As if Graves wasn't strong enough, players are switching from Fleet Footwork Graves to a new Hail of Blades rune setup instead. Naturally, the reworked Infinity Edge is also great with the massive attack speed boost and results in incredible, unavoidable burst damage.
Check out how to play him below!
Archive post, February 2019. A Season 9 build reaction, and the build row belongs to the jungle enchantment era: Hunter’s Machete and the Skirmisher’s Sabre enchantments are gone, so a modern jungler starts on a 450 gold companion like Scorchclaw Pup, and Ninja Tabi answers to Plated Steelcaps now. Hail of Blades is still in the Domination tree, but it grants ranged champions 60% attack speed today rather than the 110% quoted here, and Graves counts as ranged. The reasoning survives all of that: the rune turns his early fights into auto attack fights, so he doesn’t have to land End of the Line [Q] to win them.
FOTM Report
Hail of Blades Graves
February 2019
Insane Burst Damage
As if Graves wasn't strong enough, players are switching from Fleet Footwork Graves to a new Hail of Blades rune setup instead. Naturally, the reworked Infinity Edge is also great with the massive attack speed boost and results in incredible, unavoidable burst damage.Check out how to play it below!
How to Play
Abilities: E, Q, W then prioritize R > Q > E > W
Summoner Spells: Flash + Smite
Starting Items: Hunter's Machete + Refillable Potion
Core Items: Skirmisher Sabre : Warrior, Infinity Edge, Ninja Tabi, Guardian Angel, Rapid Firecannon, Phantom Dancer
Summoner Spells: Flash + Smite
Starting Items: Hunter's Machete + Refillable Potion
Core Items: Skirmisher Sabre : Warrior, Infinity Edge, Ninja Tabi, Guardian Angel, Rapid Firecannon, Phantom Dancer
Rune Setup
How It Works
Massive Attack Speed Boost
At a 110% bonus attack speed boost for his next three basic attacks, Hail of Blades allows Graves to unleash his auto attacks at an incredible speed. Even without his E up, this allows him to absolutely devastate targets 1v1.
Insane Early Game
With Hail of Blades, Graves has almost no equal when it comes to early game burst damage, especially with his level two power spike. This makes him even safer in the jungle than before, and also gives him the ability to counter jungle to great effect.
Reduced Skillshot Reliance
Generally speaking, Graves' early game is largely reliant on hitting his End of the Line [Q] for the massive damage it provides, especially on the return path. However, this rune setup allows him to focus mainly on his auto attacks instead, which are obviously much easier to land.
At a 110% bonus attack speed boost for his next three basic attacks, Hail of Blades allows Graves to unleash his auto attacks at an incredible speed. Even without his E up, this allows him to absolutely devastate targets 1v1.
Insane Early Game
With Hail of Blades, Graves has almost no equal when it comes to early game burst damage, especially with his level two power spike. This makes him even safer in the jungle than before, and also gives him the ability to counter jungle to great effect.
Reduced Skillshot Reliance
Generally speaking, Graves' early game is largely reliant on hitting his End of the Line [Q] for the massive damage it provides, especially on the return path. However, this rune setup allows him to focus mainly on his auto attacks instead, which are obviously much easier to land.
Potential Pitfalls
Lower Chasing Power
By dropping Fleet Footwork, Graves loses some potential chasing power from the movespeed buff. However, you make up for this with the reduced cooldown from Quickdraw [E] that you get from throwing out more auto attacks faster.
Lower Sustain
Picking up this build reduces the sustain Graves receives in the jungle. Generally speaking however, good Graves players can avoid getting hit much if at all simply through kiting jungle minions effectively and utilizing his auto attack knockbacks.
By dropping Fleet Footwork, Graves loses some potential chasing power from the movespeed buff. However, you make up for this with the reduced cooldown from Quickdraw [E] that you get from throwing out more auto attacks faster.
Lower Sustain
Picking up this build reduces the sustain Graves receives in the jungle. Generally speaking however, good Graves players can avoid getting hit much if at all simply through kiting jungle minions effectively and utilizing his auto attack knockbacks.
Conclusions
Hail of Blades on Graves is incredibly good and he really doesn't lose out on much. When you combine it with the new Infinity Edge rework, he quickly snowballs out of control if left unchecked
Suggested Tier: God Tier / Tier 1
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