Wukong vs Maokai
Build vs Maokai
The champion's reference build, for lack of enough games in this matchup
Recommended items for Wukong: Trinity Force, Black Cleaver, Death's Dance, Mercury's Treads, Profane Hydra, Maw of Malmortius, Sterak's Gage, Guardian Angel.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Maokai's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
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.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7s | 14s | 18s | – |
| 6 | 6s | 14s | 18s | 2m10 |
| 9 | 5s | 13s | 18s | 2m10 |
| 11 | 5s | 12s | 18s | 1m50 |
| 16 | 5s | 10s | 16s | 1m30 |
| 18 | 5s | 10s | 14s | 1m30 |
Playing as Wukong
Tips to maximize your impact
- Nimbus Strike, then Crushing Blow
Engage with Nimbus Strike (E), then Crushing Blow (Q): the dash gives you attack speed, and Crushing Blow shreds your target's armor before your Cyclone (R).
- Stay in close
Stay in close when you fight: Stone Skin (passive) increases your armor and health regen as long as you're fighting champions or monsters.
- Vanish to escape or dodge
Cast Warrior Trickster (W) to escape or dodge a key spell: you dash and turn invisible for a moment, and your clone stays in place to fool the enemy.
- Recast your Cyclone
Recast Cyclone (R) right after the first: the spell can be cast twice, and each spin knocks nearby enemies into the air again.
Playing against Maokai
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Watch out for brush
Watch out for the brush near him: Sapling Toss (E) lasts longer there, explodes wider and slows more.
- No targeted spells during his dash
Don't cast targeted spells during Twisted Advance (W): he's untargetable during the dash, then roots you when he arrives.
- Don't waste time on him
In teamfights, go for his carries instead: each spell Maokai takes lowers the cooldown of Sap Magic (passive), which heals him on his next auto.
- Get out of his wall's path
Get out of the path of Nature's Grasp (R): the wall moves slowly, and the root lasts longer if it has traveled a long way.
Other Wukong matchups
Patch 16.21.1