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Leona & Smolder vs Jhin & Maokai

Bot Lane Matchup

Leona vs Jhin (with Smolder & Maokai) BOT matchup tips: who wins, how to trade, wave control and common mistakes.

You

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Who Wins

Pre-6, you win this lane — your level 2 spike with E+Q is one of the strongest in the game, and Jhin has no mobility to escape once you close the gap.
Post-6, your R into E+Q combo on Jhin is a near-guaranteed kill as long as Maokai's W does not interrupt your approach, so always look to engage when Maokai's W is on cooldown.

Your best pattern is to engage on Jhin specifically, not Maokai — Maokai is tanky and your CC is wasted on him, while Jhin's immobility and reload window make him the permanent kill target.
Use your E+Q to lock Jhin down and let Smolder stack Q damage on the stunned target for maximum burst.

You should roam when the wave is pushed into the enemy tower after a successful all-in — Jhin and Maokai have limited wave clear, so a shoved wave buys you roam time without losing tower plates.
Roam mid at level 6 when your R is available, as your engage range makes you one of the strongest roaming supports in the game.

Do not engage when Maokai's W is available and you have not baited it — his root will interrupt your E dash or stop your follow-up, turning your all-in into a failed trade.
Always track Maokai's W cooldown before committing, as it is the one ability that can neutralize your entire engage pattern.

Created on 09/08/2026

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