Support Maokai Build

Support Maokai build with runes and items. Support Maokai guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Support Maokai build in League of Legends Patch 25.S1.3!
Author: Wrekah
TLDR
Starting items![Guardian's Horn should be final item in your build.]()
![Ruby Crystal should be final item in your build.]()


Quick Skill Order![Maokai ability Sapling Toss should be leveled first.]()
![Maokai ability Twisted Advance should be leveled second.]()
![Maokai ability Bramble Smash should be leveled third.]()

E

W

Q
Final items![Ionian Boots of Lucidity should be final item in your build.]()
![Knight's Vow should be final item in your build.]()
![Sunfire Aegis should be final item in your build.]()
![Trailblazer should be final item in your build.]()
![Kaenic Rookern should be final item in your build.]()
![Fimbulwinter should be final item in your build.]()






Quick Runes![Major rune Aftershock from Resolve tree.]()
![Minor rune Precision.]()


Summoner spells![Pick Mark as your Summoner Spell.]()
![Pick Flash as your Summoner Spell.]()


Support Maokai Runes
Resolve![Resolve major tree Grasp of the Undying rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Aftershock rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Guardian rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Demolish rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Font of Life rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Shield Bash rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Conditioning rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Second Wind rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Bone Plating rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Overgrowth rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Revitalize rune.]()
![Resolve major tree Unflinching rune.]()












Precision![Precision minor tree Absorb Life rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Triumph rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Presence of Mind rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Legend: Alacrity rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Legend: Haste rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Legend: Bloodline rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Coup de Grace rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Cut Down rune.]()
![Precision minor tree Last Stand rune.]()









Passive![Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).]()
![Passive tree Attack Speed rune (+10% Attack Speed).]()
![Passive tree Ability Haste rune (+8 Ability Haste).]()
![Passive tree Adaptive Force rune (+9 Adaptive Force).]()
![Passive tree Move Speed rune (+2 Movement Speed).]()
![Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).]()
![Passive tree Health rune (+65 Health).]()
![Passive tree Tenacity And Slow Resist rune (+10 Tenacity and Slow Resist).]()
![Passive tree Health Scaling rune (+10-180 Health (based on level)).]()









How it works
General
- You play Support who goes tanky.
How to play
General
- Identify your role within the team (engage, peel, frontline)
- If your team needs engage, go Trailblazer and Shurelya's Battlesong
- If your team needs peel, go Knight's Vow and Locket of the Iron Solari.
- Knight's Vow is a surprisingly good item. Buy it and use it if you have carry or bruiser/fighter who is doing well.
- You need to adapt your items to the game. Enemy team heavy on AP? Buy MR. They heavy on AD? Buy Armor. You need some damage? Well buy that.
- Be careful to not waste Aftershock. Try timing it and keeping it for going in.
Tips and Tricks
Champion
- You can use Sapling Toss (E) for brush control.
Riot
- Saplings can be tossed into brush for empowered effect - but don't stack well.
- Try looking for flanks or other situations where Nature's Grasp is unavoidable or takes enemies by surprise.
- Maokai's passive makes him extremely durable against focus fire from spells - so long as he can still basic attack something.
Skill Order
- Bramble SmashQ
- Twisted AdvanceW
- Sapling TossE
- Nature's GraspR
Items
Starting items![Guardian's Horn item.]()
![Ruby Crystal item.]()


Boots![Plated Steelcaps item.]()
![Mercury's Treads item.]()
![Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.]()



For peel![Knight's Vow item.]()
![Locket of the Iron Solari item.]()


For engage![Shurelya's Battlesong item.]()
![Trailblazer item.]()


Good tank items![Jak'Sho, The Protean item.]()
![Warmog's Armor item.]()
![Fimbulwinter item.]()



Good MR items![Spirit Visage item.]()
![Hollow Radiance item.]()
![Kaenic Rookern item.]()
![Abyssal Mask item.]()
![Force of Nature item.]()





Good Armor items![Frozen Heart item.]()
![Thornmail item.]()
![Unending Despair item.]()
![Iceborn Gauntlet item.]()
![Dead Man's Plate item.]()
![Sunfire Aegis item.]()
![Randuin's Omen item.]()







Situational items![Titanic Hydra item.]()
![Zeke's Convergence item.]()


For the last fight![Additional considerations for these items is advised!]()
![Elixir of Iron item.]()
![Elixir of Sorcery item.]()



Example final build![Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.]()
![Knight's Vow item.]()
![Sunfire Aegis item.]()
![Trailblazer item.]()
![Kaenic Rookern item.]()
![Fimbulwinter item.]()





