Granger

Granger possesses significant advantages and a few notable drawbacks that define his role in a team. Understanding these allows players to maximize his potential and mitigate his vulnerabilities.

• High Physical Burst Damage: With an offensePhysical score of 70, Granger can unleash devastating damage, especially when his critical bullets connect. His abilities scale very well with physical attack items, allowing him to quickly eliminate squishy targets.
• Strong Early to Mid Game Presence: Granger's skill-based damage and critical bullet mechanic give him a powerful laning phase and allow him to snowball effectively into the mid-game, securing objectives and kills.
• Good Mobility and Repositioning: His Rondo skill provides a valuable blink, allowing for quick escapes, aggressive plays, and crucial repositioning during intense team fights. This mobility is key for a Marksman with relatively low durability.

However, Granger also comes with specific weaknesses:

• Low Durability: With a durability score of 30, Granger is quite fragile and can be easily targeted and eliminated by enemies, especially assassins or crowd control-heavy heroes. Proper positioning and team protection are paramount.
• Vulnerable to Crowd Control: Despite his mobility, if caught by strong crowd control, Granger can be locked down and bursted before he can react, making him reliant on his team to peel for him.
• Requires Precision and Skill Management: His difficulty score of 40 reflects that mastering Granger requires careful management of his bullet count and precise aim with his Rhapsody and Death Sonata to ensure critical hits and maximum damage output.

Granger's kit revolves around his unique bullet mechanics and high physical damage output. Mastering each skill is crucial for effective gameplay.

Passive: Caprice

Granger loads his gun with up to 6 bullets, with every 6th bullet guaranteed to critically strike. His Basic Attack deals 50 + 110% Total Physical Attack (Physical Damage). This passive is the core of Granger's damage. The high 110% Total Physical Attack scaling means that building physical attack items significantly boosts his basic attack damage. The guaranteed critical hit on the 6th bullet is a powerful tool; always try to land this bullet on an enemy hero or a high-priority target to maximize your burst damage. This mechanic also applies to his Rhapsody and Ultimate, so understanding your bullet count is key.

Skill 1: Rhapsody

Granger reloads and fires continuously in a target direction, dealing 35 + 70% Total Physical Attack (Physical Damage) with each shot. This is Granger's primary damage-dealing ability, especially in the early and mid-game. The 70% Total Physical Attack scaling per shot makes it incredibly potent when you have physical attack items. Use Rhapsody to poke enemies, clear minion waves quickly, and burst down targets. The tips suggest combining this with Rondo to reposition and then unleash Rhapsody, increasing its hit rate and reducing Rondo's cooldown. Always aim to hit enemy heroes with the last bullet for the critical damage bonus from Caprice.

Skill 2: Rondo

Granger blinks in a designated direction, and his next 2 Basic Attacks within a short duration deal extra damage. Additionally, each time Rhapsody hits an enemy hero, this skill's cooldown is reduced. Rondo is Granger's primary mobility tool, essential for both offense and defense. Use it to dodge enemy skills, chase down fleeing opponents, or escape dangerous situations. The cooldown reduction from hitting enemy heroes with Rhapsody encourages aggressive skill usage, allowing for more frequent repositioning. The extra damage on subsequent basic attacks after using Rondo provides a small burst window, especially useful for finishing off low-health targets.

Ultimate: Death Sonata

Granger reloads and fires up to 3 cannon shots in a target direction. Each shot deals 80 + 70% Total Physical Attack (Physical Damage) and slows enemies. Granger can move after each shot. This ultimate is a long-range, high-impact ability perfect for initiating team fights, finishing off distant enemies, or zoning opponents. The 70% Total Physical Attack scaling per shot means it hits incredibly hard with a full build. The ability to move between shots allows for precise aiming and adapting to enemy movements. The tips emphasize that the 6th bullet's critical effect also applies to Death Sonata, making it crucial to time your ultimate shots to coincide with your critical bullet for massive damage.

Granger's recommended build focuses on maximizing his physical attack, critical damage, and mobility to enhance his burst potential and sustain in fights. Each item plays a crucial role in his overall effectiveness.

• Hunter Strike: This item provides physical attack and cooldown reduction, which is beneficial for Granger's skill-heavy playstyle. Its Unique Passive - Retribution grants a burst of extra Movement Speed after dealing damage to the same enemy hero or creep 5 times. This movement speed is invaluable for chasing down targets, repositioning, or escaping, making Granger even more elusive and deadly.
• Magic Boots: As a Marksman who relies heavily on his skills, Magic Boots provide cooldown reduction, allowing Granger to use Rhapsody and Rondo more frequently. This translates directly into higher damage output and greater mobility throughout the game.
• Blade of Despair: This is a core damage item for Granger, offering a significant boost to physical attack. Its Unique Passive - Despair further amplifies his damage: dealing damage to non-Minion enemies below 50% HP increases Physical Attack by 25%. This passive is perfect for Granger's burst playstyle, enabling him to execute low-health targets even more effectively with his Rhapsody and Death Sonata.
• Endless Battle: This item offers a mix of physical attack, mana regen, and cooldown reduction, all beneficial for Granger. Its Unique Passive - Divine Justice is incredibly powerful for him: after casting a skill, the next Basic Attack within 3s deals 60% Physical Attack as extra True Damage. Since Granger frequently uses his skills, this passive allows him to weave in empowered basic attacks for significant additional burst and sustained damage, especially when combined with his critical 6th bullet.
• Malefic Roar: As enemies start building physical defense, Malefic Roar becomes essential. This item provides physical attack and physical penetration. Its Unique Passive - Armor Buster grants extra Physical Penetration for each point of the enemy's Physical Defense, capped at 40%. This ensures that Granger's damage remains potent even against tanky heroes, allowing his skills and basic attacks to cut through armor effectively.
• Immortality: This defensive item provides a crucial safeguard for Granger in the late game. Its Unique Passive - Immortal allows him to revive 2.5s after death, gaining a percentage of his Max HP and a shield. This second chance can turn the tide of a team fight, allowing him to re-engage or escape after being focused, compensating for his low base durability.

Playing Granger effectively requires a balance of aggressive positioning, careful resource management, and precise execution of his skills. Here are some tips to elevate your gameplay:

• Manage Your Bullet Count: Always be aware of your current bullet count due to your Caprice passive. Try to save your 6th critical bullet for enemy heroes or important objectives like the Lord or Turtle. This applies to your Rhapsody and Death Sonata as well, making timed engagements crucial.
• Aggressive Early Game with Rhapsody: In the laning phase, use Rhapsody to poke enemies and clear minion waves efficiently. The 35 + 70% Total Physical Attack (Physical Damage) scaling makes it a strong tool for early pressure. Combine it with your 6th bullet for maximum impact.
• Utilize Rondo for Mobility: Rondo is your primary tool for both offense and defense. Use it to reposition during skirmishes, dodge incoming skill shots, or close the gap on fleeing enemies. Remember that hitting enemy heroes with Rhapsody reduces Rondo's cooldown, encouraging you to be active in fights.
• Position Safely in Team Fights: Given Granger's low durability, always prioritize safe positioning in team fights. Stay behind your tanks and fighters, using your range to deal damage. Only use Rondo aggressively if you are certain you can secure a kill or escape safely afterward.
• Strategic Ultimate Usage: Death Sonata can be used in multiple ways. It's excellent for initiating fights from a distance, finishing off low-health enemies who are trying to escape, or zoning opponents away from objectives. Practice aiming its shots, as the ability to move between shots gives you flexibility.
• Weave in Basic Attacks: With items like Endless Battle, remember to weave in basic attacks after casting skills. The true damage from Endless Battle's passive, combined with Granger's high basic attack scaling and critical 6th bullet, can significantly boost your overall damage output.

Understanding Granger's matchups can give you an edge in battle, allowing you to coordinate with allies or adapt your playstyle against specific threats.

Best Mates

Tigreal: Tigreal is an excellent ally for Granger. Tank heroes with control skills like Tigreal can prevent enemies from attacking Granger directly. More importantly, Tigreal's ability to control enemies ensures that Granger's Rhapsody and Death Sonata are more likely to hit their targets, maximizing his burst damage potential.

Restrain Heroes

Roger: Granger is a hero with high burst damage, which makes him a significant threat to damage dealers like Roger. Roger, as a squishy target, is at considerable risk when facing Granger's concentrated fire, especially if Granger lands his critical bullets.

Countered By

Gusion: Although Granger possesses multiple displacement skills with Rondo, he can still be effectively countered by assassins with high burst damage in a short duration, such as Gusion. Gusion's ability to quickly close distances and unleash his combo can overwhelm Granger before he has a chance to react or escape, despite his mobility.

Imagine you're in a skirmish in the mid-lane, and an enemy Marksman is slightly overextended. You have 5 bullets loaded, meaning your next shot will be a critical one.

First, initiate with Rondo (Skill 2) to quickly close the distance or reposition to get a clear line of sight. This also empowers your next two basic attacks. Immediately follow up with a basic attack to apply the empowered damage and get closer to your 6th critical bullet.

Next, unleash Rhapsody (Skill 1), aiming all shots at the enemy Marksman. Since your 6th bullet was due, ensure the final shot of Rhapsody connects, as it will be a guaranteed critical hit, dealing massive damage. As Rhapsody hits the enemy, the cooldown of Rondo will be reduced, allowing for potential further repositioning or escape.

If the enemy is not yet defeated, or if they attempt to flee, activate Death Sonata (Ultimate). Fire your super cannon shots, using the movement between shots to adjust your aim and ensure each one connects. The high physical damage and potential critical hit from your 6th bullet mechanic (if timed correctly) will likely secure the elimination, or at least force them to retreat while heavily damaged.

To truly master Granger and dominate the Land of Dawn, focus on these actionable strategies:

1. Prioritize Physical Attack Items: Build items like Blade of Despair and Hunter Strike early to capitalize on Granger's high physical attack scaling on all his damaging abilities, ensuring your Rhapsody and Death Sonata hit hard.
2. Master Bullet Management: Constantly monitor your Caprice passive's bullet count. Always aim to land your 6th critical bullet on high-priority targets, whether through basic attacks, Rhapsody, or Death Sonata, to maximize your burst potential.
3. Utilize Rondo Aggressively and Defensively: Don't hesitate to use Rondo for both engaging and disengaging. Its cooldown reduction from Rhapsody hits encourages active use, but always be mindful of your escape path due to Granger's low durability.
4. Weave Skills and Empowered Basic Attacks: Leverage Endless Battle's Divine Justice passive by consistently chaining skills with basic attacks. This combination significantly boosts your damage output, especially when combined with your critical bullets, making you a constant threat in skirmishes.