10 Best Champions To Counter Graves In League of Legends

Graves is a strong and slippery champion with high burst damage, fast farming, and solid mobility, making him a tough opponent in the jungle or even in solo lanes. His shotgun mechanics let him deal massive damage up close while shrugging off poke with his Quickdraw (E) and True Grit stacks. However, Graves has clear weaknesses that the right champions can exploit, like his short range, reliance on auto attacks, and lack of strong crowd control. In this guide, we’ll cover the 10 best champions to counter Graves, explaining why they work, how to play against him, and the best strategies to shut him down before he takes over the game.

#10: Rengar

Rengar is a strong counter to Graves because of his high burst damage, brush mobility, and ability to punish Graves’ short-range playstyle. Since Graves relies on auto attacks and close-range fights, Rengar can use the brush leap from his passive to instantly jump onto him and burst him down before he can react.

Graves lacks hard crowd control, meaning he can’t easily stop Rengar from diving onto him. Additionally, Rengar’s Bola Strike (E) can slow or root Graves, making it harder for him to kite or escape. Once Rengar hits level 6, Thrill of the Hunt (R) allows him to set up easy kills, especially since Graves doesn’t have many defensive tools outside of Quickdraw (E).

To win this matchup, look for opportunities to ambush Graves from the brush, use Empowered Savagery (Q) for maximum burst, and play aggressively when your ultimate is ready. If played correctly, Rengar can snowball out of control and make Graves an easy target all game.

#9: Shyvana

Shyvana is a strong counter to Graves because of her scaling power, superior dueling in extended fights, and ability to outfarm him. Graves thrives in short skirmishes and relies on kiting with Quickdraw (E), but Shyvana’s Twin Bite (Q) and Burnout (W) allow her to stick to him and win extended trades.

Unlike Graves, who depends on auto attacks and cooldown-based bursts, Shyvana excels at consistent damage over time, making it difficult for Graves to disengage once she commits to a fight. Additionally, she clears the jungle just as fast, if not faster, allowing her to keep up in farm and hit power spikes at the same time as Graves. Once she unlocks Dragon’s Descent (R), she gains even more mobility and durability, making her hard for Graves to deal with.

To beat Graves with Shyvana, focus on power farming early, look for extended fights where you can abuse your sustained damage, and use your ultimate to engage or disengage as needed. Once you get a few core items, you’ll be able to pressure Graves and outscale him in fights.

#8: Poppy

Poppy is a strong counter to Graves because of her crowd control, ability to block dashes, and tankiness in fights. Since Graves relies on Quickdraw (E) for mobility and kiting, Poppy’s Steadfast Presence (W) can completely shut him down by preventing him from dashing. This makes it much harder for Graves to reposition in fights or escape bad trades.

Additionally, Poppy’s Heroic Charge (E) allows her to stun Graves against walls, making it easy to set up kills or force him to burn Flash. Since Graves has no hard crowd control himself, he struggles to deal with tanky champions like Poppy who can soak his burst and fight back with consistent damage. Her Keeper’s Verdict (R) is also a great tool to knock him away, denying his ability to contest objectives or team fights.

To win this matchup, focus on blocking his dashes with Steadfast Presence (W), looking for wall stuns with Heroic Charge (E), and using Keeper’s Verdict (R) to remove him from fights when necessary. If played correctly, Poppy can completely disrupt Graves’ game plan and make his life miserable.

#7: Volibear

Volibear is a strong counter to Graves because of his early-game dominance, tankiness, and ability to lock Graves down in fights. Graves relies on kiting and short trades, but Volibear’s Thundering Smash (Q) allows him to chase Graves down and stun him, making it hard for him to escape once engaged.

Volibear also has the advantage of being extremely tanky with his Sky Splitter (E) shield and healing from The Relentless Storm (Passive). This makes it difficult for Graves to burst him down, especially in extended fights. Additionally, Stormbringer (R) allows Volibear to dive Graves under towers safely, denying him space to farm or escape.

To beat Graves with Volibear, play aggressively early, use Thundering Smash (Q) to lock him down, and force fights where he can’t kite you out. If Graves tries to escape or kite, your tankiness and sustain will let you outlast him in nearly every fight.

#6: Fiddlesticks

Fiddlesticks is a strong counter to Graves because of his fear-based crowd control, sustain, and ability to ambush him with high burst damage. Graves excels in close-range fights, but Fiddlesticks’ Terrify (Q) completely shuts him down, preventing him from using Quickdraw (E) to reposition or escape.

One of Fiddlesticks’ biggest advantages is his healing from Bountiful Harvest (W), which allows him to outlast Graves in extended fights. Since Graves lacks hard crowd control, he struggles to interrupt Fiddlesticks’ drain unless he lands a perfect Smoke Screen (W) and burst combo. Additionally, Crowstorm (R) gives Fiddlesticks the ability to ambush Graves and his team, catching him off guard before he can react.

To beat Graves with Fiddlesticks, focus on ambushing him with well-placed Crowstorm (R), using Terrify (Q) to prevent him from dashing away, and draining him with Bountiful Harvest (W) in fights. If played correctly, Graves will struggle to ever get a clean fight against you.

#5: Elise

Elise is a great counter to Graves because of her early-game aggression, strong burst damage, and ability to punish him before he scales. Graves is a champion that likes to farm and scale, but Elise thrives in the early game, using her Human Form for poke and her Spider Form for all-ins.

One of Elise’s biggest strengths in this matchup is her Cocoon (E), which can stun Graves and set up easy kills. Since Graves lacks hard crowd control, he struggles to stop Elise from diving him with Rappel (Spider E) and executing him with her burst combo. Additionally, her Spider Form auto-attacks ignore Graves’ True Grit armor stacks, making her one of the few champions that can consistently deal damage to him even when he stacks armor.

To win this matchup, invade early, force skirmishes before Graves scales, and use Cocoon (E) to lock him down. If you keep up the pressure, Graves won’t have the chance to farm and become a threat later in the game.

#4: Zed

Zed is a strong counter to Graves because of his high burst damage, mobility, and ability to dodge Graves’ abilities. Since Graves relies on short-range auto attacks and skill shots, Zed can outmaneuver him using Living Shadow (W) while poking him down with Razor Shuriken (Q).

One of Zed’s biggest advantages in this matchup is Death Mark (R), which allows him to completely avoid Graves’ burst combo and reposition safely. Since Graves has no hard crowd control, he struggles to stop Zed from jumping in, bursting him down, and escaping without taking much damage. Additionally, Zed’s auto attacks deal physical damage that ignores Graves’ True Grit armor stacks, making him one of the best assassins to duel him.

To beat Graves with Zed, poke him with Razor Shuriken (Q), use Living Shadow (W) to dodge his skill shots, and all-in him once you hit level 6. If played correctly, Zed can consistently burst down Graves before he gets a chance to fight back.

#3: Gwen

Gwen is a strong counter to Graves because of her true damage, sustain, and ability to block his auto attacks. Since Graves relies heavily on his basic attacks and shotgun mechanics, Gwen’s Hallowed Mist (W) is a direct counter, making her nearly untouchable in fights.

Another key advantage is Gwen’s Snip Snip! (Q), which deals true damage when fully stacked, ignoring Graves’ True Grit armor stacks and shredding him in extended trades. Additionally, her Skip ‘n Slash (E) gives her mobility to chase him down or dodge his abilities, preventing him from kiting effectively.

To beat Graves with Gwen, use Hallowed Mist (W) to nullify his auto attacks, trade aggressively with Snip Snip! (Q) when fully stacked, and play for extended fights where your sustain and true damage give you the upper hand. If played correctly, Gwen can outscale Graves and make him struggle in fights.

#2: Zac

Zac is one of the best counters to Graves because of his tankiness, sustain, and ability to repeatedly engage with strong crowd control. Since Graves relies on short-range auto attacks and kiting, Zac can jump onto him with Elastic Slingshot (E) and disrupt him with Let’s Bounce! (R), making it difficult for Graves to reposition or deal consistent damage.

Another big advantage Zac has in this matchup is his sustain through Cell Division (Passive). Graves prefers quick trades and burst damage, but Zac’s healing from his bloblets allows him to survive and outlast Graves in fights. Additionally, Graves lacks hard crowd control, meaning he can’t easily stop Zac from engaging or healing up after fights.

To beat Graves with Zac, look for long-range engages with Elastic Slingshot (E), force fights where you can soak his damage and disrupt him, and use Let’s Bounce! (R) to knock him away from his team or into your teammates for easy kills. If played correctly, Zac can completely shut down Graves’ ability to play the game.

#1: Taliyah

Taliyah is the best counter to Graves because of her ability to shut down his dashes, zone him out, and burst him down from a safe distance. Graves heavily relies on Quickdraw (E) to reposition and kite, but Taliyah’s Unraveled Earth (E) completely stuns and punishes him every time he dashes, making it almost impossible for him to play aggressively.

Another major advantage is Taliyah’s long-range poke with Threaded Volley (Q), which allows her to harass Graves without getting close enough for him to retaliate. Since Graves is a short-range champion, he struggles to get past Taliyah’s zoning tools and terrain control. Additionally, her Seismic Shove (W) can knock him into Unraveled Earth (E) for an easy stun, setting up huge burst damage combos.

To beat Graves with Taliyah, position yourself safely, use Unraveled Earth (E) to punish his dashes, and poke him down with Threaded Volley (Q). If played correctly, Graves will have a hard time engaging or escaping, making him an easy target to shut down.

Conclusion

Graves can be a tough champion to deal with due to his mobility, burst damage, and ability to kite melee opponents, but the right picks can shut him down. Champions like Taliyah, Zac, and Gwen exploit his weaknesses, whether it’s stopping his dashes, punishing his short range, or outlasting him in extended fights. Crowd control, sustain, and zoning tools are key to keeping Graves from snowballing and dominating the game. By understanding his weaknesses and using the best counters, you can make sure he never gets the upper hand. Whether you’re facing him in the jungle or solo lanes, these 10 champions will give you the best chance to win against Graves.