Graves vs Kindred
Skill matchup
Build vs Kindred
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Graves: Hubris, The Collector, Lord Dominik's Regards, Plated Steelcaps, Immortal Shieldbow, Youmuu's Ghostblade, Infinity Edge, B. F. Sword.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Kindred's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Kindred can mark targets to Hunt. Successfully completing a Hunt permanently empowers Kindred's basic abilities. Every 4 hunts completed also increases Kindred's basic attack range.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 9s | 18s | 14s | – |
| 6 | 9s | 18s | 14s | 2m40 |
| 9 | 9s | 17s | 14s | 2m40 |
| 11 | 9s | 16s | 14s | 2m20 |
| 16 | 9s | 14s | 11s | 2m |
| 18 | 9s | 14s | 8s | 2m |
Playing as Graves
Tips to maximize your impact
- Clear your line of fire
Position with no minion between you and your target: each New Destiny (passive) auto fires 4 bullets that can't pass through units.
- Blind their carries
Cast Smoke Screen (W) on their carries: inside the smoke, they're slowed and can't see anything outside it for 4 seconds.
- Back away as you fire your R
Fire Collateral Damage (R) with your back to the danger: the shot knocks you backward, enough to reposition while dealing damage.
- Chain dashes during your clear
Cast Quickdraw (E) often during your clear: it reloads a shell, gives armor and magic resist, and each bullet that hits lowers its cooldown.
Playing against Kindred
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Move away after their E
When Mounting Dread (E) hits you, move away: Kindred's third auto on you sends Wolf, who strikes based on your missing health.
- Leave Wolf's zone
Leave the Wolf's Frenzy (W) zone: inside, Wolf bites Lamb's target based on their current health, and Dance of Arrows (Q) comes back much faster.
- Use their R zone to your advantage
At low health, step into the zone of Lamb's Respite (R): no one dies there, enemies included, and everyone inside is healed at the end.
- Contest their hunts
Contest the monsters Kindred hunts: each successful hunt from Mark of the Kindred (passive) empowers their spells for the rest of the game, and every 4, their range.
Other Graves matchups
Patch 16.21.1