anti-ap-burst Patch 7.0d
Maw of Malmortius
Champion examples
Riven Yasuo Lee Sin

Frontline

Maw of Malmortius

Maw of Malmortius is the anti-AP-burst answer for aggressive AD users that refuse to give up their tempo to the first threatening mage.

The item is strong when magic burst should normally remove you before your offensive pattern even begins. It does not just add MR: it protects the entry enough to let the AD champion keep playing forward.

It is a very strong buy on bruisers, assassins, and AD carries exposed to a real AP threat. It is weaker if the main pressure remains physical, or if your build still needs a different offensive or defensive spike first.

Cost: 3000Category: DefensePatch: 7.0dTiming: Mid Game · Late Game
mrshieldanti-ap
Buy when An AP threat can remove you too quickly from fights.
Avoid when The major problem is mostly AD pressure.
Signature Lifeline

Strategic summary

Maw of Malmortius is the anti-AP-burst answer for aggressive AD users that refuse to give up their tempo to the first threatening mage.

The item gains value when the game contains a real magic threat aimed at you: mage burst, AP assassin, double AP source, or repeated pressure that stops you from finishing your damage cycle. As soon as surviving one or two extra seconds truly changes the outcome of an exchange, Maw of Malmortius becomes much more valuable than a pure damage slot.

Meta snapshot

Power windowMid Game · Late Game
Draft cueHeavy Ap Enemy
Looking forAnti Ap Burst
Anti Ap BurstTeamfightHeavy Ap EnemyMid Game · Late Game

Stats

  • Attack Damage+55
  • Ability Haste+10%
  • Magic Resist+45

Build path

Hexdrinker → Hexdrinker

Buy when

  • An AP threat can remove you too quickly from fights.
  • You want to stay offensive despite that pressure.
  • The survival shield truly changes your entry windows.

Avoid when

  • The major problem is mostly AD pressure.
  • You can wait for another MR answer that fits better.
  • Your build still demands another spike first.

Champion examples

Riven

Riven benefits greatly from a slot that lets her keep playing aggressively into mages or AP assassins without fully sacrificing her AD threat.

Yasuo

Yasuo often needs to cross real magic pressure to enter fights. Maw gives him targeted safety when enemy AP is the true barrier to entry.

Lee Sin

Lee Sin can use Maw to keep his pick-and-dive profile without exploding too quickly into well-placed AP burst.

Comparisons
Maw of Malmortius vs Wit's End

Wit's End is often better for on-hit or constant auto-attack champions who want to turn MR into sustained DPS. Maw wins when the real issue is not just enduring AP over time, but surviving a dangerous magic burst window that would otherwise ruin your engage.

Maw of Malmortius vs Death's Dance

Death's Dance answers physical burst and extended fights against AD damage better. Maw becomes the better choice when the source stopping you from playing is primarily magic.

Maw of Malmortius vs Sterak's Gage

Sterak offers broader safety against mixed threats and chaotic fights. Maw is more precise and more efficient when you clearly identify a dominant AP problem to solve.

Common mistakes
  • Buying it automatically just because there is an AP champion, without checking whether that threat truly targets you.
  • Over-prioritizing it on a carry who would have monetized an on-hit or crit item better according to their natural profile.
  • Purchasing it when the real issue is target access rather than surviving magic burst.
  • Treating it as a purely defensive item even though it is most valuable when you keep dealing damage.
  • Sticking to Maw out of habit in a game where magic pressure has actually dropped and another slot would now be more efficient.
Build contexts

Anti-AP fighter core

Very relevant on AD fighters who still need to engage despite magic threats strong enough to break their combat tempo.

Side-lane AP answer

Strong in side lanes or duels where surviving the first magic rotation completely changes your ability to win the trade.

Dive survival versus mage

Very useful when your champion needs to cross a burst-heavy magic zone to reach a target without losing all threat.

Darius juggernaut-stack-survival Riven anti-ap-dive-fighter Sett bruiser-entry-anti-burst Yasuo anti-mage-crit-entry Lee Sin anti-ap-pick-diver
Special family

Lifeline

FAQ

When should you buy Maw of Malmortius in Wild Rift?

When a real AP threat is directly targeting you and you want to stay offensive instead of buying a purely defensive slot.

Is Maw of Malmortius better than Wit's End?

Not always. Wit's End is often better for on-hit or constant auto-attack profiles, while Maw is stronger against targeted magic burst you must survive immediately.

Does Maw of Malmortius replace Hexdrinker?

Yes, it is the natural upgrade when early AP protection is no longer enough and you want a real combat slot for mid or late game.