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Deadlock Tiers

Mystic · Pistol

Graves hero artGraves Build & Counters

Mystic — morbid, area denial, necromancer, with a pistol weapon.

Updated ·Refreshed daily from public match data·Methodology

Tier

S+

Win rate

56.1%▼ 0.3

Games

202K

41% pick

How to play Graves right now

Graves wins 56.1% of 202K games, 7.8 pts above the median hero. Strongest in Sentinel – Ritualist lobbies (55.2%), weakest in Emissary – Phantom (52.9%). Bullies Shiv in lane (64%). Graves is a mystic (morbid and area denial mystic). Build around Restorative Shot, Extra Stamina, Improved Spirit, put early points into Borrowed Decree, and respect Rat King in lane.
  • Core items: Restorative Shot, Extra Stamina, Improved Spirit, Extra Spirit
  • Max first: Borrowed Decree
  • Hardest lanes: Rat King, Paige, Seven
  • Best teammates: Rat King, Paige, Seven

Last 7 days, all ranks

Graves stats

Win rate

56.1%

#3 of 41

Pick rate

40.8%

of matches

Ban share

4.5%

of ranked bans

K / D / A

5.8 / 6.7 / 11.9

KDA 2.66

Souls

42K

per game

Hero damage

36K

per game

Win rate, last 30 days

September 12, 2026 → October 11, 2026 · low 55.7% · high 57.3%

Compare Graves with another hero in the hero comparison tool.

Ranked matches, last 7 days

Graves by rank

Initiate – Acolyte

54.5%S+

17K games

Sentinel – Ritualist

55.2%S+

11K games

Emissary – Phantom

52.9%S

8.9K games

Ascendant – Eternus

50.4%B

1.4K games

See every hero for your bracket on the Deadlock tier list.

Items by game phase · last 7 days

Graves build

Buy rate = share of Graves games where the item was bought; grouped by average purchase time. Late items always show higher win rates because they are bought in longer, often winning games — compare items within the same phase.

Recommended build — buy in this order

The 12 items most Graves players buy, sorted by when they are usually bought.

  1. 1Restorative ShotRestorative Shot2m
  2. 2Extra SpiritExtra Spirit7m
  3. 3Extra StaminaExtra Stamina7m
  4. 4Mystic ShotMystic Shot8m
  5. 5Arcane SurgeArcane Surge9m
  6. 6Improved SpiritImproved Spirit11m
  7. 7Enchanter's EmblemEnchanter's Emblem13m
  8. 8Duration ExtenderDuration Extender15m
  9. 9Stamina MasteryStamina Mastery21m
  10. 10Toxic BulletsToxic Bullets21m
  11. 11Superior DurationSuperior Duration21m
  12. 12Boundless SpiritBoundless Spirit29m

High-rank build — Phantom and above

What Graves players in Phantom+ ranked lobbies buy (15K games, last 30 days), in buying order.

  1. 1Restorative ShotRestorative Shot1m
  2. 2Extra StaminaExtra Stamina7m
  3. 3Mystic ShotMystic Shot7m
  4. 4Arcane SurgeArcane Surge8m
  5. 5Extra SpiritExtra Spirit8m
  6. 6Enchanter's EmblemEnchanter's Emblem11m
  7. 7Improved SpiritImproved Spirit13m
  8. 8Duration ExtenderDuration Extender15m
  9. 9Heroic AuraHeroic Aura16m
  10. 10Stamina MasteryStamina Mastery19m
  11. 11Toxic BulletsToxic Bullets19m
  12. 12Superior DurationSuperior Duration21m

Laning 0–10 min

Mid game 10–20 min

Late game 20+ min

Situational picks that win

Bought in under 20% of games, but with the highest win rates when they are.

Most played ability upgrade paths

Graves skill order

Most popular62.8% win7.5K games
Jar of DeadJar of Dead12··········
Grasping HandsGrasping Hands··3····8910··
Essence TheftEssence Theft···4······11·
Borrowed DecreeBorrowed Decree····567····12
Option 257.4% win3.6K games
Jar of DeadJar of Dead12··········
Grasping HandsGrasping Hands··3·····91011·
Essence TheftEssence Theft···456·8····
Borrowed DecreeBorrowed Decree······7····12
Option 360.5% win2.7K games
Jar of DeadJar of Dead1···········
Grasping HandsGrasping Hands·23·5···9···
Essence TheftEssence Theft···4·····10·12
Borrowed DecreeBorrowed Decree·····678··11·

Graves abilities

Jar of Dead1Jar 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.

Cast Delay 0.15sCharges 4Charge Delay 13sDeadheads 4Deadhead Lifetime 10sDamage 16Deadhead Health 20Death Required 120
  1. 1 APCollecting death heals 5 health per pickup
  2. 2 APOn Hit: Apply 24% Slow for 1s
  3. 5 AP+2 Deadheads +4s Deadhead Lifetime

Grasping Hands2Grasping Hands34s cooldown

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 rotates the orientation of the wall.

Cooldown 34sDuration 5sDebuff Duration 0.5sMove Speed 40%Damage 90Immobilize Duration 1.0sTether Duration 1sGhouls Raised 1
  1. 1 AP+2s Duration
  2. 2 AP+90 Damage and +10m Wall Length
  3. 5 AP+1 Ghouls Raised -14s Cooldown +0.75s Immobilize Duration

Essence Theft3Essence Theft

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

Duration 4sMax Weapon Damage Stolen 25%Time for Max Damage 4sTime Between Hits 0.15sMax Spirit Resist Stolen 10%Max Steal Targets 3
  1. 1 AP+5% Max Spirit Resist Stolen
  2. 2 AP+20% Max Weapon Damage Stolen
  3. 5 AP+1 Max Steal Targets All Summons now apply Essence Theft

Borrowed Decree4Borrowed DecreeUltimate140s cooldown

Cooldown 140sDuration 16sGravestone Health 100Move Speed 64%Slow Duration 1.25sMax Gravestones 3Time to Summon 4sDamage 115Max Stacks 40Stack Duration 5s
  1. 1 AP+25% Ghoul Speed -15s Cooldown
  2. 2 AP+10s Duration -0.3s Time To Spawn
  3. 5 APOn Death: Deal +5% Current Health as Damage

Same-lane win rate · last 7 days

How to counter Graves

Graves has the hardest time in lane against Rat King, Paige, Seven. Items that work best into Graves: Armor Piercer, Plated Armor, Juggernaut.

Hardest lanes for Graves

Graves wins lane vs

Best teammates

Graves vs every hero — full counters table →

Last 30 days · win-rate gain over other items in the same games

Best items against Graves

Armor PiercerArmor Piercer6,400 souls · 55K games+2.351.3% winPlated ArmorPlated Armor6,400 souls · 184K games+2.047.6% winJuggernautJuggernaut6,400 souls · 318K games+1.650.2% winCursed RelicCursed Relic6,400 souls · 140K games+1.545.2% winLightning ScrollLightning Scroll6,400 souls · 130K games+1.550.6% winIndomitableIndomitable6,400 souls · 313K games+1.550.4% win

Compared with the other items bought into Graves, these ones lift their owner's win rate the most — good picks when you are laning against or chasing Graves.

Most-played in-game builds · last 7 days

Popular Graves builds

Community builds from the in-game build browser, ranked by how many games used them. Search the build ID in-game (Hero Builds → search) to import it.

Hudini's spooky scary skeletons55.1%889 games
Graves - Tank-Initiator [60% WR] [tracklock.gg]53.9%867 games
Chemical Burns (Dr. Spooki von Spookenstein)54.9%669 games

Live Experiments @ twitch.tv/SpookiShow

Golden Goose EggGolden Goose EggDuration ExtenderDuration ExtenderCompress CooldownCompress Cooldown

YT Farmingbip Tesla rush 1v9 carry build54.3%552 games

burger box

Recharging RushRecharging Rush

Late Game (all op items get whats needed

Dispel MagicDispel MagicSpellbreakerSpellbreakerCounterspellCounterspellMetal SkinMetal SkinPlated ArmorPlated Armor

dont get these items

Bullet ResilienceBullet ResilienceFleetfootFleetfoot

Juhwooce's PVZ Map Maker Graves (NEVER SLEEP)56.7%448 games

pick 1 if needed (never more than 1)

Dispel MagicDispel MagicCounterspellCounterspellSpirit ResilienceSpirit ResilienceMetal SkinMetal Skin

Gun Pivot (silencer over inhib if they a

RicochetRicochetInhibitorInhibitorSiphon BulletsSiphon BulletsSilencerSilencer

YT Farmingbip Spirit Build Annotated58.9%433 games

Main Defense items if not spirit res gam

Metal SkinMetal SkinCounterspellCounterspellDispel MagicDispel MagicWeapon ShieldingWeapon ShieldingRicochetRicochet

farmingbip irl

Golden Goose EggGolden Goose Egg

Recent Graves changes

September 16, 2026 — Minor Update - 09-16-2026
  • • Health per boon increased from 33 to 35
July 9, 2026 — Minor Update - 07-09-2026
  • • Jar of Dead T1 heal spirit scaling increased from 0.1 to 0.16
  • • Jar of Dead now build up faster from neutral creeps
  • • Grasping Hands immobilize duration reduced from 1.25s to 1s
  • • Grasping Hands T3 cooldown increased from -10s to -14s
  • • Essence Theft now procs from melee hits
  • • Essence Theft T3 now also increases Max Steal Targets from 3 to 4
  • • Borrowed Decree T1 changed from "-15s Cooldown" to "-15s Cooldown and +25% Ghoul Speed"
  • • Borrowed Decree T2 changed from "+25% Ghoul Speed and +10s Duration" to "-0.3s Time to Spawn and +10s Duration"
June 12, 2026 — Minor Update - 06-11-2026
  • • Jar of Dead collection rate reduced by 20% (takes longer to gain a charge)
  • • Jar of Dead damage reduced from 17+0.27 to 16+0.25
  • • Jar of Dead bounty increased from 5+0.25/boon to 7+0.5/boon
  • • Grasping Hands T3 Immobilize duration reduced from +1s to +0.75s

About Graves

Base stats (level 1)

Health
730
Health regen
1/s
Move speed
7 m/s
Sprint speed
2.2 m/s
Stamina
2
Light melee
50
Heavy melee
116

Graves lore

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.

Official in-game biography.

Graves voice linesListen to all 2,134 lines, grouped by situation.▶

Graves FAQ

Is Graves good in Deadlock right now?＋

Yes — one of the strongest heroes right now. Graves is S+ tier (#3 of 41) with a 56.1% win rate over 202K games in the last 7 days. Graves wins 56.1% of 202K games, 7.8 pts above the median hero. Strongest in Sentinel – Ritualist lobbies (55.2%), weakest in Emissary – Phantom (52.9%). Bullies Shiv in lane (64%).

What is the best Graves build?＋

Most Graves players buy Restorative Shot, Extra Stamina, Improved Spirit, Extra Spirit — the four items bought most often. Start with Restorative Shot, Extra Stamina, Extra Spirit in lane, then Improved Spirit, Enchanter's Emblem, Duration Extender by mid game.

Who counters Graves?＋

In lane, Graves has the lowest win rate against Rat King (46.9%), Paige (47.3%), Seven (49.7%). Graves does best against Shiv (64.1%), Mirage (63.0%), Silver (62.9%).

How do you counter Graves?＋

Pick a hero that wins the lane into Graves — Rat King, Paige, Seven do best this week — and build Armor Piercer or Plated Armor, which win more often than other items when Graves is on the enemy team.

What should I max first on Graves?＋

The most common skill order puts points into Borrowed Decree first; it wins 62.8% of 7.5K games. Full order is in the skill order table above.

Other Mystic heroes

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Celeste build →

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Dynamo build →

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Lady Geist build →

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McGinnis build →

Controls the battle with combat turrets. Precise placement is everything for McGinnis, whe

Paige build →

Mystic — helpful, protector, booksmart, with a projectile weapon.