Graves vs Locke

Graves
vs
52.6%

over 175 games

Locke

Skill matchup

Dive threatSustained DPSCountered by stasisHigh burst

Build vs Locke

Build adapted to this matchup

Recommended items for Graves: Hubris, The Collector, Lord Dominik's Regards, Mercury's Treads, Immortal Shieldbow, Infinity Edge, Youmuu's Ghostblade, B. F. Sword.

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup

Core build

Hubris
1
The Collector
2
Lord Dominik's Regards
3

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Immortal Shieldbow
5

Summoner spells

FlashSmite100%

Other options

Immortal Shieldbow
Infinity Edge
Youmuu's Ghostblade
B. F. Sword
Mortal Reminder
Maw of Malmortius
Umbral Glaive
Guardian Angel
Serrated Dirk
Black Cleaver
Sundered Sky
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Executioner's Calling
Serpent's Fang
Mercurial Scimitar
Bloodthirster
60.8% WR51 games
DominationDomination
Dark HarvestDark Harvest
Sudden ImpactSudden Impact
Grisly MementosGrisly Mementos
Treasure HunterTreasure Hunter
PrecisionPrecision
Legend: AlacrityLegend: Alacrity
TriumphTriumph
Attack SpeedAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Locke's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Silver Stake (P)

Locke's attacks deal additional magic damage On-Hit, increased based on enemy missing Health.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
310s18s10s–
68s18s10s2m
96s17s10s2m
116s16s10s1m40
166s14s10s1m20
186s14s10s1m20

Playing as Graves

Tips to maximize your impact

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 Locke

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Back instead of staying low

    Back instead of staying in lane at low health: Silver Stake (passive) adds damage to his autos that grows with your missing health.

  2. Trade after his E

    Trade after Ashen Pursuit (E): it's his only instant movement, and its 10-second cooldown only resets if he gets a takedown.

  3. During his W, only hit to kill

    During Soul Ignition (W), only hit him if you can kill him: at the end, he heals back part of the last damage taken, yours included.

  4. Stay above his threshold

    Marked by Purgatory (R), stay above its threshold: if you have a heal or a shield, use it, because he seals marked enemies who drop below it.

  5. Contest his artifact

    If the Purgatory (R) artifact lands, hold the area where it fell: by picking it up, Locke raises his execute threshold for each sealed champion, for the rest of the game.

Patch 16.21.1