Malzahar Counters
The best Malzahar counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Swain, Anivia, Ekko, Smolder, Kassadin. The best Malzahar counter is Swain, with Malzahar having only a 41.67% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Malzahar counter choices are Irelia, Viktor, Zed, Naafiri, Lux. Below are the top Malzahar counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Void Shift
When he hasn't recently taken damage or been crowd controlled, Malzahar gains massive damage reduction and crowd control immunity, lingering for a short period after taking damage.
Call of the Void
Malzahar opens up two portals to the Void. After a short delay, they fire projectiles that deal Magic Damage and silence enemy champions.
Cost:- 60/
- 65/
- 70/
- 75/
- 80
Cooldown:- 6
Range:- 900
Void Swarm
Malzahar summons Voidlings to attack nearby enemies.
Cost:- 40/
- 45/
- 50/
- 55/
- 60
Cooldown:- 8
Range:- 150
Malefic Visions
Malzahar infects his target's mind with cruel visions of their demise, dealing damage over time. Using Malzahar's other spells on the target will refresh the visions.
If the target dies while afflicted by the visions, they pass on to a nearby enemy unit and Malzahar gains Mana. Malzahar's Voidlings are attracted to affected units.Cost:- 60/
- 70/
- 80/
- 90/
- 100
Cooldown:- 11/
- 10/
- 9/
- 8/
- 7
Range:- 650
Nether Grasp
Malzahar channels the essence of the Void to suppress an enemy champion over a zone of damaging negative energy.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 140/
- 110/
- 80
Range:- 700
- Mage
These champions are Malzahar's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Swain is Malzahar's biggest counter with only a 41.67% win rate for Malzahar. When facing these Malzahar counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Malzahar matchups.
Swain
Anivia
Ekko
Smolder
Kassadin
Irelia
Viktor
Zed
Naafiri
Lux
When facing Malzahar in League of Legends, understanding Malzahar's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Malzahar deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Malzahar's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Malzahar include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Malzahar's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Malzahar counters are Swain, Anivia, Ekko, and Smolder. These champions either out-trade Malzahar in lane, have abilities that negate Malzahar's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Swain in particular exploits Malzahar's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Malzahar involves understanding Malzahar's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Malzahar when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Malzahar in team fights before Malzahar can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Malzahar to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Malzahar's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Malzahar's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Malzahar is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Malzahar may be mana-dependent early. Punish after spell rotations when abilities are on cooldown. All-in when mana is depleted for advantageous trades.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Malzahar's poke and zone control peaks mid game. Engage quickly to close the gap before Malzahar can kite. Use flanks and hard engage to bypass poke damage.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Malzahar provides strong team fight damage late. Prioritize diving Malzahar or use assassins to reach the backline. Magic resist items become crucial.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Malzahar in lane or team fights.
- Pick Swain or similar champions with kits that exploit Malzahar's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Malzahar's damage in lane
- Track Malzahar's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Malzahar's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Malzahar during vulnerable windows
- Dodge Malzahar's skill shots by moving unpredictably
- All-in Malzahar when mana is low from spell rotations
Malzahar performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Ryze is Malzahar's best matchup with a 62.22% win rate. When playing Malzahar into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Malzahar can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Ryze
Talon
Mel
Orianna
Twisted Fate
Yasuo
Syndra
Sylas
LeBlanc
Veigar
Malzahar Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Malzahar?
The best Malzahar counters are Swain, Anivia, and Ekko. These champions have favorable matchups against Malzahar and can exploit Malzahar's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Malzahar's hardest counter?
Swain is Malzahar's hardest counter with Malzahar having only a 41.67% win rate in this matchup. Anivia (43.21% WR) and Ekko (45.68% WR) are also strong Malzahar counters.
Who does Malzahar counter?
Malzahar performs well against Ryze, Talon, and Mel. These are Malzahar's best matchups where Malzahar has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Malzahar in lane?
To beat Malzahar in lane, pick a counter champion like Swain or Anivia. Focus on trading when Malzahar's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Malzahar's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Malzahar gains an advantage.
What items counter Malzahar?
The best items to counter Malzahar are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Malzahar's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Malzahar in lane.
When is Malzahar weakest?
Malzahar is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Malzahar's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Malzahar before Malzahar can set up fights on Malzahar's own terms.
How do I play Malzahar into counter matchups?
When playing Malzahar into counters like Swain, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Malzahar's counters?
If Swain, Anivia, or Ekko are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Malzahar's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Malzahar's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.