Malzahar vs Garen MID Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Malzahar

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Mid

Garen

Malzahar vs Garen

Updated Jun 5, 2026

Overview

Prioritize pushing midlane constantly with (E) and Voidlings to deny Garen free farm and open roam or objective opportunities.
Manage lane pressure to avoid extended trades where Garen's silence (Q) and execute (R) threaten you, focusing on control rather than all-in fights.

Trading pattern

Push waves with (E) and Voidlings, then threaten trades by zoning with (Q) silence or committing with (R) when Garen steps forward.
Punish Garen immediately after he uses (Q) since he loses his silence and damage potential.
Disengage after your (E) damage window ends to avoid losing sustained trades against his spin (E) and passive regen.

Danger windows

Respect (Q) silence window as it can deny your defensive spells and initiate short trades.
Avoid extended trades during his spin (E) damage and passive health regen to prevent heavy damage.
Stay out of execute (R) range when low on health or without your (R) available to avoid lethal all-ins.

Early game

Use early levels to shove with (E) and Voidlings, forcing Garen under tower where his short trades lose effectiveness.
Track (Q) cooldown to avoid his silence and punish his limited follow-up window.
Avoid extended trades early to prevent being punished when your Voidlings are vulnerable under tower.

Power spikes

At level 6, use (R) suppression to force picks, roams, or defensive resets, but respect Garen's execute (R) threat by avoiding low-health trades.
After completing your first mana/AP item, increase pressure on waves and trades to punish Garen before he builds defenses.
Respect Garen's level 6 execute (R) window by maintaining health and spacing when his silence (Q) is available.

Win conditions

Keep midlane pushed permanently with (E) and Voidlings to deny Garen free farm and enable roams or objective control.
Use (R) suppression after Garen commits to secure kills or force him off the wave.
Punish Garen's cooldowns, especially (Q) silence, by stepping forward to harass or crash waves before he recovers.