Welcome to my first ever guide. This will explain my build/play style with Maokai. This new champ is a joy to play. He can be built many ways and in this guide he will be tank/dps. I know your thinking dps?? what?? Just wait till you try it.

Okay so I kept it simple. Flat health for quints since early hp will be important. Flat magic pen for mark since early game harass is important. Mana regen per level for seal since you will be mana hungry. Magic resist per level for your glyphs. I pick magic resist above armor due to the order of my item build.

9/21/0 with improved exhaust for the all important slow/debuff. If you feel the dodge is a waste then pick up health regen. I haven't made up my mind which I like better yet.

I won't go into too much detail here since I listed out full build order except for the last item. The health regen keeps you in your lane early and the mana pot you will need for sure. Get the Philosophers stone ASAP. Now your set to harass away. I do not buy the rod of ages for a few reasons which I won't bother explaining. Look at it this way.... it's going to be one of the only builds without it. Getting the hourglass is key. This will help your ability to harass and even get some kills. The active can be used if you get focused with your allies around to help you. Warmog's next to help with survival. Deathcap is your last AP item. You should be doing good damage with W and E by now. Next work on your cooldown reduction. Last item is according to need. Lots of magic damage = banshee veil... Lots of physical = thornmail.

W and E = Bread and Butter!
Your gonna max your sapling first while building your root. Save Q for last!
Now much else to say.

Ghost and Exhaust. If you don't kill em while they are rooted by W with your bomb behind them then slow em with your exhaust. Your slowwwwwwwww.... you may need ghost to run away/chase.

Okay so here is how I play. I lane with a partner and spend most of my time in the bush. Always be with some one who can deal damage. Your goal is to be the master of assists. Your W gets good opening damage and your E takes care of em if they try to run out. You are best paired with ranged DPS during lane phase.

I toss bombs at enemy champs till we have pushed em back to their turret. Proceed to throw bombs behind the creep and behind their turret. You have a good chance of getting first blood with a bomb. Use your mana pot to keep up the bombs early game. When you have your W and E leveled a bit your ready to help your team gank. You dash in with W and toss your bomb directly behind the rooted champ. Make sure you hit them with bombs landing damage as they will take explosion almost always.

Try to catch them away from minions to prevent bomb running elsewhere. When using bomb with minions around bomb on top of the champ. Don't waste the initial hit. Don't waste the bomb on farming early game. Let your lane partner farm like crazy while you keep enemy away. After you get some AP your bomb will be good for farming.

Using your ulti can be tricky. Using it will take practice. The cooldown is petty low so don't be afraid to use it against 2 or 3 champs in small fights.

Your Q will be your least used skill. It has a short range and most of the time other champs have slows, stuns, etc.

This build does not make you the beefiest tank ever.... but Maokai doesn't feel like that kind of champ to me. His only damage mitigation will be his ult which is easily run out of. I think one of the greatest parts about this guy is his mad bombing skills! You can pick off lower HP champs from a distance and take them out of the fight. Also you can soften them up before a full battle.

Well that is all for now. Feel free to bash the build or love it.

P.S. Don't waste your bombs on tanks... aim for the little guys and you will be rewarded.