How to win lane as Xerath against Malzahar · 54.73% win rate over 3,976 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Xerath | Your Q out-ranges all of Malzahar's level-1 tools, giving you free early poke. |
| Level 2 | Xerath | At level 2 he still has no answer to your range while you chip him each time he last-hits. |
| Level 3 | Xerath | By level 3 your W-into-Q sequence beats his Void Shield and out-trades his push. |
| Levels 4-5 | Xerath | Levels 4-5 stay yours as you poke over his perma-shove and deny him free tempo. |
| Level 6 | Xerath | Level 6 favours you because your R reaches him while his suppression R can't reach you. |
| First item | Xerath | At first item your Q pierces his shield regen and pressures him off the wave. |
| Two+ items | Xerath | With two items your backline zoning beats a Malzahar forced to commit R from melee. |
Levels 1-2 favour you cleanly: your Q out-ranges everything Malzahar has, and his only early tools are Call of the Void silence and pushing the wave. Poke him whenever he approaches a minion, but expect his Void Shield to eat your first hit — sequence W then Q so the real damage lands.
The full Xerath vs Malzahar report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Malzahar vs Xerath guide →
All Xerath mid lane matchups →