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Graves

Graves Build and Counters in Deadlock

Graves is tier S+, place 2 of 44 across all ranks, with a 55.0% win rate and a 39.2% pick rate. Items by game phase, ability order, counters and best teammates for Graves from real matches, by rank.

  • Type Mystic
  • Complexity For intermediate players
Tier and place
S+ 2 of 44
Win rate
55.0%
Pick rate
39.2%
KDA
2.70
Souls
42 754
Matches
142 616

Last UpdatedNovember 5, 2026

Data periodOctober 22, 2026 to November 5, 2026

Game updateNovember 5, 2026

Previous patch matchesbefore November 5, 2026

Graves item build

Items grouped by when they are usually bought, with the share of games where the hero buys them and the win rate with the item.

Graves ability order

Most popular order

Win rate 61.4% in 10 913 matches. The number in a cell is the ability point spent on that ability. Expected win rate for this hero and match length 61.7%.

Jar of Dead, Jar of Dead, Grasping Hands, Essence Theft, Essence Theft, Grasping Hands, Borrowed Decree, Grasping Hands, Grasping Hands, Essence Theft, Essence Theft, Borrowed Decree, Jar of Dead, Jar of Dead, Borrowed Decree

Highest win rate order

Win rate 64.3% in 1 186 matches. The number in a cell is the ability point spent on that ability. Expected win rate for this hero and match length 59.1%.

Jar of Dead, Jar of Dead, Grasping Hands, Essence Theft, Essence Theft, Grasping Hands, Borrowed Decree, Grasping Hands, Grasping Hands, Essence Theft, Essence Theft, Jar of Dead, Jar of Dead, Borrowed Decree, Borrowed Decree

Graves laning phase

Lanes are 2 on 2. The number is the soul lead of the Graves duo at 15 minutes against this opponent, below it the lead expected from the strength of both heroes. Only lanes clearly off the expected value are shown, across all ranks.

Graves counters and synergies

The percentage is the win rate of Graves against the enemy or together with the teammate. The lists show pairs where it is above or below what the strength of both heroes predicts, so a teammate of a weak hero can show less than 50%. Pairs with at least 100 matches are counted. The average win rate of Graves is 55.0%, compare the percentages in the lists with it.

Graves abilities

Ability 1

Jar of Dead

Passive: Collect death when anything dies nearby and store it in your Jar of Dead. Active: Throw a jar to summon Deadheads that repeatedly deal spirit damage to enemies. Deadheads follow you instead if there's no nearby enemies, and prioritize the target of your weapon.

Charges4
Charge Delay13s
Deadheads4
Damage16Grows by 0.25 per point of Spirit Power
Search Range7m
Dash Range15m
  1. Upgrade 1Collecting death heals 5 health per pickup
  2. Upgrade 2On Hit: Apply 24% Slow for 1s
  3. Upgrade 3+2 Deadheads +4s Deadhead Lifetime

Ability 2

Grasping Hands

Unearth a line of grasping hands, summoning a Ghoul and leaving behind a rift. Enemies who pass through take spirit damage and receive immobilize. Alt-Cast Alternate cast rotates the orientation of the wall.

Cooldown34s
Cast Range24m
Duration5s
Ghouls Raised1
Damage90Grows by 1.6 per point of Spirit Power
Immobilize1s
  1. Upgrade 1+2 s Duration
  2. Upgrade 2+90 Damage and +10m Wall Length
  3. Upgrade 3+1 Ghouls Raised -14s Cooldown +0.75s Immobilize Duration

Ability 3

Essence Theft

Your weapon steals weapon damage and spirit resist over time, up to a maximum amount per target.

Duration4s
Max Weapon Damage Stolen25%Grows by 0.25 per point of Spirit Power
Max Spirit Resist Stolen10%
Max Steal Targets3
Time for Max Damage4s
  1. Upgrade 1+5% Max Spirit Resist Stolen
  2. Upgrade 2+20% Max Weapon Damage Stolen
  3. Upgrade 3+1 Max Steal Targets All Summons now apply Essence Theft

Ability 4

Borrowed Decree

Innate: Abilities can summon Ghouls that shamble toward the enemy base, dealing melee damage. They explode when they approach a hero or objective, dealing spirit damage in an area and applying a brief slow Active: Create a gravestone at a target location that summons Ghouls over time. Enemies can destroy the gravestone with two heavy melees.

Cooldown140s
Cast Range20m
Duration16sGrows by 0.04 per point of Spirit Power
Damage115Grows by 1.27 per point of Spirit Power
Move Speed-64%
Summon Health180
Melee Damage40Grows by 0.5 per point of Spirit Power
Summon Lifetime20s
Slow Duration1.25s
Explosion Radius6.5m
Time to Summon4s
  1. Upgrade 1+25% Ghoul Speed -15s Cooldown
  2. Upgrade 2+10s Duration
  3. Upgrade 3On Death: Deal +5% Current Health as Damage -0.3s Time To Spawn

Graves base stats

Max Health730
Health Regen1
Damage Per Second35.29
Bullet Damage3.6
Ammo40
Fire Rate9.8
Reload Time2.8s
Move Speed6.7m
Sprint Speed2.2m
Stamina2
Light melee damage50
Heavy melee damage116

Graves story

The daughter of high-power defense attorneys, Darcy Graves grew up in a home where every conversation was a debate, argument, or negotiation. It was exhausting. But while her parents were often too busy meeting with clients or working on cases to bond with her, the dead were always there to listen. Graves enjoyed her time in the cemetery. It was a quiet place to calm her thoughts and talk through her problems...but one day her one-sided conversations started to change. It began with a faint whisper. A woman's voice that seemed to respond to Graves' complaints. Intrigued, the teenager listened...and followed the voice's instructions until it guided her to a lead-lined box buried in Van Cortlandt Park. But while most high school students would freak out if they were to unearth a severed lich hand, Graves was certainly not most teens. The hand now free of its prison, the lich's voice grew stronger... It had spent years looking to find a student she could pass her knowledge to, and Graves was eager to learn. Now a fledgling necromancer, Darcy balances not only her homework at Blackmore Academy...but the demands of graveyard denizens, each of whom have their own unfinished business that they seek her aid in resolving.

Frequently asked questions

Is Graves good in Deadlock right now?
Graves is tier S+, place 2 of 44 across all ranks, with a 55.0% win rate and a 39.2% pick rate.
What items should I buy on Graves?
The most bought items on Graves from early to late game are Restorative Shot, Extra Stamina, Improved Spirit, Stamina Mastery, Toxic Bullets, Mystic Vulnerability.
Who counters Graves?
Graves does worse than expected against McGinnis, Paige, Seven.
Who are the best teammates for Graves?
Graves does better than expected together with The Doorman, Deadman Danny.