the way i like to play maokai, is a full tank jungler. as maokai is very tanky throughout the whole game, he is a very good choice for ranked.

i start my jungle off by buying a regrowth pendant and a health potion. i go to the wraiths and wait until the game has been going for 1:05 minutes. i start off by stacking 2 saplings and i throw a third one on to the wraiths as soon as they spawn. this should kill them off streight away. i rush to the blue buff as fast as i can and ask my team to start the leash without me. since i am lvl 2 now i can to the wolve camp without any problems and can use my hp potion when i am low ( you can do it after the blue if you are about halfe life.) try to tell them that they should pull as much as possible and !!!!!!!! KEEP SMITE FOR BLUE BUFF!!!!!!!!!!!

i decided to use this rune set up, because it is the very most effective for early jungling. it heko u clear you jjungle in a ew miutes (3-4) and increases you durability in the jungle.

this is how i prefer them, but feel free to change them as you please

the way i follow my build is good if yyour team is lacking a tank. if you need a dmg dealer jungle, i would not reccoment maokai, since he doesnt deal very much dmg and my build is expecially made for being the tank.

i use flash and smite; i guess smite is self explanatory, but i use flash over ghsot because maokai is very slow and the 35% speed buff is still not very fast. that is why i prefer to use flash over ghost to jump over walls. you can also use your "W" skill so escape. eg: if a stronger char is following you and you team isnt around, you can run in one direction and then use you w on a creep to juke him and lead him into running in the wrong direction. ypu can also toss a sapling over a wall to a jungle camp and then use you "W" to jump to it. this saved my life in a lot of situaltions xD

in ranked try to play more def and only tower dive if you are sure that you can kill the enemy. ALWAYS use your shurelias in a teamfight and protect you team with you life ^^ your death is better than the adcarrys death.

MAOKAI SUCKS IN LASTHITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so dont play him solo top pls ^^ support is inda fine though since he doesnt need wards