Your Win Condition
The axe will always beat the tree. Your win condition is to secure the level six kill (where you can 1v2 Maokai and the enemy jungler).
General Strategy
D-Blade with TP/Ghost or Ghost/Flash. Extended trades are necessary. Avoid dying to a pre-six gank, as his setup is good. Your base timer is crucial.
Trading Patterns
He wants short trades; you want long trades. He has too much CC pre-six to consistently kill him. Aim to base around level four or five for an item advantage (Long Sword/Refillable). The second you hit level six, if you hit your axe, pop Ghost and run him down for a free solo kill.
Wave Management
If you get a big level one trade, crash wave two. If he plays safe, crash wave three. In either scenario, you want the wave to come back towards you as you approach level six.
Their Win Condition
Maokai wins by utilizing CC and disengage to prevent the long trade pre-six. He also relies on good gank setup to ruin your lane.
