From runes to items, gameplay tips amd more, we've put together a guide to help you master playing Maokai in the botlane in League of Legends.
Be mindful that there are several ways to build and play a champion, and you'll need to be adaptable as the game and the enemy team progress.
That said, this guide is a good starting point to helping you get to grips with the champion and making an impact in your games.
Runes
Core Items
Build
Evenshroud is a solid shout for Maokai in the botlane, offering lots of tanky stats and a great passive that will boost your ADC's output considerably.
It goes well with Dead Man's Plate, which is probably even more of a core item due to how immobile Maokai is.
Pair those with Thornmail, Knight's Vow, and maybe a Frozen Heart and you'll be a strong tank support.
Starting Item & Boots
Skill Order
While your choices may differ according to how the game progresses, the typical Maokai skill priority is:
R > Q > W > E
Summoner Spells
These are the summoner spells most typically taken by Maokai in this role. Naturally, this may change depending on match-ups.
Gameplay
An excellent tank no matter where he's playing, you'll want to try to zone your lane opponents as much as possible. When you have your full set of spells and a couple items, you can really go ham on trading - Maokai's kit allows him to lock down the laners well. If your ADC is on the ball, you'll do great.
- Level 1 - Take W - Twisted Advance, for the gap closer and stun.
- Level 2 - Take Q - Bramble Smash, for the area damage.
- First Back - Start towards your Dead Man's Plate, or pick up a Bramble Vest if there's too much damage coming out.
Tips & Tricks
- When sieging a turret, don't hesitate to use Sapling Toss. The slow can be the difference between them defending the turret or your siege being successful.
- Sapling Toss can also be used to negate enemy traps in bushes.
- Saplings placed into a bush last longer, and have a greater effect.
- Bramble Smash hits around Maokai, pushing enemies back. This can be used to send enemies closer to your team if you position yourself behind them.
- Once launched, Twisted Advance takes you to the end of the spell. Make sure you're not heading into danger!
- Twisted Advance makes you untargetable for a brief moment - use it to avoid spells!
