Malphite vs Zac

Malphite
vs
43.6%

over 78 games

Zac

Hard matchup

Strong engageHeavy AP damageVery tankyHeavy CC

Build vs Zac

The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup

Recommended items for Malphite: Sunfire Aegis, Thornmail, Frozen Heart, Mercury's Treads, Hollow Radiance, Malignance, Kaenic Rookern, Bramble Vest.

Starting items

Doran's Ring
Health Potion
x2

Core build

Sunfire Aegis
1
Thornmail
2
Frozen Heart
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Hollow Radiance
5

Summoner spells

FlashTeleport81%
FlashDot18%

Other options

Hollow Radiance
Malignance
Kaenic Rookern
Bramble Vest
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Randuin's Omen
Oblivion Orb
Stormsurge
Zeke's Convergence
Shadowflame
SorcerySorcery
Arcane CometArcane Comet
Manaflow BandManaflow Band
TranscendenceTranscendence
ScorchScorch
ResolveResolve
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
Attack SpeedHealth ScalingHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Zac's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Cell Division (P)

Each time Zac hits an enemy with an ability, he sheds a chunk of himself that can be reabsorbed to restore Health. Upon taking fatal damage, Zac splits into 4 bloblets that attempt to recombine. If any bloblets remain, he will revive with an amount of Health depending on the Health of the surviving bloblets. Each bloblet has a percentage of Zac's maximum Health, Armor and Magic Resistance. This ability has a 5 minute cooldown.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
314s5s21s–
611s5s21s2m
98s5s21s2m
118s5s21s1m45
168s5s15s1m30
188s5s9s1m30

Playing as Malphite

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Wait for them to group for R

    Save Unstoppable Force (R) for when the enemy carries are grouped: nothing stops your charge, and the impact knocks every enemy in the area into the air.

  2. Steal speed with Seismic Shard

    Cast Seismic Shard (Q) before engaging or to escape: it slows the target and gives you the speed it steals.

  3. Trade with your shield up

    Take your trades while Granite Shield (passive) is up: it absorbs 10% of your max health, and Thunderclap (W) then triples your bonus armor.

  4. Ground Slam against attackers

    Against a champion who lives on autos, start your trades with Ground Slam (E): it lowers their attack speed, and its damage scales with your armor.

Playing against Zac

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Step on his Goo

    Walk over the chunks of Goo he sheds: you destroy them, and Cell Division (passive) can't heal him with them anymore.

  2. Spread out after his Stretching Strikes

    If Stretching Strikes (Q) grabs you, spread out from your allies and minions: his next auto on one of them flings you into each other.

  3. Interrupt his Slingshot

    If you have a stun, a silence, a root or a knock-up, use it while he charges Elastic Slingshot (E): his charge is interrupted before the jump.

  4. Kill all his bloblets

    When he dies, kill his bloblets: Cell Division (passive) splits him into 4, and if any remain, he comes back to life. This passive has a 5-minute cooldown.

Patch 16.21.1