By Alright, y’all, if you’ve ever been smashed by a rock monster flying full speed at your face, you know Malphite ain’t no joke. I mean, seriously, that ult? It’s like getting hit by a runaway truck covered in boulders. The guy’s basically a walking mountain — and in Season 14, he’s still a beast.
Now, I’ve had my fair share of games where I thought I was gonna carry with Malphite… then promptly faceplanted. But after some painful trial and error (and the occasional “why is this rock so slow?”), I’ve figured out a pretty solid build you can use to wreck face this season.
So yeah — whether you wanna be that tanky frontline boulder or the sneaky AP rock assassin, I got you covered.
Why Malphite Is Still Wicked Good in Season 14
Let’s be honest: tanks can be boring. But not Malphite. This dude’s got more versatility than my Aunt Judy’s knitting patterns (and she’s a wizard with yarn).
You can slap some armor on him and he’s like a brick wall, or toss on some AP items and suddenly he’s dropping nukes left and right. Plus, his ultimate, Unstoppable Force, is basically a free team fight win button.
One time, I ultted a whole team hiding behind a dragon pit. Felt like a god. Or maybe I was just lucky.
Here’s why he still rocks:
- Armor scaling means he laughs at AD carries.
- His R can start or end a fight instantly.
- Poke with Q is surprisingly annoying.
- Super easy to pick up but with depth if you want it.
- Tanky enough to soak damage but still bursts down squishies if built right.
And between you and me, his playstyle kinda feels like playing with a bulldozer. Smash. Bash. Repeat.
Runes That Don’t Suck for Malphite in Season 14
So, runes — the little magical perks that can make or break your game. For Malphite, it really depends if you wanna be tanky as heck or a walking nuke.
Tank Malphite: The Sturdy Boulder
- Grasp of the Undying – Because who doesn’t like a bit of sustain?
- Demolish – Towers? More like toothpicks.
- Second Wind – For that pesky poke that makes you wanna rage quit.
- Overgrowth – Slowly turns you into a giant boulder.
Then swing over to Inspiration for
- Magical Footwear (free boots, because why pay for stuff?)
- Biscuit Delivery (I swear, these biscuits saved me more times than I can count).
Stats? I take:
- Ability Haste (because cooldowns suck),
- Armor (duh),
- HP (more boulder, less squish).
Pro tip: I once forgot Second Wind against a Teemo and got shredded like paper. Rookie mistake. Don’t be me.
AP Malphite: The Rock That Bites Back
- Arcane Comet – Pokes harder than my morning coffee.
- Manaflow Band – Because Malphite is thirsty for mana.
- Transcendence – Cooldown reduction feels like cheating.
- Scorch – Adds some spicy poke damage.
Secondary?
- Cheap Shot (thanks for the extra damage, sneaky).
- Ultimate Hunter – Your ult’s gonna be back faster than you can say “rock smash.”
Stats? I grab:
- Ability Haste,
- Adaptive Force (because duh),
- Armor or MR, depending on lane.
Items That Make Malphite a Force of Nature (or Just a Force)
I’m gonna keep this simple and straight-up: there are two ways to build Malphite — tanky as a mountain or bursty as a volcanic eruption.
Tank Core Items
- Sunfire Aegis – This thing melts minions and buffs your damage.
- Thornmail – For when they think healing will save their sorry butts.
- Frozen Heart – I swear, I can hear enemy auto-attacks slow down.
- Randuin’s Omen – Keeps Yasuo’s crits from feeling like a slap.
- Gargoyle Stoneplate – Your “oh crap” button during team fights.
If you’re like me and often forget you have a Stoneplate until you die, don’t worry. Practice makes boulder.
AP Core Items
- Luden’s Tempest – Zaps like lightning and makes you feel flashy.
- Shadowflame – Because shields are the worst.
- Zhonya’s Hourglass – Great for that stylish “pause, wait for it, then smash” play.
- Rabadon’s Deathcap – Cranks your damage up to 11.
- Void Staff – When magic resist gets too real.
Hybrid Fun
Ever heard of Abyssal Mask? It’s weirdly good for both AP and tank builds. Kinda like that one pair of shoes you refuse to throw out even though they’re falling apart.
Or maybe Jak’Sho, The Protean for when you wanna mix it up — it gives you tankiness and damage as the fight drags on.
Playing Malphite in Lane: My Two Cents
Top Lane
In the top lane, it’s all about patience and knowing when to throw a rock at your opponent’s face. Or just slowly poke with Q and let them get frustrated.
Early game? I try to stay safe, use Q to poke, and use Grasp when trading. Sometimes I freeze the wave near my tower because nothing says “go cry” like missing minions.
Mid to late game? Look for teleports. I swear, a good TP gank with Malphite’s ult? Instant joy. Also, don’t forget to keep wards up, because surprise ult from the fog is the best ult.
Mid Lane AP Malphite
Okay, this one is a little spicy. Mid lane Malphite can surprise the heck out of people. One game, I roamed mid, flung my ult at a fed Vayne, and boom — they rage quit.
My best advice? Farm safely early, poke with Q, and roam like you’ve got wheels. And don’t forget to time your ult with your jungler’s ganks.
Skill Order: Because Leveling Stuff Matters
- Max Q first — it’s your bread and butter poke.
- Then max E — lowers enemy attack speed and deals AoE damage.
- Finally, max W — it’s a nice armor boost, but less urgent.
- And obviously, take R whenever you can.
If you’re like me, you’ll forget the order mid-game and realize you’ve maxed W too soon. Whoops.
When to Switch It Up: Situational Items
If you’re facing heavy AP, pick up:
- Force of Nature or Spirit Visage — your MR lifesavers.
- Maybe Maw of Malmortius if you want to keep some burst alive.
Against true damage or weird mixes:
- Heartsteel (it stacks and gets tankier the longer you stay alive — neat, huh?).
- Sterak’s Gage — because sometimes you just need a big shield to live.
Summoner Spells: Pick Your Poison
- Flash + Teleport: Classic top lane combo.
- Flash + Ignite: Mid lane or support — extra kill pressure.
- Flash + Exhaust: When you want to shut down a fed carry (or yourself from dying too fast).
I’ll admit, I once flashed into their team trying to ult. Yep. That happened.
Using Malphite’s Ult Like a Boss
This is the money move. Your ult, Unstoppable Force, can win or lose fights.
Tips:
- Don’t just R willy-nilly. Wait for the perfect moment.
- Try to hit at least two enemies. One is okay, but two? Sweet.
- Surprise factor helps — come from fog or behind walls.
One time, I ultted an entire enemy team hiding behind Baron. Felt like a movie scene. Spoiler: We won.
Late Game: What’s Your Role?
If tanky, you’re the wall. If AP, you’re the scary guy who deletes squishies.
Don’t just run in blindly. I learned that the hard way—like, twice. Team fights are about timing, patience, and a bit of rock ‘n’ roll.
Common Screw-Ups (Or How I Learned the Hard Way)
- Whiffing your ult. Nothing worse than an R that misses and you get laughed at.
- Building wrong items because you forgot to check enemy comp. Facepalm.
- Spamming Q without thinking about mana.
- Ignoring your W’s auto-empower. It makes a world of difference.
Bonus: Skins Because Why Not?
I’ll admit, I’m partial to Mecha Malphite. That ult looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. The Dark Star skin? Cosmic chaos with style.
If you wanna look wicked while smashing faces, those are the go-tos.
So… Is Malphite Worth Your Time in Season 14?
If you want my honest opinion? Heck yes. He’s forgiving enough for beginners but with enough depth to keep you hooked.
Malphite’s got that mix of tank and damage that