Combos · Support

Maokai combos

the Twisted Treant

3 Maokai combos explained key by key: in which order to cast the abilities, when to use them and what each step does. The main combo is W › AA › Q. Further down: every ability's cooldown, cost and range, and the skill max order measured over ranked games.

Maokai combos

Written guide · based on the official ability texts

The engage

W AA AA

When: A carry is within range.

Twisted Advance makes you untargetable and dashes you onto the target, whom it roots on arrival; Bramble Smash pushes back and slows.

Area control

When: You are defending an objective.

Sapling Toss watches an area; Nature's Grasp summons a wall of thorns that advances slowly, damaging and rooting the enemies.

Sustain

Q AA AA

When: You are engaged.

Your passive restores health with your basic attack; each ability reduces its cooldown.

Common mistakes

Casting the ultimate with no direction.
Forgetting your passive's attack.
Using Twisted Advance with no target.

Cooldowns, costs and ranges

A combo only comes back once its abilities are off cooldown: these values (rank 1 to max rank, in seconds) tell how long to wait between two combos. Source: Data Dragon 16.19.1.

Ability	Cooldown (s)	Cost	Range
Q · Bramble Smash	7/6.5/6/5.5/5	40 Mana	600
W · Twisted Advance	14/13/12/11/10	60 Mana	525
E · Sapling Toss	18/17/16/15/14	60/65/70/75/80 Mana	1100
R · Nature's Grasp	130/110/90	100 Mana	3000

Official ability descriptions

PassiveSap Magic

Maokai's basic attack also heals him and deals additional damage on a moderate cooldown. Each time Maokai casts a spell or is struck by an enemy's spell, this cooldown is reduced.

QBramble Smash

Maokai knocks back nearby enemies with a shockwave, dealing magic damage and slowing them.

WTwisted Advance

Maokai contorts into a mass of moving roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to the target. Upon arrival, he roots the target.

ESapling Toss

Maokai flings a sapling to the target area to stand guard. More effective in brush.

RNature's Grasp

Maokai summons a colossal wall of brambles and thorns that slowly advances forwards, damaging and rooting any enemies in the path.

Skill order

Max order: Q > W > E75.0% · 16 games

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Q		●		●	●		●		●
W	●							●		●		●	●
E			●											●	●
R						●					●

The order shows which abilities reach rank 5 first; the grid shows the most-played level-up sequence with that order (measured over 38 games).

Riot's official tips for playing Maokai

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.

How to play around Maokai's combos

Saplings will chase the first enemy that gets too close, but detonate after a few seconds or if they collide with other enemies. Be especially careful around brush sapling, as they are much more dangerous.
The cooldown on Maokai's self healing is heavily gated on how many time you hit him with spells. Careful about wasting abilities on him.
Maokai will avoid taking damage while he's using Twisted Advance, so don't waste your spells.

Frequently asked questions

What is Maokai's main combo?

The engage: W › AA › Q. A carry is within range. Twisted Advance makes you untargetable and dashes you onto the target, whom it roots on arrival; Bramble Smash pushes back and slows.

Which ability should I max first on Maokai?

The most-played max order is Q > W > E (16 games, 75.0% win rate).

What is the cooldown of Maokai's ultimate?

Nature's Grasp has a 130/110/90 second cooldown depending on its rank.

Build, runes and counters: full Maokai guide · every champion's combos · tier list