Malene: Builds, Playstyle, and Discussion

Oh honey, you wish you were me!

Welcome to the forum-built introduction to Malene, part of our #guides series! If you’re new to Malene and would like an overview, you’re in the right place! You’ll find builds, playstyle tips, and other resources by clicking the links below.

BUILDS
PLAYSTYLE TIPS
OTHER RESOURCES
DISCUSSION BY UPDATE: 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2

If you’d like to contribute, please do! These posts are wikis that forum members can edit. Post your builds and playstyle tips! But don’t make it too detailed. The goal is a quick, easy-to-browse overview for players who are new to this hero. You may want to check out our other hero #guides for examples!

This thread is also for discussion, so feel free to reply with comments and questions about Malene and the builds and tips posted here.

Malene Builds


Malevolent Deity - Lane Burst Queen :vgroles_carry_mid: :vgroles_carry:

CORE:
:vgitem_aftershock: :vgitem_stormcrown: :vgitem_pulseweave: :vgitem_journeyboots:

LATE GAME ITEM:
:vgitem_celestialshroud: :vgitem_shatterglass: :vgitem_spellfire: :vgitem_eveofharvest:

Leverages heroic perk for constant poke damage... (click for details)

A most viable build that I usually play using Malene as her playstyle revolves around her perk of empowerment and constant poke damage. Malene is always about chasing and fleeing and baiting enemies. :vgitem_aftershock: is her first build to sustain herself every time she swaps. True that there is lack of CP damage however with stormcrown in her built making her the best poke mage out there dealing up to 750 constant damage + aftershock damage in late game. 3rd attack build is usually depends on enemies comp, :vgitem_spellfire: for heal comps, :vgitem_shatterglass: to deal huge chunk of abilities damage. So choose your 3rd abilities to counter them wisely. As for defence, yes Malene can be squishy or if you accidentally use your dark B. Celestial Shrouds comes in handy or even when you are in your light form. :vgitem_pulseweave: is to safely engage and disengage depends on the situation.

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

Pure CP Malene :vgroles_carry_mid: :vgroles_carry:

CORE:
:vgitem_shatterglass: :vgitem_shatterglass: :vgitem_dragonseye: :vgitem_eveofharvest: :vgitem_journeyboots:

SITUATIONAL:
:vgitem_pulseweave: :vgitem_celestialshroud: :vgitem_shatterglass:

Massive damage through CP scaling... (click for details)

Malene too however scales with CP so without aftershock still works on her. Her empowerment do gets stronger the longer you engage in battle with help of dragoneye :vgitem_dragonseye: . Though different from her first build, this build still allows you deal huge raw damage and sustain well enough with eve :vgitem_eveofharvest: .

2nd :vgitem_shatterglass: is situational but I usually build 2nd :vgitem_shatterglass: for higher damage which makes Malene highly threatening to enemies. If you want a safer approach with this build, you can remove 2nd :vgitem_shatterglass: and build in two defence situational items. Not only this build gives high raw damage but also safe defence for you to engage too otherwise you can go purely CP with one defence or none (relying on your dark B) which works if you are quite well used to Malene.

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

OTHER VIABLE BUILDS

Alternating Malene :vgroles_carry: :vgroles_carry_mid:

:vgitem_alternatingcurrent: :vgitem_dragonseye: :vgitem_stormcrown: :vgitem_pulseweave: :vgitem_journeyboots: (:vgitem_celestialshroud: or :vgitem_brokenmyth:)

Key: Positioning and Continuous Attacks

This build works too, but you have to safely position and continuously attack and every 6 sec with deal a huge poke damage. Dragoneye will increase your damage the longer you engage against enemies heros. However this build doesn’t allow you to flee or chase as you to keep attacking continuously so be mindful if you going down this path.

Captain Malene :vgroles_captain: :vgroles_carry_top:

:vgitem_fountainofrenewal: :vgitem_crucible: :vgitem_wartreads: :vgitem_stormcrown: :vgitem_aftershock:

Key: Team Synergy and Personal Confidence

This build is only RECOMMENDED if you are really good as Malene and your team knows your playstyle as CAPTAIN MALENE. Captain Malene playstyle is different from CP Malene. If you are going down this path as Captain, keep in mind. You can’t offer any protection to your team but yourself as a bait but that doesn’t mean you have to be in frontline all the time. All be in DARK form if you want to bait your enemies so you can escape while your team engage then you join them. Use your abilities especially Dark B to slow and Light A to trap and also abuse your light empowerment as much as you can . Be mindful about your stormcrown too as it can deal tons of damage too but be aware of your team members too.

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

add more builds here

1 Like

Malene Playstyle Tips


Learn how to engage your enemies by chasing and fleeing. That’s is her main playstyle unless you are going alternating current path

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

Be wary of your DARK B, use it if you are being ganked or when enemies ults is lock on you.
Eg. Baron, Magnus, Skye, Ringo

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

Never be scared to engage up close because you are stronger the closer you are to the enemies.
Eg. Dark A deals huge damage + Enpowerment poke + Stormcrown Poke.

added by @TadashiN, update 4.0

Malene can counter almost all heros, except she might have harder time countering ranges and burst heros.
E.g. Celeste (can be countered if you snowball)
Reza, he can burst you unless you initiate the attack and dodge his ult and from there you can snowball.
Taka, vision and you start snowballing.
Blackfeather, avoid if you can but you try bursting him once a while in team fight.
Gwen, baron, ringo, kine - late. Stay with your team and kite.

added by @TadashiN, update 4.2

add more tips here

Other Malene Resources


Wallpapers
Concept Art
Lore
Voice Lines

Official Hero Spotlight:

DONE hehe!

Do read and tell me what you think. and do test them out if you can

3 Likes

Thanks for adding those builds and tips, @TadashiN! I haven’t played Malene in a few patches, so I’m still used to the :vgitem_aftershock: :vgitem_clockwork: build, instead of :vgitem_aftershock: :vgitem_stormcrown:. I’ll give it a try!

Question: are you starting with a Banner, or are you rushing :vgitem_aftershock: completely?

I tried the build before but my jungler in 3v3 picked YLVA so I ended up with a jungler not dealing damage , they playing wp YLVA and not using her combo , so the guy was typing in the chat to me about the build and how I was dealing zero damage , he thought he was dealing damage while I was the one dealing damage , but from the build it looks like no damage , so I think it’s a good build but not enough to carry a game , like I couldn’t do anything with that YLVA not doing anything , so I guess the burst damage safer for Malene without the stormcrown .

Two crystal bits, then tier 1 boots and banner. I won’t say rushing but I build :vgitem_aftershock: first. Then save up for :vgitem_stormcrown:

1 Like

So I’ve played a tonne of Malene.

I’ve found rushing shatterglass for the raw damage has helped me a lot. My games improved when I did.

So 2 Crystal bits, boots, banner then into
:vgitem_shatterglass::vgitem_stormcrown::vgitem_aftershock::vgitem_journeyboots:

Tier 2 boots quite quickly depending on opposition and then defence as appropriate.

I’m really enjoying playing her and was brave enough to play a ranked and win today :slight_smile:

I’m saddened that all my matches bar some from months ago will not be available on the API sites as I was looking forward to seeing what opposition I had on casuals and gauging my play.

Anyways many thanks @tadashin as without this guide I probably wouldn’t have bothered and I’m really enjoying playing her :grin:

3 Likes

Welcome. Gald you played Malene and hope you will continue to play more as her!

Screenshot_20190426-144616_Vainglory

Screenshot_20190425-160213_Vainglory

I am starting to use malene as top lane/mid. Sometimes jungler.

1 Like

1000 cs is the most I have seen :scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat::scream_cat:

1 Like

That’s not CS, that’s the kill bounty.

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Did you have any energy problems or that build was enough to get enough energy ?! , like I’ve seen Malene mains and they say aegis is a most buy to block cc her B not enough ?!

I had plenty of energy. But i don’t really need dark B most of the time unless their team is focusing on me. My main attack is AA and Light A and Dark A. Not much of energy required for them same for swapping. And my AA dark huge poke late game to point where i chain my combo wisely is enough to kill them one shot.

Lol. Already clarified but yeah. Hehe

I will record my gameplay one day and share it.

Malene isnt energy hungry, at least not compared to the other mages, specially considering her A doesnt have energy cost.

It does. 35 energy cost. But still less

They changed It? Originally It didnt cost any energy when overdrived. Does the ult also has energy cost or It has tenido been changed? Anyways, she still doesnt suffer from energy like other mages.