Build, runes, synergies, counters, lore. Maokai is a resilient tank in League of Legends known for his crowd control, sustain, and ability to disrupt team fights.
General Description
Maokai is a treant who wields the power of nature and the arcane. He excels at soaking up damage and disrupting enemy formations with his crowd control abilities. Maokai’s passive, Sap Magic, allows him to periodically regain health after casting spells. His ultimate, Nature’s Grasp, summons a line of thorny vines that knock up and damage enemies in their path, making it a potent initiation tool.
Maokai Build
Maokai typically builds items that enhance his tankiness and crowd control potential. Items like Sunfire Aegis and Spirit Visage are core to his build, providing him with increased durability and magic resist. Maokai can also consider items like Thornmail or Randuin’s Omen for additional damage reflection or critical strike reduction.
Maokai Runes
In the rune tree, Maokai often runs Grasp of the Undying as his keystone, granting him increased sustain and trading power in lane. For secondary runes, he can choose Resolve for additional tankiness or Inspiration for utility and scaling. Runes like Second Wind and Cosmic Insight can further enhance his sustain and cooldown reduction.
Maokai Synergies
Maokai synergizes well with champions who can follow up on his crowd control or benefit from his zoning, such as Miss Fortune or Orianna. He also pairs well with champions who can provide additional crowd control or engage, like Leona or Jarvan IV. Maokai’s ability to initiate team fights and peel for his carries makes him a valuable asset for team fight-oriented compositions.
Counters
Maokai can struggle against champions who can kite him or deal true damage, such as Vayne or Fiora. Additionally, champions with strong disengage and poke, like Janna or Ezreal, can make it challenging for Maokai to engage on the enemy team. Proper positioning and timing of his crowd control are crucial for Maokai to disrupt enemy formations and protect his allies.
Lore
Maokai is an ancient treant who once thrived in the lush forests of Ionia. However, when the dark magic of the Shadow Isles began to corrupt the land, Maokai was transformed into an undead monstrosity. Now, he roams the cursed isles, seeking to protect the natural world from the spread of the Black Mist. Maokai retains his memories of his past life, and his heart aches for the beauty that was lost. He fights to prevent others from suffering the same fate and to restore balance to the land he once loved.
Keywords: Maokai, tank, League of Legends, Sap Magic, Nature’s Grasp, Sunfire Aegis, Spirit Visage, Thornmail, Randuin’s Omen, Grasp of the Undying, Resolve, Inspiration, Miss Fortune, Orianna, Leona, Jarvan IV, Vayne, Fiora, Janna, Ezreal, treant, nature, arcane, Shadow Isles, Black Mist, undead, monstrosity, balance.
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