Hi I'm Supa Loco and I'm a Malzaholic.

Malzahar is my main and I've been using him almost exclusively for over a year now. There are a lot of little tricks to learn that will make you a better Malzahar player. Over this guide I hope to show you a lot of those tricks and how to build your Malzahar to fit your needs. Want a pure damage tank killing machine ? Sure thing. Want a damage machine that can take a hit and keep on coming ? You have come to the right guide.

1-4-12
-Added Masteries and Runes explanations.
-Added the Skill Sequence and an explanation.
-Reworked everything.

1-3-12
-Added the basic items to consider for Malzahar
-Pros / Cons updated
-The Sustainable Build added.

Pros + Massive Damage + Able to maintain a constant lane presence + Crowd Control (Silence / Stun / Damage of Time) + Q and W can push back a team fight + Able to counter a gank and pick up 2 kills + Awesome for throwing damage in the middle of a crowd

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Cons - Excellent Farmer - Item Dependent - Can be incredibly squishy - Must stay behind your team in team fights - Voidling can give away your position if hiding - Incredibly slow

• Ignite gives you a little more umph for your nuke. Along with Malefic Visions it can do some serious damage over time and kill the ones that get away.
  
• Flash is a must for Malzahar. It helps when being ganked, to get in position for your nuke, and is great if you get caught. Malzahar is very slow and this helps him escape the worst of situations.
  
• Ghost is just another way for Malzahar to escape. With his slow speed it helps to get away from ganks and to catch the ones that escape your nukes.

• Cleanse is a good spell if you find yourself getting shutdown by the enemies crowd control a lot. If you stay back and pick your spots you shouldn't need this spell.
  
• Exhaust is a good spell if you find Attack Damage champions are destroying you with Malzahar. This is also a good option if the enemies are escaping with little to no health.
  
• Surge gives you a boots in your Ability Power for 12 seconds. With such a short duration and long cooldown I wouldn't recommend this spell.
  
• Clairvoyance will give you a free ward to use. This is good if you are getting ganked by junglers and have problems escaping.
  
• Clarity is great if you having some serious problems controlling your mana, this is the spell for you. However, with Tear of Goddess / Archangels Staff bonus, you will not need this spell outside of the first 10-15 minutes.

• Fortify is a spell more suited for Tanks and could only be useful for Malzahar if you have died or had to go back to base, to help defend your lane.
  
• Heal might save you occasionally but, it won't be able to save you once they start focusing you.
  
• Promote is something that Malfic Visions will essentially do the same thing to kill the minions. It is unnecessary for Malzahar.
  
• Revive is something you shouldn't be taking with any champion. It only ensures the enemy team that you can and will die a lot.
  
• Teleport will be useful if you have to get out of your lane and back quickly or, for backdooring the enemy team. Malzahar is not a good backdoor champion and you should have lane dominance to not need Teleport.
  

Greater Mark of Magic Penetration gives you 8.55 Magic Penetration to start with. This helps your early game lane dominance.

Greater Seal of Ability Power gives you 5.31 Ability Power at the start. This will also help your early dominance.

Greater Glyph of Cooldown Reduction will give you 5.85 Cooldown Reduction to begin with. It helps just enough to give you a slight edge in early game.

Greater Quintessence of Health gives you 78 Health. Malzahar is incredibly squishy and this helps considerably in the early part of your laning phase.

Don't be afraid to try out some other runes and find something that suits you. These are what I use and should not be taken as the end all, be all of how you should build your runes.

• 3 Bonus AP
• 10% Magic Penetration
• 15% Cooldown Reduction
• 4% Reduced Time Dead
• 12 Mana Per Level
• 2% Bonus Movement Speed
• 3 Mana Regen per Second
• 3% Spell Vamp
• 20% Increased Neutral Monster Buffs
• 1.25 Bonus Experience Gained
• Summoner's Wrath will give you 5 bonus Ability Power when Ignite is on cooldown.
• Summoner's Insight reduces your Flash by 15 seconds.

Thanks to Trans4M for the suggestions !

Summon Voidling With your Malefic Visions, he will focus whoever it is currently cast on, minions or champions. However, if you hide in a bush from enemies he can and will pop out to attack them and give away your position.


(Q) Call of the Void is a tricky spell. It silences all the enemies it hits but, you will not get full damage unless the opponent is in the middle of the spell. The slight delay it takes from casting until it actually starts makes you anticipate where your opponent will be and not where he/she is.


(W) Null Zone is a great spell for team fights. If the enemy team starts to bunch up or all focus one of your allies, throw this spell down right under. Null Zone is something I view as more a 'a little more umph' on your other spells. Learning when and where to cast this against single enemies can take you from a good Malzahar to a great Malzahar.


(E) Malefic Visions This is the first skill you need to max. The reason for that is, once you get to level 6-8, if you've been maxing Malefic Visions first, you can clear enemy minion waves with one cast. This also acts as a bonus Ignite against enemy champions. Once that enemy is killed, Malefic Visions will jump to the nearest champion / creep and continue your killing spree.


(R) Nether Grasp Malzahar shoots a beam from his face to the enemy champion, freezing him in place and constantly causing damage. This along with Null Zone underneath the enemy will almost guarantee death / mortal wounding. Either hit prior to or follow this up with Malefic Visions / Ignite and you should always walk away with a kill.

-You want to get Call of the Void first so you can poke and keep your enemies pushed back. It also works well if you get stuck in a top / bottom lane to check the bushes. Max this by level 15.

-Then you want to max your Malefic Visions as quickly as possible. This will help your farming greatly. Just cast on a low minion and make sure you attack the next minions it jumps to. This will also help you control your mana early game. Max this first.

-At level 4 take one point in Null Zone as, you cannot take a point in Malefic Visions and will use this as part of your combo with Nether Grasp. Max this skill last.

-At level 6, 11, and 16 take a point in Nether Grasp. You always want to make sure your Ultimate is as powerful as it can be.

This build will give you more durability in fights and allow you to survive a lot longer than the average Malzahar. It will also give you the AP Malzahar craves to take down the enemy with ease.

• This gives you the boost in mana you will need to start, as well as a backup plan if you run out.

• Boots will give you a much needed boost to help get away from the ganks that will be coming shortly.
• Tear of the Goddess you want to get as soon as possible, as it stacks with however many spells you cast. So get that bonus mana up quickly (you'll need it later) !

• Hextech Revolver gives you the AP boost you need, as well as spell vamp to keep you in the fights. This along with your mana regen from Malefic Visions will ensure that you go back to base, when you want to. If your running low on health, jump into the jungle quick and kill some monsters with your spells.
• Mercury's Treads gives you an early magic resist and tenacity to help keep you alive early. You could go a number of different ways with your boots but, these will help you most in the long run.
• Zhonya's Hourglass makes your spells give out monster damage, along with an awesome active to keep you alive. There's one thing to remember, as Malzahar the enemy team will know to focus and kill you first. With Zhonya's active you can stand there as they waste their spells and have your team counter attack to save you.

• Rabadon's Deathcap will increase you AP significantly. If it wasn't for the active on Zhonya's Hourglass, I would take Rabadon's Deathcap first 100% of the time. But, with the both of them you are ready to take on some of the heaviest tanks.
• Abyssal Mask provides you with 3 different bonuses that you could and should use nicely. Magic Resistance to make you even more durable, even more Ability Power, and it will reduce the magic resistance the enemy team has by 20. It is a bit expensive but, in the end the Magic Resist is worth it.
• Finish off Will of the Ancients for more Ability Power and Spell Vamp (along with an aura to help your team), and your Archangel's Staff to allow you to spam your spells nonstop along with an Ability Power bonus.

You'll notice that all of these items has one thing in common (boots aside), Ability Power. I cannot stress enough how vital Ability Power is with Malzahar. If you take away nothing else from this build just know that Ability Power should be on ALL of your items. Whether if you take my suggestions or run into a game with 6 Rabadon's Deathcaps, use and abuse it.

• Deathfire Grasp I use to use this item with Malzahar a lot. It gives you AP+, 10 Mana Regen+, Reduces your Cooldowns+, and gives you a unique active to use on those tanky bastards+. However, it is quite expensive doesn't offer much in the way of defense. If you're steamrolling the enemy team and can remember to use your active, it is a great item for Malzahar.
  
  
• Haunting Guise All positives from this item. However, it is low on Ability Power and if you are doing well you shouldn't need the Health. I would only recommend this item if you are having trouble damaging the enemy team early.
  
  
• Lich Bane Ability Power, Magic Resist, Mana, and Movement Speed are all good things to have with Malzahar. Even the active would be a great bonus to have late in game. However the price of 3470 Gold will make this a 'I have a ton of extra gold and nothing to spend it on' item VERY late in game.
  
  
• Mejai's Soulstealer is a relatively cheap item and can have great benefits. Once you reach 20 stacks it becomes your most powerful item and gives you bonus cooldown reduction. If you are seriously melting the other team early (at least 4 kills and 0 deaths before the team fights breakout), then you should buy this item. However, you should immediately build your defensive items ( Zhonya's Hourglass, Will of the Ancients, Abyssal Mask) as, the enemy team will see that you've bought Mejai's Soulstealer and try to shut you down A.S.A.P.
  
  
• Moonflair Spellblade The Ability Power is low and you will not need the Tenacity if you've bought Mercury's Threads.
  
  
• Rylai's Crystal Scepter A great item that helps your cause. The Ability Power and Health both give your a boost it categories you need. The Passive also makes sure no one can escape your spells without ghost / flash. Another item to consider if you are having trouble surviving.
  
  
• Void Staff is a good item if you are having trouble damaging your enemies and they have Magic Resist. Otherwise it is expensive and could be spent elsewhere.
  
  
• Rod of Ages Ability Power, Health, Mana, whats not to love ? For one it takes at least 20 minutes to be at complete strength. Otherwise it is a good item if you are a bit reckless and need some extra health / ap. As long as you play safe and smart, there is little need for this. Pick it up if you are using Malzahar for the first few times (replace Tear of Goddess with it in priority.)

• Start the game in your base and cast Call of the Void 3 times. Being in base your mana will regenerate quickly. Once you get to lane you will have Summon Voidling ready to go.
• Once your Voidling comes out, make sure you keep up with him. If he is attacking an enemy champion you have to keep him in range. Otherwise, he will pull off and stop the assault.
• Do not underestimate the damage your Voidling can do. I've been able to take down champions completely at level one thanks to my Voidlings poke.
• If your Voidling is out, do not hide in a bush ! If you are being chased wait until he expires before you go into hiding mode. Otherwise, he will rush out and attack any champions near you, giving away your position.
  
  
  

  The Aura that appears when a Voidling is ready

  
  
  
  • Use this to silence the enemy champions.
  • You want to shut down the enemies carry from spamming spells once he/she moves into a team fight.
  • Always attempt to hit the enemy in the center of Call of the Void, that's where it does the most damage.
  • Lead your enemies, very rarely will they stand still when you are moving in for Call of the Void
  
  
  
  • This should be used in synergy with Nether Grasp 100% of the time.
  • Make sure you start to see Null Zone open up underneath an enemy before casting Nether Grasp. Otherwise you could miss the enemy in Null Zone or not even cast it.
  • Great for laying down in groups of enemies.
  • Also something to use when you need to clear a lane of minions quick.
  
  
  
  • If you're low on Mana wait until you can cast Malefic Visions and make sure it jumps through an entire creep wave.
  • A great spell to cast on a low enemy champion or one that is being focused by your team. Someone will usually come to help and Malefic Visions will jump onto them before they know it.
  • Once it reaches level 4, along with a Voidling it can clear entire creep waves and give you the gold.
  
  
  
  • If you find yourself in a horrible spot where a single enemy is destroying you, cast Null Zone along with this and you can kill the enemy before he kills you.
  • If your team is ganking a quick champion who has an escape, be sure to cast this on them and keep them in for the kill.
  • Hiding in a bush and flashing out to cast this can catch even the safest champions off guard.
  • DO NOT cast this in the middle of a 3 v 1, 4 v 1, etc... The enemy team will rush into you and either silence or kill you before you can do anything.
  Malzahars Nuke
  
  • Cast Call of the Void on your enemy to set them up. Sometimes this will cause them to run but, others will rush in to take you out.
  • Then cast Malefic Visions with a quick Null Zone underneath the enemy champion.
  • Finish off the combo with Nether Grasp over the Null Zone and if you are in range cast Ignite.
  • If the enemy is still alive, chase after them as Summon Voidling will have activated and he will be poking the enemies health down even more. Finish him off with Malefic Visions which should be off cooldown now.
    
    

    A perfect trap

I am constantly looking for ways to improve this guide. So, if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comment section !