How to win lane as Maokai against Xerath · 47.68% win rate over 927 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Xerath | Xerath's charged Q outranges your entire kit and chips you before you can approach at level 1. |
| Level 2 | Xerath | At 2 he zones your ADC off the wave and pokes you down while you still can't reach him. |
| Level 3 | Xerath | His E stun into Q-W burst punishes any level-3 step-up you make. |
| Levels 4-5 | Xerath | Through 4-5 his max-range poke keeps you permanently zoned off the wave. |
| Level 6 | Xerath | His level-6 R chains stuns and bursts your carry the moment your W lands. |
| First item | Xerath | Post-Lost Chapter his Q-W combo out-damages any sustain you get from Sap Magic. |
| Two+ items | Xerath | In 2+ item fights he one-shots your backline from off-screen before you can flank. |
Xerath outranges you from the first level: his Q slow-charges but hits from well beyond your W dash, and he'll chip you and your ADC anytime you show to CS. You have no poke answer, so use minions and terrain to break his line and only walk up when his Q is on cooldown. Facechecking here just feeds his poke lead.
The full Maokai vs Xerath 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? Xerath vs Maokai guide →
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