Graves vs Viego
Skill matchup
Build vs Viego
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Graves: Hubris, The Collector, Lord Dominik's Regards, Plated Steelcaps, Immortal Shieldbow, Infinity Edge, Youmuu's Ghostblade, B. F. Sword.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Viego's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Enemies who fall before Viego become wraiths. By attacking a wraith, Viego temporarily seizes control of the dead enemy's body, healing for a percentage of his target's max health and gaining access to their basic abilities and items. He replaces their Ultimate with a free cast of his own.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 5s | 8s | 14s | – |
| 6 | 4s | 8s | 14s | 2m |
| 9 | 3s | 8s | 14s | 2m |
| 11 | 3s | 8s | 14s | 1m40 |
| 16 | 3s | 8s | 10s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 3s | 8s | 6s | 1m20 |
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 Viego
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge his Spectral Maw
Get out of his line when he charges Spectral Maw (W): he dashes and stuns the first enemy hit, for longer the longer he charged.
- Back off after each of his spells
Don't stay in melee range after one of his spells: thanks to Blade of the Ruined King (Q), his next auto strikes twice and heals him.
- Don't be the lowest in his range
In teamfights, don't stay in his range if your health percentage is the lowest: Heartbreaker (R) strikes that champion, with damage based on their missing health.
- Back off when an ally falls near him
If an ally dies in front of him, back off: by hitting their wraith, Viego restores health and takes their basic spells and items through Sovereign's Domination (passive).
- Reveal him in his Mist
When he disappears into the Harrowed Path (E) Mist, place a Control Ward: it reveals camouflaged enemies, and he's only camouflaged inside the Mist.
Other Graves matchups
Patch 16.21.1