Arrr, good patterns
- Arrr, creates space through durability, control or a reliable front-line threat.
- Can create value through control, protection, setup or pressure that does nay depend only on personal doubloons.
Game patch, matey 26.20Data Dragon 16.20.1
Arrr, reference patch 16.20.1
Maokai
the Twisted Treant
Maokai be a durable champion who creates space through control, protection or a committed front line. This overview keeps th' explanation practical and leaves patch-sensitive numbers to Riot's structured data and th' present in-battle tooltip.
Arrr, usual roleSupport◆ClassArrr, tank · Support
3DifficultyArrr, low · 3/10
◎Arrr, basic attacksMeleeArrr, melee basic attacks · 125 range.
◈Arrr, damage profileArrr, mostly magic damageMost normal kit pressure be magic. Magic resistance may lend a hand, but control, penetration and true damage still matter.
#Arrr, reference patch16.20.1
Arrr, strengths and limits
What Maokai does well, and what can go wrong
These be kit-level patterns, nay a promise that every course or matchup plays th' same way.
Arrr, limits to respect
- Durability does nay make an unsupported engage seaworthy or guarantee enough damage to finish a target.
- Reduced income makes gear timing and seaworthy cooperation more booty fit fer th' captain's eye than on a solo-course carry.
- Basic attacks require belay access, so foe range, slows and displacement can deny a clean trade.
Arrr, riot ally tips
Use these while learning th' championSaplings can be tossed into brush fer empowered effect - but don't stack well.
Try looking fer flanks or other situations where Nature's Grasp be unavoidable or takes enemies by surprise.
Maokai's passive makes him extremely durable agin' focus fire from spells - so long as he can still basic attack something.
Riot foe tips
What an foe be told to watch ferSaplings will chase th' first aboard foe that gets too belay, but detonate after a few seconds or if they collide wit' other enemies. Be especially careful 'round brush sapling, as they be much more booty perilous.
Th' cooldown on Maokai's self healing be heavily gated on how many time ye hit him wit' spells. Careful about wasting tricks on him.
Maokai will avoid taking damage while he's using Twisted Advance, so don't waste yer spells.
Arrr, practical champion reading
Arrr, how to read Maokai in a real fight
Use these patterns to ask better questions afore choosing an gear, target or commitment. They describe th' kit, nay a promised result.
Arrr, primarily magic pressure
Magic resistance can reduce th' broad spell profile, but positioning and cooldown tracking still decide whether th' fit fer th' captain's eye tricks connect.
Track th' shipshape trick cycle
Do nay judge th' champion from one control. Watch which setup, payoff and escape tools be available afore choosing a trade or commitment.
Needs belay access fer basic attacks
Range, slows, displacement and terrain can deny th' clean contact this champion wants. Course th' course in as carefully as th' damage after arrival.
Arrr, create space and absorb attention
Th' kit be most often most valuable when it controls an entrance, protects a carry or begins a fight crewmates can actually reach. Durability does nay make an isolated engage seaworthy.
Identify th' exact movement restriction
Tenacity can shorten only eligible control. Displacements, airborne effects and repeated slows need their own positioning, blocking or movement captain's answer.
Inspect whether recovery changes th' fight
Anti-heal or anti-shielding be situational. Buy it only when th' effect be materially protecting targets and yer champion can apply th' captain's answer reliably.
Arrr, mana and cooldowns both matter
A spell being available does nay mean th' shipshape sequence be sustainable. Watch th' resource bar as well as th' setup and escape cooldowns.
Defensive gear reference
What can help against Maokai?
Set sail wit' th' threat that be actually affecting th' clash. These be conditional comparisons, nay an automatic counter loadout.
Arrr, dEFENSIVE BOOTS
Mercury's Treads most often fit better
Magic resistance addresses th' broad damage profile, while Tenacity can shorten reducible control.
Pick Plated Steelcaps instead only when physical basic attacks from this champion or th' rest o' th' crew be th' larger repeated threat.Normal Draft and Ranked role sea chart
Where Maokai fits on Summoner's Rift
Each course be assessed separately. Unfurl a role to reach its queue-specific loadout and matchup preparation.
TopSecond berth
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Maokai has a secondary station in this historical log, matey. It be less common than the main stations, but has a recognisable plan for that station.
JungleUnestablished course
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Maokai be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Jungle course. Jungle most often needs repeatable monster clear th' deck, seaworthy pathing and prize control without course income. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
MidUnestablished course
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Maokai be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Mid course. Mid most often needs solo-course safe harbour plus wave control, roaming or reliable burst pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
BotUnestablished course
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Maokai be normally played Support and does nay currently have a reviewed Bot course. Bot most often needs dependable duo-course scaling and sustained damage wit' shared early pressure. Treat this as a deliberate experiment, nay a standard recommendation.
SupportArrr, primary role
Old chart, matey. Recommendations await inspection. Maokai has an established low-income Support course wit' useful course pressure, protection, engage or crew utility.
Arrr, Situational AP purchase
Arrr, When should you buy anti-heal?
Arrr, Buy healing reduction when enemy healing or regeneration is deciding fights and you can keep damaging the relevant target. Grievous Wounds reduces healing; it does not reduce shields, magic damage or crowd control.
Arrr, Start with the component
Arrr, Oblivion Orb can provide healing reduction without immediately paying for a completed Morellonomicon. Fit the component around your core damage, mana and survival needs; check the current queue's item tooltip.
Arrr, Finish when it fits the fight
Arrr, Complete Morellonomicon when its stats and slot efficiency suit your build. Do not treat it as a mandatory first item just because your champion deals magic damage.
Arrr, Coordinate coverage
Arrr, Multiple Grievous Wounds sources do not add their percentages together. Another reliable applier may cover the same target, but you may still need your own source for a separate fight or target.
Arrr, Repeated spell damage and damage over time can maintain coverage more reliably than a single hit. Match the purchase to your actual spell access, enemy sustain and the teammates who can apply the debuff.
Arrr, Will the fight last long enough?
Arrr, If you die before dealing damage, you apply no healing reduction. If your target dies before healing, there is little healing to prevent. The debuff applies on qualifying damage immediately; it does not need to build up. It remains briefly after your last hit, so teammates can benefit even after you disengage.
Arrr, Only healing during the active debuff counts. For example, 40% reduction prevents 80 of a 200-point heal, or 400 of a 1,000-point heal, before other modifiers. Compare that with the damage, penetration or survival you delayed; neither example guarantees a kill. Healing after the debuff expires is unaffected.
Arrr, See the Arrr, oblivion Orb and Arrr, Morellonomicon Arrr, references for current effects and queue availability. These are situational decisions, not a measured best-build claim.
Arrr, kit reference
Maokai tricks
Trick names, descriptions and numeric fields come from Riot Data Dragon. Practical reads be independently written; th' present in-battle tooltip remains authoritative.
Tricks Data Dragon 16.20.1Cooldown / Cost / Range Data Dragon 16.20.1
P
Passive
Sap Magic
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMaokai'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.
Arrr, practical readSap Magic be an automatic part o' th' kit involving basic-attack interaction and damage. Track when its condition be active instead o' treating every fight th' same way.
Protection
Th' protection or sustain be part o' th' cast's value. Compare its timing wit' incoming damage rather than reading only th' offensive effect.
Q
Q trick
Bramble Smash
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMaokai knocks back nearby enemies with a shockwave, dealing magic damage and slowing them.
Arrr, practical readBramble Smash contributes a slowing effect and damage. Its value changes wit' cooldown, range and target access; recognise th' setup afore moving into its effective area.
CooldownArrr, 7/6.5/6/5.5/5 secCost40Arrr, listed rangeArrr, 600 units
W
W trick
Twisted Advance
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMaokai contorts into a mass of moving roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to the target. Upon arrival, he roots the target.
Arrr, practical readTwisted Advance be part o' Maokai's W pattern. Read its listed effect first aboard, then track th' cooldown and condition that make th' next aboard use valuable.
CooldownArrr, 14/13/12/11/10 secCost60Arrr, listed rangeArrr, 525 units
Movement
Th' cast changes position or access. Sailor record fer where th' champion finishes, nay only where th' trick begins.
E
E trick
Sapling Toss
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMaokai flings a sapling to the target area to stand guard. More effective in brush.
Arrr, practical readSapling Toss be part o' Maokai's E pattern. Read its listed effect first aboard, then track th' cooldown and condition that make th' next aboard use valuable.
CooldownArrr, 18/17/16/15/14 secCost60/65/70/75/80Arrr, listed rangeArrr, 1100 units
R
Ultimate
Nature's Grasp
Arrr, what it doesEnglishMaokai summons a colossal wall of brambles and thorns that slowly advances forwards, damaging and rooting any enemies in the path.
Arrr, practical readNature's Grasp contributes a slowing effect. Its value changes wit' cooldown, range and target access; recognise th' setup afore moving into its effective area.
CooldownArrr, 130/110/90 secCost100Arrr, listed rangeArrr, 3000 units
Arrr, levels 1–18
Maokai · Health, arr / Mana, arr · Tricks
Base values exclude gear, runes, temporary buffs and mode-specific modifiers. Cooldowns be th' listed base cooldown afore trick haste.
Cooldown Data Dragon 16.20.1
Basic trickBramble Smash
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Arrr, rank 1Arrr, 7 secArrr, rank 2Arrr, 6.5 secArrr, rank 3Arrr, 6 secArrr, rank 4Arrr, 5.5 secArrr, rank 5Arrr, 5 sec
Basic trickTwisted Advance
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Arrr, rank 1Arrr, 14 secArrr, rank 2Arrr, 13 secArrr, rank 3Arrr, 12 secArrr, rank 4Arrr, 11 secArrr, rank 5Arrr, 10 sec
Basic trickSapling Toss
Can receive its first aboard point from level 1. Later ranks normally become available at levels 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Arrr, rank 1Arrr, 18 secArrr, rank 2Arrr, 17 secArrr, rank 3Arrr, 16 secArrr, rank 4Arrr, 15 secArrr, rank 5Arrr, 14 sec
UltimateNature's Grasp
First aboard rank becomes available at level 6; later ranks normally become available at levels 11 and 16.
Arrr, rank 1Arrr, 130 secArrr, rank 2Arrr, 110 secArrr, rank 3Arrr, 90 sec
Unfurl every levelHull and mana from level 1 to 18
| Rank | Health, arr | Mana, arr | Trick milestone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 665 | 375 Mana, arr | Pick th' first aboard basic trick |
| 2 | 743 | 406 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 3 | 826 | 438 Mana, arr | Stow another basic trick or rank |
| 4 | 912 | 472 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 5 | 1,002 | 508 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 6 | 1,096 | 545 Mana, arr | First aboard ultimate rank normally available |
| 7 | 1,193 | 583 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 8 | 1,294 | 623 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 9 | 1,400 | 665 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 10 | 1,509 | 708 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 11 | 1,621 | 752 Mana, arr | Arrr, second ultimate rank normally available |
| 12 | 1,738 | 798 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 13 | 1,859 | 846 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 14 | 1,983 | 895 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 15 | 2,111 | 945 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 16 | 2,243 | 997 Mana, arr | Arrr, final ultimate rank normally available |
| 17 | 2,378 | 1,051 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
| 18 | 2,518 | 1,106 Mana, arr | Spend one trick point |
Pick th' next aboard query
Turn th' profile into a pre-battle course
Pick a queue-aware loadout, compare a course foe, or return to th' full champion library.