Malzahar Null Zone ( ! ) damage lowered to 4/4.5/5/5.5/6% of max health per second from 4/5/6/7/8%
Last time I checked, Malzahar has been in a decent spot forever. Of all the other problematic champions, why is Malz getting it? I'm not saying that this is going to gut him, but the point in question still stands regardless.
This seems to be a trend for some time now.
Basically Riot thinks that underplayed champions are too strong, because they are underplayed.
You may think, "What the f-". Now, now. Let me explain.
The thing is some champions aren't liked by most people.
Why? There's a number of reasons. Two of them are the most prevalent.
Now, here comes the fun. Notice nearly all popular champions until the preseason patch had one thing in common - Mobility. I mean, look at the top 15 right now. There are 2-4 champions without on demand mobility and all of them are supposedly overpowered in a way to compensate.
Now, to the actual topic. Thing is unpopular champions are generally immobile. Period. No flashy plays, no plays at all. Despite that fact, they may be still strong(notice "not overpowered"), but an average Joe will glance over them and think, "Yeaaah, whateva, I'll play Yasuo."
But what happens when somebody finds out they actually like that immobile, underplayed champion? They master said champion to be on par with even those 20% pickrate 55% winrate Top 10 champions in the game.
How come? Not only said champions have clear strengths and weaknesses, they also have the element of surprise. When your average player ends up laning aganist, say, Galio or Zyra, they are like "What do I do?!" and lose. But since that's an average Joe, they won't actually bother what to do, shrug it off and move on.
Hence why underplayed champions with microscopic playerbase usually have high winrates, and overally good statistics across the board.
So what happens? They get nerfed, because a bunch of Plats and low-mid Diamonds can't adapt their playstyle with Zed.
Don't worry, I've been there once. When they nerfed Syndra of all champions. I was like, "Wut?". Then I read patch notes and what I saw: "This champion is a lane bully. We can't allow that champion to bully our flashy champions, so we gut her laning. Thankyouverymuch."
Short story: Welcome to the League of Legends where the Balance Team can't stand straight.
Because
Nerf:
Buff:
Ignore: 
I get some cases are from synergy with DFT but here's an idea. See how they are AFTER the DFT nerf before jumping the gun on them.
Because one of the people on the balance team is a Yasuo main, and when they play a game against someone good at a champion like or or , they can't handle it and rage, immediately putting the champion they played against on the "needs nerf" list.
Note that they're nerfing Null Zone. This is easily the least damage out of Malzahar's kit despite its health-based scaling, because it's so easy to leave unless Malzahar ults you while you're in it.
Judging by exactly what the nerf is, it only affects Malzahar's ability to shred juggernauts and tanks with his full combo (plus Liandry's Torment and now Deathfire Touch) in the late game, but doesn't affect his early or mid game at all, because you always max it last no matter what.
That said, if even Malzahar got hit, Brand definitely needs to see a nerf, too. His win rate is higher, and his play rate is more than double Malzahar's.
You know what's funny? Riot are nerfing champions that have a shitty attack animation.
First Swain and Anivia, now Malzahar.
I expect in next PBE update we get a Karthus nerf.
But yeah, all these nerfs are because these champions do well with Deathfire Torch, including Brand.
No one is allowed to counter Yasuo.
Well at least they didn't remove his silence.
"cough" 
"cough"
I guess he kind of needed it and this is like... a really small nerf as well.
Not saying it's justified but...
What the fuck...... ok ok ok ok... I see why, Deathfire Touch is too strong with DoT, Malzahar is a DoT mage, winrates are going up in relation to his pickrate. I can see how you think he needs a nerf Riot Please Do Not NERF HIM Please let me tell why his winrate is going up!!
I know 2% is not a big deal, i am not complaining about the damage lost, it is the principle of the thing! Yasuo receives no meaningful nerf and Tahm is allowed to outdamage ADCs and Assassins by only building tank, something that has been a problem for awhile, but Malz is seeing play for 1 patch finally and he gets nerfed?
His Null Zone is the last place id be looking at to nerf! Who honestly can say its a problem!?!? Yes it will do 40% of your max hp, if you stand in it for 5 fucking seconds! Why does Tahm Kench get a targeted point-click 32% max hp Skarner ult but Malz can't have a non-moving, no CC, obvious "get the fuck out" 40% max hp ability? the mage assassin? His Suppress only lasts 2.5 seconds if it isnt interrupted so thats not a good argument point... With these nerfs it will do 30% of their Max Hp over 5 seconds [which is less then Tahm Kench's instant 32%] add in its scaling which is 5% per 100 AP [Tahm has 2% per 100 AP but his ult gives him a bonus 20 + 8% of his Bonus HP]... Basically this DoT, that is easily avoidable, does less than a supports ability.
People don't know how to fight him because they don't care to look it up or ask, they just demand nerfs and tbh i havent seen anyone complaining or demanding. They will learn or he will drop back out of the spotlight on his own as he always does. Then all you have done is nerf an unpopular champion for no reason. Instead of nerfing him look at the reasons why he is winning so much in the first place or at the very least compensate buff him.
because ATM every DOT champion can insta carry the game because of how broken the new mastery is
AND NO nerfing the mastery for all 150 champions because 5 of them abuse it is not the right balance
Brand/Malz/ANivia need their nerfs
I mean brand can go support atm and outdamage the mid laner and you people think that this is normal? are you people even serious?
I heard something about immobile mages getting the next overhaul like the adcs just got. Maybe this is the beginning of it.
