How to win lane as Maokai against Volibear · 48.39% win rate over 62 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Volibear | Level 1 I have one ability and no combo, while Volibear's W bite already heals him — I concede this stage and just farm. |
| Level 2 | Maokai | My W-into-Q root-poke with a charged Sap Magic heal out-trades a Volibear who only has his bite and no E stun to answer. |
| Level 3 | Maokai | My root and Sap Magic sustain let me repeat the favorable trade and bully him before his E hand-of-the-god comes online. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | It's even — my repeatable root trades match his bite sustain, and the lane hinges on who lands their lockdown (my W or his E) first. |
| Level 6 | Maokai | My R (Nature's Grasp) pins him for a W re-engage and answers his dive — the one window where my tank engage beats his all-in. |
| First item | Volibear | His E stun plus a bruiser/Sheen first item lets his bite-heal out-brawl my durability and dive past my root onto my carry. |
| Two+ items | Volibear | Volibear out-scales the even brawl outright — empowered Q dash, bite sustain and tower-disabling R out-DPS my flat tank damage. |
Level 1 belongs to Volibear — I only have one ability and no combo, so I don't contest him, I just last-hit and wait for my real spike. From level 2-3 I take over: W (Twisted Advance) roots him, I Q (Bramble Smash) the knockback, and my charged Sap Magic passive heals the trade right back, which a pre-stun Volibear with only his W bite can't keep up with. Drop E saplings between us so his Q empowered dash eats the slow if he tries to close. The thing to dodge is his E hand-of-the-god — if he lands that stun before I W, the trade flips and his bite-heal grinds me down.
The full Maokai vs Volibear 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? Volibear vs Maokai guide →
All Maokai top lane matchups →