows to battle. Thats why I use armour runes, ground slam at level 1 will almost do 100 dmg.

Mana is a big issue when you play Malphite, especially when you play solo lane (you have a jungler on your team). This is ofc also dependent on what champions you play against, but if you sololane ground slam is the ability that will be used to get the minnionkills that you need.

Health is important for Malphites passive, and if you sololane its nice to have some extra health.


Some might argue why I dont use magic penetartion runes, well I dont see the need for it. Malphite's main task is to initiate and take damage, the damage you deal is also important but not compaird to the tanking task. You also lose vitual armour in the begining for the groud slam, that will make a difference in what items you can afford.

Flash:

Malphite has great use of Flash, I use flash for defensive and offensive tasks.

Defensive, flash is a good spell for getting out of trouble (you allways wanna try avoid getting killed). If Flash alone dont work, it can be used in combination with Unstoppable Force(try to avoid this, cause in teamfights Malphites ultimate is vitual for winning teamfights) and you cant be killed.

Offensive flash is great in teamfights, I usually use this sequence when initiating a teamfight lategame.

1 - Activate Brutal Strikes
2 - Initiating the fight with Unstoppable Force
3 - Activate Randuin's Omen
4 - Use Ground Slam
5 - Use Flash to get out

Move back in if you have enough Helth, and finnish the teamfight.

95 % of the time this works and you should be able to get away healthy, while the opposite team is getting smashed down!

Clarity:

Malphite have issues with mana. If you are sololaning or laning with someone, mana gets low faster then u wish.

When sololaning Ground Slam is used for getting the minnion kill's that's so mutch needed for getting the income as high as possible. There is 1 big problem with this, Ground Slam costs mana, so to be able to stay in lane longer Clarity is essential.
Playing with someone else (duolaning), Clarity is used for keeping up great harrassment with constant hitting enemies using Seismic Shard.

Your jungler is comming to assist with killing someone in your lane.
Problem, you dont have mana. Issue solved by useing Clarity, Malphite now has enough mana for his daely combo :)

Pros:

- The best initiater
- Cant be killed lategame if played correct (might die early, ganked by 3 or more champions).
- Can take ALOT of damage and deal a decent ammout.

Cons:

- Mana dependent
- Malphite is a champion that need expensive items to become a vitual part of teamfights.

When playing Malphite there is several setups to go with, all depending on what your faceing and who you play with. In my build there is 4 core items that I regard as a must, the 2 last items all depends on several factors.

I will go through the items that I regard as the best items for Malphite.

STARTING ITEM:

Sololane :
Doran's Shield, I start with this item cause it gives me a good Health per 5 sec. I will most likly be harrassed alot, so its good to have some extra regen. 120 Health makes you harder to kill and increases Malphite's passiv Granite Shield. Doran's Shield is great for sololaing.

Duolane:
Start with Ruby Crystal, because you can make it to a Heart of Gold which later on becomes Randuin's Omen. Also getting Heart of Gold early in the game means that you will gain more profit from the 5 gold per 10 sec.

Boots of Swiftness :
Many might ask questions why I use these isnted of the defensive boots, I got 1 simpel answear for that you dont need it. Armour and magic resist you get from all the other items that you buy, so there is no need. Mobility is what makes the difference when it comes to finnishing someone, insted of they escaping. Boots of Swiftness combined with Force of Nature and taking use of Seismic Shard makes it more or less impossible for a champion to escape Malphite.

Sunfire Aegis:
Sunfire Cape combined with Brutal Strikes & Ground Slam makes Malphite 1 of the best minion farmers in the game. And since Malphite is very item dependent he needs the ability to farm minions, a must!
Also Sunfire Cape helps when chasing down enemy champions, it might add the extra damage you need to bring down the enemy!

Force of Nature:
Force of Nature gives you loads of Magic Resist, but also the extra movement speed you need to hunt down enemy champions. Many would say that Banshee's Veil is a better item to go with, but personally I like Force of Nature better cause of some extra magic resist and the importance of mobility.

Randuin's Omen:
Randuin's Omen makes the difference in loosing or winning a team fight. With Malphite its also part of his deadly combo. Activate Brutal Strikes then initiate with Unstoppable Force follow up with Ground Slam + Randuin's Omen. If u manage to catch alot of the enemy team with this combo you WILL win the teamfight (taking into concideration that you play with people that know how to play the champions they are playing).

Thornmail:
If there is many physical damage dealers on the opposite team this item is essential to get, 30% of the damage they deal will get back to them as magical damage. Since Malphite is the 1 initiating the fight, their physical damage dealers will usually start attacking you when initiating. Which is great since its make them die faster :)
Thorn mail gives you 100 armour, and with activated Brutal Strikes + Ground Slam this makes alot of extra damage (100 damage extra when level 18).
But then again there is no need to get this item if there aint any real threath from physical damage dealers.

Banshee's Veil
When the opposite team have alot of Magic damage, you will need more magic resist. Banshee's Vail give 50 more Magic resist and block's 1 negative spell every 30 sec. Blocking 1 negative spell is verry nice when facing enemies like Karthus, Ashe etc.
I only get this item with Malphite if the opposite team have heavy CC and alot of Magic damage.

Abyssal Mask
If the opposite team dont have any real good crowd controll champions, but alot of champions that deal heavy Magic damage. Then you should pick Abyssal Mask insted of Banshee's Veil. This will boost your damage on Seismic Shard & Unstoppable Force, while giving you the same ammount of Magic resist.
The Passive Abyssal Mask have is great for the magical damage dealers on your team, given that Malphite is the one initiating all enemy champions around him will get 20 less magic resist.

Void Staff
All of Malphites abilities are based on ability power (magic damage). When building Malphite either completely tankish or as a "damagedealer tank", magic penetration will boost your damage outcome. Playing against a half decent team, they usually have some sort of magic resist. So when building Malphite, 40 % magic penetartion will give a huge damage boost.
Personally I build Void Staff as my last item (most of the games never last so long), cause the magic penetartion and the 70 ability power gives a huge damage boost.

Frozen Heart
Usually I get Frozen Heart late in the game, the reason for getting this item is the passiv'a. Reducing the enemies team attack speed with 20% might be a game winning factor, allways keep inmind items that gives the opposite team debuffs. 20 % cooldown reduction makes you able to chaise down enemies easier with Seismic Shard, and Malphites Unstoppable Force has a shorter cooldown making you ready for teamfights quicker.
99 armour gives a hugh boost for the Ground slam, with Brutal Force activated 99 armour gives ca. 100 damage.
WHen I get this item with Malphite usually mana is not an issue, but you allways welcome another 500 mana :)

Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Should be taken into consideration when in need of more Health and damage. 500 Health helps on becoming a stronger tank, and the 80 ability power helps your damage. Malphite allready have slow with Seismic Shard, but the passive on Rylai's Crystal Scepter is a real gem. The reduced movment speed works wonders with Ground Slam & Unstoppable Force when initiating or helping teammates survive.
If you ever consider buying Warmog's Armor buy Rylai's Crystal Scepter insted, if your in need of all the Helth on Warmog's Armor to survive, learn how to play Malphite.

Mejai's Soulstealer
Why not, I have picked up this item in several games. Since you dont die often if u play Malphite correct, but you do get alot of assists/kills.
This means that you get alot of stacks, and the item is not expensive. 180 Ability power with 20 stacks makes Unstoppable Force and Seismic Shard HURT. Making you a TankCarry, a real threat that everyone fears.
Note: Should only be considerd if you have another tank on the team.

Zhonya's Hourglass
What can I say, playing Malphite this is a GREAT item. Armour, Ability power and an activate skill thats just fantastic. This item can save Malphite from hopeless situations with the 2 sec immune activate, and it helps Malphite kill enemies mutch faster. 20 Stacks on Mejai's Soulstealer and Zhonya's Hourglass makes Malphite the killer tank.
The games I have most fun playing Malphite is when I have these items, enemies turn around and run when they see you.

Early game level 1-6
Use your Seismic shard to harrass the Squishee one, and last hit as many minnions as possible. If possible make sure the enemies your facing get as few minnion kills as possible, especially when facing champions like Master Yi and Tryndamere.
When the target you have chosen have litle Healh:
1 - Send a Seismic Shard at him wait a few sec
2 - Use Flash so you get in range of the target
3 - Ground Slam, then send a Seismic shard
ENEMY KILLED!

Note: Make sure that you know the enemy and his laning partners summoner spells, if 1 of them have Heal and its not on cooldown there is no use. If the enemy have Flash and he is a decent player and its not on cooldown, there is no use.

Mid game level 7-13
You should now have Boots of Swifness + Heart of Gold and be working on your Sunfire Cape.
If your team has no jungler start taking the Golem buff (blue buff), this will make Malphite a powerfull harrasser
Continue to harrass your enemies and get as many minnions as possible, if there is an opening to kill somoene in the lane use it.
Brutal Strikes -> Unstoppable Force -> Ground Slam -> Seismic Shard and the assist from the one you are playing with should do the work.
Since you allready should have Boots of Swiftness start assist your teammates ganking in other lanes, same sequence as written over should do the trick!

Late game level 14-18
If played correct Malphite is getting good geard now. You should be able to lead the game taking decisions of where to bring your team and when to start a fight.
When all 4 core items is finnished use the following sequense to start and WIN the fight.

Brutal Strikes -> Unstoppalbe Force -> Randuin's Omen -> Ground Slam -> Flash out (if low HP, or continue dealing damage)

Note: Sequence dont work if you play with persons that dont know how to play!

Sololane
When I play Malphite sololane I usually start out with Ground Slam insted of Seismic Shard, I do this cause the need to be able to farm minnions from level 1. If you end up playing against 2 ranged dps dealers, you wont get many minion kills if you dont pick Ground Slam. If this is the case I would focus on getting as many minion kills as possible. When hitting level 6 with Malphite make sure you are on the defensive (have the enemies close to your tower), you should ask your jungler to come assist you killing 1 hopefully both your faceing. Allways have enough mana for Unstoppable Force + Ground Slam and Seismic Shard, this should atleast kill 1 of the enemies if not your unlucky. If you dont have enough mana use Clarity, if its on cooldown wait with the gank!

Continue trying to get as many minnion kills as possible, Malphite need's his items. When you get your Sunfire Aegis this should'nt be a problem anymore, ask your jungler to come assist you when YOU think its time to kill someone in your lane.

Lategame is explaind in "Late game level 14-18"

Constructive feedback is welcomed, if you like the build vote +1 if you dont like it vote -1.
I will keep working on the build and edit things that need changes, also i hope to get some pictures soon. This build has brought alot of fun to me playing Malphite, and I hope it will do so for you people trying it out aswell.

There is more to Malphite then just TANK!