Malignance

What is Malignance? 🔥

Malignance is the ultimate-focused AP scaling item — a legendary mage item built around empowering the champion’s ultimate ability with two dedicated passives: SCORN (pure ultimate haste) and HATEFOG (an ultimate-triggered scorched zone that applies persistent magic damage and magic resistance reduction to enemies). It exists specifically for mages with powerful ultimates who want to cycle R faster and amplify its zone-control impact

The HATEFOG passive is functionally unique: every time the champion’s ultimate deals damage to an enemy, a scorched zone appears beneath the struck target for 3 seconds. That zone applies a Curse debuff — a 0.25-second tick rate magic damage source that simultaneously reduces the target’s magic resistance by 10. On champions whose ultimates hit multiple times or cover AoE areas, HATEFOG zones stack the advantage of both DoT pressure and MR shredding. The MR reduction is particularly significant for burst patterns where a subsequent ability immediately follows the ultimate hit that created the zone.

At 2,700 Gold, Malignance is one of the more affordable AP legendary items. It builds from Lost Chapter — the 1,200g mana + AP mid-item — and a Blasting Wand (850g). The SCORN +20 ultimate haste stacks with other sources of ultimate haste (Cosmic Insight rune, ability haste from items) multiplicatively reducing R cooldown. Sell price: 1,890 Gold. ID: 3118. Available on SR 5v5, ARAM, Nexus Blitz, and Arena.

📊 Base Statistics

🔨 Recipe & Components

Malignance builds from Lost Chapter + Blasting Wand with a 650g combine:

🔮 SCORN Passive — Ultimate Haste

SCORN provides a flat +20 ultimate haste, reducing the cooldown of the champion’s ultimate ability specifically — separate from regular ability haste. Ultimate haste operates identically to ability haste in formula: CDR% = Ultimate Haste / (100 + Ultimate Haste). At 20 ultimate haste: 20/120 = 16.7% ultimate CDR reduction.

The significance of SCORN depends entirely on the ultimate’s base cooldown. On ultimates with long base CDs (Lux R 60 seconds, Malzahar R 120 seconds, Orianna R 110 seconds), 20 ultimate haste provides substantial time reduction. On ultimates with inherently short or reset-based CDs (Katarina R, Akali R), the value is minimal because the CD is already managed differently.

☠️ HATEFOG Passive — Complete Mechanics Reference

Zone Creation — How HATEFOG Triggers

HATEFOG creates a scorched zone when the champion’s ultimate ability deals non-proc, non-pet damage to an enemy champion. The zone appears beneath the struck target with a radius of 251–550 units based on the damage instance of the ultimate. The zone persists for 3 seconds and applies the Curse debuff to all enemies within its radius.

Critical trigger rule: the first instance of magic damage from an ultimate does NOT benefit from HATEFOG’s MR reduction if the target has not yet been Cursed. The zone is created when the ultimate hits, and the Curse (including MR reduction) begins immediately — but the initial hit that created the zone is already resolved before the Curse applies. Subsequent hits from the same ultimate (multi-hit ultimates) or follow-up abilities then benefit from the −10 MR.

HATEFOG — Full Mechanics Table

Zone Radius — Damage Instance Scaling

The scorched zone radius scales from 251 to 550 units based on the ultimate’s damage instance. Higher-damage ultimate instances create wider zones. This means burst-damage ultimates (Lux R, Syndra R with all spheres) create larger zones covering more area, while sustained-damage or low-damage ultimates create smaller 251-radius zones. In practice, this means HATEFOG performs best on high-burst ultimates that both maximize the zone radius and provide enough base damage to make the AP scaling on the Curse tick meaningful.

The instant tick on zone creation (dealing damage to enemies surrounding the primary target at the moment of zone creation) provides immediate AoE value even before enemies walk into the zone. Against clustered enemies near the primary target when the ultimate lands, the creation tick hits multiple champions simultaneously.

🗺️ Map-Specific Differences

🎯 When to Build Malignance

Malignance is optimal when the champion’s ultimate is the primary damage dealer AND it has a cooldown long enough to benefit meaningfully from 20 ultimate haste. The HATEFOG zone amplifies follow-up abilities after the ultimate hit — making it strongest on champions who combo into targets after landing R.

✅ Build Malignance When:

• Champion has a long CD, high-damage ultimate: Veigar R (130s base), Viktor R (130s base), Orianna R (110s base), Syndra R (100s base), Malzahar R (120s base) — all benefit heavily from both SCORN’s CDR reduction and HATEFOG’s zone from the initial R hit
• Champion combos abilities into the ultimate hit: Lux (Q root → R beam + HATEFOG zone → E detonation at −10 MR), Syndra (Q/W setup → R spheres create zone → bonus sphere hits at −10 MR), Veigar (E cage → Q/W chip → R lands + zone → champion is Cursed for any chase)
• Team runs heavy magic damage: the −10 MR from HATEFOG benefits every allied magic damage source hitting the Cursed target — AP jungler, AP support, and the Malignance caster all deal more damage to the zone-affected target
• Champion needs mana sustain: Lost Chapter’s MOMENTUM passive restores mana on level up — mana-hungry mages (Orianna, Viktor, Veigar) who burn mana in lane benefit from the component’s sustain while building toward Malignance

❌ Do NOT Build Malignance When:

• Champion has a low CD or reset-based ultimate: Katarina R (reset-based), Akali R (2-part short CD), Karthus R (very short with AH) — SCORN provides diminishing value when the ultimate is already cycling quickly or resets on kills. The HATEFOG zone provides less value when the ultimate isn’t the primary damage setup tool
• Champion doesn’t combo into ultimate hits: champions who use R as an initiation tool rather than a burst finisher (Jarvan R arena, Amumu R, Morgana R) create HATEFOG zones but may not follow up with AP damage into the Cursed zone fast enough to leverage the −10 MR window
• Team has no other magic damage sources: if the caster is the only AP champion, the MR reduction benefits fewer damage instances; Shadowflame, Rabadon’s Deathcap, or Void Staff provide better solo-mage value than the team-amplification aspect of HATEFOG

👥 Best Champions for Malignance

✅ Ideal Picks

• Lux — Final Spark (R) deals burst damage in a long beam — HATEFOG zone creates on R impact; Lux’s combo continues with E (Lucent Singularity) detonation against the now-Cursed target at −10 MR. SCORN reduces Final Spark’s 60-second base CD by 10 seconds, enabling more frequent R+HATEFOG windows. The zone’s AoE radius from Lux R’s high damage instance catches nearby enemy champions in the zone AoE.
• Veigar — Primordial Burst (R) is the champion’s most powerful ability with the longest base CD in the game (130 seconds at R1). SCORN provides the largest absolute CDR value on Veigar R — 130 × 16.7% = 21.7 seconds saved per rank. HATEFOG fires on R impact, and Veigar’s Event Horizon (E) cage places enemies in the zone for the full 3-second Curse duration if they can’t escape.
• Syndra — Unleashed Power (R) fires multiple spheres in rapid sequence — first sphere creates HATEFOG zone; subsequent spheres hit the Cursed target at −10 MR. The multi-hit nature of Syndra R means more total spheres benefit from the MR reduction than a single-impact ultimate would provide. Force of Will (W) and Dark Sphere (Q) follow-ups hit the Cursed target for amplified damage.
• Viktor — Chaos Storm (R) is an AoE lingering storm. First hit creates HATEFOG zone; subsequent storm ticks against Cursed targets at −10 MR. Viktor’s Q (Siphon Power) AUGMENT empowered attack and E (Death Ray) beams deal amplified magic damage to Cursed targets throughout the R duration. Long 130-second base R CD benefits heavily from SCORN’s +20 UH.
• Malzahar — Nether Grasp (R) suppresses and drains a target for 2.5 seconds — HATEFOG zone creates on R’s suppression hit; the Curse applies −10 MR for the entire 2.5-second drain duration. Malefic Visions (E) and Void Swarm (W) damage the Cursed target at reduced MR simultaneously. The suppression prevents the target from leaving the zone radius during the drain.
• Orianna — Command: Shockwave (R) is a teamfight AoE ultimate with 110-second base CD — SCORN provides 18.3 seconds saved per level. HATEFOG zone appears beneath the primary target (champion spawn order for AoE) on R impact. The ball-mechanic of Orianna’s kit allows repositioning the ball onto the HATEFOG zone location before R, maximizing subsequent ability damage into the Cursed cluster.

❌ Less Optimal Picks

• Reset-based ultimates (Katarina, Draven R): SCORN’s 20 ultimate haste provides minimal value when the ultimate resets on kills or has a flat low CD. HATEFOG fires on each R cast but the short R window doesn’t enable sustained follow-up combo sequences. Shadowflame and Void Staff provide better raw AP burst contribution for these patterns.
• Non-AP ultimates: champions whose ultimates deal physical or true damage don’t interact meaningfully with HATEFOG’s magic zone — the zone still creates if the ability meets the criteria, but the -10 MR only helps magic damage follow-ups, and if the champion doesn’t deal magic damage post-ultimate, the MR reduction is partially wasted.

⚙️ Recommended Build Paths

Lux / Veigar — Ultimate-Focus Burst Build

1. Lost Chapter — First purchase (~1,200g) — MOMENTUM mana restore on level up; AP + AH foundation; most efficient path to Malignance
2. Malignance — First full item (complete from Lost Chapter) — SCORN +20 UH live; HATEFOG active on next R; combo pattern established early
3. Shadowflame — Second item — CINDERBLOOM execute magic pen below 35% HP; +110 AP amplifies HATEFOG ticks; synergizes with HATEFOG zone forcing targets to low HP where CINDERBLOOM activates
4. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Third item — MAGICAL OPUS +30% AP multiplier; amplifies HATEFOG tick AP ratio; SCORN ultimate haste remains; full AP ceiling unlocked
5. Zhonya’s Hourglass — Fourth item — STASIS active survival; AP + AH + armor; enables creating HATEFOG zone, then Zhonya’s during the 3-second window to survive counterattack
6. Void Staff — Fifth item — 40% magic penetration for MR-stacking tanks; all ability damage + HATEFOG ticks benefit; completes magic pen stack with HATEFOG −10 MR for maximum effective damage

Syndra / Viktor — Sustained AP Mage

7. Lost Chapter — First back — mana sustain; AP for early trades; MOMENTUM passive for mana-heavy Viktor/Syndra lane phase
8. Malignance — First full item — SCORN for faster R rotation; HATEFOG multi-hit synergy with Syndra R spheres or Viktor storm ticks
9. Luden’s Tempest — Second item (if not first) — ECHO burst on first ability hit; magic pen; mana; AP; synergy with Malignance’s zone damage at −10 MR
10. Shadowflame — Third item — execute pen when target is low HP; HATEFOG zone forces targets toward low HP threshold where CINDERBLOOM activates on follow-up abilities
11. Rabadon’s Deathcap — Fourth item — MAGICAL OPUS amplifier; HATEFOG tick AP ratio scales with the full build AP total
12. Void Staff — Fifth item — stacks with HATEFOG −10 MR; combined pen: flat HATEFOG −10 MR + 40% Void magic pen = effective MR near 0 against 40-50 MR targets

🔄 Similar Items — AP Mage Damage Family

❌ Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

• Expecting HATEFOG to trigger spell effects: HATEFOG is proc damage — it does NOT trigger runes like Electrocute, Arcane Comet, or Conqueror. The zone ticks will not proc these effects. Many players assume HATEFOG amplifies their Electrocute burst — it does not. HATEFOG is supplementary damage that scales with AP and provides MR reduction, but it is not an ability damage proc.
• Trying to use it to break Banshee’s Veil or Edge of Night spell shields: HATEFOG is NOT blocked by spell shields. This is actually a benefit, not a mistake — but knowing that HATEFOG creates the Curse zone through a spell shield means that after the R lands through Banshee’s (which IS blocked since the ultimate itself hits Banshee’s), if any subsequent R hit or ability breaks the shield, HATEFOG then fires on the first unblocked damage. Understand the interaction order.
• Not accounting for the first-hit MR reduction delay: the first ultimate hit creates the HATEFOG zone but does NOT benefit from the −10 MR reduction (Curse isn’t applied yet on that hit). Against single-hit ultimates (Lux R, Veigar R), the R itself doesn’t get the −10 MR benefit — only the follow-up abilities (E, Q, W) that hit the now-Cursed target gain the MR reduction. Plan the combo to use abilities AFTER the R, not before, to leverage the Curse window.
• Building it on champions with short CD or reset ultimates: SCORN’s 16.7% CDR at 20 ultimate haste is barely noticeable on a 20-second ultimate CD — that’s 3.3 seconds saved. On a 120-second ultimate, it’s 20 seconds saved. Against reset-based ultimates (Katarina R), the item’s primary passive is effectively non-functional for the SCORN component. Choose Shadowflame or Luden’s Tempest for champions who don’t need ultimate haste.
• Not combining HATEFOG with Void Staff for maximum MR reduction: HATEFOG’s −10 flat MR and Void Staff’s 40% magic pen are applied sequentially — flat first, then percentage. They compound for significantly better penetration than either alone. Building Void Staff without Malignance on ultimate mages leaves the flat MR reduction value unrealized. Building Malignance without Void Staff late game means the Curse zone’s MR reduction provides diminishing returns against tanks building 80+ MR.

✅ Best Practices

• Buy Lost Chapter first (~1,200g): MOMENTUM mana restore on level up sustains mana-heavy laning for Orianna, Viktor, Veigar; the component path directly completes Malignance with one additional Blasting Wand + combine
• Combo abilities AFTER ultimate to exploit −10 MR window: the Curse + MR reduction is active for 3 seconds after the ultimate hit; use Q, W, and E abilities during this window rather than before R to benefit from the reduced MR on all follow-up damage
• Pair with Void Staff for MR stacking synergy: flat −10 MR from Malignance applies before Void Staff’s 40% magic pen; combined they reduce effective MR to near 0 on standard targets; essential pairing in games where the enemy tanks build 60+ MR
• Run Cosmic Insight rune for maximum ultimate haste: +18 UH from rune + +20 UH from Malignance = 38 total UH = 27.5% CDR on ultimate; the rune is the only source of additional ultimate haste in the rune system and stacks additively with SCORN
• In Arena: use HATEFOG as a Burn — interact with Burn augments: Arena Malignance classifies HATEFOG as a Burn effect; any augment that interacts with Burn (increased Burn damage, Burn immunity, Burn spread) applies to HATEFOG zones; plan augment picks around this interaction in Arena draft phases

FAQ

Q: Does HATEFOG trigger Electrocute, Arcane Comet, or other rune procs?

A: A: No — HATEFOG deals proc damage, which explicitly does not trigger spell effects. Runes like Electrocute, Arcane Comet, and Conqueror require ability or basic attack damage (non-proc) to trigger. HATEFOG’s zone ticks are purely supplementary damage that scales with AP and apply MR reduction — they are not ability damage procs. This is a critical distinction: HATEFOG adds DPS and MR reduction to the target, but doesn’t multiply or proc rune effects.

Q: Can Banshee’s Veil or Edge of Night block HATEFOG?

A: A: No — HATEFOG is explicitly NOT blocked by spell shields. If a champion has Banshee’s Veil or Edge of Night’s ANNUL passive active, HATEFOG’s zone creation still fires (the zone appears beneath the target if the ultimate damage hits), and the Curse applies through the spell shield. Note: the ultimate ability itself may or may not be blocked by the spell shield depending on whether it targets the champion directly — if the ultimate is blocked by the shield, HATEFOG doesn’t trigger from that blocked instance.

Q: Does the first R hit benefit from HATEFOG’s MR reduction?

A: A: No — the wiki confirms this explicitly. Assuming the target has not been previously Cursed, the first instance of magic damage from an ultimate does NOT benefit from HATEFOG’s MR reduction. The Curse (including −10 MR) activates the moment the zone is created, but the initial hit that created the zone is already resolved. This means the follow-up abilities Q/W/E hit the Cursed target at −10 MR, but the R’s own initial damage does not. For multi-hit ultimates like Syndra R, subsequent spheres after the first DO benefit from the MR reduction.

Q: Can HATEFOG create a zone on the same target twice quickly?

A: A: No — there is a 3-second cooldown per target starting from when the zone is created. Additionally, HATEFOG will not create a new zone against a champion already Cursed by an existing zone. This means the maximum HATEFOG application rate on a single target is one zone per 3 seconds. In multi-champion teamfights, separate zones can be created on different targets simultaneously if multiple enemies are hit by the ultimate at the same time.

Q: How much ultimate haste does SCORN provide effectively?

A: SCORN provides +20 ultimate haste. Using the AH formula: CDR% = 20/(100+20) = 16.7% ultimate cooldown reduction. With Cosmic Insight rune (+18 UH): total 38 UH = 38/138 = 27.5% ultimate CDR. On Veigar R (130s base CD): 130 × 0.725 = 94.25 seconds at full stacking (vs base rank-based reduction). On Lux R (60s base): 60 × 0.725 = 43.5 seconds. The rune + item combination is the highest ultimate haste stack achievable from non-champion-specific sources in a single-rune, single-item investment.

Q: Is Malignance good on Orianna?

A: Yes — Orianna R (Command: Shockwave) has a 110-second base CD at rank 1, one of the longer ultimate CDs in the game. SCORN reduces this by 18.3 seconds per rank (16.7% of 110). HATEFOG creates a zone under the primary target (champion spawn order for AoE hit) when Shockwave lands, Cursing that champion and all nearby enemies within the zone radius. Orianna’s Q/W/E abilities following the R hit the Cursed target(s) at −10 MR. The combination of Rabadon’s Deathcap (third item) and Shadowflame (second item) amplifies HATEFOG’s tick damage and the follow-up combo damage significantly.