Graves
Morbid · Area Denial · Necromancer
Lore
The daughter of high-power defense attorneys, Darcy Graves grew up in a home where every conversation was a debate, argument, or negotiation. It was exhausting. But while her parents were often too busy meeting with clients or working on cases to bond with her, the dead were always there to listen.
Graves enjoyed her time in the cemetery. It was a quiet place to calm her thoughts and talk through her problems...but one day her one-sided conversations started to change.
It began with a faint whisper. A woman's voice that seemed to respond to Graves' complaints. Intrigued, the teenager listened...and followed the voice's instructions until it guided her to a lead-lined box buried in Van Cortlandt Park. But while most high school students would freak out if they were to unearth a severed lich hand, Graves was certainly not most teens. The hand now free of its prison, the lich's voice grew stronger... It had spent years looking to find a student she could pass her knowledge to, and Graves was eager to learn.
Now a fledgling necromancer, Darcy balances not only her homework at Blackmore Academy...but the demands of graveyard denizens, each of whom have their own unfinished business that they seek her aid in resolving.
Versatile to learn · The Teacher
The Oracle’s file on Graves What fans say about Graves
In-game biography · Source notes · Art from Deadlock Wiki · Game assets © Valve
Graves’s abilities
Jar of Dead
Passive: Collect death when anything dies nearby and store it in your Jar of Dead. Active: Throw a jar to summon Deadheads that repeatedly deal spirit damage to enemies. Deadheads follow you instead if there's no nearby enemies, and prioritize the target of your weapon.
- Deadheads
- 4
- Damage
- 16
- Search Range
- 7m
- Dash Range
- 15m
Upgrades
- 1 AP
Collecting death heals 5 health per pickup
- 2 AP
On Hit: Apply 24% Slow for 1s
- 5 AP
+2 Deadheads +4s Deadhead Lifetime
Base values with no items, from the Deadlock API, November 2, 2026. Patches change them.
The file on Graves
Everything confirmed. Pick a box, then open any source to see the proof.
Origins
How Graves got here.
Darcy Graves grew up the daughter of busy defense attorneys, and talked to the dead because they listened.
SourceGraves’s biography
In the game“The daughter of high-power defense attorneys”
Graves’s biography “the dead were always there to listen”
Graves’s biography A voice at the cemetery led her to a lead-lined box in Van Cortlandt Park, with a severed lich hand inside.
SourceGraves’s biography
In the game“a lead-lined box buried in Van Cortlandt Park”
Graves’s biography “unearth a severed lich hand”
Graves’s biography The lich had been looking for a student. Graves is now a fledgling necromancer, and still has homework.
SourceGraves’s biography
In the game“spent years looking to find a student”
Graves’s biography “Now a fledgling necromancer, Darcy balances not only her homework at Blackmore Academy”
Graves’s biography
Why Graves is in the ritual
Their own words first. The Patrons want something, so read theirs as offers.
It beats her paper on Wuthering Heights.
SourceGraves
In the game“Completing some eldritch ritual beats finishing my paper on Wuthering Heights.”
Graves, when picked The Patrons praise her devotion to her mentor, and offer her being understood at last.
SourceThe Archmother, The Hidden King
In the game“Your devotion to your mentor is admirable, Graves… use what she taught you to complete the ritual.”
The Archmother, to Graves, as a match begins “Darcy Graves. You have been misunderstood your whole life, but The Hidden King sees you. Complete the ritual, and others will as well.”
The Hidden King, to Graves, as a match begins They also promise her a debt: a Patron among the souls who owe her.
SourceThe Archmother
In the game“Many souls are in your debt, Graves. If you finish the ritual, The Archmother herself will join that number.”
The Archmother, to Graves, as a match begins
Factions and organizations
Who they work with, fight and answer to.
Blackmore Academy
She goes there and doesn't think much of it.
SourceGraves, Lady Geist
In the game“I go to Blackmore, you think money impresses me?”
Graves, on a kill “I hate Blackmore alumni.”
Graves, on killing Mina “You go to Blackmore Academy.”
Lady Geist, to Graves, before a match The OSIC
Haze says it could use her. She wants it out of her business.
SourceHaze, Graves
In the game“The OSIC could use someone like you.”
Haze, to Graves, before a match “I want the OSIC out of my business.”
Graves, on killing Haze The Vatican
Venator demands the lich hand, and she refuses.
SourceVenator, Graves
In the game“Give me the lich hand”
Venator, to Graves, before a match “Not happening”
Graves, to Venator, before a match Fairfax Industries
She tells Pocket “Once a Fairfax, always a Fairfax”.
SourceGraves
In the game“Once a Fairfax, always a Fairfax.”
Graves, on killing Pocket
Cool facts
The small things worth knowing.
Graves' full name is Darcy Graves, and she says she speaks for the dead, not to them.
SourceWraith, Graves
In the game“You're Darcy Graves right?”
Wraith, to Graves, before a match “I speak for them.”
Graves, to Wraith, before a match Venator demands the lich hand. Graves says no.
SourceVenator, Graves
In the game“Give me the lich hand”
Venator, to Graves, before a match “Not happening”
Graves, to Venator, before a match Graves wrote a school paper on Lady Geist's husband.
SourceGraves, Lady Geist
In the game“He was really talented. I wrote a paper about him in humanities.”
Graves, to Lady Geist, before a match “He was my husband.”
Lady Geist, to Graves, before a match Calico was at Graves' parents' Christmas party last year.
SourceGraves
In the game“Nono, they're alive - I know: you were at their Christmas party last year.”
Graves, to Calico, before a match
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