AP Maokai Build
AP Maokai build with runes and items. AP Maokai guide offers in-depth how-to play, skill order and tips. Play AP Maokai build in League of Legends Patch 14.21!
Updated: 2024-10-09 ()
TLDR
Starting items
Quick Skill Order
E
Q
W
Final items
Quick Runes
Summoner spells
AP Maokai Runes
Domination
Precision
Passive
How it works
General
- You play as Mage building Burn items.
- You rush Liandry's Torment.
- You burn your enemies. With DOTs. And debuffs.
How to play
General
- Playing AP Maokai build, your default rush is Liandry's Torment vs. HP, Blackfire Torch vs. squishes. Then get the other item
- Adapt to an enemy team. Are they full of tanks, and they rush tons of Magic Resist? You rush Void Staff as #2 or #3 item to counter MR stacking. Their team has champs with lots of healing? Rush Oblivion Orb as #2 item (upgrade to Morellonomicon as 4th or 5th item).
- Items like Morellonomicon or Oblivon Orb are extra effective with this build, thanks to damage over time effects from Liandry's Torment.
- In some rare cases, when an enemy team has an extremely strong shielding, you can even buy Serpent's Fang. It works with your DoTs, meaning shield reduction lasts longer.
- Somebody is going after you each fight? Always getting ulted by enemy assassins? Rush Zhonya's Hourglass.
- If you are doing well, are ahead and want to have some fun, you can buy The Collector item. It works off your damage over time effects!
Maokai AP specific
- Saplings Manipulation techniques - cast E on the very edges of the bush, so it starts running towards minions/enemies faster. Cast it deeper in the bush, so it will start running towards enemies, when they enter bush.
- You can even manipulate weaves with your Q to push them further from bushes, so Saplings will stay there for an enemy team to come.
- Sometimes, it is really OK to just cast E (Saplings) outside of the bush, just to poke enemy that is hugging the turret.
- Saplings scale off with your movement speed. So if an enemy team outruns your Saplings, buy boots sooner.
- There's a super good spot to use Saplings - it is bush behind first turret. However be careful, you might get poked or even caught. Spot is good for poking and clearing minions too.
- With this build, you should almost never ever go in. Spam E, use R, try to stay within Last Stand HP range (<30%), heal up when needed.
- R is great ability to force enemy out of their turret and position. Coordinate this with your minion weave. This way, you can push and take turrets.
- Last Stand is super important talent that does tons of damage. It has a lot of hidden power. You can manipulate your HP to be most of the time with damage buff. It is risky, however with this build, you should almost never ever go in. Also you can heal up with your passive.
Tips and Tricks
General
- You can use E for brush control.
Riot
- Saplings can be tossed into brush for empowered effect - but don't stack well.
- Try looking for flanks or other situations where Nature's Grasp is unavoidable or takes enemies by surprise.
- Maokai's passive makes him extremely durable against focus fire from spells - so long as he can still basic attack something.
Skill Order
- Bramble SmashQ
- Twisted AdvanceW
- Sapling TossE
- Nature's GraspR
Items
Starting items
Rush this
Boots
Good items
Situational items
Against high MR
Counter healing
Counter shields
Fun item that works with DoTs
For the last fight
Example final build