Matchup

Heavy AD damageHigh burstSustained DPS

Build vs Graves

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Doran's Blade
Health Potion

Core build

Black Cleaver
1vs Tank
Sterak's Gage
2Survival
Thornmail
3vs Hybride

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5vs Hybride

Summoner spells

41483%
41214%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Jak'Sho, The Protean
5vs Hybride
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD

Anti CC

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC

DPS

Stridebreaker
Bruiser
Titanic Hydra
Bruiser

Other options

Overlord's Bloodmail
HP
100.0% WR2 games
PrecisionPrecision
Press the AttackPress the Attack
TriumphTriumph
Legend: HasteLegend: Haste
Last StandLast Stand
ResolveResolve
OvergrowthOvergrowth
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
UrgotUrgot
GravesGraves
Favorable
Favorable
Passive

Graves's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

New Destiny (P)

Graves' shotgun has some unique properties. He must reload when he runs out of ammo. Attacks fire 4 bullets, which cannot pass through units. Non-champions struck by multiple bullets are knocked back.

Cooldowns

Cooldowns by spell rank

LevelQWER
313s26s16s
69.5s26s16s1m40
96s24s16s1m40
116s22s16s1m20
166s18s14s1m
186s18s12s1m

Playing against Graves

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Minions and tanks block his autos (like a shotgun) — position yourself behind units to reduce his damage.

2

His W blinds you: get out of the smoke cloud quickly instead of fighting inside it.

3

Graves is an early/mid game jungle champion — if you scale better, play safe and wait for late game.

4

He has relatively short range (425) — long-range ADCs outrange him easily.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 9, 2026