Item Philosophy
You can L-R a lot, but it's better if you don't. Arcane Surge, extra spirit, and mystic burst are basically always my first 3 items I pick up because they make your zombies a threat that need to be delt with (which is what makes graves powerful) But after that I start to item a bit looser depending on the game. You generally want your spirit spike so Mystic Vuln is often the next pick, but not always. Compress cooldown, or tank buster, or Rusted Barrel and Improved spirit, spirit sap are all good and valid ways to get to that spike. It depends on the match up and the game and my mood. After spirit it gets really loose. Greens are often a prio, enchanters emblem keeps tempo when you're winning and helps keep you alive when you're loosing. Spirit lifesteal is a required item since it builds into Spiritual Overflow (more on that later) and spirit resilence is super super important for keeping you alive. After you get it you don't have to worry so much about getting dove. But gun is also super important. Sometimes going mystic shot into Tankbuster before greens can help keep you a threat, and heroic aura is a very strong item, or pairing Spirit Shredder Bullets with Spirit Lifesteal is a good way of keeping sustain. It's up to you to think about what you need most going into midgame. Tempo is everything, and Graves is one of the best characters to help maintain tempo, so you it's your job to look at the enemy tean, and your team, and choose what combo of items will help maintain tempo. Sometimes it'll be playing more support, sometimes it'll be rushing Mystic Reverb or Echo Shard, or sometimes it'll be just cool down reduction so you can be more present on the map because oh my god why are we taking a fight when we have 3 waves pushed up on us i need to be in four places at once I guess I'll throw my ult down near the teamfight and then put my 2 on a wave and then go clear a different one. That kinda thing.0 items
Jar of Dead
Grasping Hands
Essence Theft
Borrowed Decree