How to win lane as Vladimir against Maokai · 54.61% win rate over 293 Emerald+ games · Updated 2026-07-27
| Stage | Favoured | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Maokai | Maokai's Twisted Advance root and sapling poke out-trade you at level 1. |
| Level 2 | Maokai | Level 2 his root-into-empowered-Q combo keeps punishing your last-hits. |
| Level 3 | Maokai | Level 3 his passive sustain and zoning still win the extended early trades. |
| Levels 4-5 | Even / skill | By levels 4-5 the lane evens as your sustain comes online and his poke plateaus. |
| Level 6 | Vladimir | Level 6 Hemoplague plus sustain lets you win an all-in once his root is baited. |
| First item | Vladimir | First item your Q healing and Rylai's E stacking out-grind his falling tank damage. |
| Two+ items | Vladimir | With two items you out-scale him and pool nullifies his root follow-up in fights. |
Maokai wins the first three levels: Sapling Toss zones your creeps and Twisted Advance roots you into a full empowered-Q trade, backed by his passive sustain that beats your pre-6 poke. Stay at max range, refuse to step into root range for a caster minion, and accept giving up early stacks to farm safely.
The full Vladimir 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.
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Playing the other side? Maokai vs Vladimir guide →
All Vladimir top lane matchups →