I'm X3m. Not so long ago, I reached Diamond rank in my favorite game. My main champions are Lillia and Graves. Throughout my journey of improving my ranking, I have gathered numerous tips on game strategy and positioning, which I am more than willing to share. My accounts: D4: https://www.op.gg/summoners/euw/Abyssflame-ESE

PASSIVE ABILITY

New Destiny (Passive): This is the main distinguishing feature of Graves - his auto attacks, which have separate collisions and hit the first target that gets in their way. Sometimes, small hitboxes cause problems and jokes, as seen with Yorick's Walkers.

Q

End of the Line (Q): Q has two damage ticks and can be accelerated, for example, by throwing Q into a wall, which makes it return faster. This skill is probably the second most important after E in combinations.

W

Smoke Screen (W): A useful ability, which can be VERY important in some situations, is to throw an object at the enemy when 50/50 smite is on the line, so that they cannot see the Dragon's HP.

E

Quickdraw (E): The most important skill in all combinations, as well as for survival.

R

Collateral Damage (R): A finishing skill, but you shouldn't keep it to the end, as it gives you a jerk back, which helps when escaping from an enemy or avoiding his skills.

PROS 1. High Burst Damage: Graves excels in dealing high burst damage, especially in the early and mid-game with proper combos and itemization. 2. Strong Jungle Clear: His passive, combined with his Q and auto attacks, allows for fast and efficient jungle clearing. 3. Tanky for an ADC: With his True Grit passive, Graves gains bonus armor when he auto-attacks, making him more resilient than typical marksmen. 4. Kiting Potential: His unique auto-attack mechanics let him kite enemies effectively, especially against melee champions. 5. Versatility in Builds: Graves can adapt to various builds, from lethality and critical strike builds to bruiser and lifesteal-focused setups. 6. High Mobility: With his E (Quickdraw), Graves can dash and reset his passive stacks, making him slippery and hard to pin down. 7. Zone Control: His W (Smoke Screen) disrupts enemy vision and slows them, providing excellent utility in fights. 8. Scaling Well: While Graves has a strong early game, his scaling into late game remains reliable with crit and sustain builds. Graves has high mobility, a lot of damage, extremely high potential for carrying games on his own, and the ability to win games solo. He has excellent jungle clearing abilities and good synergy with many champions.

CONS 1. Short Range: Despite being classified as a marksman, Graves has short attack range, which can make positioning in team fights challenging. 2. Reliance on Auto Attacks: If Graves is zoned or unable to auto-attack consistently, his damage output drops significantly. 3. Skill-Dependent: To maximize his damage and utility, Graves players must hit skill shots like Q (End of the Line) and effectively use W (Smoke Screen). 4. Vulnerable to CC: Crowd control can shut down Graves, especially since he relies on mobility for survivability. 5. Weaker Late Game Compared to Some Carries: While Graves scales decently, hypercarries with long range and high attack speed can outscale him. 6. Positioning-Dependent: Due to his short range and dash reliance, poor positioning can lead to quick deaths, especially in team fights. 7. Struggles Against Tanks: Without proper items like Black Cleaver or Lord Dominik's Regards, Graves can struggle against high-armor tanks. 8. Resource-Intensive: Graves requires red buff and jungle resources to maximize his efficiency, which can lead to conflicts in team resource distribution. The weak side is vulnerability to crowd control; once Graves gets caught in it, it is difficult for him to escape. Implementing Graves' abilities properly can be challenging, but every minute spent on training will be worthwhile.

This combination of strengths and weaknesses makes Graves a versatile but skill-intensive champion who thrives in the right hands with good positioning and resource management.

Very Hard – W + Q + R + Flash + AA + E + AA + AA Very quickly burst your opponent down with everything you have. W your target, Q then quickly R Flash back in. AA E AA as soon as you can.

Hard - W + Flash + AA + Q + E + AA + R + AA You can combine W and Flash to make it much harder to dodge. AA then Q E together and finish off with AA R AA.

Hard - Q + E + Flash + AA + R From outside normal range, Q and instantly E F. Execute your target with AA R.

Hard - W + Q + E + R + Flash To quickly retreat W your target then Q then instantly click away to E. As soon as your E is about to reach its max distance R, then use Flash mid animation.

Normal - W + E + AA + Q + AA + R When ganking W your target, E towards them then AA and Q during the AA downtime, then AA again and execute with your R.

Normal – W + Q + AA + E + AA + R + AA Quickly burst enemies leading with W and quickly Q, then AA E AA as quickly as possible followed by R and another AA.

Normal – W + AA + Q + E + AA + AA Seamlessly slide into your target by using Q E together. W your target and AA then quickly Q and E in the same direction. Finish up with two AA's.

Basic – AA + AA + E + Q + AA When fighting any opponent AA twice then E towards your target, Q instantly and use your final AA right after.

Basic – W + AA + E + AA + Q + AA To All In before level 6 W your target, then quickly AA and E to reposition. AA Q and AA again.

Basic – E + Q To chase.

Basic – AA + E + AA This is base. Standart combo that you will do everytime.

WARNING! Graves also has hidden mechanics, such as canceling animations when combined: Therefore, I advise you to watch the following video and go practice these combinations.

First video: Play Video

Gameplay Guide for Securing Victory on Graves

To consistently win games as Graves, you need to maximize his strengths while mitigating his weaknesses. Here's how to structure your gameplay:

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Early Game (Focus: Farming and Ganking)

1. Efficient Jungle Pathing:
- Start with Red Buff for sustain and extra damage.
- Prioritize a fast clear using Graves' Q and auto attacks, leveraging his passive for armor.
- Path towards Scuttle Crab, where Graves excels due to his strong early dueling potential.

2. Look for Opportunities to Invade:
- Graves is a powerful early duelist. Ward the enemy jungle, track their jungler, and punish them if they overextend.
- Be cautious of crowd-control-heavy champions who can counter Graves in 1v1 fights.

3. Prioritize Ganks in Pushable Lanes:
- Use your W (Smoke Screen) to disrupt enemy vision and slow them during ganks.
- Focus on lanes where allies have strong CC or the enemy lacks escapes.
- If ganking isn't viable, focus on farming and scaling.

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Mid Game (Focus: Objectives and Skirmishes)

1. Play Around Power Spikes:
- Graves is strong after completing key items like Eclipse, Immortal Shieldbow, or The Collector. Use these spikes to contest objectives.
- If you're ahead, build aggressively to snowball your lead.

2. Control the Map:
- Use your vision control to dominate areas around Dragon and Rift Herald.
- Deny the enemy jungle camps whenever possible, especially after successful ganks.

3. Choose Fights Wisely:
- Graves thrives in small skirmishes. Use choke points and terrain to maximize Q (End of the Line) damage.
- Avoid diving into CC-heavy team compositions without your dash (E) available.

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Late Game (Focus: Positioning and Damage Output)

1. Position Smartly in Team Fights:
- Stay at the edge of fights, leveraging your high burst damage and ability to kite.
- Use W (Smoke Screen) strategically to blind carries or peel for your backline.

2. Focus on Priority Targets:
- Use your burst damage to eliminate squishy targets like enemy carries.
- If you're forced to focus tanks, make sure you have armor-penetration items like Lord Dominik's Regards or Black Cleaver.

3. Secure Objectives:
- Graves excels at taking down Baron Nashor and Dragon quickly. Ensure your team groups up for these critical objectives.
- Use your strong auto attacks to pressure turrets during sieges.

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General Tips for Success:

- Adapt Your Build:
Adjust your items based on the enemy composition (e.g., lifesteal for sustain, lethality for burst, or tank items if you're focused).

- Utilize Terrain:
Graves’ auto attacks and Q bounce against walls, giving you an advantage in jungle skirmishes.

- Stay Ahead in Farm:
Consistently clearing camps and waves will ensure you're always a step ahead of the enemy jungler.

- Communicate:
Let your team know your gank plans and objective timings. Coordination amplifies Graves' impact.

By maintaining a balance of aggressive farming, objective control, and calculated aggression, Graves becomes a dominating force capable of leading your team to victory.