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Top · Ranked FlexMatchup guidePatch 16.20.1

Maokai vs Vex

Build, runes, abilities and practical pre-game checks in one queue-aware reference.

MaokaiVSVex

Matchup guide

Choose the matchup

Search every champion, choose the assigned role, then open the exact queue page.

VS
Role
Selected laneTop

Choose two champions from the list.

Role fit

TopMaokai

Maokai has a reviewed secondary role here. It is less common than the primary roles, but it has a recognisable role-specific plan.

Reviewed secondary
Review patch unknownRecommendation review pending

These patches track recommendation review, build validation and item lookup separately. Updating item data does not complete a build review.

Recommendation patch
— Data Dragon
Build validation patch
16.19.1 Data Dragon
Item lookup patch
16.20.1 Data Dragon

Ranked Flex · Top

Reviewed Maokai sustained tank Top

Follow the completed-item order as a pre-game reference. Components and owned items do not create extra inventory slots.

Reviewed secondary
S
Draft / Ranked opening · separate from item 1

Doran's Shield

450 gold

Adds health regeneration for a defensive lane opening.

1
First item

Plated Steelcaps

1,200 gold

Reduces physical basic-attack pressure; swap Boots when that is not the draft problem.

2
Boots

Unending Despair

2,800 gold

Adds health and repeated healing during longer front-line fights.

3
Core

Winter's Approach

2,400 gold

Builds mana and health before transforming automatically into Fimbulwinter.

4
Second core

Spirit Visage

2,700 gold

Adds magic resistance and improves incoming and self-healing.

5
Late power

Thornmail

2,450 gold

Adds armour and anti-heal when attack-heavy enemies must hit you.

6
Flexible

Sunfire Aegis

2,800 gold

Adds a reviewed part of this champion and role core.

Complete build choices

Choose the route before play

Recommendation review pending

AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. CoreWinter's Approach
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis

Complete build comparison

Complete build comparison

Recommendation review pending

Build review neededReviewed Maokai sustained tank TopRecommendation review pendingView full route

Recommendation review pending

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. CoreWinter's Approach
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativeToo much healingChempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.View full route

Best when: Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Chempunk Chainsword
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativePhysical burstDeath's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.View full route

Best when: Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Death's Dance
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativeSustained magic damageKaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.View full route

Best when: Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. CoreWinter's Approach
  4. Kaenic Rookern
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis
AlternativeThey stack armourBlack Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.View full route

Best when: Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

  1. First itemPlated Steelcaps
  2. BootsUnending Despair
  3. Black Cleaver
  4. Second coreSpirit Visage
  5. Late powerThornmail
  6. FlexibleSunfire Aegis

Runes and summoner spells

Runes and summoner spellsMaokaiTop

Take measured lane trades, scale durability and keep a route back to the map.

Ranked Flex
Primary tree

Resolve

Grasp of the UndyingDemolishSecond WindOvergrowth
Secondary tree

Precision

TriumphLast Stand
Summoner spells
FlashTeleport
Long-lane safety

Teleport preserves recalls and side-lane access. Ignite is a deliberate pressure trade-off, not a universal upgrade.

Respect the matchup

Keep the defensive secondary runes when repeated poke or one committed trade can decide the lane.

Matchup notes

What changes when Vex is opposite you?

Pre-game kit comparison
Kit comparison

Respect the opponent's reliable threat

Track the cooldown and range of the ability that starts their safest trade. Do not treat this page as a statistical counter claim.

Your plan

Use the route you prepared

Treat Vex as one part of the map state. Their Jungler, nearby waves and which teammates can move determine whether the same trade or rotation is safe.

Ability reminders

Maokai reminders

  • 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.

Static alternatives

Compare the problem before changing the plan

These choices are not selected from live scores. Use one only after you identify the stated match problem yourself.

Too much healing

Chempunk Chainsword

Chempunk Chainsword adds anti-heal without abandoning attack damage and health.

Physical burst

Death's Dance

Death's Dance delays physical damage so takedowns can stabilise the fight.

Sustained magic damage

Kaenic Rookern

Kaenic Rookern is a defensive answer when repeated magic damage is the real problem.

They stack armour

Black Cleaver

Black Cleaver shreds armour during extended fights.

Only when enemy healing is deciding fights

Oblivion Orb

Oblivion Orb supplies healing reduction without committing to a completed Morellonomicon. Skip both when healing is not the problem or an ally already covers your target reliably. Healing reduction does not reduce shields.

Conditional component, not a core item. Complete Morellonomicon only when its stats and slot efficiency justify delaying another purchase.

Ability reference

Compare both kits

Ability reference Data Dragon 16.20.1

Cooldown (s) / Cost / Listed range (units) Data Dragon 16.20.1

Maokai

  1. P
    Sap Magic

    Maokai's basic attack also heals him and deals additional damage on a moderate cooldown. Each time Maokai casts a spell or is struck by an enemy's spell, this cooldown is reduced.

  2. Q
    Bramble Smash

    Maokai knocks back nearby enemies with a shockwave, dealing magic damage and slowing them.

    Cooldown (s) 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 · Cost 40 · Listed range (units) 600
  3. W
    Twisted Advance

    Maokai contorts into a mass of moving roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to the target. Upon arrival, he roots the target.

    Cooldown (s) 14/13/12/11/10 · Cost 60 · Listed range (units) 525
  4. E
    Sapling Toss

    Maokai flings a sapling to the target area to stand guard. More effective in brush.

    Cooldown (s) 18/17/16/15/14 · Cost 60/65/70/75/80 · Listed range (units) 1100
  5. R
    Nature's Grasp

    Maokai summons a colossal wall of brambles and thorns that slowly advances forwards, damaging and rooting any enemies in the path.

    Cooldown (s) 130/110/90 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 3000

Vex

  1. P
    Doom 'n Gloom

    Vex periodically becomes empowered, causing her next basic Ability to fear enemies and interrupt dashes. Whenever a nearby enemy dashes, Vex applies a mark that can be consumed for bonus damage that also reduces the cooldown of her empowered state.

  2. Q
    Mistral Bolt

    Launch a damaging missile that accelerates mid-flight.

    Cooldown (s) 8/7/6/5/4 · Cost 45/50/55/60/65 · Listed range (units) 1200
  3. W
    Personal Space

    Gain a shield and damage nearby enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 16/15/14/13/12 · Cost 75 · Listed range (units) 475
  4. E
    Looming Darkness

    Summon a damaging and slowing zone that applies Gloom to enemies.

    Cooldown (s) 12 · Cost 70/80/90/100/110 · Listed range (units) 800
  5. R
    Shadow Surge

    Fire a missile that marks an enemy champion. Recast to dash to them and deal damage.

    Cooldown (s) 140/120/100 · Cost 100 · Listed range (units) 2000/2500/3000

Adapt the plan

What to do when the game changes

Judge the whole lane or map state, not only personal kills. Choose the situation closest to the current game.

Even plan

Trade around the wave and your strongest cooldowns

1
Lane

Keep health and minions balanced so one poor trade does not decide the lane.

2
Map play

Move after the wave is handled and communicate if the opposing Top laner leaves first.

3
Fights

Choose between front-line duty, side pressure and carry access according to the champion kit.

Pings, movement and objectives

Maokai Top map plan

Manage the long lane before leaving it. A useful move begins with a handled wave, a visible route and a teammate who knows you are coming.

Ahead

Use the side-lane lead without donating it

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing when the opposing Top leaves, then On My Way before a flank or objective move.
Stay or move
Push the wave before moving. Stay if leaving would hand several minions or your tower back to the opponent.
Objective
Arrive through a known route and mark whether you are front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry. Do not enter alone before the team can follow.
Even

Make the wave create the first move

Ping
Use Enemy Missing early, Danger on the route they may take, and On My Way only after your own wave is handled.
Stay or move
Move after pushing or on a shared recall. Do not follow through unwarded river merely because the opponent left first.
Objective
Tell the team whether you can move before the objective starts. Approach with vision and save the cooldown needed for the first real commitment.
Behind

Protect experience and communicate the pressure

Ping
Ping Enemy Missing immediately and Retreat if teammates are about to meet the stronger Top laner without you.
Stay or move
Do not match a stronger opponent through darkness. Clear the safe wave, then group by the shortest controlled route.
Objective
State early if you cannot contest. If the team still fights, provide control or protection instead of attempting an isolated flank.
Objective setup

Four calls, in order

Pings create a shared plan; they do not replace checking waves, vision and who can move.

  1. 1
    Handle the wave

    Push, catch or communicate the wave before leaving so the opponent does not gain a free move and free income.

  2. 2
    Signal the route

    Use On My Way for the route you are actually taking and Danger where an unseen opponent may arrive.

  3. 3
    Enter together

    Move through controlled vision with the Jungler or another ally instead of face-checking the objective alone.

  4. 4
    Choose the job

    Decide whether you are engaging, front-lining, flanking or protecting a carry before the fight begins.

Later objectives: Repeat the same process around later major objectives: handle nearby income, communicate the route, enter through vision and agree on the fight before committing.

Keep preparing

Use the champion page or choose another opponent

The matchup page is a pre-game reference. It does not predict the result or alter its recommendation from changing live match data.

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