Talk:Malzahar/@comment-186.136.186.166-20120811184132/@comment-88.186.19.90-20120811231714

Until you reach 1800+ ELO, you can build pretty much anything you want on a champ, as long as it synergises well with his kit you'll do fine (ex: 1st item Bloodthirster on Sion is ok, but a Banshee's Veil isn't). Once you reach 1800 ELO, you'll know what item you can buy and what item you can't buy anyway.

That build is good overall. Malzahar is a champ with a very heavy mana problem, especially out of lane, so it's normal you'll have mana problems at one point in the game. Athene's Grail is one of the best item to get on Malz: mana regen, AP, CDR, everything synergises well with his kit.

However, I wouldn't recomment completing the WotA. When you upgrade Revolver, you effectively pay for more spellvamp and the aura, but you get no AP boost out of it, so unless you have another champ picking WotA as well you are better off building some more AP in the form of a Rabadon. Your sustain will be the same (more AP means more damage converted into health), but your spells will hit considerably harder.

Something like: sorc boots/Hextech Revolver/Chalice/Rabadon/Rylai.

If the game lasts long enough, transform Chalice into Athene's Unholy Grail, and then consider buying a Zhonia's Hourglass, Lich's Bane, or some tanking item.