Hello,

I'm malphite and maokai main with 70% win ratio at the moment and this is my op build for season 12 [and now also for season 13!] (you can get free LP by playing it so I recommend at least checking it by yourself)

EARLY GAME

Starting of as Maokai, it's not a good idea to go for an early invade. Maokai is useless without his R which you shall level up ASAP. [a lot has changed since I wrote this guide but I still prefer a defensive game at the very beginning (even tho maokai is strong now)]

Start with red buff, then go for the krugs (smite big krug when under half hp) and raptors. Once you get the half cleared you try to gank mid but I recommend doing full clear first, then picking scuttler and if you feel like ganking a suitable lane you can try to.

After first back:
still do a full clear 🙂

Once you have your R you should start ganking as much as possible. You can try to predict the moves of your opponent and use your R before showing yourself on the lane but you can also try to dash to opponent with your W and then use your R to block his way out. You can always setup an ambush with your Laner and start with R then use W followed by Q if they are close enough to you. (Q got buffed last patch)

Remember that if you've already started a fight you want to keep your opponent at close/mid distance as many champs have more range and/or speed so if you attack them and then run away they might just hunt you down with full hp left.

E reveals hidden enemies, meaning that you should use it to get some vision.

Maokai is a support and it should be played as a support but if you play maokai jungle you should always focus on assists, you have to land your stuns, deal some damage and most importantly tank as much as you can and believe that your laner will kill the opponent.
First drake might be a problem, especially when your botlane is behind or opponents’ have an early game jungler, so I advise you to take your time and don’t rush it.

How to deal with counter ganks?
I don't know and actually I don't care, if your laner needs help and you are able to help them (high chance of a successful gank) then you should gank but if your laner can't help you because he is low on hp then you shouldn't take 1v2 fights at least in the early game.

Stay hidden, farm in jungle, wait for the perfect moments to gank. Make sure you and your team use your wards and when you are about to gank beware of the opponent’s wards as you don’t have much mobility.

LATE GAME

Always use bushes and attack from back or sides of the opponent to have a higher chance of getting kills/assists. Try to hit as many opponents as you can with your R. You can ask your friends to bait the opponents so they will go into a closed area where you can hit them all with your R.

Maokai's late game is simplier than his early game. Moving out of laning phase the best thing you can do is always stick around the player with the highest damage in your team but you also have to still remember about farming in jungle and taking drakes.

In teamfights you should prioritise your R on opponents’ ADC OR Midlane that does probably deal most damage.

CONCLUSION

Maokai isn't a situational pick and you can Blind pick him, but get to know your team composition first if possible. If you are picking after most of the enemies, that makes it even better. You should always remember that your team needs at least one tank and you should also check the opponents pick before locking ANY champ.

Bogurodzica dziewica, Bogiem sławiena Maryja,
U twego syna Gospodzina matko zwolena, Maryja!
Zyszczy nam, spuści nam.
Kyrieleison.

Twego dziela Krzciciela, bożycze,
Usłysz głosy, napełni myśli człowiecze.
Słysz modlitwe, jąż nosimy,
Oddać raczy, jegoż prosimy:
A na świecie zbożny pobyt,
Po żywocie rajski przebyt.
Kyrieleison.

Nas dla wstał z martwych syn boży.
Wierzyż w to, człowiecze zbożny,
Iż przez trud Bog swoj lud
Odjął diablej strożej.

Przydał nam zdrowia wiecznego,
Starostę skował pkielnego,
Śmierć podjął, wspomionął
Człowieka pirwego.

Jenże trudy cirpiał zawiernie,
Jeszcze był nie prześpiał zaśmiernie,
Aliż sam Bog zmartwychwstał.

Adamie, ty boży kmieciu,
Ty siedzisz u Boga [w] wiecu.
Domieściż twe dzieci,
Gdzież krolują anjeli.

Tegoż nas domieściż, Jezu Kryste miły,
Bychom z tobą byli,
Gdzie sie nam radują szwe niebieskie siły.

Była radość, była miłość, było widzenie tworca
Anjelskie bez końca,
Tuć sie nam zwidziało diable potępienie.

Ni śrebrem, ni złotem nas diabłu odkupił,
Swą mocą zastąpił.

Ciebie dla, człowiecze, dał Bog przekłoć sobie
Ręce, nodze obie,
Kry święta szła z boka na zbawienie tobie.

Wierzyż w to, człowiecze, iż Jezu Kryst prawy
Cirpiał za nas rany,
Swą świętą krew przelał za nas krześcijany.

O duszy o grzeszne sam Bog pieczą ima,
Diabłu ją otyma,
Gdzie to sam króluje, k sob[ie] ją przyma.

Maryja dziewice, prośmy synka twego,
Krola niebieskiego,
Haza nas huchowa ote wszego złego.

Amen tako Bog daj,
Bychom szli szwyćcy w raj.

Wielkieś mi uczyniła pustki w domu moim,
Moja droga Orszulo, tym zniknienim swoim.
Pełno nas, a jakoby nikogo nie było:
Jedną maluczką duszą tak wiele ubyło.
Tyś za wszytki mówiła, za wszytki śpiewała,
Wszytkiś w domu kąciki zawżdy pobiegała.
Nie dopuściłaś nigdy matce sie frasować
Ani ojcu myśleniem zbytnim głowy psować,
To tego, to owego wdzięcznie obłapiając
I onym swym uciesznym śmiechem zabawiając.
Teraz wszytko umilkło, szczere pustki w domu,
Nie masz zabawki, nie masz rośmiać sie nikomu.
Z każdego kąta żałość człowieka ujmuje,
A serce swej pociechy darmo upatruje

My pain is constant and sharp, and I do not hope for a better world for anyone. In fact, I want my pain to be inflicted on others. I want no one to escape. But even after admitting this, there is no catharsis; my punishment continues to elude me, and I gain no deeper knowledge of myself. No new knowledge can be extracted from my telling. This confession has meant nothing.