Mordekaiser vs Malphite Matchup Guide

Mordekaiser

Mordekaiser

Top Lane Juggernaut

Melee AP juggernaut whose isolated Obliterate poke, banked Indestructible shield, and isolating Realm of Death punish anyone who trades into him without a plan

VS
Malphite

Malphite

Top Lane Tank

Armor-scaling tank who pokes with Seismic Shard, procs bonus magic damage through Thunderclap, and dives a whole team with the crowd-control-immune Unstoppable Force knockup

VerdictMordekaiser favored EarlySkill Matchup MidMordekaiser Favored LateMordekaiser Favored Updated Jul 17, 2026

Champ Select Cheat Sheet — Mordekaiser vs Malphite

Runes
No deviation from the base Precision page here (ConquerorConquerorGain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions. plus the usual scaling trio); Federals1's Malphite row spends its one real swap on TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
Secondary: Inspiration's bootsBootsSlightly increases Move Speed plan matters more here than most: Magical Footwear's early speed and Approach Velocity's passive burst are what let you close on a champion who would rather poke and reposition
Summoners
FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
Core Build
Rylai's Crystal Scepter, Boots of Swiftness, Riftmaker, Liandry's Torment, Spirit Visage
Trade Pattern
Q > E > W
Isolated poke first; flip E only on a rooted target, and bank W the moment Thunderclap's empowered auto is coming.
Danger Levels
Respect Malphite at level 9

Matchup Dynamics

How This Matchup Works

Federals1 rates this an Easy matchup, and Malphite's own coaching agrees, calling it Hard from his side and rushing Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist into Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. to survive the magic damage. He has no sustain to answer Liandry's once it lands, and his own Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. punishes bonus movement speed on its target - a wrinkle worth remembering before stacking Approach VelocityApproach VelocityBonus MS towards nearby enemy champions that are movement impaired, increased for enemy champions that you impair. and Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows blindly. Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. still closes the fight regardless of how the poke phase goes: a dash that lands without support is a wasted ultimate for his whole team.

Early Game (1-5)

Skill Matchup - Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. gives him real poke from range, unlike matchups where the approach is free. Trade isolated Q back and hold W through his opening exchanges; neither side runs away with this window.

Mid Game (6-11)

Mordekaiser Favored - Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies lands and he has nothing built in to healHealRestores Health and grants Move Speed to you and target allied champion. through it. His own coaching rushes Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist and Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. specifically to survive the burn, which tells you how much it matters.

Late Game (12+)

Mordekaiser Favored - His real value shows up as a teamfight initiator, not a laner, and his own sheet already plays the lane toward that goal. Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. removes him from the engage before Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. ever pays off.

Key Interactions

  • Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. taxes your own movement speed: His poke deals bonus damage scaled off the target's bonus movement speed. Approach Velocity's passive burst and Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows both feed that number, so a faster build isn't free against this specific kit.
  • Q still isolates for real damage: Obliterate's bonus disappears the second a minion shares the hit. His poke range makes a clean angle harder to find than usual, so wait for him to overextend rather than forcing it into the wave.
  • W has to cover the ThunderclapW – ThunderclapMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him. proc: His next auto after ThunderclapW – ThunderclapMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him. deals bonus magic damage on top of the hit itself. A trade without the shield active banks nothing against that extra tick.
  • R ends the engage before the knockup pays off: Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. is worthless to his team if he lands alone. Trap him in Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. the instant the dash ends, and the knockup goes to waste.

Mordekaiser

Strengths

  • Liandry's percent-health burn has nothing built into his kit to healHealRestores Health and grants Move Speed to you and target allied champion. through, and his own coaching rushes magic resist specifically because of it
  • Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. removes him from a fight before Unstoppable Force's knockup ever pays off for his team
  • His own sheet plays the lane passively, poking and scaling rather than forcing anything, which hands the tempo over for free

Weaknesses

  • Seismic Shard's bonus damage scales off your bonus movement speed, so Approach VelocityApproach VelocityBonus MS towards nearby enemy champions that are movement impaired, increased for enemy champions that you impair. and Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows both make you a better-paying target for it
  • His ranged poke means the approach isn't free the way it is in some matchups; isolated Q takes real work to land clean
  • A completed Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. starts winning teamfights outright once your own power dips past the falloff point

Malphite

Strengths

  • Unstoppable Force's dash carries crowd-control immunity and threatens a teamfight-ending knockup on landing
  • Granite ShieldP – Granite ShieldMalphite is shielded by a layer of rock which absorbs damage up to 10% of his maximum Health. If Malphite has not been hit for a few seconds, this effect recharges. blocks a chunk of repeated damage from the same source, and Ground Slam's attack-speed slow punishes anyone trying to duel through it
  • Coached magic-resist rush blunts a real portion of the damage this lane deals out

Weaknesses

  • Nothing in his kit heals through Liandry's percent-health burn once it lands
  • His own sheet rates this Hard and plays the lane around surviving rather than winning it
  • Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. rewards a slower opponent; a Mordekaiser who skips the movement speed rune line denies him the bonus damage entirely

Power Curve Comparison EXPERIMENTAL

Power Curve Visualization

Win Conditions

Mordekaiser's Win Condition

  • Trade isolated Q for his Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. poke rather than forcing an approach he can punish from range
  • Hold W through his ThunderclapW – ThunderclapMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him.-empowered autos; a trade without the shield banks nothing against the bonus tick
  • Finish Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies and let the burn do the work his coaching already fears enough to rush magic resist for
  • Isolate him with Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. the instant Unstoppable Force's dash ends, before his team can capitalize on the knockup

Malphite's Win Condition

  • Plays the lane behind Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. poke rather than forcing anything, per his own sheet
  • Rushes Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist into Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. specifically to survive the magic damage this lane deals out
  • Saves Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. for a teamfight window with support behind it rather than a lane duel
  • Leans on Granite ShieldP – Granite ShieldMalphite is shielded by a layer of rock which absorbs damage up to 10% of his maximum Health. If Malphite has not been hit for a few seconds, this effect recharges. and Ground Slam's attack-speed slow to make an extended trade survivable

Laning Phase Guide

Level/Phase Mordekaiser Malphite
Level 1 Doran's RingDoran's RingGood starting item for casters and a potion, same as most matchups. Trade Q pokes rather than walking in for an auto; his kit has real range too, unlike some lanes. Plays behind Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. from the first wave; his own sheet already treats this as a lane to survive, not win.
Level 2 Second point fills W or E depending on the exchange; keep the poke trade going rather than forcing an all-in he can punish. Poke keystone rewards patience; expect Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. on cooldown rather than a walk-up auto trade.
Level 3 Full basic combo online: isolated Q leads, W covers the ThunderclapW – ThunderclapMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him.-empowered auto, E saved for whenever he commits to a last hit and gets caught standing in it. Full kit too, though Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. is still three levels away; the poke trade stays the whole story here.
Level 4-5 Keep trading poke for poke; there is no reason to force a stand-and-fight he can answer with Ground Slam's attack-speed slow. Still playing for the poke trade; his sheet writes no aggression window into this lane the way some matchups do.
Level 6 Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. adds the closer; the moment his dash lands without support, trap him before the knockup pays for anything. Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. arrives, but it needs a team behind it to matter; alone, it is just a gap-closer into a losing fight.
Level 7-8 RiftmakerRiftmaker70 Ability Power350 Health15 Ability HasteVoid CorruptionFor each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%. and Liandry's come online; the burn starts doing what his coached magic-resist rush is trying to prevent. Sheet path adds Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. behind the early Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist; the magic-resist rush keeps compounding.
Level 9 Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies nears completion; the poke-trade lane usually has a real lead banked by now. Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows rounds out the coached path; mobility to reposition for a fight, not to win the lane outright.

Power Spikes

Level Spikes

Mordekaiser Malphite
Level Description Level Description
3 Minor Full basic combo online; isolated Q trades with his Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. poke on close terms 3 Minor Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. poke is the whole lane plan at this stage
6 Major Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. threatens to strand him before Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. ever lands with support 6 Minor Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. exists but needs a team behind it to matter this early
9 Major Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies nears completion; the burn does what his coached magic-resist rush is trying to prevent 9 Major Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. completes behind the early Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist; the magic-resist rush is fully online

Item Spikes

Mordekaiser Malphite
Item Description Item Description
Rylai's Crystal ScepterRylai's Crystal ScepterAbilities slow enemies The slow keeps him from resetting the poke trade at range Tear of the GoddessTear of the GoddessIncreases maximum Mana as Mana is spent Coached starting item; mana for an AP-itemized Malphite
Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows The matchup swap for Plated SteelcapsPlated SteelcapsEnhances Move Speed and reduces incoming basic attack damage; closes the gap on a kit with real poke of its own Negatron CloakNegatron CloakModerately increases Magic Resist Early magic-resist rush aimed squarely at this lane's damage type
RiftmakerRiftmaker70 Ability Power350 Health15 Ability HasteVoid CorruptionFor each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%. Sustain and the damage amp once trades turn into extended contact Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. Follow-up magic-resist item with an anti-burst shield built in
Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies The burn his own coaching already rushes magic resist to survive Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows Coached last on the row; repositioning rather than a laning tool
Spirit VisageSpirit VisageIncreases Health and healing effects Boosts the W shield, and every point of incoming damage here is the magic type it resists

Best Build for Mordekaiser

Starting Items

Core Items

Rylai's Crystal ScepterRylai's Crystal ScepterAbilities slow enemies, Boots of SwiftnessBoots of SwiftnessEnhances Move Speed and reduces the effect of slows, RiftmakerRiftmaker70 Ability Power350 Health15 Ability HasteVoid CorruptionFor each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%., Liandry's TormentLiandry's TormentCharge up in combat to deal high damage over time, especially against durable enemies, Spirit VisageSpirit VisageIncreases Health and healing effects

Runes

Primary: No deviation from the base Precision page here (ConquerorConquerorGain stacks of adaptive force when attacking enemy champions. After reaching 12 stacks, heal for a portion of damage you deal to champions. plus the usual scaling trio); Federals1's Malphite row spends its one real swap on TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.

Secondary: Inspiration's bootsBootsSlightly increases Move Speed plan matters more here than most: Magical Footwear's early speed and Approach Velocity's passive burst are what let you close on a champion who would rather poke and reposition

Summoner Spells

FlashFlashTeleports you a short distance toward your cursor. + TeleportTeleportAfter a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.

Priority Build Path

1
Rylai's Crystal Scepter

The slow that keeps a kiting, poking Malphite from resetting the trade

2
Boots of Swiftness

Matchup swap for Plated SteelcapsPlated SteelcapsEnhances Move Speed and reduces incoming basic attack damage; needed to close on a kit with real poke of its own

3
Riftmaker

Sustain and the damage amp once contact turns extended

4
Liandry's Torment

The burn his own coaching already rushes magic resist to survive

5
Spirit Visage

Closes the row on the matchup path; boosts the W shield against an all-magic kit

Situational Adjustments

  • Zhonya's HourglassZhonya's HourglassActivate to become invincible but unable to take actions: a shield break shows up on his team late, since nothing else buys back the stasis window W used to provide
  • Abyssal MaskAbyssal Mask350 Health45 Magic Resist15 Ability HasteUnmakeNearby enemy champions take 12% more magic damage.: the rest of the team already deals heavy magic damage; the aura amplifies a teamfight built around the burn

Key Patterns

Lethal Combos

Mordekaiser Full Combo (Level 6+):

R > E > Q > W

Trap the dash before Unstoppable Force's follow-up lands; the realm's slow lines up E for the pull, then Q and the shield close it out.
Malphite Escape/Counter Combo:

R > W > E > AA

Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. opens with the knockup, Thunderclap's empowered auto and Ground Slam's AoE follow, though the real payoff needs teammates in the radius.

Trading Combos

Mordekaiser Short Trade:

Q > E > W

Isolated poke first; flip E only on a rooted target, and bank W the moment Thunderclap's empowered auto is coming.
Malphite Quick Trade:

Q > W > E

Standard poke shape: Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. from range, Thunderclap's proc on the follow-up auto, Ground SlamE – Ground SlamMalphite slams the ground, sending out a shockwave that deals magic damage based on his Armor and reduces the Attack Speed of enemies for a short duration. only once he is already committed to melee.

Lethal Thresholds

  • Mordekaiser Kill Range: No published percentage; the read is trading isolated Q for his Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. poke evenly, then letting Liandry's decide it once the burn is online.
  • Malphite Kill Range: Unstoppable Force's knockup only pays off with teammates behind it; alone, it is a gap-closer into a losing fight rather than a kill threat.
  • Critical Levels: 3 (both basic kits complete, poke trades evenly) / 6 (Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. threatens the dash before support arrives) / 9 (Liandry's completes, his magic-resist rush concedes the lane)

Level by Level Game Plan

Level Primary Goal Lane Position Trading Opportunities Kill Windows Setup Opportunities
1 Trade poke for poke Wave edge, respecting his range too Q on cooldown; he answers with Seismic ShardQ – Seismic ShardMalphite sends a shard of the earth through the ground at his foe, dealing damage upon impact and stealing Move Speed for 3 seconds. Low Neither kit punishes the other for existing at range
2 Keep the poke trade even Hold space without overextending Second basic ability joins Q Low His poke keystone rewards patience, not aggression
3 Full trade kit online Near minions for a clean isolated angle Q leads, W covers his ThunderclapW – ThunderclapMalphite attacks with such force that it creates a sonic boom. For the next few seconds, his attacks create aftershocks in front of him.-empowered auto Medium Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. is still three levels out
4-5 Stack the poke lead Hold the wave Poke-for-poke, no forced all-ins either way Low His sheet writes no aggression window into this stretch
6 R denies the dash Watch for an isolated Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. attempt Trap the landing before support arrives High if he dashes in alone A knockup with nobody to follow it up does nothing
7-8 RiftmakerRiftmaker70 Ability Power350 Health15 Ability HasteVoid CorruptionFor each second in combat with enemy champions, deal 2% bonus damage, up to 8%. stick pressure Hold lane, push when the poke trade is ahead Extended contact starts to matter more than the poke Medium Track his Kaenic RookernKaenic Rookern400 Health80 Magic Resist100% Base Health RegenMagebaneAfter not taking magic damage for 15 seconds, gain a magic shield. timing
9+ Liandry's nears completion Look to close the lane or roam off the lead Full pattern whenever he is caught without support High His magic-resist rush already concedes how much the burn matters
Mid Game (11-16) Deny the engage window Group early rather than let him pick the fight Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. answers any dash he commits alone High on an unsupported Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. Confirm his flank before he confirms yours
Late Game (16+) Teamfight around denying his knockup Frontline, watching for the engage angle Isolate him the instant the dash lands Whenever his defensive items are down A stranded Malphite is a wasted teamfight for his whole team

First Back Goals

Teamfight Tips

Aspect Mordekaiser Malphite
Primary Role Engage-denial threat; a Malphite who dashes in without backup is a free isolation target the instant Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. ends Frontline initiator whose whole value is the knockup landing on multiple targets with a team ready to follow
Target Priority Malphite himself the instant his dash ends without support
Whoever his knockup catches, before they can be peeled
Squishier targets once the frontline commitment is spent		 As many targets as the knockup radius allows
Follows up on whichever ally lands the first big hit
Objective Control Ward the dash angle before a pit fight; a blind Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. into vision is a wasted ultimate
Punish an early Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. with an immediate Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. before his team can capitalize		 Waits for a grouped target before ever committing the dash
Uses Ground Slam's attack-speed slow to hold a contest rather than force it
Positioning Stand just outside the knockup radius when possible; a wasted Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air. is worth more than dodging one auto
Realm of DeathR – Realm of DeathMordekaiser drags his victim to a different dimension with him and steals a portion of their stats. If he kills them, he keeps the stats until the victim respawns. punishes the dash itself, not just the aftermath		 Waits behind frontline cover before committing Unstoppable ForceR – Unstoppable ForceMalphite launches himself to a location at high speed, damaging enemies and knocking them into the air.
Times the engage for when a target is already out of position, not just in range
Other Tips A dash that lands on empty ground wastes his whole kit for the fight; bait it before committing your own team
Liandry's burn keeps compounding through a fight his coaching already plays defensively around		 His own coaching treats this lane as one to survive, so expect the engage to wait for a real opening rather than force one
Granite ShieldP – Granite ShieldMalphite is shielded by a layer of rock which absorbs damage up to 10% of his maximum Health. If Malphite has not been hit for a few seconds, this effect recharges. resets against a new attacker, so spreading out the damage source blunts its value