League of Legends: Maokai - The Twisted Treant Champion Guide
Maokai is a tanky vanguard champion in League of Legends who uses magical abilities and nature's power to control the battlefield and support his team.
His key abilities include:
Passive - Sap Magic
- Periodically empowers basic attacks to heal him for 4-12.8% max health
- Cooldown reduced when casting abilities or taking damage
- Won't trigger above 95% health
Q - Bramble Smash
- Sends a shockwave that deals magic damage and slows enemies
- Knocks back and briefly stuns nearby enemies
- Deals bonus damage to monsters
W - Twisted Advance
- Dashes to an enemy while untargetable
- Deals magic damage and roots target
- Root duration: 1-1.4 seconds
E - Sapling Toss
- Throws a sapling that chases and explodes on enemies
- Deals magic damage and slows
- Empowered in brush: Double damage over time and longer duration
R - Nature's Grasp
- Creates advancing wall of thorns
- Roots enemies hit for 0.75-2.25 seconds based on distance
- Grants movement speed when hitting champions
Maokai excels as a frontline tank who can initiate fights, peel for allies, and control areas with saplings. His sustain and crowd control make him particularly strong in the jungle and top lane.
Maokai character art
Historical Changes:
- Originally released in 2011
- Reworked abilities in 2017 to focus more on nature magic theme
- Various balance adjustments to healing, damage, and CC durations
Best used as a tank initiator who can lock down priority targets while absorbing damage through his healing passive. Strong map control through strategic sapling placement.