Maokai is a versatile tank champion who excels at crowd control and teamfight initiation. Here's the optimal build and strategy for Top lane:

Core Build:

• First Item: Unending Despair
• Boots: Plated Steelcaps
• Core Items: Winter's Approach, Spirit Visage, Thornmail, Jak'Sho The Protean

Runes:

• Primary: Grasp of the Undying, Demolish, Second Wind, Overgrowth
• Secondary: Biscuit Delivery, Cosmic Insight
• Shards: Attack Speed, Health Scaling, Health Scaling

Summoner Spells:

• Flash
• Teleport

Skill Order: Q > W > E

Key Tips:

• Use Saplings (E) to scout bushes and gain vision control
• Save ultimate for teamfights and disengage when needed
• Play defensively early game until you have core items

Strong Against:

• Kennen (64.1% WR)
• Tahm Kench (60.0% WR)
• Malphite (57.0% WR)

Weak Against:

• Singed (32.3% WR)
• Heimerdinger (33.3% WR)
• Kayle (34.8% WR)

Alternative Build Path:

• Start with Winter's Approach
• Build Spirit Visage for magic resistance
• Add Randuin's Omen against heavy AD teams

For optimal performance, focus on farming safely early game and scaling into a strong teamfight presence. Your primary role is to engage fights and protect carries with your crowd control abilities.

Build has a 52.6% win rate based on 2,123 matches in Emerald+ ranked games.

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