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Naafiri vs Malzahar

Naafiri
vs
Not enough games
Malzahar
Analyze a draft with Naafiri
Heavy CCHeavy AP damageCountered by stasisHigh burst

Build vs Malzahar

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

Recommended items for Naafiri: Voltaic Cyclosword, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Guardian Angel, Edge of Night, Youmuu's Ghostblade.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

Core build

Voltaic Cyclosword
1
Black Cleaver
2
Death's Dance
3

Standard

Ionian Boots of Lucidity
4CDR
Guardian Angel
5

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

Other options

Guardian Angel
Edge of Night
Youmuu's Ghostblade

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Malzahar's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Void Shift (P)

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.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
36s8s11s–
66s8s11s2m20
96s8s11s2m20
116s8s11s1m50
166s8s9s1m20
186s8s7s1m20

Playing as Naafiri

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. Second dagger on a bleeding target

    Recast Darkin Daggers (Q) on a target that's already bleeding: the second dagger deals the rest of the bleed plus damage based on their missing health, and heals you.

  2. Call your pack back to heal it

    When your pack has taken hits, cast Eviscerate (E): your packmates come back to you at full health.

  3. Empower your pack before you engage

    Cast The Call of the Pack (W) just before you engage: you're briefly untargetable, your pack grows, and you gain AD and move speed.

  4. Push, then look for an isolated target

    Push your wave, then roam toward an isolated champion: with Hounds' Pursuit (R), you and your pack dash onto them, and a takedown lets you recast it.

Playing against Malzahar

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Get out of his portals

    Get out of the Call of the Void (Q) zone quickly: its two portals fire after a short delay, and their projectiles silence you.

  2. Break his Void Shift first

    If you have CC, hit him first with a cheap attack, then wait a moment: Void Shift (passive) still ignores CC right after the first damage.

  3. Avoid minions hit by his Visions

    Stay away from minions hit by Malefic Visions (E): if they die, the visions jump to the nearest enemy, and his Voidlings follow them.

  4. Trade before he hits 6

    Take your trades before he hits level 6: after that, Nether Grasp (R) can lock you down from range while his team hits you.

  5. Focus him during his Grasp

    When he casts Nether Grasp (R) on an ally, focus him: he channels in place, and any CC interrupts him and frees your ally.

Other Naafiri matchups

Patch 16.21.1