How to win lane as Maokai against Sion · 48.69% win rate (1,144 Emerald+ games, lolalytics, sampled July 2026) · Matchup data reviewed on patch 26.15
Dodge his Q — W-root into Q, out-sustain his early.
Track: Sion's Q — Decimating Smash (10–6s cooldown). Charged = knockup. Dodge it.
Read from Maokai's seat: which stage windows this plan plays for against Sion.
This is Maokai's own plan; across 1,144 pooled games the lane is leaning Sion.
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Even / skill | You both have only one ability and he can charge a Q knockup — don't walk into the wide swing or his AOE, just farm the stage out. |
| Level 2 | Maokai | Your W-pull into Q knockback comes online and Sap Magic heals the trade — punish his immobile step-up. |
| Level 3 | Maokai | Adding E (Sapling Toss) lets you zone and repeat W-Q trades his E shield-break poke can't out-damage. |
| Levels 4-5 | Maokai | Your root cooldowns and constant Passive healing grind him down while his shield (W) sits on cooldown. |
| Level 6 | Maokai | Nature's Grasp roots his escape-less body from range — a clean gank setup even if it's only a modest 1v1 spike. |
| First item | Maokai | Your Sunfire Aegis line keeps you durable and your W-Q trades chunk him faster than he heals. |
| Two+ items | Even / skill | Both tanks flatten out — he becomes a teamfight engage with his charged Q, so neither solo-kills and the lane goes even. |
Level 1 is a wash — you have one ability and he can just charge a Q knockup, so don't facecheck into a fully-charged swing or his AOE detonation. The lane flips the moment you hit 2: W-pull onto him, Q-knockback at the wide arc, and proc Sap Magic to heal back whatever his E shield-break chipped off. He's immobile and can't escape your W, so every step-up he takes to last-hit is a free trade for you. Dodge the charged Q and you win the early outright.
Pooled Emerald+ win rates from Maokai's side, sampled July 2026.
The full Maokai vs Sion 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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Sion, slightly — Maokai wins 48.69% of 1,144 games; winnable with the right plan.
Mostly — Sion has a small statistical edge (51.31% win rate), but execution decides this lane far more than the pick does.
No — if anything Sion has the slight edge (Maokai wins 48.69%), though it stays close.
Maokai takes Grasp of the Undying on the Resolve tree with Demolish, Second Wind and Overgrowth, and Precision secondary (Triumph and Legend: Haste) vs Sion.
Start Doran's Shield + Health Potion and back for Executioner's Calling (≈800g) — cuts his healing. Build Heartsteel (the HP engine) first, then Thornmail / Spirit Visage, with Plated Steelcaps.
Playing the other side? Sion vs Maokai guide →
All Maokai top lane matchups →
More Maokai top lane matchups: vs Sett · vs Shen · vs Singed · vs Swain · vs Sylas · vs Tahm Kench