Malzahar vs Riven MID Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Champion

Opponent

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Malzahar

VS

Mid

Riven

Malzahar vs Riven

Updated Jun 3, 2026

Overview

Malzahar must maintain constant wave pressure to deny Riven the cooldown advantages she needs for trades.
This is a control vs snowball matchup where Malzahar uses suppression and wave control to limit Riven's lethal all-in windows.

Trading pattern

Push with (E) and Voidlings, then threaten trades by silencing Riven when she steps forward.
Punish Riven immediately after she uses (Q) and (E) to reduce her mobility and shield.
Avoid trading when (W) stun or third (Q) knockup is up, as her burst combo can punish Malzahar's lack of mobility.

Danger windows

Riven is most dangerous when all her cooldowns including (Q), (W), (E), and (R) are available for a full combo.
Avoid extended trades when (E) shield is active, as it mitigates return damage.
Be cautious of Riven's level 6 all-in window, especially if you have already spent (R) or crowd control.

Early game

Use (E) and Voidlings to push early waves and prevent Riven from freely engaging with cooldowns.
Respect (W) stun and third (Q) knockup by avoiding trades when her mobility and crowd control are available.
Track Riven's cooldowns closely to punish her when (Q) and (E) are spent before level 6.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) suppression to lock down Riven and force picks or defensive resets.
After first mana/AP item, increase wave pressure and trade confidence while tracking Riven's cooldowns.
Respect Riven's level 6 (R) execute and full combo power by holding crowd control and spacing carefully.

Win conditions

Keep midlane pushed permanently to deny Riven cooldown advantages and force her to farm under pressure.
Use (R) suppression to secure picks or force Riven to disengage, enabling roams or objective control.
Exploit Riven's cooldown windows by punishing her after she commits key abilities to maintain lane control and scale safely.