League of Legends Maokai Guide: Best Build, Runes, Items, Combos

Maokai is one of the most reliable tank champions in League of Legends, known for his crowd control, sustain, and strong teamfight presence. Whether you’re locking down enemies in the jungle or holding the frontline in lane, Maokai’s versatile kit makes him a great pick for both new and experienced players. In this guide, we’ll break down the best Maokai build, optimal runes, recommended items, and key combos so you can maximize your impact and carry your team to victory.

Maokai Abilities Overview In League of Legends

Here’s a full overview of Maokai’s abilities in League of Legends:

Passive – Sap Magic: After casting spells or being hit by enemies, Maokai stores energy. After a few seconds, his next basic attack heals him. The cooldown is reduced when he’s hit by enemy abilities or auto-attacks.

Q – Bramble Smash: Maokai smashes the ground, knocking back enemies in front of him and slowing them. This ability also deals bonus damage based on max health, making it great for both wave clear and dueling.

W – Twisted Advance: Maokai dashes to a target enemy, becoming untargetable during the dash, and roots them upon arrival. It’s a strong point-and-click crowd control tool for locking down key targets.

E – Sapling Toss: Maokai throws a sapling that sticks to the terrain and explodes when enemies come near, slowing and dealing damage. Saplings deal bonus damage when placed in brush, making them perfect for vision control and jungle skirmishes.

R – Nature’s Grasp: Maokai summons a massive wall of roots that slowly travels forward, rooting all enemies it hits. This ultimate is excellent for starting teamfights or zoning enemies in narrow corridors.

How To Play Maokai In League of Legends

Best Summoner Spells For Maokai

The best summoner spells for Maokai are Flash and Teleport for top lane, or Flash and Ignite if you’re playing him as a support. Flash gives Maokai the mobility he needs to engage or escape quickly, while Teleport helps with map pressure and split-pushing. When playing support, Ignite adds extra kill pressure during trades and all-ins in the early game. Always take Flash, and choose the second spell based on your role and lane matchup.

Best Runes For Maokai

The best runes for Maokai are Aftershock, Font of Life, Second Wind, and Unflinching from the Resolve tree, paired with Biscuit Delivery and Cosmic Insight from Inspiration. Aftershock gives Maokai extra tankiness after he lands crowd control, Font of Life helps his teammates heal during skirmishes, Second Wind improves sustain in tough matchups, and Unflinching boosts tenacity. Biscuit Delivery ensures lane sustain, while Cosmic Insight reduces cooldowns on summoner spells and items—great for frequent playmaking. This setup makes Maokai tanky, disruptive, and consistent throughout the game.

Best Build For Maokai

The best build for Maokai focuses on durability and utility. Start with Jak’Sho, The Protean for bonus resistances and healing in extended fights. Follow it up with Sunfire Aegis or Thornmail if the enemy has strong healing. Next, get Spirit Visage to boost healing from your passive and any allies, or Force of Nature if you’re facing heavy magic damage. For armor-focused matchups, Frozen Heart and Omen are strong picks. Finish with Abyssal Mask for more magic resist and synergy with Maokai’s crowd control. Always adapt based on the enemy comp.

Best Combos To Learn For Maokai

The best Maokai combos to learn revolve around his crowd control and gap-closing tools. A simple and reliable combo is W (Twisted Advance) → Q (Bramble Smash) to root the target and instantly knock them back for disruption. For longer engages, start with E (Sapling Toss) into a bush for maximum slow and damage, then use W → Q when the enemy is slowed. In teamfights, use R (Nature’s Grasp) from a distance, then follow up with W → Q to lock down anyone caught by the ultimate. Always throw E into jungle bushes during skirmishes to zone or scout enemies before committing.

Conclusion

Maokai is a powerful and reliable pick in League of Legends, offering great crowd control, sustain, and map control in both the top lane and jungle. With the right build, runes, and a solid grasp of his combos, you can become a frontline menace who locks down enemies and sets up plays for your team. Mastering his sapling placement, engage timing, and combo execution will make you a key asset in any team composition.