How to deal with Malzahar weaknesses

Question

I'm aware that Malzahar is countered by using the Quicksilver Sash. I really like this champion, and I want to know what can I do when the enemy team starts to buy Quicksilver Sashes. I mean, Malzahar cannot perform another role in the game, like support or whatever? Can I do something to nullify or minimize the effects that item?

The second weakness is about the Voidling. I read in some guides that the Voidling can end up helping the enemy team

• How is it possible?
• What can I do to avoid this?
• Does this problem happens with other "pets", like Annie's Tibbers?

Answer 1

(1) Malzahar is NOT just his ultimate. His ultimate is easily his strongest ability, dealing lots of damage and suppressing but he has 3 other abilities. Picking up a Rylai's Scepter helps too. With high ability power and some cdr/mana regen (like blue buff) Malzahar can silence and slow multiple enemies with his Q (Call of the Void) or damage and slow with his E (Malefic Visions). Also, I highly doubt everyone on the enemy team is going to be buying Quick Silver Sashes. However, if they do, you have made them spend 1640 gold (to a carry this is a BF Sword) on an item that only really cancels 1 of your 4 abilities. As mages go (AP carries) Malzahar is particularly strong late game since he has an ability that does % max health damage. This lets him take out some tanks on occassion, not that you should be focusing them, but when the opportunity to pick up a kill appears why not...

(2) Voidlings got updated recently. They used to cause a few problems for Malzahar on occassion including: stand in the open when you are trying to hide in a bush, attacking enemies you didn't need them to attack etc. The update significantly improved the voidling AI as far as I am concerned and removed most of the annoying things that made a voidling a potential nuisance for Malzahar himself. Voidlings have also saved me now and then by appearing when a skillshot is inbound (hitting the voidling instead of hitting me).

I would say that Malzahar's "weakness" to this one item is not sufficient to me not play him. Every champion in the game has some weakness, some carries cant punch through a Thornmail, some mages have a really difficult time getting through a little magic resist but it isn't these small things that make a champion good or bad, playable or unplayable. Malzahar is a strong AP carry and you can get around a few enemies picking up a Quick Silver Sash by just playing smart and using your other 3 abilities to their fullest. Also, you are making the spend 1640 gold, which shouldn't be underestimated, just to counter one of your abilities. This means they didn't buy something else (damage, armor, attackspeed, etc.) which they would have preferred to buy, had you not been ruining their day as Malzahar.

Answer 2

Quick and easy fix. When building Malzahar heavy AP and having the enemy team specifically counter you with Quicksilver Sashes, change your items. I know it sucks, but here is a good item for when/if this happens - Lichbane, I know this might seem silly, but Malz has a decent range, and his skills do not have insanely high cooldowns (except his ult). So skill, auto, skill, auto, skill, auto. If your AP is high enough, instead of doing 75 a hit your now doing between 300-500 a hit depending on your AP.

As far as the voidling is concerned, the only thing it may do to bone you is show your position to enemy players. You can't gain aggro from turrets because your minion hit an enemy player while you were under the turret with said player and voidling. Voidlings, as with Tibbers and Heimer's mini-turrets, have their own aggro table when it comes to towers.

Answer 3

There really is not a way to counter it if they use a QSS on you. You can only hope that your team has other CC to get them to burn it on.

As far as the voidling helping the other team... They can proc lifesteal on it. That's about it. Other than that or maybe giving away your position they can't help the other team much.

Answer 4

Like Bravo840 already said, forcing the enemy team to buy QSS is not a bad thing. Actually, this can give your team a little advantage, since they are spending gold with an item that does not benefit their damage.

Also, if you have some hard CC in your team such as amumu or warwick, the enemy will have to choose when to use their QSS, just pay attention and focus the ones that already used the QSS active.