Gragas is an AP bruiser jungler who can flex between burst assassin and teamfight disruptor. His E + Flash engage is one of the most reliable in the game, and his R can single-handedly reposition entire teamfights.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Happy Hour
Passive
Gragas periodically heals upon using a skill.
Happy Hour heals you when you use abilities. Space out abilities during clear to maximize passive healing procs.
Q
Barrel Roll
Skillshot · AoE · Slow
Gragas rolls his cask to a location, which can be activated to explode or will explode on its own after 4 seconds. The potency of the explosion increases over time. Enemies struck by the blast have their Move Speed slowed.
CD: 10/9/8/7/6 · Cost: 80
Q can be detonated early by pressing Q again. Let it sit for max damage, or pop it early for the slow.
W
Drunken Rage
Empowered Auto · Damage Reduction
Gragas samples his latest brew for 1 second. After finishing, he becomes boisterous and belligerent, dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies on his next basic attack and reducing damage received.
CD: 5 · Cost: 30
W gives damage reduction while charging. Use it before taking damage, not after. The empowered auto resets your attack timer.
E
Body Slam
Dash · Stun · AoE
Gragas charges to a location and collides with the first enemy unit he comes across, dealing damage to all nearby enemy units and stunning them.
CD: 14/13.5/13/12.5/12 · Cost: 50
E is a dash that stuns the first enemy hit. Flash during E to redirect — E + Flash is your main engage combo.
R
Explosive Cask
AoE · Knockback · Displacement
Gragas hurls his cask to a location, dealing damage and knocking back enemies caught in the blast radius.
CD: 100/85/70 · Cost: 100
R displaces enemies in the direction of the barrel. Use it to knock enemies INTO your team, not away.
Skill Leveling Order — Max Q first, then W, then E · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — AoE slow for clear | ||||
| 2 | Take W — empowered auto + damage reduction | ||||
| 3 | Take E — dash + stun online | ||||
| 4 | Level Q | ||||
| 5 | Level Q | ||||
| 6 | R — Explosive Cask unlocked | ||||
| 7 | Level Q | ||||
| 8 | Level W | ||||
| 9 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level W | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level W | ||||
| 13 | Level W | ||||
| 14 | W maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Start leveling E | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level E | ||||
| 18 | E maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Starter Items
Gustwalker Smite
MS for ganks.
450g
Amplifying Tome
AP for clear.
435g
Core Build
Hextech Rocketbelt
Dash + magic pen. E + Rocketbelt for extended engage range.
2600g
Ionian Boots
CDR for more E and R uptime.
950g
Zhonya's Hourglass
Dive in with E, burst, Zhonya's to survive.
3250g
Rylai's Crystal Scepter
Q permanent slow makes it impossible to escape your zone.
2600g
Situational
Spirit Visage
Increases passive healing. MR vs AP-heavy teams.
2900g
Rabadon's Deathcap
When ahead — massive AP for one-shot burst.
3600g
Force of Nature
MR + MS vs sustained AP damage.
2800g
Rocketbelt → Zhonya's for dive potential. Rylai's if you need peel and zone control.
Runes
Domination Primary
Electrocute
E + W auto + Q procs instantly for burst.
Sudden Impact
Magic pen after E dash.
Eyeball Collection
Free AP.
Relentless Hunter
Out-of-combat MS for faster roaming.
Inspiration Secondary
Magical Footwear
Free boots.
Cosmic Insight
Item + summoner CDR.
Shards
Adaptive Force · Adaptive Force · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Gragas
01
Early Game
Healthy Clear, Strong Ganks
- Start Blue → Gromp → Wolves → Raptors → Red → Krugs. Passive healing keeps you healthy.
- Level 3 ganks are strong. E dash + Q slow is a guaranteed flash burn or kill.
- E + Flash redirects your dash. Practice the timing — it's your strongest tool.
- Invade weak junglers. Your burst combo wins most 1v1s early.
- Space out abilities to proc passive healing between camps.
02
Mid Game
E + Flash Engage, R Disruption
- R is your playmaking tool. Knock the enemy carry INTO your team for a free kill.
- E + Flash engage is nearly undodgeable. Use it on priority targets.
- In dragon fights, R the enemy jungler away from the pit to deny Smite.
- W damage reduction lets you tank tower shots during dives. Use it before the tower aggros you.
- Peel for your carry with E stun + R knockback if your team has a strong ADC.
03
Late Game
Teamfight Controller
- R splits teamfights. Knock the frontline away and isolate the backline.
- E + Flash → Q → W auto → R is your full burst combo. It one-shots squishies at full build.
- Play front-to-back if your team needs a peeler. E the diving assassin, R them away.
- Baron/Dragon control: R the enemy jungler over the wall to deny smite.
- Zhonya's after engaging lets your team follow up while you're invulnerable.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Gragas
Gragas can play teamfights two ways: burst the backline or peel for your carry. Read the game state and choose.
1
Engage — E + Flash onto Priority
Opening
01
E + Flash onto the enemy carry for a guaranteed stun.
02
W auto immediately for burst.
03
Q under them for the slow + damage.
Don't E + Flash into 5 people without your team nearby. You're tanky but not unkillable.
2
Disrupt — R to Split
Mid-fight
01
R to knock the enemy frontline away from their backline.
02
Isolate the carry. Your team can focus them while the tanks are displaced.
03
Alternatively, R defensively to knock divers away from YOUR carry.
3
Cleanup — Q Zone Control
Late fight
01
Q zones enemies. Place barrels in choke points to slow retreaters.
02
E for chasing. The dash closes gaps on fleeing enemies.
03
Passive healing keeps you alive for extended fights.
R can knock enemies over walls. In jungle fights, R someone over the dragon pit wall to separate them from their team.
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Gragas.
Advanced
E + Flash Redirect
Press E, then Flash during the dash to change direction. The stun still applies at the Flash destination. This is your most important mechanic.
Intermediate
R Direction Control
R knocks enemies AWAY from the barrel center. Place the barrel behind the enemy to knock them toward your team, not away.
Basic
Passive Healing
Happy Hour procs every 8 seconds when you use an ability. Space out Q/W/E during clear to get multiple heals.
Advanced
R Smite Deny
R the enemy jungler over a wall during Baron/Dragon to deny their Smite. This wins more objectives than trying to outsmite.
Intermediate
W Timing
W gives damage reduction WHILE charging. Activate it before taking damage. The empowered auto resets your attack timer — use it right after a normal auto.
Basic
Q Detonation
Q deals more damage the longer it ferments (up to 2s). In lane ganks, place Q and wait. In fights, detonate early for the slow.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Gragas struggles against long-range poke and champions who can dodge his E. He excels against melee teams he can body slam and displace.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Lee Sin's mobility dodges your E easily and his early damage pressure is higher than yours.
Don't force 1v1s. Outgank him with E + Flash engage on lanes. You have better teamfighting.
Nidalee pokes from range before you can E her. Her spears chunk you while you're trying to clear.
Give up contested camps. You outscale hard. Force grouped fights where she's useless.
Graves' range and burst outdamage you in 1v1s. His E dash dodges your E.
Avoid 1v1s. Focus on ganking lanes and teamfighting where your R is more impactful.
Wins Against
You can R Amumu away from your team when he tries to engage. He can never land a good R if you displace him first.
Save R to counter Amumu's engage. Knock him away before he reaches your team.
E stun interrupts Yi's damage and R knocks him away. He can't auto-attack if he's constantly displaced.
Save E and R for when Yi uses Q. Stun him the moment he reappears.
Karthus can't escape your E engage and has no mobility to dodge Q or R.
Invade him freely. E + W auto + Q kills him before he can react.