Just about Graves

Nightlessness··3 votes·1,258 views

I've been playing this game since season 2 and I want to talk about my favorite champion or at least used to be my favorite because I barely play him now. I think what Riot did to Graves is not comparable to any of the reworks done other champions. Skarners, Kat, Soraka,Darius, Ryze(through 3 reworks?) Waricks and others all stayed where they should be played. There are instances of reworked champion that went to a different lane, for example, Nidalee. She went from mid to Jungle, but this was a good change, the old nid was just very cancerous in terms of play style( Hiding in the back, throwing spears but nothing more). In addition to that, nid was intentionally to be reworked that she would be played as a jungler. Graves was different in that he wasn't supposed to be a jungler when Riot annouced the rework (I was at time pretty excited because well my favorite champion just got reworked and I wanted to try him out). It turned out that Graves following the rework was way too op everywhere( He could played as top, mid, jungler, adc), then Riot started to nerf him. These nerfs(it was a intended as balance change, and I understand that) cause him basically viable in Jungle today. Some may argue that Reverted Graves is Lucian 2.0, to that I want to say anyone who main ADC/Marksmen knew the play style of these two champion were actually very different, the Graves(old)'s auto attack is also very different comparing to that of Lucian's, in particular, its sound was so satisfying. And if anything, Lucian should be called Graves 2.0 because he came after Graves.

With all that said, I present couple of solutions to current Graves

(1) Revert Graves completely, well that would definitely change dynamic of the game because that would affect the junglers (like it did to all ADC mains when they realized Graves is no longer viable) (2) A second Graves rework, or a change to its current play style redirecting it to Marksmen. (3) I think this was mentioned in one of the thread I read. The author mentioned changing Graves into something like Viktor where you will be able to choose your "weapon" at the start of the game so that he can be an ADC again.

I hope rioters can really hear what I had to say because the old Graves was really the champion that got me addicted to this game. It's also because of the rework that I don't play as often as I used to be. Graves, arguably the best ADC, definitely deserves better being in the jungle.

8 Comments

Statikk Succ 1 votes

Upvoted, i 100% agree, I found graves in mid season 5 and he was by far my favorite ADC, but then they reworked him into a jungler for some reason and made him unviable bot lane. I would really love to be able to play the old graves again.

Nightlessness1 votes

and you know my feelings when I had been playing Graves for like 3 years and boom he turned into a jungler

The Lost Marbles1 votes

If you just revert Graves, then you're back to the initial problem of him and Lucian being far too similar mechanically, to the point where whichever one currently has the better numbers completely obsoletes the other.

(I'm aware that Graves came first, but that play-style fits Lucian a lot more than it does Graves from an aesthetic point of view. Lucian being to be quick on his feet for his line of work hunting other-worldly evil, while Graves has a tough as nails style and can handle taking some hits and being in peoples' faces.)

Power level aside, the Graves rework did a great job of making him feel like a gritty badass with a high-powered shotgun who can hold his own in a fight.

I dunno. It's a head-scratcher no matter how you slice it, and there's no simple answer.

Statikk Succ 1 votes

I would think his third option, the one where you get to pick the weapon, would be a better idea than reverting him, that way you wouldn't upset the current graves players and the old ones get their champion back.

Nightlessness1 votes

I actually do agree with not simply reverting Graves but 2nd rework might be the possible solution. I know that Riot appreciates Champion-Lane diversity than anything, but isn't making Graves unplayable bot lane a non-diversifying move? Nonetheless, Graves's rework intended to make his play style more fit with his look but not make him being played in the jungle.

Dreadlocks1 votes

uhm I really like the rework and since they killed rengar for me, he's my new main

Statikk Succ 1 votes

At least rengar didn't get a complete play style and role change like graves did.

Dreadlocks1 votes

I could easily argue he did... But i dont know if u have time for that.

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