Sett should use his early lane pressure and brawling strength to deny Malzahar a passive scaling lane by forcing close trades and controlling wave state.
Focus on controlling mid lane through aggressive melee trades and punishing Malzahar's predictable push pattern to prevent him from roaming or scaling safely.
Trading pattern
Start trades by engaging with autos and (E) to keep Malzahar in melee range, then use grit-backed (W) to maximize damage and shield.
Punish Malzahar when he mispositions near minions or fails to dodge the center of (W).
Avoid chasing or extended trades without wave or cooldown setup since Malzahar can kite and silence with (Q).
Danger windows
Be cautious when (R) is available as it can suppress and lock you down for a kill.
Avoid trading immediately after missing (E) since your catch threat and combo potential drop significantly.
Watch for Malzahar's silence (Q) to disrupt your engage; avoid committing when it is off cooldown.
Early game
Use early levels to force short trades with autos and (E) to pull Malzahar near minions and land grit-backed (W) for strong damage.
Punish Malzahar's early push by killing his Voidlings quickly and forcing him under tower where he is vulnerable.
Avoid extended trades when (W) is sidestepped or (E) is on cooldown to prevent losing grit advantage.
Power spikes
At level 6, use (R) to displace and suppress Malzahar, forcing him into unfavorable brawls or enabling follow-up kills.
After first bruiser item, pressure the wave to force Malzahar into risky trades where your grit trades and (W) shield are more effective.
Respect Malzahar's level 6 (R) suppression window by tracking its cooldown and avoiding all-ins during its availability.
Win conditions
Win lane by forcing melee brawls that build grit and landing centered (W) damage to outtrade Malzahar.
Use (R) after Malzahar commits to secure kills or force him out of lane, then apply side-lane pressure.
Deny Malzahar safe scaling by punishing his predictable push and wave control, preventing him from roaming or impacting other lanes.
Tip: For Sett vs Malzahar, read overview, trading pattern, and danger windows first for a fast Mid lane check.
