Graves Build Guide : Sendin' Their Heart Out Their Chest!

Introduction

Well, you want to play The Outlaw eh? This is the place to go. This is an in-depth guide that will be focused on Summoner's Rift (Classic). Now you might ask yourself why I use Graves, or even why you are using him. Well, to start off this DPS Carry is a monster at burst compared to other carries and still has the potential to go 1v1 and consistently deal huge amounts of damage. His harass is outstanding and his lane stability is decent considering his job. He is a great asset in team fights and ganks. In simple terms, you will be blasting your way through your enemies as Graves.

Pros/Cons

Pros:

Cons:

Runes

So to start off I use a pretty simple Rune page strictly for AD carries. For Marks I utilize Greater Mark of Desolation (Flat Armor Pen) for early harassment and lane control; however, if you feel the need to equip Greater Mark of Strength (Flat AD) then that will work too. For Seals I use Greater Seal of Alacrity (Flat Atk Speed) to boost my E spell more and give me a greater damage output, or I take Greater Seal of Resilience (Flat Armor). Then for Glyphs I go with Greather Glyph of Warding (Flat Magic Resist) to give me sustainability against AP champs; again however if you want to switch these out, I suggest Greater Glyph of Resilience (Flat Armor) to give you defense. Finally I take Greater Quintessence of Desolation (Flat Armor Pen) to cut through defenses.

Main - Greater Mark of Desolation
Optional -
All - Greater Quintessence of Desolation

Masteries

21/0/9 is the basic build for any AD carry and I won't change that on Graves. A upgraded Exhaust is a must along with some increased Armor Pen and Damage. With this page you will be pumping out bodies as you dominate the Fields of Justice.

Summoner Spells

Must Have:

Essential for any AD carry. You should never not have this. It reduces the movement speed of the target (40%), it greatly lowers the attack damage (70%), and for those who have items with actives and great abilities by (35%). This will heavily leverage the battle in your side. Generally pop this in a team fight upon their main damage dealer.

Great escape, chase, and positioning spell. This is needed for just about anything.

Could Have:

This spell is pretty great for anything that Flash can do, however it takes a longer time. I suggest that you switch this with Flash based on your personal preference.

Great for quickly getting to where you are needed. This is an effective spell for mid and team fights, although there are better choices for separate needs.

This in combo with Ghost or Flash can save your life. However, there is an item in game... (cough cough ) that can be bought to supplement this spell. It is decent though, but not something that will benefit you greatly.

This can be effective for your quick burst, but I don't think this is practical for every damage output you do. Pick this if you are worried that your team will need it and they don't have it, or you are facing a heavy health-regen team.

Should NOT Have:

You should not need this spell for anything except early game. There isn't much need for this late game, and it does not benefit your damage output. Plus you have a so you will generally always be a full health.

You don't need this if you aren't spamming extremely hard, and even if you are, get Blue Buff.

Are you trolling, or feel the need to feed?

This is NOT a jungling guide, so this should not be one of your spells.

Better for a support or tank. You don't need this as it takes up a valuable spot for a better-suited spell.

Again, better for someone that isn't the backbone damage of the team.

If you have this in Classic... you are a Haxor!

Why... just why?

Please refer your attention two spells above. Haxor.

Abilities

Passive: Gunslinger - Graves gains increasing armor and magic resistance the longer he remains in combat.

Graves gains 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 bonus Armor and Magic Resist every second he remains in combat (stacks up to 10 times).

Graves is treated as in combat if he has dealt or taken damage in the last 4 seconds.

A pretty simple yet effective ability. This is like the force pushing you to stay in combat. Graves is excellent with aggression and harassment. This is ensures that you can take damage and punish those staying to fight you.

Q: Buckshot - Graves shoots three bullets in a cone, each dealing 60 / 105 / 150 / 195 / 240 (+80% of attack damage) physical damage to all enemies in their path.

Enemies hit with multiple bullets take 35% damage from each additional bullet.

Cooldown 12/11/10/9/8 seconds

Cost 60/75/70/75/80 mana

Range 750

Bread and Butter damage ability. This is a great way to harass and lower that health bar of your opponent with the fairly long range. Early game this skill will utterly dominate aggressive champs and poke the passive ones back to their turret. This is also a effective way to farm minions. Personally this is Graves best ability, and it is also in the category of spamming!

W: Smoke Screen - Graves fires a smoke canister dealing 60 / 110 / 160 / 210 / 260 (+60% of ability power) magic damage on impact and creating a smoke cloud at the location that lasts (5) seconds. Enemies inside the cloud have their sight radius reduced and are slowed by 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 % while they remain in the cloud.

Cooldown 20/19/18/17/16 seconds

Cost 70/75/80/85/90 mana

Range 300

What can't this spell do? Slow, Damage, Nocturne ULT? This is one of the most versatile skills in the entire game. Not only does this practically cut your opponent's sight off, this can set up ganks and prevent escapes. Very useful spell when used correctly.

E: Quickdraw - Graves dashes forward gaining 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 % increased Attack Speed for 4 seconds.

Each of his basic attacks lowers the cooldown of Quickdraw by 1 second.

Cooldown 22/20/18/16/14 seconds

Cost 50/50/50/50/50 mana

A great movement skill along with putting your Attack Speed on Crack! Excellent at taking down turrets and minion waves, with a unbelievable cooldown time. This also lets you pass through certain walls, so it provides a great escape. Always use this as an entry to team fights as it will make a huge difference in who comes out on top and who is waiting on the clock.

R: Collateral Damage - Graves fires off an explosive shell dealing 250 / 375 / 500 (+150% of attack damage) physical damage to the first enemy champion hit. After hitting a champion or reaching the end of its range, Collateral Damage deals 150 / 275 / 400 (+120% of attack damage) physical damage in a cone behind the target.

Cooldown 80/70/60 seconds

Cost 100 mana

Range 700

Who at Riot decided that one skill can hurt the entire team, clean up a kill, and burst like a b*tch? Well, whoever did, we thank you. This ability is outrageously good for almost any circumstance. This gives you an initial boom and a burning after effect, that contains a bearable decent cooldown. Use this when ever you see the enemy team bunched up together as it will hit every champ and send the "squishies" back to the summoner platform.

Ability Sequence and Use

Harassment:
Use Quickdraw to dash towards an enemy, then quickly Buckshot into their face, and follow up with an auto attack. They should be running by now, and if not... mow them down!
Basic Attack

Escape:
Smoke Screen the enemy/enemies that are your present danger, then Quickdraw away to safety. Smokescreen is optional, however it is every effective with the slight slow.

Chasing:
Depending on your distance to your target, Quickdraw or Smoke Screen your enemy. Then follow up with either Collateral Damage, Buckshot or simple auto attacks until they hit the floor. Graves is very versatile in chasing, and this isn't the only way; however this is the most effective way I have use.
or then or or Basic Attacks

Ganking/Setting up a Gank:
Smoke Screen the enemy champ for sight reduction. Then Quickdraw in for the massive damage output. Follow up with Buckshot and Collateral Damage to complete your skill combo. They should be dead by now! If not, follow with your auto attacks to end their playtime.
Basic Attack

It is important that you hit to cut that enemy's map awareness off. This will allow your teammate to enter the gank without detection from your target and allow you to move up.

Items

The main reason why you looked him up right? Well, the items I suggest are great for damage and sustainability. They provide decent burst with an extremely tough health bar and death dealing damage output late game. The only drawback is the expense, however you should have a good farm and be able to afford these items.

Start With:
- This gives you enough health to take early game damage as well as some AD to get your harass stronger.

Early Items:
- The second Doran's Blade will increased your health cap again and give you additional AD. This will also give you 6% Lifesteal.

+ = - Berserker's Greaves are a decent boot for AD carries as they provide more attack speed. However, if you are facing a heavy CC team, then I suggest .

Core Items:
+ = - This will give you a numerous amount of Lifesteal enabling you to lane for long periods of time. Not only that, but it grants a large amount of AD to you. This is a slight snowball item, so be aware of what its bonuses are. They won't go below the original item stats.

+ + = - The Phantom Dancer will give you a great amount of Atk Speed and Critical Chance. This is extremely needed on a previously sluggish Graves. It will boost your max bonus. It is worth the money for the stats it provides.

+ + = - This item will make you a carry. It gives you the most Flat AD (80 Dam) and gives you a powerful unique passive. The passive will boost your Critical Damage by 250%; and with the now 50%+ Critical Chance you will be launching shells of death towards your enemies.

Late Game:
+ = - This is a great item to get your hands on as it will provide you with much need health and a small amount of damage. However, the real reason to get this is to have the slow. This will allow you to chase down quicker targets and get a kill. A must have item in late skirmishes.

Sell and buy another - Again giving you more Lifesteal; and if stacked fully it will give you yet another 100 damage to your heavily AD champ.

Optional:
- Get this item if the enemy team is heavily building tanky and have large amounts of health. It provides some armor, decent AD, and good Atk Speed. Its unique passive shreds through "healthy" champs as it chips down their green bar. Always worth it when they have anyone over 3000 HP.

- Getting another Phantom Dancer will again increase your Attack Speed to an unmatched level. It will also get your Critical Chance very close to 100%.

- Great for taking out towers (however you already have so that shouldn't be absolutely needed. It also benefits in team fights and gives you Cooldown Reduction and Armor Penetration. Get it if a enemy champ is heavily armored.

- Item that provides decent AD boost and greatly increases your Armor Pen. Same with as above, get it if they are extremely armor stacked.

- Overall a good item that benefits Atk Speed and Damage. Its unique passive makes this again a great item to get your hands on. It will provide a lower on thier Armor, thus leading you to do more damage. An item you might want to pick up based on preference.

- Yes, this is on here. It gives you health, mana, and magic resist. Oh, and did I mention it also prevents a skill every 45 seconds. This is wonderful against mages or simply anyone. Get it if you feel the need to get more sustainability, generally I always get it.

Play Style and Strategy

Early Game:

Lane:

- Obviously as an AD carry you want to lane with a support or tank, however it is not absolutely needed. Focus early on with your harass as it is health chipper. A well timed in combo with a few auto attacks can halve the enemy green bar. This is also the time where you will farm consistently. Yes, you farm and harass. Zone out the enemy champs and prevent them from earning exp, while farming up for your expensive items. When facing squishy targets, jump on them with your skills to pick up a possible kill. If laning against a great harasser or AP, play on the more defensive side; take mistakes from your target and capitalize with punishment. Also, if facing melee, simply show them who your gun is.

Mid:

- Take this solo opportunity to show how dangerous Graves is 1v1 against your opponent. Harassment is optional, but is very effective if done correctly. Farm minion waves efficiently and numerously to obtain items quicker. Same as lane, zone out your opponent if you feel comfortable enough to take some skills to your health bar. Whenever you get the enemy turret down, begin ganking to lanes that are being pushed or are simply losing. Graves is a monster in middle, and going here, will only increase your danger presence to the enemy team.

Mid Game:

Lane:

- If you are still laning around 15-20 minutes, focus more on farm then anything else. Your main objective is to get your gold up. Of course, direct your attention to ganks, or kills that you can pick up; but try to stay on task. Red Buff is very effective for you to get some mid game kills, so try to pick it up when you can. Push the lane to turret and take it down while keeping map awareness. Do NOT over commit as you are somewhat susceptible to ganks and CC's. You should be well-farmed in the transition to late game, fed or under-leveled (which you shouldn't be with a great farm).

Roaming/Temporary Lane

- For your ganks you plan to set up, make sure you can get an assist or kill to obtain that much needed gold. Your damage output should be great enough to overwhelm the majority of champions. If you are laning for a short while, again focus on the farm. Be aware of your surroundings and your teammates. They might just need a help or a gank.

Late Game:

Roaming:

- Travel with teammates, or be cautious when alone. Push lanes as long as your opponents are accounted for. Maintain map awareness, and kill of solo lane pushers or small groups of squishies. Your damage output should be very high with your items, and your movement speed should be bearable. Farm is still needed, however it does not take priority over the team and its ability to win. Be there for team fights, eliminating the jungle, or simply assisting a fellow teammate with a kill or escape. Your main job during this part of the game is to pump out damage and not be caught alone unless back-dooring a lane. It is generally better though if you stick with your team.

Team Work

Role:

- Your main purpose as Graves to deal a consistent large amount of damage to anyone in your path. You are a carry and thus you are needed in the majority of team fights. Punish your opponents with your burst and exterminate those who are foolish enough to stay to long fighting you. Back-dooring is an option for you if your team can hold their own in a possible 4v5. Oh, and this guide is focused strictly on AD. That means that this isn't the place where it will teach you to play AP Graves. To simply sum it up, you are the bullet of a gun.

Team Fights:

- Ah yes, the area where you succeed the most. Graves is the backbone of team fights and provides the main damage within it. This means that you generally do NOT initiate; rather having a champ with Crowd Control or massive defense enter in first. You will then enter in quickly after and drain the heal of the opposing team. Always be aware of what your health is and where your positioning is. Do NOT get caught simply by yourself. Use your ability combo as often as you can and be sure you cannot win before retreating. You are important in every team fight, thus you should be in every team fight. If you follow up on these small tips you will be going positive the majority of the games you play. Oh, and kills aren't everything, don't get greedy and get yourself killed over a low health opponent that is out of reach. Play smart, play to win.

Summary

To wrap it all up, Graves is a great addition to the League and a magnificent AD carry. I encourage you to learn and play him. He is easy to learn, but hard to master. Utilize his advantages and start winning games. Thank you and never forget, "Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character."

Sendin' Their Heart Out Their Chest!

Sendin' Their Heart Out Their Chest!

Spells:

Exhaust

Flash

Ability Order

New Destiny (PASSIVE)

End of the Line (Q)

Smoke Screen (W)

Quickdraw (E)

Collateral Damage (R)