AbramsThreat · Lane
Watch for
A wall catch can take him past your summons into a close fight.
Do this
Keep Grasping Hands on a useful approach and avoid positioning beside a wall pin while far from your partner.
How to play
How to play Graves in Deadlock
How to play Graves in Deadlock
DifficultyModerate
WeaponPistol
RoleSpirit Carry
Quick answer
- Your job
- Build summon pressure around a lane or objective so enemies must spend time clearing it or fight through it. Help your team gain ground while keeping yourself and the valuable setup alive.
- Positioning
- Take a covered position near the area your team wants to control.
- How to win fights
- Collect the nearby deaths that feed Jar of Dead, then send Deadheads towards a useful target.
- When you’re in trouble
- Use your prepared ground and teammates to slow the approach while retreating to cover.
Strong at
- Summon pressureEnemies must spend time responding to repeated threats.
- Prepared groundSetup makes important objective approaches more costly.
- Directed focusWeapon targeting helps guide summoned pressure onto a priority.
Weak to
- Rushed setupFast attackers can reach her before preparation matters.
- Cleared summonsExposed valuable summons lose their impact quickly.
- Limited retreatLeaving prepared ground can expose a weak open-field fight.
How to play Graves
The full version of the quick answer.
Your goal
Build summon pressure around a lane or objective so enemies must spend time clearing it or fight through it. Help your team gain ground while keeping yourself and the valuable setup alive.
Positioning
Take a covered position near the area your team wants to control. Keep Grasping Hands between likely enemy approaches and your setup when useful. Avoid standing well ahead of your summons or following a retreating enemy into open space where your preparation no longer helps.
How to fight
- Collect the nearby deaths that feed Jar of Dead, then send Deadheads towards a useful target. Your weapon helps direct their attention, so keep actively participating instead of throwing summons and waiting. Use their pressure to clear space or make an enemy spend time responding.
- Before an objective fight, place Borrowed Decree where enemies cannot immediately walk up and destroy it. Protect the approach rather than chasing a distant finish. When enemies move elsewhere, move your attention with the team instead of defending an area that no longer matters.
When an enemy threatens you
Use your prepared ground and teammates to slow the approach while retreating to cover. If someone gets past the setup, prioritise survival instead of trying to out-duel them in the open.
Graves Items & Ability Order
Popular Graves Items
Explore popular Graves item choices across the match, with purchase trends that provide context for her summon and objective-pressure playstyle.
0–9 min
Restorative Shot87%
Extra Spirit64%
Mystic Shot50%
Extra Stamina50%
9–20 min
Enchanter's Emblem45%
Improved Spirit40%
Tesla Bullets39%- Extra Stamina36%
20–30 min
Toxic Bullets36%
Mystic Vulnerability34%
Stamina Mastery25%
Siphon Bullets21%
30+ min
Escalating Exposure21%
Boundless Spirit17%
Spiritual Overflow12%- Siphon Bullets10%
Graves Ability Order
Compare common Graves upgrade sequences and how players develop her summons, lane presence and ability to pressure objectives.
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jar of Dead | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
 Grasping Hands | – | – | 3 | 4 | – | 6 | – | – | 9 | – |
 Essence Theft | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | – |
 Borrowed Decree | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 8 | – | 10 |
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jar of Dead | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Grasping Hands | – | – | 3 | 4 | – | 6 | – | – | 9 | – |
| Essence Theft | – | – | – | – | 5 | – | – | – | – | 10 |
| Borrowed Decree | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | 8 | – | – |
| Ability point | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jar of Dead | 1 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Grasping Hands | – | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Essence Theft | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Borrowed Decree | – | – | – | – | 5 | 6 | 7 | – | – | – |
Graves game plan
Timings are approximate. When teams start grouping and pushing objectives, use the next phase’s advice.
Early game
~0–10 minCollect souls and build Jar of Dead pressure while staying near cover. Avoid exposing yourself ahead of the summons just to force a gun exchange.
Mid game
~10–25 minMove your prepared pressure towards objectives your team can contest. Set up before enemies arrive and make them spend time responding.
Late game
~25+ minProtect Borrowed Decree and the routes around it. Move with your team when the important fight shifts instead of defending an irrelevant setup.
Tips
Good to know
- Your weapon deals double damage every 13 consecutive hits on the same target, so commit to one enemy
- Air-dashing while firing pauses ammo consumption, letting you chase longer without reloading
- Ghouls explode on death dealing percentage-based damage, so let them suicide onto tanks
Avoid these mistakes
- Letting enemies rush through your setup directly onto you.
- Leaving valuable summons where enemies can clear them freely.
If you’re struggling
Use summons to clear safe lanes and defend an objective; avoid walking into open ranged exchanges.
One useful tip
Protect Borrowed Decree’s position instead of dropping it where enemies can immediately destroy it.
Matchups to watch
Heroes that change how you play Graves. Situational adjustments, not rankings.
VindictaThreat · Lane
Watch for
Long-range gunfire punishes open positions outside your effective beam range.
Do this
Collect souls from cover and use summons for pressure instead of walking into her firing line to shoot back.
WraithOpportunity · Teamfights
Watch for
Summons make a focused gunner split attention between you and additional threats.
Do this
Direct Deadheads towards her while staying protected; do not walk close just because she is clearing your summons.
