[2.4] Malphite Guide - The Unstoppable Soloq Force

I start to think about what I want to build during champ select, or during the loading screen.

If I want to go the tank route, then I want to be a beefy frontline, that can tank damage and survive a long fight.

If I want to build for an AP Mage, then I start with Amp Tome. I then try to play a more burst reliant style. This route fits well into a team that wants to play a fast fight, burst someone, or multiple people, and get out.

I listed Bramble Vest and Ninja Tabis as starting items because I think they are really good items to rush if you are struggling during laning phase versus heavy auto attackers.

Tank Build:

This Build gives me a lot of armor early to fight an AD lane opponent. With Iceborn Gauntlet and Sunfire, I can survive extended fights and also do a lot of damage because I can stick to people with the Gauntlet slow.

The boots are optional. Versus 3 auto-attacking champions, I like to go Ninja Tabis, and versus heavy CC (for example TF, Annie, Lux, Seraphine, Sona) Mercury Treads are really good. The CC reduction of Mercury's doesn't work for knock-ups, so I personally don't like to build them for the MR stats only.

After the tank items, I usually build a Liandry's. It's an extremely good item because it lets you one-shot squishy carries while also tanking damage from other champions.

My last item is usually a Randuins Omen or an Adaptive Helm. This depends on the enemy champions' playstyle, and also who is the most fed. Jinh and Yasuo are really good champs to build Randuins against.

Again, your goal here is to survive long enough for your team to do enough damage. But also you don't want to fully depend on your team. The Sunfire and Gauntlet give you enough damage in the early to mid-game, and the Liandry's rounds it up to the late-game.

AP Burst Build:

If my goal is to burst enemies and then leave the fight I usually tend to build the 2 builds listed. I decided to put up 2 options because I think both builds are viable.

The first one - AP BURST BUILD - is a build that lets you get the most damage on the current patch. Rabadons is absolutely broken right now. Try to build it after RoA so you can get the maximum AP amount. After that go for magic penetration. Void staff suprisingly gives roughly the same magic pen, when the enemies build no magic resist, as the flat magicpen items. If they build MR then it is way better. After that you just want to get more damage and items for burst potential.

After that, I build Infinity Orb, which is a really good item on Malphite. The crits on low HP targets are what sometimes lets you kill enemies where you never had a chance without the item. Additionally, I build an Oblivian Orb. I would not recommend upgrading it to a Morellonomicon. Morello doesn't give you additional Magic-penetration, and also no additional AP. The only useful stat it gives is the Grievous Wounds. But you are better off with your teammates buying other GW items.

After I finished my Rabadons Deathcap I sell my Oblivion Orb and buy a Voidstaff instead. This way I can snowball with the raw Magic-penetration, and switch to percentage MPen when I need it more.

The second build - AP BURST 2 - is a good build when you have 2 more magic damage sources on your team, or don't feel confident with trying to snowball the game.

The items focus on doing damage but also surviving some time. This build is really good if your team doesn't rely on you for the only AP damage.

The Rod of Ages lets you play more safely during the laning phase, while also giving you damage.

The problem with both AP builds is that your impact in the game tends to fall off the longer the game continues. That's why I like to build Rabadons Deathcap so that I have enough damage to kill the carries even later in the game.

But with both AP builds you dont want the game to continue very long, because it gets harder for you to do damage.