Source: Ranked + player metaPatch: 16.17Window: patchRegion: allRank: emerald_plusQueue: ranked_soloSample: 45Updated 9/11/2026, 8:21:44 PM
Confidence: Medium-1.1% vs 50%45 games
Lane phases
Levels 1–2
Even
Karma and Malzahar trade evenly before spikes.
Levels 3–5
Malzahar edge
Play around ability cooldowns and wave control.
Level 6+
Malzahar edge
Ultimate timing often swings the next two waves.
Mid / late
Even
Side-wave and vision decide more than the raw lane matchup.
Why?
Sample-basedEven
- Sample win rate for Karma is 48.9% in this matchup.
Treat this as a Even matchup for Karma into Malzahar — prioritize cooldown windows and jungle tracking.
Do
- Track summoner spells and ultimate cooldowns before committing.
- Play for wave states that let you crash and reset safely.
Don't
- Don't force extended trades when key abilities are down.
- Don't ignore jungle timers when the lane is volatile.
Matchup build callout
Full builds →Most-played Karma page (Support): Summon Aery Build · 45.9% WR · 185 games
Skill order: E › W › Q
Patch: 16.17Region: naRank: emerald_plusQueue: ranked_soloSample: 308Updated 9/11/2026, 8:18:15 PM