MacroMind matchup data: real ranked games, not opinions
Sylas vs Malzahar
What is Sylas's win rate vs Malzahar?
In Mid, Sylas wins 46% against Malzahar across 3,292 observed ranked games.
Global ranked sample: games from every region and every rank pooled together, not one server's stats. Data runs through patch 26.12; curves updated 2026-08-07.
By 15 minutes the median game has Sylas behind by 199 gold.
Sylas at 15:00
- Gold: -199
- CS: -24
- XP: -320
Typical gap to Malzahar, from 3,268 games that reached 15:00.
Does Sylas counter Malzahar?
No, it runs the other way. Malzahar takes 54% of 3,292 ranked Mid games. Sylas can still win it. The rows below show the spots that flip it, so plan your first recall and your trades around them, and play the lane for one of those spots rather than for kills.
How to beat Malzahar as Sylas
When Sylas is ahead in gold at 10:00, this matchup runs 55% over 1,648 games; behind, it drops to 37% over 1,643.
| The spot | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Ahead in gold at 10:00 | 55% | 1,648 |
| Behind in gold at 10:00 | 37% | 1,643 |
| First blood | 51% | 2,158 |
| +kills at 10:00 | 52% | 1,914 |
| +CS at 10:00 | 58% | 699 |
| 0 deaths at 10:00 | 53% | 800 |
| 0 deaths at 15:00 | 63% | 299 |
The median first death in this lane comes at 6:11; the level 6 spike lands around 5:19. Respect the all-in window until your spike is online.
What does Sylas build in Mid?
Into Malzahar specifically, Sylas finishes Hextech Rocketbelt first most often: 46.7% over 1,253 games of this matchup.
The most-finished core in this exact matchup is Hextech Rocketbelt, Riftmaker, Zhonya's Hourglass: 53.0% across 198 games.
The most-finished Sylas core is Hextech Rocketbelt, Riftmaker, Zhonya's Hourglass: 56.5% across 7,372 games when all three got done. All matchups, patches 26.1-26.12.
Most games start Doran's Ring + Health Potion + Health Potion; the first finished item is usually Hextech Rocketbelt (39,657 games).
Skill plan: Sylas players max W first and take E at level 1.