Graves is a Champion with burst, sustained damage, survivability, mobility, and a slight amount of CC. Though Graves currently is not a top tier META ADC, he is still a somewhat safe pick due to a medium risk, high reward play style. Graves's kit allows him to muscle his way through laning phase, and become a hard Carry in the middle to late game.

Grave's Passive gifts him scaling Armor as well as Magic Resistance, the longer he is in combat. Due to this passive, Graves is naturally tanky. This Passive however, does not protect against True Damage, one of Grave's core weaknesses. By stacking Health towards the late game, Graves is able to more comfortably fight true damage champions like Vayne and Twitch.

Don't stress on Masteries too much. Running a standard 21/9/0 will give Graves additional states of all kinds, and he can benefit from most of them. If still unsure about how to acknowledge good Masteries, these are the basic ones that most AD carries can use with high success rates.

DO NOT BUY AN AGILITY CLOAK:
- The sole stat is offers is too unreliable in laning phase.
- Backing to just get the cloak is a waste of time. If you already have a B.F. Sword and Pickaxe, but you don't have enough money for the Infinity Edge, either save up or buy a Dagger or Tier 1 Boots.

THE BLOODTHIRSTER VS BLADE OF THE RUINED KING:
- B.T. - Generates a shield from lifesteal and offers more survivability
- B.T. - More lifesteal than B.o.t.R.K.
- B.T. - More raw damage to use in spells
- B.o.t.R.K. - Better against mega tanks
- B.o.t.R.K. - Active is much better in 1v1s
- B.o.t.R.K. - Attack speed to go on top of Youmuu's active

GUARDIAN ANGEL VS BANSHEE'S VEIL:
- G.A. - Offers Armor and Magic Resist, good against hybrid teams
- G.A. - Second life passive keeps Graves in fights longer
- G.A. - Becomes a discouraging target to the enemy assassin
- B.V. - Negates hard poke from high damaging spells
- B.V. - Devastates spell casting assassins
- B.V. - Offers health, the counter to true damage

Smoke Screen is a utility spell, used to cut the vision of enemies standing in the radius as well as applying a very small slow. Smoke Screen is best used in large team fights and defending against flanks. Since jungle pressure is low and minimal in early levels (1-4), Smoke Screen's point is best saved for later. Damage on Q and Cooldown on E would be much better early on.

Not much to this. Flash is a must, as with for most Champions, simply to capitalize on aggressive plays and to reposition or escape bad fights. Take heal usually to survive close calls in laning phase, and to save a dying ally.

Pros:
- Intense Burst
- Spell-Casting Carry
- Increased Survivability from Passive
- Q and R are AOE, great for Teamfights
- E used to engage and disengage

Cons:
- Skillshot Oriented
- Can be HEAVILIY countered.
- Short Range
- Relies on an engage support to set up plays
- Evil laugh makes him sound like a bad guy

Bullet Riding:
Crediting this to an Imaqtpie stream, Graves is able to ride his Q, by using E in the same direction right after the casting time of Q is up. Though this looks nicer than it is effective, use this tactic to damage an enemy as you reposition, so more auto attacks can be dished out in between Q Cooldowns. The Combo: Q+E

Ambush:
Another stylish play involves blowing up an enemy in Graves W with his Q and R. Though the W is only truely effective when the enemy stands in it for a prolonged duration, by throwing a W on an stationary enemy, use either Q or R, E to reposition to A DIFFERNT angle, and use the other damaging spell. The reason to try this is to mislead the victim of where Graves is. The first skillshot Graves throws out is where Graves is, so the enemy will walk towards it's casting origin. By repositioning with E and then damaging again, the enemy will waste more time in the slowing field trying to locate Graves again. The Combo: W+Q(or R)+E+R(or Q)

Tribush SmokeScreen (Blue Side):
There's never a better feeling when the ally support wards the tribush, and the jungler sits in it for a duration. One thing to do is W the whole bush to either flush out the jungler or to discourage him/her. Though this will alert the enemy there is a ward in the bush, it will eliminate all current threats of a jungler flank. The Combo: W+Walk

SmokeScreen Farming:
If it's one of those games where before buying a B.F. Sword, and Graves has to hit the caster minions twice under tower, drop a W down so enough damage will be layed down to auto atatck the minions once after the tower shot. The Combo: W+T.S.+A.A.

Suggestions for this Guide in general? Leave a comment, private message, or Friend me on League: GaliciaSp. On the NA servers, I am GOLD V and play primarily Assassin Champions and ADCs of all kinds.