Mid Matchup

Talon vs Malzahar

Patch: 15.24 (25.24)
League: Platinum+
Talon

Talon

the Blade's Shadow
Mid
Talon Mid Overall Win Rate
51.21%

Matchup Win Rate

57.9%
Talon vs Malzahar Wins
⚔
42.1%
Malzahar vs Talon Wins
Malzahar

Malzahar

the Prophet of the Void
Mid
Malzahar Mid Overall Win Rate
51.33%

Talon vs Malzahar - Mid Matchup Guide Patch 15.24 (25.24)

Talon Mid vs Malzahar Mid - Who is stronger?

Talon Mid wins most games against Malzahar (57.9% win rate) based on 482 games. This matchup works very well for Talon players.

View detailed statistics below: items, runes, and counter builds for Talon Mid vs Malzahar Mid in patch 15.24 (25.24), including win rates and pick rates. With proper study, this can improve your chances of victory up to 70%+ in this matchup.

Statistical Matchup Analysis

While Talon remains a niche pick (1.5% pick rate, 42nd place out of 58 Mid champions), Malzahar dominates the current meta mid lane with 6.6% popularity. Mastering this matchup is crucial for Talon players - you'll face Malzahar in the majority of your games. Amplify your advantage: The Electrocute + Sudden Impact rune setup achieves 53.2% win rate (75.0% popularity), while the core build Youmuu's Ghostblade > Edge of Night > Opportunity with Ionian Boots of Lucidity (70%+ win rate) lets you snowball advantages into guaranteed victories by 15 minutes.

Win through macro: Talon takes the matchup (57.89%) despite falling behind in CS (6.74 vs 7.86/min). Your victories come through roaming, team fighting, and map pressure rather than 1v1 lane dominance. Complete superiority: Talon dominates both win rate (57.9%) and damage output (894 vs 731/min, 2nd among Mid). The 163 damage/min difference creates massive snowball potential. Statistical dominance: Talon leads in both matchup win rate (57.9%) and KDA (2.30 vs 2.10) - complete superiority across all metrics.

Talon vs Malzahar - Mid Stats Comparison

Talon Mid
Talon Mid		Versus
Malzahar Mid
Malzahar Mid
B+TierA+
57.9%Matchup Winrate42.1%
51.21%Role Winrate51.33%
#23Winrate Rank#19
1.5%Pickrate6.6%
2.3Average KDA2.1
437Gold per Minute427
6.74CS/Min7.86
0.22Wards per Minute0.31
894Damage per Minute731

How to Beat Malzahar as Talon (Mid)

The Talon versus Malzahar matchup in the mid lane is favorable with proper positioning. Use your statistical advantage and prevent the opponent from realizing their potential.

Except for rare builds, Talon deals physical damage. Focus on eliminating enemy carries. Meanwhile, Malzahar deals primarily magic damage (95.35%), additional magic resistance may be required.

Consider the farming superiority demonstrated by Malzahar, ranking 2nd (versus 27th for Talon) in farming efficiency among champions in this role. This means the opponent can build gold advantages more quickly. Meanwhile, their lower KDA (2.1 versus 2.3) suggests they are less effective in team fights.

Key aspects of the Talon Mid versus Malzahar Mid matchup

Despite the statistical advantage in the matchup, overconfidence can be the main mistake. It is important for the Talon player to maintain constant pressure on Malzahar, not allowing the opponent to safely scale up, and actively use the advantage gained to help their team.

Talon vs Malzahar: Mid Lane Summoner Spells

Most Popular

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Ignite
Ignite Deals true damage over time to target enemy champion and reduces healing effects on them for the duration.
52.2% Win Rate96.9% Pick Rate

Highest Win Rate

Flash
Flash Teleports you a short distance toward your cursor.
Teleport
Teleport After a brief channel, become untargetable and travel to an allied unit. Upgrades into Unleashed Teleport, which significantly increases travel speed.
59.4% Win Rate1.5% Pick Rate

Talon vs Malzahar: Mid Lane Runes

Most Frequent Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Electrocute
Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage.
Cooldown: 20s

'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'

Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive da…

Sudden Impact
Sudden Impact Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on level to enemy champions after using a dash, leap, blink, teleport, or when leaving stealth for 4s.

Cooldown: 10s

Sudden Impact

Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on …

Grisly Mementos
Grisly Mementos Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.

Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.

Grisly Mementos

Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.Gain 6 Trinket Haste fo…

Ultimate Hunter
Ultimate Hunter Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

Ultimate Hunter

Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bou…

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Absolute Focus
Absolute Focus While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 Ability Power (based on level).

Grants 1.8 Attack Damage or 3 Ability Power at level 1.

Absolute Focus

While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 …

Scorch
Scorch Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.

Cooldown: 10s

Scorch

Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus mag…

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

53.2% Win Rate75.0% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Runes

Primary Path
Domination
Electrocute
Electrocute Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive damage.

Damage: 70 - 240 (+0.1 bonus AD, +0.05 AP) damage.
Cooldown: 20s

'We called them the Thunderlords, for to speak of their lightning was to invite disaster.'

Electrocute

Hitting a champion with 3 separate attacks or abilities within 3s deals bonus adaptive da…

Sudden Impact
Sudden Impact Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on level to enemy champions after using a dash, leap, blink, teleport, or when leaving stealth for 4s.

Cooldown: 10s

Sudden Impact

Damaging basic attacks and abilities deal a bonus 20 - 80 True Damage based on …

Grisly Mementos
Grisly Mementos Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.

Gain 6 Trinket Haste for each collected. In game modes where vision Trinkets do not exist, instead gain 3 Summoner Spell Haste.

Grisly Mementos

Collect 1 memento on champion takedowns, up to 18 total.Gain 6 Trinket Haste fo…

Ultimate Hunter
Ultimate Hunter Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bounty Hunter stack. Bounty Hunter stacks are earned the first time you get a takedown on each enemy champion.

Ultimate Hunter

Your ultimate gains 6 Ability Haste, plus an additional 5 Ability Haste per Bou…

Secondary Path
Sorcery
Absolute Focus
Absolute Focus While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 Ability Power (based on level).

Grants 1.8 Attack Damage or 3 Ability Power at level 1.

Absolute Focus

While above 70% health, gain an adaptive bonus of up to 18 Attack Damage or 30 …

Scorch
Scorch Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus magic damage based on level after 1s.

Cooldown: 10s

Scorch

Your next damaging ability hit sets champions on fire dealing 20 - 40 bonus mag…

Adaptive
Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force
Adaptive Force Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

Adaptive Force

Grants 9 Attack Damage or 9 Ability Power

+65 Health
+65 Health +65 Health

+65 Health

+65 Health

53.2% Win Rate75.0% Pick Rate

Talon vs Malzahar: Mid Lane Item Builds

Most Popular Build

Starting Items
Stealth Ward
Stealth Ward (0 gold) Active (210 - 120s, max 2 charges)
Places an Invisible Stealth Ward that grants vision for 90-120 seconds.
Doran's Blade
Doran's Blade (450 gold) 10 Attack Damage
80 Health
3% Life Steal
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
45.8% Win Rate48.2% Pick Rate
Popular Boots
Ionian Boots of Lucidity
Ionian Boots of Lucidity (900 gold) 10 Ability Haste
45 Move Speed
Ionian Insight
Gain 10 Summoner Spell Haste.
50.3% Win Rate38.3% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
55.7% Win Rate24.8% Pick Rate
Mercury's Treads
Mercury's Treads (1250 gold) 20 Magic Resist
45 Move Speed
30% Tenacity
48.0% Win Rate20.0% Pick Rate
Core Build
Serrated Dirk
Serrated Dirk (1000 gold) 20 Attack Damage
10 Lethality
->
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Youmuu's Ghostblade (2800 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
4% Move Speed
Haunt
Gain Move Speed while out of combat.
Wraith Step
Gain Move Speed and Ghosting for seconds.
Opportunity
Opportunity (2700 gold) 55 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
Preparation
After being out of combat with Champions for 8 seconds gain Lethality. This Lethality lasts for 3 seconds after dealing damage to champions.
Extraction
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, gain 200 decaying Move Speed for 1.5 seconds.
Edge of Night
Edge of Night (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
250 Health
Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
53.4% Win Rate21.6% Pick Rate
Final Build
Serpent's Fang
Serpent's Fang (2500 gold) 55 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
Shield Reaver
Damaging an enemy champion reduces Shields they gain by % for 3 seconds.
If they were not already affected by Shield Reaver, reduce Shields on them by %.
45.8% Win Rate12.6% Pick Rate

Best Win Rate Build

Starting Items
Oracle Lens
Oracle Lens (0 gold) Active (160 - 100s, max 2 charges)
Reveals enemy Stealth Wards and traps around you for 6 seconds.
Doran's Blade
Doran's Blade (450 gold) 10 Attack Damage
80 Health
3% Life Steal
Health Potion
Health Potion (50 gold) Consume
Restores 120 Health over 15 seconds.
66.8% Win Rate2.1% Pick Rate
Highest Winrate Boots
Symbiotic Soles
Symbiotic Soles (900 gold) 40 Move Speed
Voidborn
Gain Empowered Recall.
Symbiosis
After traveling 150000 units of distance, transform into Synchronized Souls.
66.9% Win Rate7.3% Pick Rate
Plated Steelcaps
Plated Steelcaps (1200 gold) 25 Armor
45 Move Speed
Plating
Reduces incoming damage from Attacks by 10%.
59.1% Win Rate1.5% Pick Rate
Boots of Swiftness
Boots of Swiftness (1000 gold) 60 Move Speed
Fleetfooted
Reduce the effectiveness of Slows by 25%.
55.7% Win Rate24.8% Pick Rate
Core Build
Serrated Dirk
Serrated Dirk (1000 gold) 20 Attack Damage
10 Lethality
->
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Youmuu's Ghostblade (2800 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
4% Move Speed
Haunt
Gain Move Speed while out of combat.
Wraith Step
Gain Move Speed and Ghosting for seconds.
Edge of Night
Edge of Night (3000 gold) 50 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
250 Health
Annul
Grants a Spell Shield that blocks the next enemy Ability.
Opportunity
Opportunity (2700 gold) 55 Attack Damage
15 Lethality
Preparation
After being out of combat with Champions for 8 seconds gain Lethality. This Lethality lasts for 3 seconds after dealing damage to champions.
Extraction
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, gain 200 decaying Move Speed for 1.5 seconds.
100.0% Win Rate2.1% Pick Rate
Final Build
Axiom Arc
Axiom Arc (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
20 Ability Haste
Flux
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, refund some of your Ultimate Ability's total cooldown.
78.2% Win Rate10.1% Pick Rate
Other Items
Serylda's Grudge
Serylda's Grudge (3000 gold) 45 Attack Damage
35% Armor Penetration
15 Ability Haste
Bitter Cold
Damaging Abilities Slow enemies below 50% Health by 30% for 1 second.
70.4% Win Rate11.3% Pick Rate
Axiom Arc
Axiom Arc (3000 gold) 55 Attack Damage
18 Lethality
20 Ability Haste
Flux
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, refund some of your Ultimate Ability's total cooldown.
78.2% Win Rate10.1% Pick Rate
Guardian Angel
Guardian Angel (3200 gold) 55 Attack Damage
45 Armor
Rebirth
Upon taking lethal damage, restores 50% base Health and 100% max Mana after 4 seconds of Stasis.
43.0% Win Rate7.9% Pick Rate
Eclipse
Eclipse (2900 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
Ever Rising Moon
Hitting a champion with 2 separate Attacks or Abilities within 2 seconds grants you a Shield for 2 seconds.
39.5% Win Rate5.7% Pick Rate
Death's Dance
Death's Dance (3300 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
50 Armor
Ignore Pain
A percentage of damage taken is dealt to you over 3 seconds instead.
Defy
When a champion that you damaged within 3 seconds dies, cleanse Ignore Pain's remaining damage and restore Health over 2 seconds.
59.8% Win Rate5.7% Pick Rate
Maw of Malmortius
Maw of Malmortius (3100 gold) 60 Attack Damage
15 Ability Haste
40 Magic Resist
Lifeline
Taking magic damage that would reduce your Health below 30% grants a magic damage Shield for 3 seconds and 10% Omnivamp until end of combat.
73.7% Win Rate4.6% Pick Rate
Mercurial Scimitar
Mercurial Scimitar (3200 gold) 40 Attack Damage
40 Magic Resist
10% Life Steal

ACTIVE
Quicksilver
Removes all crowd control debuffs (excluding Airborne) and grants Move Speed.
74.3% Win Rate4.5% Pick Rate

Talon vs Malzahar: Mid Lane Skill (abilities) Orders

Most Frequent Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Q
Q
Noxian Diplomacy Talon stabs the target unit. If they are within melee range, this attack deals critical damage. If they are outside melee range, Talon will leap at his target before stabbing them. Talon refunds some health and cooldown if this ability kills the target.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
W
W
Rake Talon sends out a volley of daggers that then return back to him, dealing physical damage every time it passes through an enemy. The returning blades deal bonus damage and slow units hit.
W
W
W
W
W
E
E
Assassin's Path Talon vaults over any terrain or structure, up to a max distance. This ability has a low cooldown, but puts the used terrain on a long cooldown.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Shadow Assault Talon disperses a ring of blades and becomes Invisible while gaining additional Move Speed. When Talon emerges from Invisibility, the blades converge on his location. Each time the blades move, Shadow Assault deals physical damage to enemies hit by at least one blade.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > Q > E
52.4% Win Rate58.8% Pick Rate

Highest Win % Skill Order

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
R
Q
Noxian Diplomacy Talon stabs the target unit. If they are within melee range, this attack deals critical damage. If they are outside melee range, Talon will leap at his target before stabbing them. Talon refunds some health and cooldown if this ability kills the target.
Q
Q
Q
Q
Q
R
W
Rake Talon sends out a volley of daggers that then return back to him, dealing physical damage every time it passes through an enemy. The returning blades deal bonus damage and slow units hit.
W
W
W
W
W
R
E
Assassin's Path Talon vaults over any terrain or structure, up to a max distance. This ability has a low cooldown, but puts the used terrain on a long cooldown.
E
E
E
E
E
R
R
Shadow Assault Talon disperses a ring of blades and becomes Invisible while gaining additional Move Speed. When Talon emerges from Invisibility, the blades converge on his location. Each time the blades move, Shadow Assault deals physical damage to enemies hit by at least one blade.
R
R
R
Max Order: W > Q > E
82.8% Win Rate2.8% Pick Rate

Talon tips:

  • You can use Assassin's Path to get behind the enemy and set up for Noxian Diplomacy's melee attack.
  • Shadow Assault is a powerful escape tool, but can also be offensively used to assault a group.
  • Remember to pick your target before the fight. Focusing all of Talon's abilities on one target can be very rewarding, but splitting them up between many may leave you helpless.

Playing Against Malzahar

  • When Malzahar hits a spell on enemies affected by Malefic Visions, the Visions are refreshed.
  • Avoid minion waves that have been affected by Malefic Visions. You never know when they may die and pass the Visions onto you.
  • Malzahar is especially dangerous when he has built up his Void Swarm.

Talon Mid other Matchups

Talon
+9.1%
Yone

Talon vs Yone

Talon
+3.5%
Akali

Talon vs Akali

Talon
+3.5%
Orianna

Talon vs Orianna

Talon
+3.5%
Yasuo

Talon vs Yasuo

Talon
+2.5%
Ahri

Talon vs Ahri

Talon
+2.2%
Zed

Talon vs Zed

Talon
+1.8%
Viktor

Talon vs Viktor

Talon
+1.7%
Sylas

Talon vs Sylas

Talon
-1.5%
Katarina

Talon vs Katarina

Talon
-1.8%
Aurora

Talon vs Aurora

Talon
-2.5%
Twisted Fate

Talon vs Twisted Fate

Talon
-2.6%
Mel

Talon vs Mel