Graves Counters
The best Graves counters in League of Legends patch 26.1 are Rammus, Shaco, XinZhao, Kindred, Hecarim. The best Graves counter is Rammus, with Graves having only a 28.13% win rate in this matchup. Secondary patch 26.1 Graves counter choices are Khazix, Nocturne, Malphite, Evelynn, JarvanIV. Below are the top Graves counters and matchups alongside their win rates.
New Destiny
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.
End of the Line
Graves fires an explosive shell that detonates after 1 second, or after colliding with terrain.
Cost:- 80
Cooldown:- 13/
- 11/
- 10/
- 8/
- 6
Range:- 925
Smoke Screen
Graves fires a smoke canister at the target area creating a cloud of smoke that reduces sight range. Enemies caught in the initial impact are dealt magic damage and have their Move Speed reduced briefly.
Cost:- 70/
- 75/
- 80/
- 85/
- 90
Cooldown:- 26/
- 24/
- 22/
- 20/
- 18
Range:- 950
Quickdraw
Graves dashes forward gaining an Armor and Magic Resist boost for several seconds. If Graves dashes towards an enemy champion, gain two stacks of True Grit instead. Hitting enemies with basic attacks lowers the cooldown of this skill and refreshes the resistance boost.
Cost:- 40
Cooldown:- 16/
- 15/
- 14/
- 13/
- 12
Range:- 425
Collateral Damage
Graves fires an explosive shell dealing heavy damage to the first champion it hits. After hitting a champion or reaching the end of its range, the shell explodes dealing damage in a cone.
Cost:- 100
Cooldown:- 100/
- 80/
- 60
Range:- 1000
- Marksman
These champions are Graves's hardest counters in League of Legends patch 26.1. Rammus is Graves's biggest counter with only a 28.13% win rate for Graves. When facing these Graves counter picks, focus on safe farming and waiting for jungle assistance. Avoid extended trades and play around your power spikes to survive difficult Graves matchups.
Rammus
Shaco
Xin Zhao
Kindred
Hecarim
Kha'Zix
Nocturne
Malphite
Evelynn
Jarvan IV
When facing Graves in League of Legends, understanding Graves's primary damage profile is essential for building effective counter strategies. Graves deals primarily physical damage, which means prioritizing armor in your defensive itemization will significantly reduce Graves's threat in fights. Top defensive items against Graves include Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide substantial armor stats that directly mitigate Graves's damage output throughout all stages of the game.
From a champion selection perspective, the strongest Graves counters are Rammus, Shaco, XinZhao, and Kindred. These champions either out-trade Graves in lane, have abilities that negate Graves's core mechanics, or scale better into team fights. Rammus in particular exploits Graves's weaknesses by providing consistent pressure while being difficult to punish.
Beyond item builds and counter picks, successful counter play against Graves involves understanding Graves's power spikes and cooldown windows. Engage on Graves when key abilities are on cooldown, and coordinate with your team to focus Graves in team fights before Graves can output maximum damage. Vision control is also crucial when playing against Graves to avoid getting caught out of position. By combining proper defensive itemization with smart champion selection and strategic gameplay, you can effectively neutralize Graves's impact and secure victory.
Understanding Graves's power curve is essential for effective counter play. Here's when Graves is most vulnerable throughout the game.
EARLYEarly Game (Levels 1-6)
Graves is weak to all-ins before completing attack speed items. Zone from farm and punish aggressive positioning. Supports with hard engage excel against Graves.
MIDMid Game (Levels 7-13)
Graves spikes hard with 2-3 items. Dive and burst before Graves can kite. Assassins and engage supports are effective.
LATELate Game (Levels 14-18)
Graves reaches maximum DPS potential late. Focus Graves immediately in fights or use zone control to deny positioning.
Use these actionable tips to gain an advantage when facing Graves in lane or team fights.
- Pick Rammus or similar champions with kits that exploit Graves's weaknesses
- Build Plated Steelcaps or Seeker's Armguard early to reduce Graves's damage in lane
- Track Graves's cooldowns and engage when key abilities are unavailable
- Ward Graves's common roam paths and ping missing immediately
- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Graves during vulnerable windows
- Close the gap quickly - Graves is weaker in melee range
- Target Graves in team fights to remove the primary damage threat
Graves performs exceptionally well against these champions in patch 26.1. Zed is Graves's best matchup with a 71.43% win rate. When playing Graves into these favorable matchups, look for early aggression and lane dominance. Graves can capitalize on these champions' weaknesses to snowball leads and carry games.
Zed
Rengar
Trundle
Volibear
Dr. Mundo
Vi
Elise
Zac
Briar
Warwick
Graves Counters - Frequently Asked Questions
Who counters Graves?
The best Graves counters are Rammus, Shaco, and XinZhao. These champions have favorable matchups against Graves and can exploit Graves's weaknesses effectively in League of Legends patch 26.1.
What is Graves's hardest counter?
Rammus is Graves's hardest counter with Graves having only a 28.13% win rate in this matchup. Shaco (37.7% WR) and XinZhao (40.74% WR) are also strong Graves counters.
Who does Graves counter?
Graves performs well against Zed, Rengar, and Trundle. These are Graves's best matchups where Graves has favorable win rates and can dominate lane in patch 26.1.
How do I beat Graves in lane?
To beat Graves in lane, pick a counter champion like Rammus or Shaco. Focus on trading when Graves's key abilities are on cooldown, and build armor items to reduce Graves's damage output. Ward defensively and call for jungle assistance if Graves gains an advantage.
What items counter Graves?
The best items to counter Graves are Plated Steelcaps, Frozen Heart, Randuin's Omen, and Thornmail. These items provide armor which directly reduces Graves's damage. Consider building these items early if you're struggling against Graves in lane.
When is Graves weakest?
Graves is typically weakest during specific power troughs between item spikes. Exploit windows when Graves's ultimate or key abilities are on cooldown. Coordinate with your team to engage on Graves before Graves can set up fights on Graves's own terms.
How do I play Graves into counter matchups?
When playing Graves into counters like Rammus, focus on safe farming, waiting for jungle assistance, and playing around power spikes. Avoid extended trades in unfavorable matchups and look for opportunities to scale into mid and late game.
What champions are similar to Graves's counters?
If Rammus, Shaco, or XinZhao are banned or picked, look for champions with similar kits that can exploit Graves's weaknesses. Champions with crowd control, burst damage, or sustained damage (depending on Graves's vulnerabilities) can serve as alternative counters.