How to win lane as Maokai against Nautilus · 52.97% win rate over 2,186 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | Level 1 is a skill matchup — both are engage tanks feeling out the hook range. |
| Level 2 | Nautilus | At level 2 Nautilus's longer Q hook and passive chain out-engage your W. |
| Level 3 | Even / skill | Level 3 is even as it comes down to who lands their engage first. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | Through 4-5 it stays even — bait-and-punish decides each trade. |
| Level 6 | Maokai | At level 6 your wide R out-ranges his single-target Depth Charge to peel or catch. |
| First item | Nautilus | First item favors Nautilus — tank stats make his chained CC nearly unkillable. |
| Two+ items | Maokai | By two-plus items your AoE R and Sapling zone give the better teamfight. |
This starts skill-matchup even at level 1, then Nautilus takes level 2: his Q Dredge Line hook is a longer-range engage than your W Twisted Advance, and his passive roots plus W shield let him win the two-man brawl if he lands the hook. Don't stand behind low minions where a Q can reach you, and hold your W to peel his engage rather than initiating into him. Track his hook cooldown (~14s early).
The full Maokai vs Nautilus report continues with the mid-game plan, the late-game and teamfight plan, every power spike to play around, and the win conditions for both sides — plus cooldown tracking and the live enemy-jungle tracker inside the app.
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Playing the other side? Nautilus vs Maokai guide →
All Maokai support matchups →
Also played in: Top Lane