They both have short ranges, Graves's Q is more destructive the closer it is. His W gives fog, which prevents Vayne from firing autoattacks outside of it. Both have a dash to help them get in or out of combat. His R has burst and splash.
Does he counter her or am I pulling at strings?
If you get a good W placement you can win the fight, but the fact is Vayne is the best 1v1 ADC in the game
I have to agree with @BloodHawk95 its about W placement. Be sure to utilize this to your advantage early on. Try and be aggressive in the laning phase. Deny her farm which in turn allows you to get ahead and works for you in turn in team fights. Also this can also be dependent on your support. You will want someone with a decent amount of CC.
Yes and no. Graves doesnt just 100% counter vayne. You have to use him and his abilities properly. You can easily burst her down to nothing with your AA+Q+E+AA+Ult+AA's. but you HAVE to hit all of the combo. Your W is also key in extended trades/fights. Vayne is more mobile than Graves, and she can just tumble forward to poke you and back off before you can AA or Q her to return dmg. If she keeps doing this effectively she will win the lane. So its more of a skill matchup in my opinion.
