How to win lane as Maokai against Warwick · 47.95% win rate over 73 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Warwick | Warwick W-walks in for the move speed and pokes while you have only one ability and no combo to answer. |
| Level 2 | Maokai | With W up you dash-root him in place and Q-knockback resets the trade — Sap Magic heals it before his lifesteal does. |
| Level 3 | Maokai | Adding E (Sapling Toss) zone plus your repeatable root means you out-trade him before his Q heal is fully online. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | His Q heal and your root cooldown roughly cancel — it becomes a coin-flip of who commits the better trade. |
| Level 6 | Maokai | Your R (Nature's Grasp) roots him through his R-suppress engage, the one window your lockdown beats his chase. |
| First item | Warwick | His Q heal and passive lifesteal out-sustain your Sap Magic once items land — the drain race tips to him. |
| Two+ items | Warwick | Blood-scent move speed and R suppress hunt you down, and your tank kit has no scaling damage to trade back. |
Level 1 he can W in for the move speed and start chipping, and your single ability concedes that opener — give ground and last-hit. But Levels 2-3 are yours: with W (Twisted Advance) you dash and root him in place, Q (Bramble Smash) at the wide tip knocks him back, and Sap Magic heals the trade back faster than his passive returns it before he has his Q heal stacked. Punish here, because once his sustain is online this stops being a war you win.
The full Maokai vs Warwick 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? Warwick vs Maokai guide →
All Maokai top lane matchups →