Maokai Jungle Build

Maokai Champion Guide

Role: Tank

Lane: Jungle

Maokai Jungle performs best with a build featuring Liandry's Torment, Ionian Boots of Lucidity, Unending Despair, Spirit Visage, and Thornmail. The most effective rune setup for Maokai Jungle includes Phase Rush, Nimbus Cloak, Transcendence, and Waterwalking in the primary tree, paired with Cosmic Insight and Magical Footwear in the secondary tree.

Maokai Champion Abilities

Sap Magic

Maokai's attacks restore 4-12.8% health (depending on level).

Using an ability or being hit by an enemy champion's ability reduces the cooldown by 4 seconds. Being hit by large or epic monster's attacks or abilities reduces the cooldown by 1.5 seconds. P

Bramble Smash

Maokai smashes his fist into the ground, dealing 65 / 110 / 155 / 200 / 245 (+40% of ability power) plus (+2 / 2.5 / 3 / 3.5 / 4% of the target's max health) magic damage and briefly slowing. Nearby enemies are also knocked back. Q

Twisted Advance

Maokai transforms into a moving mass of roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to an enemy. Upon arrival, he roots the enemy for 1 / 1.1 / 1.2 / 1.3 / 1.4 seconds and deals 60 / 85 / 110 / 135 / 160 (+40% of ability power) magic damage. W

Sapling Toss

Maokai flings a sapling, which stands watch for 30 seconds. Saplings chase nearby enemies, detonating on arrival to deal 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 / 150 (+25% of ability power) (+5% bonus health) magic damage and slow surrounding enemies by 45% for 2 seconds. Sap Magic's cooldown is reduced by an additional 4 seconds if the sapling hits an enemy champion or epic monster.

If placed in brush, Saplings instead last for 30 (+1.5% bonus health) seconds and cause a larger explosion, dealing 36.67 / 53.33 / 70 / 86.67 / 103.33 (+23.33% of ability power) (+3.33% bonus health) magic damage over 3 seconds (for a total of 110 / 160 / 210 / 260 / 310 (+70% of ability power) (+10% bonus health) magic damage) and slowing enemies by 45% (+1% per 100 ability power) (+1% per 100 bonus health). E

Nature's Grasp

Maokai summons a colossal wave of brambles and thorns, rooting enemies for 0.75 to 2.25 seconds, increasing with distance travelled, and dealing 150 / 225 / 300 (+75% of ability power) magic damage. Hitting a champion gives Maokai 40 / 50 / 60% movement speed, decaying over 2 seconds. R

Maokai Summoner Spells

Flash

Flash is a location-targeted summoner spell that causes your champion to blink to the location in range of your cursor.

Smite

Smite is a unit-targeted summoner spell that deals true damage to the target large or medium monster, enemy minion, or pet.

Maokai Runes

Maokai Items

Maokai Ability Order

Maokai Matchups Overview

Strong against

Zyra

Teemo

Rammus

Jax

Graves

Karthus

Weak against

Rengar

Kindred

Xin Zhao

Kayn

Talon

Diana

Maokai Tips and Tricks

Maokai’s Ultimate is a powerful tool in team fights. Engage with it to disrupt the enemy, then fall back to protect your carries. Before your first camp spawns, place as many Saplings as possible, preferably in bushes, to maximize their effectiveness. In the early game, focus on ganking frequently using your point-and-click crowd control to get your allies ahead.

Maokai Best Build, Runes, Items for Jungle

Most Popular

For the best Maokai Jungle build, take Flash and Smite as your Summoner Spells. Use Phase Rush as your keystone, followed by Nimbus Cloak, Transcendence, and Waterwalking in the primary tree. In the secondary tree, take Cosmic Insight and Magical Footwear. Rune shards should include Ability Haste in offense, Adaptive Force in flex, and Health Scaling in defense, depending on the matchup. Start with Liandry's Torment, then build Ionian Boots of Lucidity and Unending Despair. Complete the build with Spirit Visage, Thornmail, and Locket of the Iron Solari. Max your abilities in the order of Q - W - E.

Situational Maokai Runes and Items

Adjust your build and rune choices based on your matchup, enemy composition, and game state. Consider taking Armor or Magic Resist as rune shards when necessary. Modify your itemization to enhance survivability or utility depending on your team's needs.