Malzahar vs Taliyah MID Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Malzahar

VS

Mid

Taliyah

Malzahar vs Taliyah

Updated May 31, 2026

Overview

Malzahar aims to keep midlane pushed permanently to control the pace and deny Taliyah safe scaling.
Manage wave pressure to prevent Taliyah from using W and E to punish forward movement or roam safely.

Trading pattern

Push with E and W, then threaten silence with Q or lockdown with R when Taliyah steps forward.
Punish Taliyah if she wastes Taliyah W or Taliyah E by stepping up aggressively to trade or zone.
Avoid extended trades where Taliyah can kite through her Taliyah Q and Taliyah E zone; focus on short, controlled bursts.

Danger windows

Be cautious when Taliyah's Taliyah W and Taliyah E are available to punish forward movement or force displacement.
Malzahar's R channel is vulnerable to interruption; avoid engaging if Taliyah's crowd control is ready.
When Taliyah roams using Taliyah R, hard push the wave to punish her absence and take plates or jungle pressure.

Early game

Use E and W to push early waves, forcing Taliyah under tower where her poke with Taliyah Q is less effective.
Avoid predictable patterns to reduce Taliyah's chance to punish with Taliyah W displacement and Taliyah E zones.
Respect Taliyah's Taliyah W and Taliyah E cooldowns before stepping forward for trades.

Power spikes

Malzahar's level 6 R is a major spike for lockdown and kill pressure.
First completed mana/AP item boosts Malzahar's wave clear and damage threat.
Respect Taliyah's level 6 R for map pressure and potential roams that can leave Malzahar vulnerable.

Win conditions

Maintain constant wave pressure with E and W to deny Taliyah safe wave control and roaming opportunities.
Use R lockdown after pushing to secure kills or force summoner spells.
Control mid to enable map presence and assist side lanes, leveraging Malzahar's push and suppression strengths.