Malzahar vs Garen TOP Matchup Guide | LaneStomp

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Malzahar vs Garen

Updated Jun 4, 2026

Overview

Malzahar should focus on controlling the wave and maintaining constant pressure to deny Garen a stable lane state.
This matchup is a control versus durable juggernaut scenario where Malzahar must avoid giving Garen short trade windows and execute opportunities.

Trading pattern

Push with (E) and Voidlings, then threaten trades by positioning to silence Garen with (Q) or lock him down with (R).
Punish Garen after he uses (Q) silence by stepping forward to apply pressure while his main engage tool is down.
Avoid extended trades when (E) spin is active; instead, trade when he disengages to maximize damage safely.

Danger windows

(Q) silence and (E) spin create dangerous short trade windows; avoid committing when these are available.
Malzahar is vulnerable when (R) is on cooldown or interrupted; do not force all-ins without ultimate ready.
Be cautious after taking chip damage as (R) can execute low-health targets; maintain health above execute thresholds.

Early game

Use (E) and Voidlings to push early waves and force Garen under tower, limiting his short trade effectiveness.
Avoid extended trades before level 6, as Garen's silence (Q) and spin damage (E) punish predictable patterns.
Track (Q) cooldown to avoid getting silenced and losing key spells during trades.

Power spikes

At level 6, (R) suppression allows for reliable all-ins or defensive resets; track this to engage or disengage accordingly.
After completing the first mana/AP item, increase wave pressure and trade confidence, forcing Garen to respect your damage.
Respect Garen's level 6 (R) execute window by avoiding low-health states and spacing to prevent easy executes.

Win conditions

Maintain permanent wave pressure with (E) and Voidlings to deny Garen safe trades and scaling.
Use (R) to lock down Garen for picks or defensive plays, controlling lane tempo and enabling map presence.
Exploit cooldowns on (Q) and (R) by trading aggressively during these windows to secure lane dominance.