Hey guys,

This is my build on Brand. I picked him up when he came out on the pretense he looked pretty cool to play (see what I did there). People claimed he's OP when they see someone get a KDR (Kill-Death-Ratio for those who don't play FPSs) of 10.

He's not OP. His AP ratios (the percentage of his AP his abilities get boosted by) are terrible compared to other spellcasters. He has an slower moving speed than other champions (dangerous for a spellcaster). His Q (Sear) is a terribly slow moving skillshot that even a Brand could dodge (see what I did there? (because Brand is slow :D )).

If you see a Brand who does well, it's not the champion that carries the game, its the player, and the skill behind him.

Yet some people claim he's UP. He's not UP. His passive lets him shine on the lane when he can whittle away someone health, and when they get cocky...BAM with the combo. His abilities let him shine in teamfights, where the bunches of sweaty fighting bodies will burn to cinders with three of his abilities. His Ultimate absolutely devastates in teamfights and even in solo when set up right. He wrecks people early game and mid game, and gets a heavy lead into late game where he can quickly end champs.

Enjoy!

PROS
Devastes teamfights
Strong in Early and Mid game
Strong Passive
Burst Mage
Easy Attack Animation (Great for farming last hits)


CONS
Slower Movement Speed
Slow Q
Weaker late game if you can't keep up

Okay, great.. the game starts and everyone is switching back to the LOL window. You have three choices. Top, Middle or Bottom lane. Call out to everyone you'll be taking mid. If you have a buddy or someone nice who seems like they'll be a cooperative player, it's fine to lane with them.

Early Game
Brand really shines at scaring the **** out of the opponent. His laning strategy starts with farming a couple last hits (hitting s [the stop and don't attack button] really helps with the timing), and occasionally walk forward a couple steps when they're trying to last hit, and blast them conflagration. If they're in the middle of minions and you're close enough (like one second walk before you're in range), throw out a quick pillar instead for some quick damage. Then walk back and farm some more. If they're getting too cocky, and sticking around too attack you, blast them with a quick pillar (save your sear) to scare em off, and stroll back to your tower if they're still chasing. If they still chase you, let them play shot-for-shot with your tower. Chase them with a quick conflag/exhaust and well timed pillar if they don't die.

You should be still farming and getting those last hits. You know how important list hits are right? If by the end of the first couple minion rounds you have 50 last hits...lets count.. 50 kills * roughly 20 gold per kill = 1000 gold = quick lead = snowballing lead = terrible terrible lead. So if you're not good at last hitting, practice it.

You're probably wondering how to actually kill them during the laning process. Well if you've been good and sending quick painful mini-igniting conflags at them, they should be behind in gold/experience/health. If you think you can nab the kill, throw out a quick conflag, followed by a sear for the stun, blast em with your pillar, and if that's still not enough throw out your ulty (hopefully there are some minions nearby so your ult can bounce back). Oh and pepper them with your autoattack. That usually bakes the cake for me. If that doesn't kill them and they somehow manage to run away. Don't worry keep farming, you have the lead in last hits anyway. You have been last hitting right?

Mid Game/Late Game:
You know it's mid game when people start trying to gank from other lanes. Stick with your team. Dont initiate (unless it's just one person, then run in throw a quick Conflag+Sear for the stun), and if you want the kill, save your more-than-the-average-damage flame tower for that last hit. If it's a team fight, go with QEW and R if you have it to wreck up the place. Keep in mind, Brand isn't the champion to go uno on many-o if that's what you like. He's a support character who can tip teamfights in your favour with his quick burst AOE damage. You do so much damage that, if you happen to throw out your quickly recharging conflag/tower when them baddies are low health, and you happen to get the kill, you've done so much damage in that teamfight, your teammates shouldn't mind. If you teammates are duking it out, keep in mind you're a support character. Throw out your ulty to injure them baddies. Your rylais will help chase the weak healthed ones down, and help your nearly dead teammates survive.

Your COMBOS
E --> Q --> W = conflag, sear, tower
Bread and butter for single fights.

Q --> E --> W --> R(?)= sear, conflag, tower
You love that +25% damage, kind of makes up for your ****py AP ratio. This is for teamfights, the sear to flame the target. The conflag to flame the whole party. And the tower for the havoc. If you can throw out your utly too. It'll mess up the place.

W --> Q = quick escape
Being chased? Use a quick pillar behind you to deter the chaser. If he's a crazy kid and still runs right through it, throw out your sear to stun him. If he's still persistent, you can exhaust him for that extra time your abilities cool down. Use this if there are multiple chasers.

E --> Q = quick escape 2
This is your better choice if you're running from one guy. Throw down e, let rylai's kick in and slow him, and if he's still persistent, hit him with sear to stun him. If your opponent is relatively medium health, you can burn him down with multiple combos and finish him with W if you need to.

Some notes:
Play it safe, you're slow remember. If they chase just walk back to your tower.

If you didn't get the middle lane, that's okay. Just make sure you're careful with your mana, and follow your teammate with the attacks. Remember since there's two of them it might be better to use pillar to burn both of them if you can. At the least it'll scare them enough your teammate can push. If one's low health, WATCH OUT FOR HIS FRIEND.

If your buddy is wimpy and tends to run away a lot, whittle down the opponents, and when your teammate decides he can take the hard earned damage you death for a kill, follow him with conflag/stun so he can deal some damage, and blast in and tower the opponent for that last hit.

You're still a mage. AKA your name is squishy.

Remember you are not a carry, leave that to the ashes and yis, etc. You are a support. A stone to tip the teamfight scales in your team's favour.

I played a couple games and these are the items that worked best for me. If you disagree with something up there, and come up with a good enough reason in the comments before downvoting, I'll change it.

SIGHT WARDS: I've seen so many players not buy these. Honestly, I had no idea how useful they were until I bought them. Placed right they make a huge difference.
Check this thread out, http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/warding-helper-more-than-your-eyes-can-see-54337. Helped me tons.

Quick thing: the reason I picked Rylai's Scepter is because of Brand's ridiculously low natural health. His low hp makes him a target in any teamfight. Enemy champions love focusing on the poor sap with a spaced out health bar. The increase to health will help deter them from the idea and onto your tankier teammates, giving you time to load up your bursts again. The slow effect will also help chase, slow, and scare your enemies throughout the game.

Masteries:
Basic 9-0-21

Spells
Personally I use ignite and ghost. I find Brand tends to be just short of killing opponents even with his passive early game, so the ignite helps with champions who manage to run.
I love ghost because its such a multi-purpose spell. You can run from enemies and through crowds, you can run to a teamfight, or even catch that one last guy for the quick EQW

Thanks for reading my build!

If you like it, upvote it please :)

If you don't, downvote it, but I'd like to know why first, and I'll change it up if people agree.

See you guys online!

Ps: Did you get the SC reference?