First off, i know my gramma sucks, so theres no need to tell me, ty.

Once i played Maokai, like i did in almost every game, and i wanted to get better, so i found this guide called "Maokai - the unstopable tank"
But as every other champion, Maokai got boring to play, so i started playing sum other champs for a while.. a couple of weeks later i joined a game, they needed a tank, so i picked Maokai, headed to mobafire to find the build, and it was gone.. Luckily i memorized most of it, so i decided to post a new one, with a twist of my own.

Pros:
is a great initiator for a team fight.
works as a free ward.
Good at soloing if u got a jungler 'cuz of , and the massive hp/mp regen this build provides.
Can easily save a teammate who is getting hunted with and arcane smash.

Cons:
is the suckiest ulti, until u learn how to use it.

I go 0/21/9 cuz i want my Maokai to be.. Anti squishy ? i go for hp, and everything that reduces damage from enemy champions against me.

First, i start with , and a so i really can be a pain in the ***, with the hp regen, so im hard to get rid off, and the mana regen, so i can keep spamming .
These 3 first items makes Maokai able to stay in the lane for a very long time without the need of going back for hp or mana, so its a good idea to wait buying , until u also can afford . but ofc, if u die, or for some reason end up at base, just buy .
Next item is Philosopher's stone 'cuz as u gain levels, and wont longer be enough hp/mp regen for u.
Then u go for cuz of the tenacity, and it's always nice to run a lil' bit faster in every situation.
So, now is the time where the laning phase is - if not already ended - begining to end. and here, will come in handy. It provides a good hp boost, so u can start tanking small teamfights, or towerdive, so ur teamates can pwn those squishy ranged mofo's who have been hiding behind their towers so far..
Now we're starting to build , so grab , to start off with.
It's time for , cuz, as u might have noticed, we like the hp/mp regen, and this item gives alot of both, and the unique active: 40% movement speed, is very helpfull when u need to join ur team fast for a team fight.
now get .. why? cuz its good..
Buy a as the first item of .
last, but not .. least? buy . it gives some hp, mp, and we really like its passive !

For skills, we start of putting 1 point in . I garuantee u, the guys u lane against, will F***ing hate this skill. it prevents them from hiding i bushes, and is difficult do avoid in the first levels where nobody got a movement speed above 370.

In level 2 put 1 point in , then max ASAP !

personally, i dont make the big use of arcane smash in the early levels, the only thing it can be used for is to push back enemies who is pursuing u, or ur teammate. so, 1 point in it at lvl 4 will be enough so far.

Flash: very good summoner spell for almost any champion. u should defenetly get this one, as Maokai dosent got any other spell for escaping. ALWAYS pick this a maokai.

Clarity: This is extremly usefull, but only early in game, as sapling toss will burn ur mana extremely quickly until we get our mp regen items.

Teleport: U should get this spell, if u think u can do it without . but DO NOT take it instead of

Maokai is really underestimated as a tank. As far is i have learned, people will rather play him as a hybrid, with a lil' bit of ap and a lil' bit of hp.. but u cant use a lil' bit of everything, to anything as Maokai, u know what im saying ? He's to squishy to use as tank, and dosent do enough dmg to use for anything.
It's like soccer, either u score a goal, or u dont.. there's not something in between.
But as a pure tank, Maokai is in my oppinion one of the best.
Hard to kill 'cuz of his passive, his ulti, and hp regen.
Iv'e experienced people thinking " Lol, a tree, what a ******, lets kill him ".. So they focus me, trying to kill me but the cant, cuz imma a tank. So they keep attacking u, while ur teammates ****s them up. He's a unique champion, with abilities similar to no other. Not that he's op cuz he's unique, he's just fun to play, cuz he's like no one else.
Feel free to comment, if u mean i've done anything wrong, or u got any idea's to improve this build. Have fun, hope u can use my guide !