Introduction
Graves, the Outlaw, is a marksman with a unique playstyle that sets him apart from other champions in League of Legends. As a ranged jungler or top laner, Graves leverages his shotgun's mechanics to deal significant burst damage and control the battlefield. His kit combines mobility, durability, and crowd control, making him a versatile champion who can excel in various roles. Whether you’re looking to dominate the jungle or outplay opponents in the lane, Graves offers an engaging and rewarding experience for players who enjoy high-skill champions.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Graves
- Strengths:
- Unique Attack Mechanic: Graves’ New Destiny passive grants his basic attacks shotgun-like properties, allowing him to deal massive damage at close range. The knockback effect on non-champions makes him highly efficient at clearing jungle camps and controlling skirmishes.
- High Burst Damage: His Q (End of the Line) and R (Collateral Damage) provide significant burst damage, enabling him to eliminate squishy targets quickly.
- Mobility and Tankiness: Graves’ Quickdraw gives him a dash and armor boost, making him hard to pin down and durable during fights.
- Zone Control: With Smoke Screen, Graves can disrupt enemies’ vision and mobility, giving him an edge in both offensive and defensive situations.
- Jungle Dominance: His fast clear speed, sustained damage, and mobility make him one of the most effective jungle picks.
- Weaknesses:
- Limited Range: Graves’ attacks have a short range compared to other marksmen, making positioning crucial during fights.
- Reload Mechanic: His passive requires reloading after every two attacks, creating downtime in his damage output if not managed properly.
- Skill Dependency: Graves’ effectiveness heavily relies on hitting skill shots like Q and R, as well as proper timing for his E (Quickdraw).
- Struggles Against Tanks: Graves can have difficulty dealing with high-health or heavily armored champions, especially in extended fights.
- Predictable Power Spikes: Enemies can anticipate his damage potential around key ability cooldowns and item completions.
Graves Tips and Tricks
- Maximize Shotgun Efficiency: Position yourself to hit multiple bullets of New Destiny for maximum damage. Remember, the closer you are, the more effective your attacks will be.
- Use Terrain for Q: End of the Line explodes faster when it hits terrain. Use this to your advantage in jungle fights or near walls to maximize damage output.
- Disrupt with Smoke Screen: Cast Smoke Screen strategically to block enemy vision or limit their escape routes. It’s especially effective against champions reliant on vision or mobility.
- Stack True Grit: Use Quickdraw aggressively to maintain your armor boost and gain stacks of True Grit. This makes you tankier in prolonged engagements.
- Combo R with Q: Follow up Collateral Damage with End of the Line to maximize burst potential and secure kills.
- Jungle Pathing: Graves’ knockback on non-champions allows him to kite camps effectively. Optimize your jungle path to maintain high health and pressure lanes early.
Graves Summoner Spells
Graves Runes
Graves Items
Graves Ability Combos
- W + AA + E + AA + Q + AA: To All In before level 6 W your target, then quickly AA and E to reposition. AA Q and AA again.
- AA + AA + E + Q + AA: When fighting any opponent AA twice then E towards your target, Q instantly and use your final AA right after.
- W + AA + Q + E + AA + AA: Seamlessly slide into your target by using Q E together. W your target and AA then quickly Q and E in the same direction. Finish up with two AA's.
- W + Q + AA + E + AA + R + AA: Quickly burst enemies leading with W and quickly Q, then AA E AA as quickly as possible followed by R and another AA.
- W + E + AA + Q + AA + R: When ganking W your target, E towards them then AA and Q during the AA downtime, then AA again and execute with your R.
- W + Q + E + R + FLASH: To quickly retreat W your target then Q then instantly click away to E. As soon as your E is about to reach its max distance R, then use Flash mid animation.
- Q + E + FLASH + AA + R: From outside normal range, Q and instantly E F. Execute your target with AA R.
- W + Q + R + FLASH + AA + E + AA + AA: Very quickly burst your opponent down with everything you have. W your target, Q then quickly R Flash back in. AA E AA as soon as you can.
- W + FLASH + AA + Q + E + AA + R + AA: You can combine W and Flash to make it much harder to dodge. AA then Q E together and finish off with AA R AA.
Game plan
- Early game
- Graves is a strong early game duelist. Try to get ahead by ganking and fighting as often as possible.
- However, it’s key that you find a healthy balance between fighting the enemy and farming. If Graves gets a bad start or falls behind, he is going to struggle to come out ahead.
- You have good objective control, so try your hardest to secure the Rift Herald and every Drake when it’s up.
- Mid game
- Focus on securing the remaining Dragons/ Rift Herald in the mid-game. Getting as many Drakes as possible will increase your chances of winning the game.
- Graves is a strong skirmisher, so continue to play aggressive and look for 1v1 duels in the mid-game. Just make sure you don’t die or get caught when Baron’s about to spawn.
- Group with your team and look to siege objectives/ look for picks as a team to open up the map.
- Late game
- Group with your allies. Do not leave their side in the late game otherwise the enemy will have the numbers advantage.
- Be prepared to peel for your allies in team fights. You’re a strong skirmisher, but you should focus the nearest enemy to keep your allies alive for longer.
- Look for picks in the late game with your team. You have good follow up damage, so look for plays with your allies to gain the numbers advantage.
Conclusion
Graves is a versatile and high-impact champion who thrives in the hands of players who value precision, positioning, and adaptability. His unique shotgun mechanics and ability to control the battlefield make him a formidable force in both the jungle and lanes. While he has a steep learning curve, mastering Graves rewards players with a champion capable of carrying games through calculated aggression and smart decision-making. Whether you’re ambushing enemies in the jungle or dominating team fights, Graves offers a playstyle that’s as thrilling as it is challenging.
Thanks for Reading! If you want to gain more in-depth knowledge about LOL, check out many helpful articles here!
Good luck to you! – Cheng