Guide to Malphite midlane in League of Legends season 13: Runes, itemization, and more

Malphite is one of League of Legends' most iconic tanks to date. Released in 2009, he has always managed to be prevalent in the meta under favorable conditions.

Although he has struggled to find his footing in the League of Legends season 13 meta, thanks to the buffs in patch 13.4, he has once again emerged as a strong pick.

Despite primarily being a toplane champion, Malphite has also managed to find success in midlane, as he can go up against a plethora of champions. Considering his current 52% win rate, and the fact that League of Legends pros are picking him a lot, it's clear that he is one of the best champions right now.

This article serves as a guide to playing Malphite midlane in League of Legends season 13.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

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How to effectively play Malphite midlane in League of Legends Season 13

Malphite midlane might seem easy to play on paper, but mana management and playing to one's strengths are essential. Oftentimes, League of Legends players make the mistake of being over-aggressive in the early stages of the laning phase, further stagnating their power spike.

Players are highly advised to think critically when taking early trades. Additionally, one of Malphite's core weaknesses is laning against AP threats. Considering midlane has a plethora of mages, it's in players' best interests not to blind-pick this champion. They should only pick him against team comps with at least two to three AD champions or when a frontline is required.

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Runes

In League of Legends season 13, Malphite midlane has two rune choices.

The first is the Arcane Comet rune setup. In this setup, Sorcery is the primary rune tree. It gives access to Arcane Comet (for poking), Manaflow Band (for mana sustain), Transcendence (for reducing abilities' cooldown), and Gathering Storm (for increasing AP as time goes on).

Inspiration is the secondary rune tree in this setup. It grants access to Future's Market (for early purchases) and Time Warp Tonic (beneficial when starting with Corruption Portion). If a League of Legends player wishes to start with Doran's Ring, they should consider swapping the Cosmic Insight for Time Warp Tonic.

Arcane Comet rune setup (Image via Riot Client)

Primary Rune (Sorcery)

Arcane Comet - Manaflow Band - Transcendence - Gathering Storm

Secondary Rune (Inspiration)

Future's Market - Time Warp Tonic/ Cosmic Insight (Depends on the starting item)

The second rune choice is the Grasp of the Undying setup, which is ideal when going up against a mele champion like Yasuo, Garen, etc.

In this setup, Resolve is the Primary rune tree. It grants access to Grasp of the Undying (for short trades and HP scaling vs melees), Shield Bash (synergizes with Malphite's passive), Conditioning (for resistance scaling), and Overgrowth (for overall HP scaling).

Sorcery is the Secondary rune tree. It grants access to Manaflow Band (which is essential for mana sustain as Malphite has mana-hungry abilities) and Transcendence (for ability cooldown reduction).

Grasp of the Undying rune setup in League of Legends (Image via Riot Client)

Primary Rune (Resolve)

Grasp of the Undying - Shield Bash - Conditioning - Overgrowth

Secondary Rune (Sorcery)

Manaflow Band - Transcendence

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Itemization

Itemization for Malphite midlane in League of Legends season 13 has two varieties.

The first build is great when going up against AD comps. For this build, Iceborn Gauntlet is the mythic item. It is the best tank mythic item for Malphite due to its mythic passive.

The build is then followed by Sunfire Aegis, which is great for wave-pushing and trading power, thanks to Bami Cinder. This is followed by Thornmail for healing reduction, Frozen Heart for auto attackers and additional mana, and Gargoyle Stoneplate for team fighting.

• Iceborn Gauntlet
• Plated Steelcaps
• Sunfire Aegis
• Thornmail
• Frozen Heart (Opt for Zhonya's Hourglass if not against auto-attacker/if the enemy ADC is too far behind)
• Gargoyle Stoneplate

The second build is the AP one and is primarily suited for when a League of Legends team already has a frontline champion or when a player stumbles upon additional gold by getting kills.

For the AP build, Luden's Tempest is the best mythic item for doing burst damage, with its mythic passive providing great overall value against squishy team compositions.

For the second item purchase, Shadowflame is good for additional magic penetration and bonus damage to enemy champions who grant shields or have them. For the third item purchase, Rabadon's Deathcap is great for increasing damage on Malphite's R (Unstoppable Force).

The fourth item purchase is Zhonya's Hourglass (great for overall sustain and damage), while the fifth is Void Staff (for additional magic penetration).

• Luden's Tempest (Opt for Liandry's Anguish if the enemy champions are stacking HP)
• Sorcerer's Shoes
• Shadowflame (Opt for Rabadon's Deathcap as the second purchase when having additional gold)
• Rabadon's Deathcap
• Zhonya's Hourglass
• Void Staff

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Gameplay

When looking for short trades, League of Legends players are advised to start with Malphite's Q (Seismic Shard) to steal the enemy champion's movement speed before using his E (Ground Slam) or W (Thunderclap).

When being ganked/roamed upon by the enemy jungler or other players, it's best to use Malphite's Q (Seismic Shard) on them as soon as possible, as it increases the chances of saving one's Flash.

After level 6, when being ganked or chased, one can also use Malphite's R (Unstoppable Force) as an escape tool.

During the early laning phase stage, League of Legends players should keep in mind that Malphite is a very mana-hungry champion while also being weak. This is why players should primarily focus on farming and gathering experience while poking the enemy laner with his Q (Seismic Shard) every time Manaflow Band is available.

Additionally, to ensure every trade goes in one's favor, League of Legends players are advised to use Malphite's passive (Granite Shield), followed by his Q (Seismic Shard), auto attack, and W (Thunderclap), which provides a very favorable trade for the champion.

In the midgame, players are advised to shove waves and roam towards botlane, especially when the drake is spawning or if the enemy botlane has overextended without vision. They can then punish them with Malphite R (Unstoppable Force).

Part of playing midlane in League of Legends is influencing other lanes by roaming and assisting teammates. While Malphite might not be the most powerful champion in the early game, he can more than hold his own in 2v2 or 3v3 situations.

During mid-to-late game team fights, if one's ADC is the primary carry of their team, it is the duty of the League of Legends player to provide peel and protect the carry in all circumstances as a Malphite. This is why holding the champion's R (Unstoppable Force) and using it on enemies who look to dive the carry is detrimental (rather than using it on the enemy backline).

In the late game, League of Legends players should always look for multiple champion knock-ups during team fights when using Malphite's ultimate. This is because it provides amazing crowd control and peeling for one's backline champions. Using his Q (Seismic Shard) on the enemy carry to steal their movement speed is also advised to ensure victory.