Talk:Maokai/@comment-184.146.123.70-20111126024555/@comment-155.104.37.66-20111128141030

I haven't started jungling as Maokai yet, but when I lane with him I start: Sapphire Crystal + 2 Health Pots. Then I rush Catalyst > Rod of Ages as my first item (depending on gold when I return, I may buy regular boots before finishing Rod of Ages).

Then I get either Mercury Treads or Ninja Tabi boots. After that, if the enemy team is heavily stacked AD I will start building towards an Armor item. Either Thornmail or Randuins Omen. I haven't decided which is better to get. Thornmail is far cheaper and more armor, but doesn't have an activate ability and doesn't boost HP at all.

If they are AP stacked or pretty evenly split between AD and AP I build Abyssal Scepter THEN follow it up with an armor item. I usually try to have at least the following against a balanced enemy team: Boots + Rod of Ages + Armor Item + Abyssal Scepter. If the game still isn't over I will usually build Banshee's Veil to round out my MR and HP to be tankier.

I use AP quints, Armor yellow, MR blue, MR pen reds, and I build him primarily 9/21/0. My build order usually starts as: E > W > E > Q > E > R. After level 6 I max E first, then I max W, then I max Q. At level 17 and 18 I take the last two points in R. I max W second because it is your initiator and increasing the duration of the root on that will help secure kills when you gank and when you initiate. I save R for last because it only increases in damage done and slightly lower cooldown which I feel is less valuable than more damage from Q since R is really used for the 20% damage reduction and burst damage on ganks (but having more Q damage instead of R for ganks will do more for you).

That's how I build my Maokai. Your results may vary and I know other ways of doing it are viable as well.