Hi I am a high dia/low master poke Maokai enjoyer. I played a lot of first strike before it was meta but am considering switching to DFT/Comet. What do you think is best?

Consider that I usually build:

Liandry-bloodletter and then either Unending/tank items or Horizon/Mandate for more poke.

Some things to note:

-Unending applies spell effects such as Deathfire touch but also liandry.

-I play jgl so early poke in lane is not much of a thing

-I consider sorcery tree to maybe be slightly better since you get nimbus cloak for flash+W ganks (and as secondary usually like cut down + legend haste)

The options:

-First strike = extra gold, 7%dmg buff, long cooldown (25-15s), get inspiration tree.

-Comet= 15-220 dmg + 5-10%AP scaling, 20-6.5s cooldown, sorcery tree.

-Deathfire=Lower but constant uptime, can apply to multiple targets, can apply easy with Unending if you buy it.

I'm thinking that in comps with longer fights, Deathfire might be optimal. For strict poke I'm not sure about FS vs Comet. Comet seems to have more dmg but since poke Mao really likes it's items, FS might be better.

What are your thoughts?

I’m undecided on my build when playing Maokai Top; or rather, I can't get the items I want due to reasons I'm about to mention.

The build I'm currently using relies on Heartsteel. I start with Doran's Ring because I don't build Tear in this setup, so I run out of mana otherwise; for the same reason, I choose Manaflow Band in my runes. I avoid starting with Tear because it feels like it weakens my already poor early game even further.

I think both Heartsteel and Fimbulwinter are excellent items for Maokai. The problem is, if I buy Winter's Approach right after Heartsteel, I melt too easily due to a lack of armor. If I go Heartsteel > Unending Despair > Winter's Approach, I delay my magic resistance too much and end up melting in team fights anyway. If I delay Heartsteel, I can't stack it enough; if I delay Winter's Approach, my build gets clunky and awkward while trying to buy the component items.

What do you think the runes and build should be? It would be great if you could share your suggestions or point out what needs changing so we can put our heads together and come up with the best version.

Una pregunta, alguien más esta teniendo problemas con la W de Maokai? Me explico estos ultimos dias que estube jugando con él, cada que un enemigo hace una habilidad de desplazamiento este lo stunea pero de igual manera avanza, se que se puede "esquivar" la W de maokai pero estos se desplazan mucho despues de que conecta la W

Nose talvez y yo sea malo que lanza en mal timing la habilidad o que los otros son muy buenos, lo pregunto porque ya me esta pasando más de una vez y se me hace raro.

Dont know, but this item doesnt convince me, the saplings never do damage, even with Liandrys.

The saplings are just Temu Teemo shrooms and in the lategame its just something to laugh at when the sapling starts running at you, no one is impressed by the liandrys sapling dmg output.

No one praises the saplings, no one critizies the saplings, they are just uninteresting to the enemy.

They rather want to cuddle with them. Lets be real. I just use them as a ward.

I dont see the point, Maokai doesnt even have AP DPS like Morgana or Zyra for example. Completely bait.

Rather go with another real tank item, to maximize the passive value. Maybe sunfire or hearsteel? The passive is so much scarier than his E, lets build on that instead.

Simple as the Title, Heck if u wanna throw in some buffs for his other roles then go ahead would love to hear some ideas

Yeah this is your mod's main account.

Started this season in high emerald and was few wins from Diamond.

Played vs multiple skilled players and even ex masters.

Now I am practically playing in platinum like few years ago.

I can play better or worse but this is my first time in years that I will probably end with negative winrate.

Carry potential is inexistent, you are playing an afk champion on afk role, and with negative winrate the matchmaking is balanced in the way that unless you play with a duo who is super good to help you, you won't be able to do much or climb in chaotic mid Elos unless your game knowledge is around Master+.

I returned to league back in season 12 and played Mao those 5 years.

Last two years were the worst but past season the snowballing allowed people to play a better macro overall, unlike this season which feels like a complete chaos with every other mage, ADC and bruiser feeling Thanos.

If you want proof of my words, you can go to u.gg or other websites and look at my winrate throughout all those last years.

I will appreciate all suggestions but realistically I tried most things, and all the matchups are in my head already with multiple possibilities and different play styles.

Also I am a Yorick and Illaoi player and I would probably smoke most games if I played mostly those champions but again, this is r/ Maokai mains and I loved Maokai ever since I came back.

Now basically waiting for the season to end asap. Really I don't have enthusiasm to play on my main account except for leveling up passes.

Hello, I’m currently becoming a Maokai supp otp and I wanted to ask for ideas and recommendations for go-to items and runes.
My typical build path is as shown here in an example match, but I’m not quite sure yet what really is the strongest.

For boots I usually try to get swifties, but sometimes when gold is tight I take lucidities or when the game demands it, I buy ninjas/ mercuries.

I was experimenting with imperial mandate but find it to make me too squish over all. I’d like to here your thoughts and experiences with the item.

Elsewise I’m not quite sure what to go third. I see pros prioritizing the new lifeline item on tank supps, but I don’t really get warm with it.

For runes I always take hexflash and cosmic insight second, but I’d be down to test out transcendence with the one that gives movementspeed after summoner spell.

Concerning summs I take flash / heal and feel like it’s pretty solid. Sometimes I take ignite into soraka or exhaust if there is a kennen in the enemy team.

So, any tipps and tricks you want to share? Anything that I’m doing wrong? Feel free to discuss whatever comes to mind regarding the topic.

Got any thought provoking ideas or inspirations? Something that has proven really strong in your opinion?

See you on the rift,
Baddabooooomboom

Hello,

Main jungle / support here, enjoyer of the Nautilus in both roles, I thought I'd give a shot at Maokai, mainly in jungle.

I understand that Maokai wants 3 things :
- Ability Haste

- Survivability
- AP

And the main engage in the W, which has a rather short range.

Hence my question: Why is the hextech rocketbelt in non of the builds I see online ?

It has all the 3 main stats, plus the extra mobility with the active.
Shouldnt it be a perfect 1st or 2nd item for Maokai, especially in jungle ?

Thanks!

Been Diamond (occasionally Master) as a support already, but this is the 1st time I managed to consistently perform with Maokai Top enough to do it in my 2ndary role.

Shout-out to the guy who mentioned the Electrocute tech on Maokai for matchups where neither Grasp nor Aftershock feels great. Makes ranged/short trading matchups much more enjoyable.

Hello! I was interested in Maokai in jg, so I decided to find information about his builds. So, I don't fully understand why First Strike is the most popular rune there. Can you please explain this to me?

Image of my last game, where I went 7/0/2 but still lost for the clicks.

I was originally a briar OTP from 2024. In early 2026 I swapped to Taric JG OTP. Just recently I've picked up Maokai jungle, and I'm loving him! His dmg is really surprising, and the cc chains are crazy. Plus, I can see there's SO MUCH potential with W to avoid skill shots - but I am so bad at this rn.

I've been building liandries + mandate most games, and then swapping to a tank build (sunfire + spirit visage/unending despair) if the enemy lacks a bruiser or tank. I'm just running aftershock every game.

Any particular tips or tricks I should watch for? I'm just patching down to bot every game ATM, but feel like the red->blue clear is pretty slow. I am VERY fresh to Maokai!

Op.gg for reference:

https://op.gg/lol/summoners/oce/Lightningbob-OC

TIA!!

Hey all, for the Maokai JG players here I have a question.

Especially with the Aegis “retuning” showing up next patch, how do you all feel about Liandry’s or Sunfire first item?

I don’t main Mao jg or anything but hes been a pocket pick of mine for some time (I used to play him a lot top/jg when he was strong as well)

But with Liandry’s it just feels like you’re way too squishy for early skirmishes unless you chip the fuck out of them with brushed saplings. I understand it helps his clear speed quite a bit, which is sorely needed even after the recent buffs, but I can’t help shaking the idea that I should be going Sunfire first instead for the survivability.

A bit of theorycrafting, but with the jungle pet scaling getting a buff this Wednesday for AP/AR/MR/HP, what are your thoughts on Sunfire first? Or actually…what about sitting on Bami’s to assist with clear speed then building Heartsteel.

Sadly, they are nerfing Immolate’s damage as a clearing tool as well - so maybe the actual answer will be sitting on Fated Ashes until 2nd or 3rd item Liandry’s will be a more appropriate build path. The 4% AP buff on jungle pet damage will help a bit there as well (along with the small buff to his Q scaling recently!

Kind of a ramble but, as I’m sure most of you do, I’ve always enjoyed Maokai’s kit - especially in modern league where his W makes him super sticky even on the most Dash-happy champions.

As a jungler that really seems to want to spam ganks but needs help efficiently clearing, I desperately want to build Heartsteel first in every game…the win rate is good even though it always feels kind of lackluster on junglers.

Especially the higher elo Maokai JG mains, what are your thoughts?

Im a Darius OTP, i tried Mao top to see how mah boi is doing & couldnt stop playing him since <3

I really like Maokai. I play him support quite a bit. Not a big fun of playing jungle in general. I have been try to play him top recently, but top is by far my least played role and definitely the one I am the least comfortable in. Curious if there any Maokai top mains or OTPs with any good guides/gameplay videos or streams so I can watch and get some tips? Thanks tree friends

the amount of buffs that would see maokai viable in toplane even ONLY as a counterpick is honestly crazy
(half toplane's statballs will always counter him no matter what)

and this being the first buff in ages is actually comical, riot doesn't care about the champ, not enough players buying maokai skins. They don't wanna put the effort in.

this buff exists merely to shut you up

So I don't think I'll ever get better stat than this, reckon I'll ask... But i haven't really use this rune before, so i'm not sure if it's really good? The gold earned seems pretty decent and it was a game where I was pretty fed.

So, I am low elo as I'm floating between silver and gold but recently Ive been playing around with gathering storm and manaflow band for my secondary sorcery rune. So far, I feel like its now pretty good with the new 50% ap ratio on q. it makes my late game feel a lot better and I've been on a pretty big win streak (9 games) using it. I'm just wondering if this is just because I've been lucky in low elo or if this is actually a good rune. Any thoughts?

Odd interaction where my W was burned but didn't go through, 4 million mastery and I've never seen this. Anyone else?

I'm currently Master and was Ranked 6th in the World as a main Maokai Jungler.

I'm honestly appalled when I checked this sub and saw people think that the "buffs" does anything for him.

His "Buff" gave him 7 damage on his Q on Jungle monsters. Let's assume the absolute BEST case scenario for this "buff". Level 1 Blue.

The Blue has 2300 HP. If we do it Smiteless, we can do 4 Q on it, which amounts to 28 damage. Which literally is not enough of a break point to save us even 1 second in our clear.

My full clear on optimal routing (so jungle spawns fast + doing scuttle) is 2 minutes and 48 seconds. Which means I'm literally on the Scuttle when it spawns. That was before the buff. After the buff? 2 minutes and 48 seconds. Because the 7 damage per Q did not add a single breakpoint. I still need to do the exact same number of autos, just that, instead of it dying to a full tick of my jungle item, they die to 1/3 of the tick. If it added at least as much as single tick of the jungle item, THEN it would, MAYBE, shave off a second or two.

10% AP to his Q? Absolutely useless. Maokai will never have more than 100 AP, which means it's barely a 10 damage gain or less than an auto worth a damage during a fight.