Welcome to the definitive guide on how to play Maokai support, the towering tree spirit who excels at controlling the battlefield and shielding his allies. Dive into this comprehensive resource to unlock the secrets of Maokai’s support capabilities, master itemization and runes, dominate the laning phase, and lead your team to victory.

With his versatile abilities, Maokai provides a formidable presence in the bottom lane, disrupting enemy engages, setting up ganks, and turning team fights in your favor. Embrace the ancient power of Maokai and ascend as a master support.

How to Play Maokai Support

Maokai, the Twisted Treant, is a versatile support champion in League of Legends. His unique abilities and utility make him an excellent choice for players looking to protect their carries and control the game’s pace.

Understanding Maokai’s Role as a Support

Maokai’s strengths as a support lie in his crowd control, tankiness, and ability to peel for his teammates. His Q, Sapling Toss, provides vision and slows enemies, while his W, Twisted Advance, allows him to engage or disengage from fights.

His E, Bramble Smash, grants him bonus health and damage reduction, making him durable in team fights.

However, Maokai has some weaknesses as well. He lacks hard crowd control, making it difficult for him to lock down high-mobility targets. Additionally, his mana costs can be high, requiring careful mana management.

Itemization and Runes for Maokai Support

The optimal item build for Maokai support depends on the game scenario. In general, core items include Zeke’s Convergence, Knight’s Vow, and Redemption. Zeke’s Convergence provides bonus damage and attack speed to nearby allies, while Knight’s Vow links Maokai to a teammate, redirecting some damage taken to himself.

Redemption offers a powerful heal and shield for his team.

Recommended runes for Maokai support include Guardian, Font of Life, Bone Plating, and Revitalize. Guardian provides a shield for Maokai and his nearby ally, while Font of Life heals allies when he damages an enemy. Bone Plating reduces incoming damage, and Revitalize increases the effectiveness of Maokai’s heals and shields.

Laning Phase Strategies, How to play maokai support

Maokai excels in the laning phase due to his strong crowd control and ability to harass enemies. His Sapling Toss can zone out opponents and provide vision, while his Twisted Advance can be used to engage or disengage. Maokai can also use his Bramble Smash to tank minion damage and harass the enemy ADC.

When facing poke-heavy matchups, Maokai can focus on staying behind minions and using his Sapling Toss to harass from a distance. Against engage-heavy matchups, he should prioritize building items like Knight’s Vow to mitigate damage and protect his carry.

Team Fight Positioning and Engagements

In team fights, Maokai’s role is to protect his carries and control the battlefield. He should position himself near his ADC or mid-laner, using his abilities to peel for them and disrupt the enemy team. Maokai’s Twisted Advance can be used to engage or disengage, while his Sapling Toss can provide vision and slow down enemy pursuers.

Maokai’s ultimate, Nature’s Grasp, is a powerful team fight ability. It roots all enemies in a large area, making it difficult for them to escape or engage. Maokai should use his ultimate wisely, coordinating with his team to maximize its impact.

Warding and Vision Control

Warding and vision control are crucial for Maokai support. He should prioritize placing wards in strategic locations to track enemy movements and protect his team. Maokai’s Sapling Toss can also be used to provide additional vision in key areas.

Coordinating with teammates is essential for effective vision control. Maokai should communicate with his jungler and mid-laner to ensure that wards are placed in the most critical areas.

Synergies and Counters

Maokai synergizes well with champions that benefit from his crowd control and tankiness. Champions like Ezreal, Jhin, and Miss Fortune can capitalize on Maokai’s peel and engage potential. Additionally, Maokai can protect champions that are vulnerable to crowd control, such as mages and assassins.

Maokai struggles against champions with high mobility and burst damage. Champions like Yasuo, Zed, and Fizz can easily dodge Maokai’s crowd control and deal significant damage before he can react. Additionally, champions with healing reduction, such as Mortal Reminder and Grievous Wounds, can reduce Maokai’s effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Maokai’s core strengths as a support?

Maokai excels at controlling the battlefield with his crowd control abilities, peeling for his carries, and providing a protective shield for his team.

How should I itemize Maokai support?

Optimal item builds for Maokai support include Zeke’s Convergence, Knight’s Vow, and Locket of the Iron Solari, enhancing his crowd control and shielding capabilities.

What are the best runes for Maokai support?

Recommended rune setups for Maokai support include Guardian, Aftershock, and Font of Life, maximizing his tankiness and support potential.