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Game patch 26.21Data Dragon 16.21.1

Reference patch 16.20.1

Malphite Top · Swiftplay

Malphite has an established solo-lane plan with the income and space needed to trade, manage waves and influence a side lane.

Primary roleFaster starting rules and queue evidence
Champion overview
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Swiftplay · Top

Tank baseline

Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Primary role
S
Swiftplay opening · separate from item 1

Guardian's Horn

950 gold

Adds health, regeneration and broad champion-damage reduction for a durable Swiftplay opening.

1
Durability

Jak'Sho, The Protean

3,200 gold

Completes the six-item inventory with health and out-of-combat recovery after enough bonus health is established.

2
Boots

Plated Steelcaps

1,200 gold

Reduces incoming basic-attack damage and adds armour; choose it for repeated attacks rather than melee identity alone.

3
Vs physical

Sunfire Aegis

2,800 gold

Adds health, armour and nearby magic damage for wave control, camp clearing and close fights.

4
Vs magic

Kaenic Rookern

2,900 gold

Adds dedicated magic resistance and a shield against sustained spell damage after leaving champion combat.

5
Anti-heal

Thornmail

2,450 gold

Adds armour and anti-heal against opponents who must repeatedly attack into you; it is not universal anti-heal.

6
Health and recovery

Warmog's Armor

3,100 gold

Adds a large health pool and out-of-combat recovery after enough bonus health is already established.

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeRepeated basic attacksFrozen Heart adds armour and reduces nearby enemy attack speed.View full route

Best when: Frozen Heart adds armour and reduces nearby enemy attack speed.

  1. DurabilityJak'Sho, The Protean
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Frozen Heart
  4. Vs magicKaenic Rookern
  5. Anti-healThornmail
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeCritical strikes hurtRanduin's Omen reduces critical-strike pressure and helps keep nearby attackers controlled.View full route

Best when: Randuin's Omen reduces critical-strike pressure and helps keep nearby attackers controlled.

  1. DurabilityJak'Sho, The Protean
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Randuin's Omen
  4. Vs magicKaenic Rookern
  5. Anti-healThornmail
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededTank baselineRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. DurabilityJak'Sho, The Protean
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Vs physicalSunfire Aegis
  4. Vs magicKaenic Rookern
  5. Anti-healThornmail
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeRepeated basic attacksFrozen Heart adds armour and reduces nearby enemy attack speed.View full route

Best when: Frozen Heart adds armour and reduces nearby enemy attack speed.

  1. DurabilityJak'Sho, The Protean
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Frozen Heart
  4. Vs magicKaenic Rookern
  5. Anti-healThornmail
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

AlternativeCritical strikes hurtRanduin's Omen reduces critical-strike pressure and helps keep nearby attackers controlled.View full route

Best when: Randuin's Omen reduces critical-strike pressure and helps keep nearby attackers controlled.

  1. DurabilityJak'Sho, The Protean
  2. BootsPlated Steelcaps
  3. Randuin's Omen
  4. Vs magicKaenic Rookern
  5. Anti-healThornmail
  6. Health and recoveryWarmog's Armor

Buy this only after selling the Guardian starter when all six permanent slots are needed.

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsMalphiteTop

Take measured lane trades, scale durability and keep a route back to the map.

Swiftplay
Primary tree

Resolve

Grasp of the UndyingDemolishSecond WindOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLast Stand
Summoner spells
FlashTeleport
Long-lane safety

Teleport preserves recalls and side-lane access. Ignite is a deliberate pressure trade-off, not a universal upgrade.

Respect the matchup

Keep the defensive secondary runes when repeated poke or one committed trade can decide the lane.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Repeated basic attacks

Frozen Heart

Frozen Heart adds armour and reduces nearby enemy attack speed.

Critical strikes hurt

Randuin's Omen

Randuin's Omen reduces critical-strike pressure and helps keep nearby attackers controlled.

Only when enemy healing is deciding fights

Oblivion Orb

Oblivion Orb supplies healing reduction without committing to a completed Morellonomicon. Skip both when healing is not the problem or an ally already covers your target reliably. Healing reduction does not reduce shields.

Conditional component, not a core item. Complete Morellonomicon only when its stats and slot efficiency justify delaying another purchase.

Situational AP purchase

When should you buy anti-heal?

Buy healing reduction when enemy healing or regeneration is deciding fights and you can keep damaging the relevant target. Grievous Wounds reduces healing; it does not reduce shields, magic damage or crowd control.

Start with the component

Oblivion Orb can provide healing reduction without immediately paying for a completed Morellonomicon. Fit the component around your core damage, mana and survival needs; check the current queue's item tooltip.

Finish when it fits the fight

Complete Morellonomicon when its stats and slot efficiency suit your build. Do not treat it as a mandatory first item just because your champion deals magic damage.

Coordinate coverage

Multiple Grievous Wounds sources do not add their percentages together. Another reliable applier may cover the same target, but you may still need your own source for a separate fight or target.

Repeated spell damage and damage over time can maintain coverage more reliably than a single hit. Match the purchase to your actual spell access, enemy sustain and the teammates who can apply the debuff.

Will the fight last long enough?

If you die before dealing damage, you apply no healing reduction. If your target dies before healing, there is little healing to prevent. The debuff applies on qualifying damage immediately; it does not need to build up. It remains briefly after your last hit, so teammates can benefit even after you disengage.

Only healing during the active debuff counts. For example, 40% reduction prevents 80 of a 200-point heal, or 400 of a 1,000-point heal, before other modifiers. Compare that with the damage, penetration or survival you delayed; neither example guarantees a kill. Healing after the debuff expires is unaffected.

See the Oblivion Orb and Morellonomicon references for current effects and queue availability. These are situational decisions, not a measured best-build claim.

Kit reference

Malphite abilities

Ability names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads are independently written; the current in-game tooltip remains authoritative.

Abilities Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1
P
Passive

Granite Shield

What it doesMalphite 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.

Q
Q ability

Seismic Shard

What it doesMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds.

Cooldown (s)8Cost70/75/80/85/90Listed range (units)625
W
W ability

Thunderclap

What it doesMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him.

Cooldown (s)10/9.5/9/8.5/8Cost30/35/40/45/50Listed range (units)400
E
E ability

Ground Slam

What it doesMalphite slams the ground, sending out a shockwave that deals magic damage based on his Armor and reduces the Attack Speed of enemies for a short duration.

Cooldown (s)7Cost50/55/60/65/70Listed range (units)400
R
Ultimate

Unstoppable Force

What it doesMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air.

Cooldown (s)130/115/100Cost100Listed range (units)1000

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around the wave and your strongest cooldowns

1
Lane

Keep health and minions balanced so one poor trade does not decide the lane.

2
Map play

Move after the wave is handled and communicate if the opposing Top laner leaves first.

3
Fights

Choose between front-line duty, side pressure and carry access according to the champion kit.

Pings, movement and objectives

Malphite Top map plan

Manage the long lane before leaving it. A useful move begins with a handled wave, a visible route and a teammate who knows you are coming.

Ahead

Use the side-lane lead without donating it

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing when the opposing Top leaves, then On My Way before a flank or objective move.
Stay or move
Push the wave before moving. Stay if leaving would hand several minions or your tower back to the opponent.
Objective
Arrive through a known route and mark whether you are front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry. Do not enter alone before the team can follow.
Even

Make the wave create the first move

Ping
Use Enemy Missing early, Danger on the route they may take, and On My Way only after your own wave is handled.
Stay or move
Move after pushing or on a shared recall. Do not follow through unwarded river merely because the opponent left first.
Objective
Tell the team whether you can move before the objective starts. Approach with vision and save the cooldown needed for the first real commitment.
Behind

Protect experience and communicate the pressure

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing immediately and Retreat if teammates are about to meet the stronger Top laner without you.
Stay or move
Do not match a stronger opponent through darkness. Clear the safe wave, then group by the shortest controlled route.
Objective
State early if you cannot contest. If the team still fights, provide control or protection instead of attempting an isolated flank.
Objective setup

Four calls, in order

Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.

  1. 1
    Handle the wave

    Push, catch or communicate the wave before leaving so the opponent does not gain a free move and free income.

  2. 2
    Signal the route

    Use On My Way for the route you are actually taking and Danger where an unseen opponent may arrive.

  3. 3
    Enter together

    Move through controlled vision with the Jungler or another ally instead of face-checking the objective alone.

  4. 4
    Choose the job

    Decide whether you are engaging, front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry before the fight begins.

Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.

Use the guide

Put Malphite into a real matchup

Compare a specific opponent, return to the champion overview, or choose another champion without losing the queue distinction.

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