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The Graves Rework

Dewey Volkov·10/31/2015, 1:34:57 PM·3 votes·1,827 views

As a Graves main, obviously I was curious to see the new adc reworks touch my favorite adc. But as it turns out, Riot didn't just touch Graves. They grabbed him, and smashed him with a giant slab of stone like in New Dawn.

I watched videos of his abilities and of his new mechanics, as well as read all about it, and was pretty upset about them. I don't think I'll be playing Graves anymore. His playstyle was great before, and I enjoyed his kit a lot. And no, it isn't like Lucian's. I've played them both and they're very different.

I understand, as the meta changes, champions must change to keep up, and this rework allows Graves to do some serious damage late game, but it's just awful. The reloading mechanic just seems bothersome. It looks like, to me, Riot is turning Graves into a jungle fighter as opposed to a botlane adc. They've cut back his range potential. While they've certainly embraced the fact that Graves has a shotgun, I feel this rework has been done very poorly, and I hope it gets scrapped.

The reasoning I've seen for the reload mehanic has been arbitrary. "You can't fire a shotgun without bullets!" Well, you can't shoot a crossbow without bolts. Or a sniper rifle without bullets. If that's the logic they're using, then almost every single adc should have a reload mechanic. And is it just me, or is the Rioter on the PBE boards talking with people about the Graves rework very rude about negative feedback, responding with sarcasm and pretty much going through and picking apart the player's post like a vulture to a carcass? He's not very professional at all. But that's beside the point.

My favorite adc deserves better than this nonsense rework. I know no one will care, and I know Riot won't revert their changes (because when was the last time they actually listened to the community). It seems to me that there are quite a few people who either don't like, or are highly skeptical of the new Graves.

In a horrible attempt at humor in a serious post; Riot is really digging Graves' grave, at least for me. So much for my mastery 5 and pride in being a great Graves player. Well, so much for botlane for me, actually. Graves was the only botlane adc I thoroughly enjoyed, and now since Riot is screwing him up, I guess I'll have to stick to my other lanes. This is not the Graves I came to love.

Thank Riot.

Sincerely, A very upset Graves main.

10 Comments

Faded Lich10/31/2015, 4:55:28 PM2 votes

As someone who is actively playing him on the PBE: Graves is actually rather strong. CS is interesting to get used to but it's no place near as hard as you think it is, even more so when your leveled up Q can one shot the wave fairly effortlessly. I'll answer any questions you put forth but I'll go ahead and address the reload thing now.

With just two dorans blade and a BF sword a point blank shot (Where graves want to be due to the nature of his shotgun mechanics now) can do roughly 200-300 damage (depending on armor, etc, etc, normal factors.) I was, for a more solid base hitting a tower for 300 a shot with those items. The reload is to balance out the insane amount of burst he has. So, lets say with those items I am hitting someone for 250 a shot.

AA-E-AA-AA

250+250+250=750 damage from three auto's alone, not to mention the E is an AA reset+gives you that extra bullet, so you just did a fairly insane amount of burst damage early game. That isn't even adding in your Q damage which can add an extra 350+ damage to that, along with your ult and that is all in a matter of seconds, around the time the enemy could get a few autos off on you.

Not even mentioning later in the game when his passive scales up to the pont where the first bullet no longer does 75% damage and instead does the full 100% damage making every extra pellet bonus damage and the fact when you crit strike you fire 8 bullets instead of the normal 4 which makes you hit insanely hard.

The reason for his reload? (which isn't that long honestly in the first place) is to balance him out. Can you imagine if you pumped out that kinda damage with no limit, no stops? He'd be unstoppable. Hell, to go on which I hinted at earlier all your bullets can hit towers and inhibs. You can do 300 damage per shot EARLY IN THE GAME TO TOWERS.

do you know how insane that is? Graves is extremely strong as he is on the PBE. His lane phase is extremely good because he is kinda like Draven in that, sure he can be hit and poked but he can also go in on your face, hit you a few times and become literally impossible to trade with. The few lane weaknesses he has are completely covered up by a support such as Blitz/Thresh/Tahm/Alistar.

Just try him when you can. Get used to the changes. You'll be surprised in a good way.

Asayake 5150glow10/31/2015, 2:12:01 PM1 votes

Laning phase is almost impossible now. From what I've seen, you can't shoot over minions anymore, so you miss way too much CS.

My source ---->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0po4Jzcor6Y

xxxMadLionxxx10/31/2015, 2:14:53 PM1 votes

TBH, Graves was one of the first champs I bought when I was new to league and still learning. When I played with him, I thought.... he has a shot gun and his q does more damage up close, so I kept dashing in trying to blow targets up, but kept dying. Remember, I was new and thought the damage from a close up Q would be enough to destroy my target.

So I was puzzled as to why it was not working. I even refunded Graves cause I thought he was weak. I did know what an ADC was and that their primary damage is their auto attacks, not their abilities.

Now, If I had picked up Graves in his new rework form on PBE, and thought with the same noob mentality I had when I began League, my logic of going in and trying to get my shotgun to blow shiiiiet up would have gone better.

My point is, mechanically and thematically, graves functions as he should. As for the reload, it is a clear weakness put in place for a conditionally strong champ. Also, when you think of weapons/gun that reload, a two barrel shotgun usually has a distinctively long reload time. Just look at any First person shooter with a double barrel shot gun versus a mini machine gun like jinx. It takes long to reload and has to be reloaded often because it only has 2 shells. The trade off is insane close damage.

BlackxHokage10/31/2015, 2:27:39 PM1 votes

graves is amazing with the rework plz dont say hes weak cuz if you actually played against him youll know hes kinda strong eith that rework hes the anti assassin adc now. cuz you literally cant get close or youll get 2 shot

Axxlon10/31/2015, 4:41:41 PM1 votes

The main actually bad thing I see about this is the fact that CSing will now be pretty much impossible for Graves (without getting inside the minion wave just get a fucking CS).

As for everything else, as somebody who doesn't really play Graves (only played him a few times during a few free weeks), the thematic goals they're working toward for his kit seem interesting enough. However, I can clearly see how this completely wrecks all Graves mains' possibilities of playing their main anymore. :\ Really sorry to hear about this...

Actually, it's possible that Graves could become a jungler now. What with the new damage mechanics (dealing tons of damage right into an enemy's stomach), and the fact that he has more durability overall, it's possible he could survive in the jungle lmao

Dragonic Origins1/8/2016, 1:16:20 PM1 votes

Look boi riot dont give a shit bout what u think cause theres a good handful of ppl that LOVES the rework so yea y whould they give a single shit about u