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Maokai · Support

Maokai Laning Guide

Laning phaseData-drivenEasyPatch 16.19.1
474Updated

More Maokai guides

This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

Your lane is about your marksman: trade when the enemy walks up to last hit, and ward the river before dragon spawns. Complete your support quest to unlock wards. Early, secure vision in the river and help your jungler contest the first dragon.

Strengths

  • Sustain from Sap Magic.
  • Very durable: Riot rates it 8/10 in defense.
  • Crowd control: Bramble Smash applies a knock-up to set up kills.

Weaknesses

  • No dash or blink in the kit: vulnerable to ganks without vision.
  • Low priority on gold and experience.

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Builds

Lane build

BalancedRecommended
Open build

When to use it

How to open: starting items, then the components of Locket of the Iron Solari on your first backs, and boots when the lane allows.

Where it's played

Picked before the game: the main lane first, then the alternatives.

Summoner's RiftRed side · bottom leftBlue side · top right
  1. SupportMain100% of matches
  2. JunglePriority 2

Starting items

World AtlasHealth and mana regeneration.Health PotionHealth regeneration.

Early game

KindlegemHealth and ability haste.Cloth ArmorArmor.Null-Magic MantleMagic resist.

Core items

  1. 1Locket of the Iron Solari

Boots

Plated Steelcaps

Runes

Primary· Resolve

PrecisionDominationSorceryInspirationResolve
Grasp of the UndyingAftershockGuardian
DemolishFont of LifeShield Bash
ConditioningSecond WindBone Plating
OvergrowthRevitalizeUnflinching

Secondary· Inspiration

PrecisionDominationSorceryInspiration
Hextech FlashtraptionMagical FootwearCash Back
Triple TonicTime Warp TonicBiscuit Delivery
Cosmic InsightApproach VelocityJack Of All Trades

Shards

Adaptive ForceAttack SpeedAbility Haste
Adaptive ForceMove SpeedHealth Scaling
HealthTenacity and Slow ResistHealth Scaling

Summoner spells

  • Flash
  • Ignite

Abilities

  • Sap MagicPassiveMaokai's basic attack also heals him and deals additional damage on a moderate cooldown. Each time Maokai casts a spell or is struck by an enemy's spell, this cooldown is reduced.
  • QBramble Smash7/6.5/6/5.5/5s40 mpMaokai knocks back nearby enemies with a shockwave, dealing magic damage and slowing them.
    Cooldown
    7·6.5·6·5.5·5
    Cost
    40
    Range
    600
    Basic ability — applies a knock-up and hits an area. Use it on the target your team can kill.
  • WTwisted Advance14/13/12/11/10s60 mpMaokai contorts into a mass of moving roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to the target. Upon arrival, he roots the target.
    Cooldown
    14·13·12·11·10
    Cost
    60
    Range
    525
  • ESapling Toss18/17/16/15/14s60/65/70/75/80 mpMaokai flings a sapling to the target area to stand guard. More effective in brush.
    Cooldown
    18·17·16·15·14
    Cost
    60·65·70·75·80
    Range
    1100
  • RNature's GraspUltimate130/110/90s100 mpMaokai summons a colossal wall of brambles and thorns that slowly advances forwards, damaging and rooting any enemies in the path.
    Cooldown
    130·110·90
    Cost
    100
    Range
    3000
    Ultimate — applies a root and summons units. Use it on the target your team can kill.

Strategy

1Starting and early items

The first items decide how comfortable the lane is. The lane build below lists them with what each one gives you.

  • Key early items: Kindlegem and Cloth Armor.

2Trading

Trade when the enemy marksman goes for a last hit: they have to choose between the gold and the damage. The kit brings crowd control (knock-up) with Bramble Smash and sustain with Sap Magic.

3Wave management

Freeze the wave near your tower when you're weaker, slow push before a back and crash the wave when you want to roam or take a plate.

4Early objectives

Early, secure vision in the river and help your jungler contest the first dragon. Your spikes are level 6, when Nature's Grasp comes online, and each completed item: Locket of the Iron Solari first, then Knight's Vow.

Tips

  • Trade when the enemy marksman goes for a last hit: they have to choose between the gold and the damage.
  • Kindlegem is your first purchase that changes the lane: get it early.
  • Use Bramble Smash in lane only when your partner or jungler can follow.
  • Saplings can be tossed into brush for empowered effect - but don't stack well.
  • Early, secure vision in the river and help your jungler contest the first dragon.

Matchups

Strong against

  • Yuumi

    Maokai starts with 665 health and 35 armour against Yuumi's 500 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.

  • Senna

    Maokai starts with 665 health and 35 armour against Senna's 530 and 25: the early trades are already won on paper.

  • Renata Glasc

    Maokai starts with 665 health and 35 armour against Renata Glasc's 545 and 27: the early trades are already won on paper.

Weak against

  • Lulu

    Lulu attacks from 550 units and Maokai from 125, with no dash in the kit to close the gap.

  • Vel'Koz

    Vel'Koz attacks from 525 units and Maokai from 125, with no dash in the kit to close the gap.

  • Swain

    Swain attacks from 525 units and Maokai from 125, with no dash in the kit to close the gap.

Changelog

  1. Guide created for patch 16.19.1.

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