Maokai is a melee tank usually played Top/Support on Summoner's Rift. This guide covers Maokai in ARAM: Play as a disruptive tank/initiator, using saplings for poke and vision, then engage with your ultimate and lock down key targets with your root and knockback.
Maokai ARAM Abilities
Maokai's basic attacks heal him and deal bonus damage, with the cooldown reduced by casting or being hit by spells.
Maokai slams the ground, knocking back and slowing nearby enemies.
Maokai dashes to a target, becoming untargetable, then roots them on arrival.
Maokai tosses a sapling that guards an area, gaining bonus damage and duration in brush.
Maokai summons a slow-moving wall of brambles that damages and roots all enemies it passes through.
Maokai ARAM Playstyle & Tips
Play as a disruptive tank/initiator, using saplings for poke and vision, then engage with your ultimate and lock down key targets with your root and knockback.
Tips
Use your saplings to zone bushes and control vision in the narrow ARAM map.
Maximize E (Sapling Toss) early for poke and bush control.
Build tanky items like Sunfire Aegis to survive and deal consistent damage.
Use your ultimate (Vengeful Maelstrom) to engage or peel for your team in tight corridors.
Coordinate with your team to chain crowd control after your W (Twisted Advance) root.
Combos
E (Sapling) into bush → W (Twisted Advance) to root → Q (Bramble Smash) knockback.
R (Vengeful Maelstrom) to engage → W onto priority target → Q to peel.
Flash + W to surprise root an enemy carry, then follow with Q and R.
Maokai ARAM Build Patch 16.13
Runes
Primary — Resolve
Aftershock
Font of Life
Conditioning
OvergrowthSecondary — Domination
Cheap Shot
Grisly MementosSummoners
Skill Order
Max your skills in this order
Starter Items
- 1.
Guardian's Horn - 2.
Tear of the Goddess
Core Items
- 1.
Heartsteel - 2.
Winter's Approach - 3.
Mercury's Treads
Buy / avoid tips (5)
Buy when:
- your team has multiple healers or enchanters
- enemy has heavy magic damage and poke
- you have self-healing in your kit
Avoid when:
- enemy team is mostly physical damage
- you need more damage or armor instead
Options
Buy / avoid tips (5)
Buy when:
- enemy lacks max health damage
- you need to sustain between fights
- your team has no enchanter support
Avoid when:
- enemy has liandry or botrk
- you need armor or mr more
Options
Buy / avoid tips (5)
Buy when:
- enemy team has mixed damage
- your team needs a frontline tank
- you want scaling defensive stats in long fights
Avoid when:
- enemy team is burst heavy
- you need immediate resistances over time
Options
Maokai ARAM FAQ
What is the best build for Maokai in ARAM?
In ARAM, Maokai typically builds core items like Heartsteel, Winter's Approach, Mercury's Treads and Aftershock runes (Resolve primary, Domination secondary).
What runes should I use for Maokai in ARAM?
Take Aftershock in the Resolve tree as your keystone, with Domination as your secondary tree for Maokai in ARAM.
How do you play Maokai in ARAM?
Play as a disruptive tank/initiator, using saplings for poke and vision, then engage with your ultimate and lock down key targets with your root and knockback.
What is Maokai's best combo in ARAM?
E (Sapling) into bush → W (Twisted Advance) to root → Q (Bramble Smash) knockback.
