Maokai vs Talon
Build vs Talon
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Maokai: Locket of the Iron Solari, Bandlepipes, Thornmail, Plated Steelcaps, Solstice Sleigh, Spirit Visage, Knight's Vow, Unending Despair.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Talon's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Talon's spells Wound champions and large monsters, stacking up to 3 times. When Talon attacks a champion with 3 stacks of Wound, they bleed for heavy damage over time.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8s | 9s | 0s | – |
| 6 | 7s | 9s | 0s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 6s | 8.5s | 0s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 6s | 8s | 0s | 1m20 |
| 16 | 6s | 7s | 0s | 1m |
| 18 | 6s | 7s | 0s | 1m |
Playing as Maokai
Tips to maximize your impact
- Cast spells to recharge Sap Magic
In lane, use your spells: each spell you cast or get hit by lowers the cooldown of Sap Magic (passive), and your next auto heals you.
- Saplings in the brush
Throw Sapling Toss (E) into brush: there, the sapling lasts longer, explodes wider and slows more.
- Dive in with Twisted Advance
Dash to your target with Twisted Advance (W): you're untargetable during the dash, and they're rooted when you arrive.
- Cast your wall from long range
Cast Nature's Grasp (R) from far away to engage or block a path: the wall moves slowly, and the root lasts longer after a long run.
Playing against Talon
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge his blades on the return
Get out of the path of Rake (W), especially on the return: the returning blades slow you, and each spell that hits brings you closer to Blade's End (passive).
- Push to keep him in lane
Push your wave whenever you can: he then has to stay and farm instead of roaming by vaulting walls with Assassin's Path (E).
- Engage when his ult is on cooldown
If you can engage, go for him while Shadow Assault (R) is on cooldown: it's his main way out of a fight, and it comes back in 100 to 60 seconds.
- Ping as soon as he disappears
Ping your team as soon as he leaves your vision, and ward the paths behind walls: Assassin's Path (E) lets him vault walls to roam through the jungle.
Other Maokai matchups
Patch 16.21.1