Talk:Maokai/@comment-68.8.222.209-20120822003903/@comment-201.47.215.42-20120822170017

1.5 of his scaling is unreliable for bursting (sapling that takes to long to deploy and even more to explode, and ult detonate that won't work if you get CC'ed, which you will). Unlike other assasins, he lacks an escape move, so while he works as ap tanky anti-carry (think of Xin Zhao or Malphite), full-on ap means you will die too easy if you get caught in cc far before making a dent in his target.

Also, he is classified as a tank because he has high base damage without items, initiation, high disruption and aoe team protection (just because a champion is classified as such, doesn't mean he can't fullfill other roles. Cho'gath is a mage that can be played as a bruiser or a tank; Kog'maw is an AD carry that can be played as an AP carry, etc...).