Maokai Runes explained
There's one set of runes for Maokai on patch 15.12 that is the clear favorite for LoL players and pros alike. The best Maokai rune paths on the position 
Jungle are 
Sorcery as the primary path and 
Inspiration as the secondary path with a pick rate of 73%. Besides picking runes on Maokai you should learn how to play Maokai and if you are interested in pro matches take a look on how a pro builds Maokai. If you want to discuss 
Maokai then you should visit the champion subreddit.
Maokai runes from primary path
Sorcery empoweres abilities of Maokai and increases the available champion resources. Most of high elo players – and our LoL pros in the the major regions – have agreed that 
Phase Rush is the best keystone rune to run on Maokai. Phase Rush offers more flexibility and options to betake oneself in and out of danger, which can be helpful since that's essentially the main playstyle of Maokai. Other primary runes on Maokai are 
Nimbus Cloak, 
Transcendence and 
Waterwalking.
Nimbus Cloak, which grants movement speed upon using a summoner spell, works amazingly well with junglers in particular as they take the shortest cooldown summoner spell, 
Smite. Transcendence for some more Ability Haste. Waterwalking grants movement speed in the river, which helps Maokai get around the map quicker. The extra damage will also help in those all important dragon and baron fights.
Maokai runes from secondary path
When it comes to your secondary path, most Maokai players prefer to go with Inspiration. Inspiration opens creative opportunities on Maokai troughout the match. On the Inspiration path, the best runes for Maokai are 
Cosmic Insight and 
Magical Footwear.
Cosmic Insight grants summoner spell and item haste. Magical Footwear allows Maokai to focus on those essential core items without the need to spend the additional 300 gold on boots.
FAQ for Maokai Runes
Which is the best keystone rune on Maokai?
The best keystone rune on Maokai is Phase Rush. This Maokai runes setup is then referred as Maokai Phase Rush.
What runes does Maokai use?
Runes from the paths Sorcery and Inspiration are the most used runes on Maokai. For the exact pick rates of Maokai runes used, you have to study the rune distribution presented.