How to win lane as Poppy against Maokai · 53.43% win rate over 597 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Maokai | Maokai's Sapling and Q Bramble Smash zone you at level 1 while your W only stops dashes. |
| Level 2 | Maokai | At level 2 his Q plus Sapling combo out-trades your Q Hammer Shock poke. |
| Level 3 | Maokai | Level 3 Nature's Grasp W gives him a long root your kit can't answer yet. |
| Levels 4-5 | Maokai | Through 4-5 his passive sustain lets him win every extended brawl he forces. |
| Level 6 | Maokai | At 6 your charged R Keeper's Verdict launches him away and interrupts his all-in, so you take over. |
| First item | Poppy | With first item your E Heroic Charge wall-pins start kills and out-scale his single-target roots. |
| Two+ items | Poppy | In 2+ item teamfights your R zoning and reliable pins beat his sustain-brawl. |
Maokai owns levels 1-2: his Sapling zoning and Q Bramble Smash out-poke you, and your W can't stop his non-dash knockback, so give ground and farm the wave.
The full Poppy vs Maokai 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.
Become a Founding Member — $1.99/month →🔒 Secure checkout · 💰 7-day money-back guarantee · ✋ Cancel anytime
Early Access price — $3.99/month for new members after launch.
Playing the other side? Maokai vs Poppy guide →
All Poppy support matchups →
Also played in: Top Lane