Maokai ARAM Build
Items, runes and skill order from ARAM games, patch 26.20. What players build on Maokai in ARAM, read from real games on the Howling Abyss: items, runes, spells, starting items and skill order, with Maokai's ARAM balance changes and how the build differs from Summoner's Rift.
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Updated October 14, 2026 · By LOLValue Team
Best Maokai ARAM Build in 26.20
The most built Maokai ARAM build in patch 26.20 is Spirit Visage, Thornmail and Heartsteel, with Grasp of the Undying and Flash and Mark: it wins 50.0% of its 4 games. Most Maokai players start with Giant's Belt and Tear of the Goddess and max E > Q > W. Over all 56 ARAM games we read this patch, Maokai wins 53.6%.
| Items | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Visage + Thornmail + Heartsteel | 7.1% | 50.0% | 4 |
| Blackfire Torch + Malignance + Liandry's Torment | 5.4% | 66.7% | 3 |
| Kaenic Rookern + Thornmail + Heartsteel | 3.6% | 50.0% | 2 |
| Item | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heartsteel | 57.1% | 50.0% | 32 |
| Thornmail | 46.4% | 42.3% | 26 |
| Spirit Visage | 33.9% | 47.4% | 19 |
| Liandry's Torment | 25.0% | 64.3% | 14 |
| Unending Despair | 25.0% | 42.9% | 14 |
| Kaenic Rookern | 16.1% | 55.6% | 9 |
| Malignance | 14.3% | 87.5% | 8 |
| Blackfire Torch | 14.3% | 50.0% | 8 |
| Item | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury's Treads | 58.9% | 51.5% | 33 |
| Plated Steelcaps | 14.3% | 37.5% | 8 |
| Sorcerer's Shoes | 5.4% | 66.7% | 3 |
| Items | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giant's Belt + Tear of the Goddess | 41.1% | 39.1% | 23 |
| Lost Chapter | 19.6% | 54.5% | 11 |
| Giant's Belt + Ruby Crystal | 14.3% | 75.0% | 8 |
| Skill max order | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| E > Q > W | 55.4% | 45.2% | 31 |
| Q > E > W | 14.3% | 87.5% | 8 |
| Keystone | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grasp of the Undying | 41.1% | 52.2% | 23 |
| Aftershock | 28.6% | 43.8% | 16 |
| Arcane Comet | 21.4% | 75.0% | 12 |
| Runes | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grasp of the Undying · Font of Life · Conditioning · Overgrowth · Legend: Haste · Triumph | 26.8% | 46.7% | 15 |
| Summoner spells | Pick rate | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash + Mark | 76.8% | 48.8% | 43 |
| Flash + Heal | 7.1% | 25.0% | 4 |
More on Maokai: Maokai build · Maokai counters · Maokai skins
Maokai ARAM Balance Changes
Maokai's ARAM balance changes: -15% damage dealt and +10% damage taken. Riot adjusts some champions for ARAM only, to balance them for the mode's single lane; the changes don't apply on Summoner's Rift.
| Change | Value |
|---|---|
| Damage dealt | -15% |
| Damage taken | +10% |
Is Maokai Good in ARAM?
Maokai is A tier in ARAM in patch 26.20, 53 of the 167 champions with enough ARAM games for a tier. The ARAM tier list ranks champions by win rate, pulled toward 50% when they have few games, and a little by how often they are picked.
Maokai ARAM Build vs Summoner's Rift
The items Maokai players build more and less in ARAM than in ranked Summoner's Rift games (Master+), by the share of games each item is finished in. Only differences of 10 points or more are listed.
| Item | Built in ARAM | Built on Summoner's Rift |
|---|---|---|
| Heartsteel | 57% | under 3% |
| Thornmail | 46% | 7% |
| Spirit Visage | 34% | under 3% |
| Liandry's Torment | 25% | under 3% |
| Unending Despair | 25% | 7% |
| Item | Built in ARAM | Built on Summoner's Rift |
|---|---|---|
| Locket of the Iron Solari | under 9% | 63% |
| Bandlepipes | under 9% | 42% |
| Knight's Vow | under 9% | 27% |
Where the Maokai ARAM Data Comes From
The build comes from real ARAM games read through the Riot Games API. For every Maokai player we keep the final items, runes and summoner spells and, from the game's timeline, the items bought in the first 90 seconds and the order the abilities were leveled; games under 5 minutes are left out. A build is shown from 15 games. The full method is on the LoL ARAM builds page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Maokai ARAM build?
The build at the top of this page: the items, runes and summoner spells most Maokai players use in ARAM games of patch 26.20, with the win rate and games of each choice.
Does Maokai have ARAM balance changes?
In ARAM Maokai has: -15% damage dealt and +10% damage taken. The changes only apply on the Howling Abyss.
Is Maokai good in ARAM?
The ARAM tier list ranks Maokai against every champion with enough ARAM games this patch, by win rate and pick rate. The tier and its place are in the section above once Maokai has enough games.
What does Maokai start with in ARAM?
The starting items table above lists what Maokai players buy in the first 90 seconds of their ARAM games, potions left out, with how often each start is bought.
LoL ARAM builds for every champion · LoL champion builds · LoL counters · All LoL champions
LOLValue isn't endorsed by Riot Games and doesn't reflect the views or opinions of Riot Games or anyone officially involved in producing or managing Riot Games properties. Riot Games and all associated properties are trademarks or registered trademarks of Riot Games, Inc. Builds are counted from ARAM games read through the Riot Games API; ARAM balance changes come from lolstaticdata, built from the League of Legends Wiki.