Graves build guide

Adapt to their team like Ayanokoji

by smokeybacon71Version 30Updated Oct 10, 2026Guide #760464

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Observed usage

Match statistics · filters applied except game mode

Published guide

As written by the author · latest version · not affected by filters

In-game favourites: 10 (as last synced by the API; not match usage)

Author's notes

Graves is a conditional hero that can only be playable high elo if you adapt to their team. ONLY FOR HIGH IQ GRAVES PLAYERS AP order changes depending on build. Max skulls after 3 if going echo shard.

Item categories

1Lane
Author's category · 2 items
1. 1
  Extra Spirit
  Since they increased spirit scaling on jar of dead, theres no reason to not run this item first. Get other regen as deemed necessary
2. 2
  Extra Stamina
  Stamina super important for this 2 stam no mobility hero. Feel free to delay this for other t1 greens
2Lane Optionalsoptional
Author's category · 10 items
1. 1
  Grit
  Super OP because it builds into other shieldings and is good against burst in lane.
2. 2
  Rebuttal
  Parry when they light melee skulls or tomb
3. 3
  Extra Health
  Grit is normally better
4. 4
3Both if pure spirit
Author's category · 2 items
1. 1
  Arcane Surge
  Built from Extra Stamina
  Arcane better to get faster spikes
2. 2
  Improved Spirit
  Built from Extra Spirit
  Improved better if they have more gun dmg (Ven, Silver, Haze, etc)
4Spirit with the option to go late gun (get another 1.6k)optional
Author's category · 1 items
1. 1
  Surge of Power
  Built from Extra Spirit
  Firerate will help with debuffs later. I go SOP when I feel like I might pivot to gun/debuff items late game.
5Early greens for spikeoptional
Author's category · 8 items
1. 1
  Spirit Shielding
  Built from Grit
  One of the best items for Graves. Try not to fight when not active
2. 2
  Healbane
  Don't get if like 3 people on your team have it
3. 3
  Enchanter's Emblem
  Get spirit shielding unless they don't have a lot of burst
6Spirit 1.6k for spikeoptional
Author's category · 6 items
1. 1
  Cold Front
  If they are in your face a lot. Upgrades into arctic blast.
2. 2
  Slowing Hex
3. 3
  Suppressor
  Get if behind and lots of fire rate. Lets you take their gun dmg along with fire rate.
4. 4
7Gun 1.6k optionals for spikeoptional
Author's category · 3 items
1. 1
  Split Shot
  If enemy team is grouped a lot on fights like if theres a Dynamo. Or get if you are given an early side lane
2. 2
  Active Reload
  Reload faster for better exchanges.
3. 3
  Spirit Shredder
  item seems good stat wise and is good if your team comp is spirit heavy
8More greensoptional
Author's category · 2 items
1. 1
  Stamina Mastery
  Built from Extra Stamina
  One of the best items on Graves. IAD to conserve ammo.
2. 2
  Restorative Locket
  Locket can save you from bad situations. Normally I get slot locked from spamming too many t2 greens so just watch out for that
9Gun pivot
Author's category · 3 items
1. 1
  Heroic Aura
  I get this no matter what build. It's not as necessary for gun but the fire rate helps to add debuffs. One person on every team should be getting heroic aura. Can skip for gun path
2. 2
  Split Shot
3. 3
  Ricochet
  Rico+split shot is crazy good on Graves esp. normally get a debuff from the right before rushing rico.
10Debuffs
Author's category · 4 items
1. 1
  Toxic Bullets
  Only if a lot of tanks or Kelvin/Rem
2. 2
  Inhibitor
  Always good. Rush against Infernus (trust me bro)
3. 3
  Silencer
  Almost always good. Make sure to coordinate with other gun heroes on your team to not get uneeded overlapping debuffs because inhib and silencer don't stack
11Common Greensoptional
Author's category · 4 items
1. 1
  Spirit Resilience
  Best res on Graves. Not needed as much anymore with being able to steal 4 targets worth of spirit res.
2. 2
  Counterspell
  can rush for green spike with a t2 green
3. 3
  Dispel Magic
4. 4
12Sprinkle in your greens regardless of pathingoptional
Author's category · 11 items
1. 1
  Stamina Mastery
  Built from Extra Stamina
  If you go improved then get this
2. 2
  Metal Skin
  Burst bullet res so you have time to take their gun dmg. Remember that you can ult to block yourself from Haze ult
3. 3
  Veil Walker
13Pure spirit
Author's category · 2 items
1. 1
  Heroic Aura
2. 2
  Echo Shard
  Graves is the only one unaffected from the item nerfs. I still think echo skulls is not that good but Graves is just not good in general. Skip if they have 2 or more rico.
14Spirit optionalsoptional
Author's category · 10 items
1. 1
  Arctic Blast
  Built from Cold Front
  Pop before wall to guarantee it, or after to stun for longer.
2. 2
  Scourge
  Make you super tanky with stolen spirit res plus scourge
3. 3
  Boundless Spirit
  Built from Improved Spirit
15Supportoptional
Author's category · 11 items
1. 1
  Cursed Relic
  Dmg penalty doesn't affect skulls placed before using curse so you can hatecrime 1 person. Very good item on skull build.
2. 2
  Divine Barrier
  Built from Guardian Ward
  Pocket
3. 3
  Spirit Burn
  Most people run spirit burn so you don't need it normally. Good antiheal for spirit.
16IF YOU ARE 1v11 GUN SOMEHOWoptional
Author's category · 4 items
1. 1
  Leech
  Needed sustain
2. 2
  Spiritual Overflow
3. 3
  Spellslinger
  You can sell surge of power at this point
4. 4
17Antarctican hidden techoptional
Author's category · 9 items · Jumble of random items that have some niche
1. 1
  Magic Carpet
  Maybe some niche in being able to play aggresively with an escape tool because of Grave's bad mobility
2. 2
  Lightning Scroll
  Kinda bad bc you don't get to choose when and who you proc it on
3. 3
  Fortitude
  Built from Extra Health
18BAD and LARP itemsoptional
Author's category · 10 items · Annotated on why you shouldn't buy them and why any Graves build with the following items are from Epstein himself
1. 1
  Rapid Recharge
  Waste of souls. Should be managing skulls better and farms give a ton of skulls anyways. Just a poorly statted item in general.
2. 2
  Recharging Rush
  Similar reason to rapid recharge but also Graves doesn't need gun spike so this item is fully uneeded
3. 3

Categories appear in the author's order. Only the editor's default Early, Mid and Late sections are marked as game stages; the author's own categories keep their names. “Built from” links come from the game's item recipes.

Published ability order

Published ability order: unlocks and upgrades in the author's order, one row per ability in slot order
Jar of DeadJar of Dead	Jar of Dead: Ability unlocked, step 1				Jar of Dead: 1 AP upgrade, step 5										Jar of Dead: 2 AP upgrade, step 15