Maokai Build Guide by Teyso

Good Guide

I like your build a lot..I agree with you..But..Isn't Rabadon's Deathcape a good choice??I take it always when i play ap carry..:)Thanks for the build!!Keep Going!!

Indeed, you are quite right: Rabadon's Deathcap is necessary for most AP Carries. :) The fifth build is the only straight-up AP Maokai build. The jungle AP build is more of an AP Bruiser, and thus, doesn't have room for a straight AP item. The Bruiser will need other stats.

Awesome guide! Keep it up :P Just bought him today and i love him :D (4800 IP discount :))

Oh man, this needs so much more attention. Very good guide.

That's funny, it's the first guide I check for Maokai and the top lane build is extremely similar to the one I use (Except that I start with a Doran's ring).

There are so many things wrong with this. I'm going to list the most important ones, to me that is.

#1: Starting with a Sapphire Crystal. Never a good thing. Sure you have a couple extra Sapling Tosses, but it's not going to help you stay in lane at all.

#2: While I did briefly touch on Rylai's Crystal Scepter in my guide, which I know you've read, it's not that great of an item because you only have one skill that really benefits from it. That's the saplings. Sure the HP and AP are nice, but you're mostly wasting the slow, which is where most of the cost comes from.

#3: Armor per level seals are garbage if jungling and most other times as well. MP5 are beaten out by their per level counterparts at level 6. Much better. Health per level quints are not that great either.

#4: Honor Guard , not a good mastery really.

Minor things

Sapling Toss is not stopped by bushes and will continue running at people if they go in them.

Your support build has a Giant's Belt that builds into nothing so your cheat sheet shows him weaker than he is.

You mention Lich Bane for AP Maokai but not Trinity Force for any of the others. Why?

Thank you for the comments! ^_^ I didn't catch some of these mistakes, and for the ones which I feel are not mistakes, I'll explain my reasoning here for you.

#1 yeah, I've been testing the Sapphire Crystal start for AP jungle and it's a little rocky, the only reasoning behind it is that it can build into a bunch of different items I might need, it's one of the most versatile starts for Maokai (in my own opinion). I do not (when I lane as Maokai) have trouble staying in lane with him.

#2 I hadn't considered that, thank you. My reasoning was that saplings and Maelstrom could slow, but you're right; Mao has enough cc already.

#3 I put in armor per-level?!?! I'll go find and fix that, do not recall writing it. My jungle build has flat armor seals, I do not condone armor per-level if someone intends to jungle. (If it is in my viable runes section, it is because I know that some people prefer stronger late games than early games. I personally do not use per-level armor seals.)

#4 I know, I started this guide almost 8 months ago. I have learned that some things are wrong that I thought were good back then. I have not found and updated every little thing. I'll fix that now.

Minor things

1) I was fairly certain that saplings didn't, maybe I mistook max chasing range for lack of sight. I'll go fix that, thank you for helping out!

2) another thing I did probably when I started the guide, thanks for pointing it out! ^_^ will fix.

3) Lich Bane is helpful for AP carry aand/or bruiser Maokai. Trinity Force is expensive, and in my opinion, does not contribute to his other roles as much as other items would. I believe it to be more efficient to not get Trinity. With that said, maybe in solo ranked when your team's off-tank or carry isn't doing enough damage, I would agree with getting it to help carry your team.

Thing is, they shouldn't be.
They break even at level 10. That's quite a while where you're weaker and they only give about 9 armor more in the long run. I.E. Not worth it.

This build deserves way more votes than it has good job man I just bought Maokai and I'm planning on using this build.


If you like Darius check out my build. Thanks.