Alright this is my first build ever and for a new character so bare with me. Brand is very bursty and squishy but oh so lethal if played well. hopefully this guide will get you to melting face like a pro in no time. And please try before you rate. I am open for CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM AND WILL ADJUST AS NEEDED thank you.

So straight off the bat I'll try to explain my item build an why i get what i get.

I start with a because personally the AP HP and MP5 is great for any caster to start with.

After that i build up to a fiendish codex by the way of the amplifying tome and meki pendant it's up to you which you get first (i normally wait and just pick them up together).

From here i finish off codex and generally pick up boots of speed in the same back.

Now Tear of the Goddess is great to get early for Brand so he can get that MP5 and start building the bonus mana.

After TOG i finish sorcerer's shoes for MP and the enhanced move speed

Now to put that codex in its place, I turn it into Morello's evil tome the boost in flat AP, MP5 and CDR is absolutely great and allows you to stay in lane for amazing amounts of time.

At this point you might feel a bit squishy so i pick up giant's belt to build into Rylai's crystal Scepter.

Now it's time for a big boost in damage by finishing off Archangel's Staff, the 3% of mana to AP is a huge benefit to you damage as well the flat AP and MP5 is nothing to shake a stick at either.

Generally at this point my team has won or is very close to it, but building up your allows you to close out most matches with its massive flat AP and great bonus of 30% AP.

Basically now your a walking pain factory so finish up Rylai's Crystal Scepter to stop those pesky enemies from getting away with its 35% slow, making chases a breeze.

By now the match is drawing to a close and there are quite a few good items that can benefit you, if your facing a lot magic damage then try to pick up banshee's veil for the survivability, having trouble bringing down that tank with a force of nature then pick up void staff for the AP and %MP, my last suggestion that i have only toyed with once or twice is will of the ancients the flat AP is nice as well as the aura of AP and spell vamp.

changes with be coming with my new brand research/testing

Here be the runes

MP is huge when facing any type of enemy but especially those nasty tanks with your spells skipping a layer of defense means they are even more devastating.

Both provide straight AP but each serves a different goal the straight AP helps on threes for the early gank on bottom while the AP per level helps in games with longer times and higher levels ie fives

these seals help with brands mana dependence throughout most games the only reason i dont take flats is because the return is to low to make a difference in my opinion.

Same logic as the Glyphs but on a larger scale

Whew new runes after all this time hope someone see these.

I've been doing a lot of experimenting with my summoner spells and have fallen back on exhaust and ghost. i choose these because they are pretty much my fall backs. exhaust holds your enemy in place while you line up you skill shots and helps to shut down the carry's as needed/ While ghost allows for chase and the ability to rapidly gtfo.

Blaze
Brand's spells light his targets ablaze, dealing 2% of their maximum Health in magic damage per second for 4 seconds.

This is a great passive I can't tell you how many times someone has run away only to see seconds later that i had scored a kill, it is something that very few people take into account when going toe to toe with Brand.

Sear
Brand launches a ball of fire forward that deals 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+65% of ability power) magic damage. If the target is ablaze, the target will be stunned for 2 seconds.

Cooldown 8 / 7.5 / 7 / 6.5 / 6 seconds | Cost 50 mana | Range 900

This is your only real CC, it is very akin to Annie's stun only that instead of a charge up it requires the person to be ablaze. I use this to hold enemies and place while I forcefully separate their flesh from their bones with my handy pillar of flame.

Pillar of Flame
After a short delay, Brand creates a pillar of flame at a target area, dealing 80 / 125 / 170 / 215 / 260 (+60% of ability power) magic damage to enemy units with the area. Units that are ablaze take an additional 25% damage.

Cooldown 10 seconds | Cost 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 mana | Range 900

This is the bread of your bread and butter death sandwitch, open with confligrate and set Pillar of flame behind them and watch that red bar grow. This is also your main tool for harassment from early to late game.

Conflagration
Brand conjures a powerful blast at his target, dealing 70 / 105 / 140 / 175 / 210 (+55% of ability power) magic damage to them. If the target is ablaze the conflagration will damage nearby enemies as well.

Cooldown 12 / 11.5 / 11 / 10.5 / 10 seconds | Cost 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 mana | Range 675

This is where it all begins the butter to your a fore mentioned sandwich. Open with conflagration into sear and close with your a devastating pillar of flame.

Pyroclasm
Brand unleashes a devastating torrent of fire that bounces between enemies, dealing 150 / 250 / 350 (+50% of ability power) magic damage each time it bounces. If a target is ablaze, Pyroclasm's missile speed increases. It will bounce five times, and can hit the same enemy up to three times.

Cooldown 105 / 90 / 75 seconds | Cost 100 / 150 / 200 mana | Range 750

This is your Finishing move your hadouken if you will the damage potential from its jump is the way to destroy paired carries and tanks. When ablaze it accelerates which can skyrocket your damage.

Starting with pillar of flame as opposed to conflagration is a bit of an trade of with conflagration providing a bit more spamability while pillar of fire will provide more straight damage. none the less conflagration is second followed by sear for one reason and one reason only, Farming.

The way I have found that is very effective to farm is to throw sear on a minion then conflagration to have it jump to other minions in the area and wipe them out with pillar of flame's extra 25% damage from being ablaze. When you finish morrello's you can just start casting pillar of flame and finishing with the jump from conflagration.

After this you basically want to max pillar of fire, getting Pyroclasm in between, with conflagration filling the gaps between levels of pillar of flame. Finish out sear and your skills are complete.

Hopefully this build has provided a window into how to play this brand new character and i Hope to see you on my team some day melting faces.
As I develop the build i will try to make changes and add info that is user friendly thanks for the look and rates and comments are greatly appreciated.

4/26/11:added runes, summoner spells, and well updates. Also made some minor changes.
7/10/11:changes to runes, items, starting guide to smart laning starting my update cycle again