Tank Malphite Build

Tank Malphite Build.

Tank Malphite build with runes and items. Tank Malphite guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Malphite build in League of Legends Patch 25.05!

Author: Wrekah

TLDR

Starting items
Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.
Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.
Quick Skill Order
Malphite ability Thunderclap should be leveled first.
W
Malphite ability Ground Slam should be leveled second.
E
Malphite ability Seismic Shard should be leveled third.
Q
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Abyssal Mask should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Quick Runes
Major rune Grasp of the Undying from Resolve tree.
Minor rune Domination.
Summoner spells
Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.
Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.

Tank Malphite Runes

Resolve
Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.
Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.
Resolve major tree Guardian rune.
Resolve major tree Demolish rune.
Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.
Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.
Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.
Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.
Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.
Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.
Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.
Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.
Domination
Domination minor tree Cheap Shot rune.
Domination minor tree Taste of Blood rune.
Domination minor tree Sudden Impact rune.
Domination minor tree Sixth Sense rune.
Domination minor tree Grisly Mementos rune.
Domination minor tree Deep Ward rune.
Domination minor tree Treasure Hunter rune.
Domination minor tree Relentless Hunter rune.
Domination minor tree Ultimate Hunter rune.
Passive
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).
Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).
Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).
Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).
Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).
Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).
Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).

How to play

General

  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
  3. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  4. You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
  5. Remember to consume your Grasp of the Undying procs!

Champion

  1. You can rush Thornmail as the first item against a full AD team.
  2. Against AD team, you can max Ground Slam (E), or even Thunderclap (W) for sweet Thornmail damage.

Tips and Tricks

Champion

  1. Universal skill order: default Seismic Shard (Q), Ground Slam (E) for countering auto attackers, Thunderclap (W) for Armor stacking builds.

Granite Shield (Passive)

  1. Wait for your Granite Shield (Passive) to be up, before engaging or going in and to prevent poke. You will be more tanky and survive longer.

Seismic Shard (Q)

  1. Chasing someone? You can use Seismic Shard (Q) on minions for speed buff, then for example Unstoppable Force (R) the target.
  2. While not playing strictly AP builds, you can prioritize using Seismic Shard (Q) on enemy carries in order to cripple them.

Ground Slam (E)

  1. Save Ground Slam (E) for enemy carries that rely on auto attacking, if possible.

Unstoppable Force (R)

  1. Sometimes it is better to hold on your R, rather than using it if you are not sure if you hit it. It puts pressure on the enemy, as they need to take into account your R.
  2. Want to hit more Unstoppable Force (R)? Surprise enemies by facing other directions before using your R.

Riot

  1. Armor naturally reduces the rate that attacks go through Granite Shield, so Brutal Strikes will strengthen the shield against physical damage.
  2. Despite his abilities scaling on Armor, some games require Malphite to get Magic Resist. When those games occur, try getting Aegis of the Legion, Mercury's Treads, and Guardian Angel.

Skill Order

  • Malphite [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Seismic Shard
  • Malphite [object Object] ability.
    W
    Thunderclap
  • Malphite [object Object] ability.
    E
    Ground Slam
  • Malphite [object Object] ability.
    R
    Unstoppable Force

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Mercury's Treads item.
Plated Steelcaps item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good tank items
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Fimbulwinter item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Good MR items
Hollow Radiance item.
Force of Nature item.
Spirit Visage item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Good Armor items
Unending Despair item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Frozen Heart item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Thornmail item.
Situational items
Knight's Vow item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
Trailblazer item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Liandry's Torment item.
Wit's End item.
Titanic Hydra item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Unending Despair item.
Abyssal Mask item.
Thornmail item.
Hollow Radiance item.