Maokai Counters
The best Maokai counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Soraka, Sona, Lulu, Thresh, Milio. The best Maokai counter is Soraka, with Maokai having only a 34.09% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Maokai counter choices are Nami, TahmKench, Blitzcrank, Yuumi, Pyke. Below are the top Maokai counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
Sap 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.
Bramble Smash
Maokai knocks back nearby enemies with a shockwave, dealing magic damage and slowing them.
Cost:- 40
Cooldown:- 7/
- 7/
- 6/
- 6/
- 5
Range:- 600
Twisted Advance
Maokai contorts into a mass of moving roots, becoming untargetable and dashing to the target. Upon arrival, he roots the target.
Cost:- 60
Cooldown:- 14/
- 13/
- 12/
- 11/
- 10
Range:- 525
Sapling Toss
Maokai flings a sapling to the target area to stand guard. More effective in brush.
Cost:- 60/
- 65/
- 70/
- 75/
- 80
Cooldown:- 18/
- 17/
- 16/
- 15/
- 14
Range:- 1100
Nature's Grasp
Maokai summons a colossal wall of brambles and thorns that slowly advances forwards, damaging and rooting any enemies in the path.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 130/
- 110/
- 90
Range:- 3000
- Tank,
- Support
These champions are Maokai's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Soraka is Maokai's biggest counter with only a 34.09% win rate for Maokai. When facing these Maokai counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Maokai matchups.
Soraka
Sona
Lulu
Thresh
Milio
Nami
Tahm Kench
Blitzcrank
Yuumi
Pyke
When facing Maokai in League of Legends, understanding Maokai's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Maokai deals primarily magic damage, which means prioritizing magic resist in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Maokai's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Maokai include Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide substantial magic resist stats that directly mitigate Maokai's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Maokai counters are Soraka, Sona, Lulu, and Thresh. These champions either out-trade Maokai in lane, have abilities that negate Maokai's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Soraka in particular exploits Maokai's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Maokai involves understanding Maokai's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Maokai when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Maokai in team fights before Maokai can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Maokai to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Maokai's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Maokai's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Maokai is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Maokai may look for extended trades. Avoid long fights and kite with slows. Short trades favor you against sustained damage.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Maokai becomes increasingly tanky mid game. Focus on kiting and percent health damage. Avoid fighting in choke points.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Maokai is very durable late game. Use armor penetration or anti-tank items. Focus squishier targets first if Maokai is too tanky.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Maokai in lane or team fights.
- Pick Soraka or similar champions with kits that exploit Maokai's weaknesses
- Build Mercury's Treads or Hexdrinker early to reduce Maokai's damage in lane
- Track Maokai's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Maokai's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Maokai during vulnerable windows
- Avoid extended trades where Maokai can stack sustained damage
- Kite Maokai with slows and crowd control
Maokai performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Vel'Koz is Maokai's best matchup with a 72.41% win rate. When playing Maokai into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Maokai can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Vel'Koz
Janna
Pantheon
Senna
Zyra
Brand
Bard
Seraphine
Mel
Leona
Maokai Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Maokai?
The best Maokai counters are Soraka, Sona, and Lulu. These champions have favorable matchups against Maokai and can exploit Maokai's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Maokai's hardest counter?
Soraka is Maokai's hardest counter with Maokai having only a 34.09% win rate in this matchup. Sona (40% WR) and Lulu (40% WR) are also strong Maokai counters.
Who does Maokai counter?
Maokai performs well against Vel'Koz, Janna, and Pantheon. These are Maokai's best matchups where Maokai has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Maokai in lane?
To beat Maokai in lane, pick a counter champion like Soraka or Sona. Focus on trading when Maokai's key abilities are on cooldown, and build magic resist items to reduce Maokai's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Maokai gains an advantage.
What items counter Maokai?
The best items to counter Maokai are Mercury's Treads, Spirit Visage, Force of Nature, and Banshee's Veil. These items provide magic resist which directly reduces Maokai's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Maokai in lane.
When is Maokai weakest?
Maokai is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Maokai's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Maokai before Maokai can set up fights on Maokai's own terms.
How do I play Maokai into counter matchups?
When playing Maokai into counters like Soraka, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Maokai's counters?
If Soraka, Sona, or Lulu are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Maokai's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Maokai's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.