Malzahar - League of Legends Champion
Win Rate
51.3%
Pick Rate
5.3%

Malzaharvs Zaahen

AMage
Patch26.11
Matches776,441
LaneAll Lanes
TierAll Tiers
Last UpdatedJun 6, 2026
MethodologyData Methodology

Malzahar vs Zaahen is a decisive matchup in LoL patch 26.11. Malzahar wins with a 62.5% win rate (+25.0%) over Zaahen based on 8 games. Malzahar wins the early laning phase while Zaahen scales better into the late game. Below you'll find the best Malzahar build, runes, laning stats, and strategies for the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup.

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Malzahar Matchup Breakdown

Use the dropdown to select an opponent and see a detailed breakdown of how Malzahar performs against them. You'll get head-to-head win rates, laning stats, the best build and runes for the matchup, and early vs late game analysis — all based on real ranked data.

Compare against an opponent
Malzahar - 62.5% win rate in this matchup
Malzahar
62.5% WR
VS
Zaahen vs Malzahar matchup - 37.5% win rate
Zaahen
37.5% WR

Who Wins the Malzahar vs Zaahen Matchup?

Malzahar wins the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup
Winner
Malzahar
Matches: 8
62.5%
Win Rate
37.5%
7.0
CS / min
6.0
873
DMG / min
897
11,713
Gold / game
12,396
76
Heal / min
518
580
DMG Mitigated / min
1,269
2.0
CC / min
0.8
100.0%
Early Game WR
0.0%
40.0%
Late Game WR
60.0%

Malzahar vs Zaahen Matchup Summary

The Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup is a decisive matchup in League of Legends ranked play. Based on 8 recent matches analyzed, Malzahar wins with a 62.5% win rate compared to Zaahen's 37.5%, giving Malzahar a 25.0 percentage point advantage. Game phase dynamics play a critical role here: Malzahar controls the early laning stage, but Zaahen outscales as the game goes longer. The matchup shifts dramatically depending on game length — Malzahar needs to press advantages before Zaahen reaches their power spikes, while Zaahen should focus on safe farming and hitting key item breakpoints. The most significant statistical gap is in sustain, where Zaahen leads by 1,131 HP/min — a difference that heavily influences the outcome of trades and skirmishes. Malzahar players can confidently pick into Zaahen and play aggressively from level 1. Look to establish lane dominance early through favorable trades and zone Zaahen away from CS whenever possible. Understanding these matchup dynamics is essential for champion select decisions and in-game strategy when facing this lane opponent.

Malzahar vs Zaahen Laning Phase Breakdown

Zaahen wins the laning phase against Malzahar in League of Legends

Zaahen is favored during the laning phase against Malzahar, winning 3 out of 5 key stat categories. Zaahen holds advantages in damage, gold income and sustain, making them the stronger laner in this matchup.

Farming
7.0Malzahar
6.0Zaahen
Malzahar significantly out-farms Zaahen by 1.0 CS per minute, accumulating an estimated 15 CS lead by mid game. This substantial farming gap gives Malzahar a major gold advantage and earlier item completions. Zaahen players should prioritize wave management techniques like freezing near tower and using abilities efficiently to minimize the deficit.
Damage
873Malzahar
897Zaahen
Damage output is virtually even between Malzahar and Zaahen, with only 24 DMG/min separating them. Fights in this matchup are decided more by ability timing and positioning than raw damage numbers, making mechanical skill the deciding factor in trades.
Economy
11,713Malzahar
12,396Zaahen
Zaahen earns 683 more gold per game than Malzahar, equivalent to roughly one additional component item. This economic edge comes from a combination of better farming, kill participation, and objective control, giving Zaahen slightly faster item completions.
Utility
2.0Malzahar
0.8Zaahen
Malzahar brings significantly more crowd control than Zaahen, with 1.2 more seconds of CC per minute. This large utility gap makes Malzahar far more valuable in setting up jungle ganks, controlling objectives, and locking down targets in team fights. Zaahen should invest in tenacity and position carefully to avoid being chain-CC'd.
Sustain
656Malzahar
1,787Zaahen
Zaahen vastly out-sustains Malzahar, healing and mitigating 1,131 more damage per minute. This massive durability gap means Zaahen can absorb significant punishment and remain in lane while Malzahar is forced to recall. Building grievous wounds early is essential for Malzahar, and focusing on burst trade patterns rather than sustained fights is critical.

Best Malzahar Build Against Zaahen

Slightly Magical Footwear is the optimal boots choice against Zaahen, providing the mobility and stats Malzahar needs most in this matchup. The top-performing core items for Malzahar against Zaahen are Morellonomicon, Malignance and Rylai's Crystal Scepter. This combination gives Malzahar an effective balance of damage, survivability, and utility for the matchup. Adjustments may be needed based on team compositions and game state, but this build provides the strongest foundation for the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup.

Early Game vs Late Game

Early Game
Malzahar
100.0%
+100.0% advantage
Malzahar early game win rateMalzahar100.0%
Zaahen early game win rateZaahen0.0%
Late Game
Zaahen
60.0%
+20.0% advantage
Malzahar late game win rateMalzahar40.0%
Zaahen late game win rateZaahen60.0%

Malzahar dominates the early game (first 15 minutes) with a commanding 100.0% win rate — a 100.0 percentage point lead over Zaahen. This lopsided early game means Malzahar can dictate the pace of the lane from level 1, controlling trades, wave state, and river priority.

Zaahen is far superior in the late game (25+ minutes), boasting a 60.0% win rate — 20.0 points above Malzahar. Extended games heavily favor Zaahen, whose kit and scaling make them a dominant force in team fights and objective control.

This matchup features a dramatic power shift: Malzahar must aggressively press their early advantage and close out the game before Zaahen reaches their scaling breakpoints. If Zaahen survives the laning phase without falling too far behind, the matchup flips in their favor. Dragon and Rift Herald control are pivotal — the team that secures early objectives can snowball or buy time to scale.

Best Malzahar Runes Against Zaahen

Sorcery rune tree - Malzahar primary runes vs ZaahenSorcery
Deathfire Touch - best Malzahar rune vs ZaahenManaflow Band - best Malzahar rune vs ZaahenCelerity - best Malzahar rune vs ZaahenGathering Storm - best Malzahar rune vs Zaahen
Inspiration rune tree - Malzahar secondary runes vs ZaahenInspiration
Magical Footwear - best Malzahar rune vs ZaahenTriple Tonic - best Malzahar rune vs Zaahen
100.0% WR

Running Sorcery primary with Inspiration secondary allows Malzahar to press their advantage against Zaahen, amplifying the strengths that make this a favorable matchup.


Malzahar matchup data for League of Legends patch 26.11. The table below shows Malzahar's win rate, gold difference, and performance stats against every champion in the current meta. Click any champion name to see a detailed head-to-head breakdown including the best Malzahar build, runes, laning stats, and early vs late game analysis for that specific matchup.

Malzahar matchup win rates and stats in League of Legends patch 26.11
Opponent
Win Rate
Matches
CS/min
DMG/min
Gold/game
Early WR
Late WR
51.08%4157.688112,45046.7%54.0%
55.31%3587.592212,41960.3%51.5%
49.23%3237.590812,55359.2%42.5%
44.94%2677.281912,33342.3%46.5%
51.85%2437.593912,13443.0%58.8%
52.19%2287.396812,52045.6%56.5%
49.77%2137.580512,37950.6%49.2%
54.82%1977.583811,93656.8%52.9%
51.78%1977.478212,11650.0%53.1%
51.04%1927.587812,48842.2%58.8%
53.44%1897.577112,22863.9%45.3%
53.98%1767.480511,85552.0%55.6%
51.81%1667.392512,26047.9%54.7%
53.01%1667.385612,00252.9%53.1%
53.33%1507.686912,44949.1%55.9%
46.62%1487.482511,91744.3%48.3%
54.68%1397.589812,68343.8%60.4%
48.91%1377.289713,02345.2%50.5%
53.73%1347.588412,68051.8%55.1%
40.15%1327.579211,74145.8%35.6%
53.44%1317.388112,49450.0%55.8%
47.97%1237.788112,47639.6%54.3%
55.74%1227.71,02612,45159.6%52.3%
48.28%1167.689912,94236.2%56.5%
43.10%1167.481712,07543.8%42.6%
59.13%1157.187912,58252.3%63.4%
47.12%1047.295012,00456.0%38.9%
52.88%1047.685613,51153.3%52.7%
51.92%1047.589112,28257.5%47.4%
48.04%1027.582312,57147.2%48.5%
50.00%987.589812,47655.0%46.5%
53.13%967.488512,67665.7%45.9%
63.16%957.81,01213,02266.7%61.0%
60.22%937.887412,76871.4%51.0%
62.22%907.690912,15065.8%59.2%
56.41%787.293213,82265.4%51.9%
30.26%767.595011,51429.7%30.8%
46.05%767.391611,12248.8%42.4%
40.85%717.686712,52534.4%46.1%
59.70%677.886711,97762.9%56.3%
48.39%627.384713,91531.3%54.4%
40.32%626.690311,88432.1%47.1%
41.38%587.188811,60041.7%41.2%
56.86%517.379912,33260.0%54.8%
54.00%508.088612,58162.5%46.1%
56.00%507.487912,72244.4%62.5%
61.70%477.687812,34259.1%64.0%
52.27%446.783612,15943.8%57.1%
51.16%437.31,17512,82741.7%54.8%
54.76%427.583612,15361.9%47.6%
48.78%417.581411,86633.3%60.9%
75.00%407.498012,81176.5%73.9%
45.00%407.274611,76929.4%56.5%
39.47%387.988512,36337.5%40.9%
57.89%387.288313,11862.5%56.7%
55.26%387.793613,09168.8%45.5%
54.55%338.01,00413,46161.5%50.0%
34.38%325.573810,98433.3%35.3%
46.67%306.985313,88644.4%47.6%
48.28%297.596812,54558.3%41.2%
39.29%287.779512,81633.3%42.1%
50.00%287.686512,91370.0%38.9%
48.00%257.291511,07641.7%53.9%
32.00%256.983513,09055.6%18.8%
50.00%247.31,15611,53427.3%69.2%
50.00%247.381812,18130.0%64.3%
47.83%237.586212,77344.4%50.0%
56.52%237.792411,55680.0%38.5%
30.43%236.881911,29533.3%27.3%
65.22%237.478513,49644.4%78.6%
56.52%237.679011,15554.5%58.3%
76.19%216.679511,51866.7%88.9%
47.37%197.482412,94450.0%46.1%
55.56%187.578913,67850.0%58.3%
55.56%187.789011,14754.5%57.1%
33.33%187.484111,13714.3%45.5%
44.44%187.91,00112,38950.0%33.3%
64.71%176.176512,42285.7%50.0%
35.29%178.188411,84930.0%42.9%
29.41%177.482113,15716.7%36.4%
52.94%177.599415,55260.0%50.0%
58.82%177.469711,33375.0%44.4%
47.06%177.697514,33340.0%50.0%
68.75%167.096713,33780.0%63.6%
40.00%157.277310,72962.5%14.3%
46.67%156.91,00111,99550.0%42.9%
66.67%157.41,06214,12666.7%66.7%
40.00%157.698511,63650.0%33.3%
21.43%146.71,01412,3430.0%33.3%
42.86%146.790912,84140.0%44.4%
25.00%127.572613,3640.0%50.0%
58.33%127.987814,15860.0%57.1%
41.67%127.685414,6370.0%45.5%
27.27%117.686710,71037.5%0.0%
81.82%117.876412,05388.9%50.0%
60.00%107.81,06012,69320.0%100.0%
70.00%107.480111,65533.3%85.7%
30.00%107.488213,8540.0%42.9%
44.44%97.81,01812,35060.0%25.0%
33.33%94.167911,5310.0%37.5%
22.22%96.670410,99725.0%20.0%
44.44%93.45827,13850.0%33.3%
66.67%97.382812,75366.7%66.7%
55.56%96.281412,75266.7%50.0%
44.44%96.394613,62850.0%42.9%
22.22%97.684413,14350.0%0.0%
66.67%97.592611,36871.4%50.0%
62.50%87.087311,713100.0%40.0%
50.00%86.776914,468100.0%42.9%
37.50%86.877711,13133.3%40.0%
37.50%87.293415,5320.0%37.5%
50.00%87.51,11813,83480.0%0.0%
75.00%87.480210,06660.0%100.0%
50.00%87.598012,96340.0%66.7%
50.00%87.876112,36550.0%50.0%
42.86%74.373110,31150.0%33.3%
42.86%74.078111,1640.0%60.0%
28.57%77.395414,8320.0%33.3%
71.43%77.673510,86350.0%100.0%
42.86%77.61,03915,32150.0%33.3%
83.33%66.589912,71966.7%100.0%
33.33%65.368910,5940.0%50.0%
50.00%62.06617,34125.0%100.0%
40.00%56.374412,022100.0%25.0%
40.00%55.179610,94650.0%33.3%
60.00%53.369310,83566.7%50.0%
40.00%57.693911,67325.0%100.0%
20.00%57.689913,7510.0%20.0%
60.00%57.397712,63650.0%66.7%
60.00%55.778111,36250.0%66.7%
60.00%52.744511,3140.0%100.0%
40.00%53.07079,9030.0%50.0%
80.00%56.81,04514,35750.0%100.0%

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Malzahar vs Zaahen - Frequently Asked Questions

How does Malzahar do against Zaahen in League of Legends?

Malzahar wins the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup with a 62.5% win rate compared to Zaahen's 37.5%, a 25.0 percentage point difference. This data is based on 8 recent ranked games in patch 26.11.

How does Malzahar do against Zaahen in the early game?

In the early game, Malzahar has the advantage against Zaahen with a 100.0% win rate versus 0.0%. Malzahar players should look to press their lane advantage through aggressive trades and wave control during the first 15 minutes.

How does Malzahar do against Zaahen in the late game?

In the late game, Zaahen takes over the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup with a 60.0% win rate compared to 40.0%. Zaahen scales better into team fights and objective contests after 25 minutes.

Who wins the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup?

Malzahar wins the matchup against Zaahen with a 62.5% win rate in League of Legends patch 26.11. The 25.0 percentage point advantage means Malzahar is significantly favored in this lane matchup based on 8 games analyzed.

What is the best Malzahar build against Zaahen?

The best Malzahar build against Zaahen includes Morellonomicon, Malignance, Rylai's Crystal Scepter with Slightly Magical Footwear. Check the matchup breakdown above for the full item path and build order.

What are the best Malzahar runes against Zaahen?

The best Malzahar runes against Zaahen use the Sorcery primary tree with Inspiration secondary. This rune setup achieves a 100.0% win rate in the Malzahar vs Zaahen matchup. See the full rune breakdown in the matchup comparison above.

Does Malzahar counter Zaahen?

Yes, Malzahar has a favorable matchup against Zaahen with a 62.5% win rate. Malzahar strongly counters Zaahen in lane based on current patch 26.11 data.

How do I play Malzahar against Zaahen?

When playing Malzahar against Zaahen, leverage your statistical advantages by trading aggressively during favorable windows. You have early game priority — look for kills and zone control before first recall. Build the recommended items and runes for this specific matchup for the best results.