Graves vs Zyra

Graves
vs
43.9%

over 701 games

Zyra

Hard matchup

Heavy AP damageHeavy pokeHeavy CCHigh burst

Build vs Zyra

Build adapted to this matchup

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

Starting items

Scorchclaw Pup
Health Potion

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
Youmuu's Ghostblade
Infinity Edge
B. F. Sword
Mortal Reminder
Maw of Malmortius
Guardian Angel
Serrated Dirk
Umbral Glaive
Bloodthirster
Black Cleaver
Serpent's Fang
Sundered Sky
Jak'Sho, The Protean
Mercurial Scimitar
Executioner's Calling
Hexoptics C44
Kaenic Rookern
Stormrazor
Voltaic Cyclosword
Quicksilver Sash
Edge of Night
Randuin's Omen
Force of Nature
Rapid Firecannon
Bastionbreaker
52.6% WR215 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

Zyra's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Garden of Thorns (P)

Seeds spawn around Zyra periodically, becoming faster with level. Zyra can cast Deadly Spines or Grasping Roots near seeds to grow plants, who fight for Zyra.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
37s0s11s–
66s0s11s1m50
95s0s11s1m50
115s0s11s1m40
165s0s11s1m30
185s0s11s1m30

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 Zyra

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

  1. Dodge her roots

    Get out of the line of Grasping Roots (E): the roots pass through minions and root every enemy hit, then her plants hit the trapped target.

  2. Step on her seeds

    Step on her seeds to destroy them before she grows them: Rampant Growth (W) seeds reveal you for a moment, but leave her no plant.

  3. Kill her plants

    Take down the plants born from Garden of Thorns (passive), or back off until they die: they take fixed damage, like a ward, and don't live long.

  4. Get out of her thorns

    Get out of the Stranglethorns (R) zone as soon as it appears: the vines knock you into the air 2 seconds later, and her plants are empowered inside.

  5. Engage when her plants are far

    If you can engage, go for Zyra when her plants are far from her: the Thorn Spitter from Deadly Spines (Q) only fires at 575 range.

Patch 16.21.1