Tank Maokai Build

Tank Maokai Build.

Tank Maokai build with runes and items. Tank Maokai guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play Tank Maokai build in League of Legends Patch 25.08!

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 Bramble Smash should be leveled first.
Q
Maokai ability Twisted Advance should be leveled second.
W
Maokai ability Sapling Toss should be leveled third.
E
Final items
Mercury's Treads should be final item in your build.
Jak'Sho, The Protean should be final item in your build.
Hollow Radiance should be final item in your build.
Thornmail should be final item in your build.
Unending Despair should be final item in your build.
Spirit Visage 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.

Tank 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 to play

General

  1. You start with Guardian's Horn. Your #1 rush should be item that counters enemy team most (MR or Armor item). Get Jak'Sho as #2 item. Then adapt.
  2. Triumph is better overall (heal + gold), but if you want to have easier time with your mana, go Presence of the Mind.
  3. Guardian's Horn is a surprisingly good item for its price. You can keep it for very long time (or even have it as 6th item).
  4. 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.
  5. Be careful to not waste Aftershock. Try timing it and keeping it for going in.

Tips and Tricks

Champion

  1. You can use Sapling Toss (E) for brush control.

Riot

  1. Saplings can be tossed into brush for empowered effect - but don't stack well.
  2. Try looking for flanks or other situations where Nature's Grasp is unavoidable or takes enemies by surprise.
  3. Maokai's passive makes him extremely durable against focus fire from spells - so long as he can still basic attack something.

Skill Order

  • Maokai [object Object] ability.
    Q
    Bramble Smash
  • Maokai [object Object] ability.
    W
    Twisted Advance
  • Maokai [object Object] ability.
    E
    Sapling Toss
  • Maokai [object Object] ability.
    R
    Nature's Grasp

Items

Starting items
Guardian's Horn item.
Ruby Crystal item.
Boots
Plated Steelcaps item.
Mercury's Treads item.
Ionian Boots of Lucidity item.
Good tank items
Fimbulwinter item.
Warmog's Armor item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Good MR items
Abyssal Mask item.
Force of Nature item.
Spirit Visage item.
Kaenic Rookern item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Good Armor items
Unending Despair item.
Randuin's Omen item.
Sunfire Aegis item.
Dead Man's Plate item.
Iceborn Gauntlet item.
Frozen Heart item.
Thornmail item.
Situational items
Knight's Vow item.
Zeke's Convergence item.
Trailblazer item.
Situational DMG items
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Zhonya's Hourglass item.
Wit's End item.
Overlord's Bloodmail item.
Titanic Hydra item.
Liandry's Torment item.
For the last fight
Additional considerations for these items is advised!
Elixir of Iron item.
Elixir of Sorcery item.
Example final build
Mercury's Treads item.
Jak'Sho, The Protean item.
Hollow Radiance item.
Thornmail item.
Unending Despair item.
Spirit Visage item.