Matchup

Poppy
Poppy
75%
25%

vs

47.1%

over 342 games

Malphite
Malphite
42%
58%
Strong engageHeavy CCVery tankyHeavy AP damage

Skill matchup

Build vs Malphite

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Shield
Health Potion

Core build

Tear of the Goddess
1
Sundered Sky
2Bruiser
Fimbulwinter
3Survival

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Hollow Radiance
5vs AP

Summoner spells

41272%
41424%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Thornmail
5vs Hybride
Iceborn Gauntlet
vs AD
Unending Despair
vs AD
Sunfire Aegis
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Frozen Heart
vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Hollow Radiance
5vs AP
Spirit Visage
vs AP
Kaenic Rookern
vs AP
Force of Nature
vs AP

Anti Tank

Black Cleaver
5vs Tank
Voltaic Cyclosword
vs Tank

DPS

Eclipse
DPS
Trinity Force
DPS

Other options

Jak'Sho, The Protean
vs Hybride
Winter's Approach
Survival
Heartsteel
Survival
Protoplasm Harness
Survival
Sterak's Gage
Survival
85.7% WR7 games
ResolveResolve
Grasp of the UndyingGrasp of the Undying
Shield BashShield Bash
Second WindSecond Wind
OvergrowthOvergrowth
PrecisionPrecision
Presence of MindPresence of Mind
Last StandLast Stand
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
PoppyPoppy
MalphiteMalphite
Neutral
Neutral
Careful

Malphite's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Granite Shield (P)

Malphite is shielded by a layer of rock which absorbs damage up to 10% of his maximum Health. If Malphite has not been hit for a few seconds, this effect recharges.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
38s10s7s
68s10s7s2m10
98s9.5s7s2m10
118s9s7s1m55
168s8s7s1m40
188s8s7s1m40

Playing against Malphite

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Poke him to break his passive shield: it doesn't recharge for 8s after taking damage.

2

AP champions counter him in lane: Malphite stacks armor but remains vulnerable to magic damage.

3

Spread out in teamfights: his R knocks up in an area. If you're grouped, the fight is lost.

4

His Q costs a lot of mana: force him to spam it and he'll run out before even reaching level 6.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026