Brand Build Guide by 88dragons

Introduction

Updated after Fizz patch, Tested and work Excellent :)
Please read all before comment. (Extreme detailed)

Hello all, this is 88dragons from the EU Nordic/east Server, First I wanna lets you know that im Danish, so that's why my English writing isent perfect :)

Second I wanna say that im making this guide cause when I started playing brand several months ago, I couldn't find the ultimative guide on how to play Brand I found lots of good guides / builds and game plays but it took for ages to find the right once. so im trying to make one complete guide for you all :)

Pros / Cons

Pros:

+ High Burst damage. (main combo Conflagration for Blaze then Sear for stun, and then Pillar of Flame for high damage, followed by Pyroclasm so it hits faster, and they cant escape.
+ Low Cooldowns
+ Good passive Blaze 2% of max HP in damage Pr. sec. in 4 sec.
+ Awesome farmer with Pillar of Flame and Conflagration
+ good stun if target is Blaze with Sear
+ Extreme high AOE Damage.
+ Long ranged on spells.

Cons:

- Focused most of team fights
- Skill shots (can be hard to place Sear and Pillar of Flame in start)
- Difficult to play
- Squishy
- Harder to play without cooldowns items
- Most people whines over Brand is Overpowered

Runes

I have chosen this rune because its the only primary rune there is any good for a Mage, and Brand needs all the magic pen. he can get :)

This rune is also A primary rune and is chosen because of Brand always is in need of mana.
some people have asked me why I don't take greater seal of Replenishment well, 0,41 / 0,065 = 6,3 so when im lvl 7 my runes are better, and until lvl 3 or 4 I don't used my spell so much.

Here I have chosen Ability Pr. lvl. instead of . 0,99 / 0,17 = 5,82. so all over lvl 6 its better :)
Some people also takes or but Brand has low cooldowns already and with your masteries and Mejai's Soulstealer you have enough.

Here I have chosen flat Ability power, instead of why? 4,95 / 0,43 = 11,51 so first at lvl. 12 those runes are better that mine. So I prefer flat so I can get early dominants in mid lane.
I don't use this rune, because its only good if your playing against a team which are stacking Magic resist. but that's not happening very often. (and if they do, you probably got an ad carry in team who will kill them :P )
But then we got cooldown reduction. but like the Glyph we don't really need it.

The most important thing in setting up your rune pages, is that you need to go after primary runes. here is a list of primary runes. if you don't like my rune setup, feel free to try some new once out.
Here you can see all the Primary runes

Items

Core Build:

This item is a must for Entering and Escape combats. Also good for Magic pen.
Let this be one of your first items. Gives good base mana. Gives mana every time you cast a spell. and gives mana reg. all 3 things you need as caster. in late game you can build it into and then it gives a good among of ability power cause of the mana.
Gives 500 Health and slows down the enemy. so you Pyroclasm Pillar of Flame and Sear is much easier to hit with. and gives your team an opportunity to chase down the rest of the team.
High Ability power and extra 30%.. what's not to like :)

Now what to take as last 2 items?

I will recommend you to take this item as the first item, for when you get kills, or assist, you will get more ability power really fast, and its cheap. only 1200 gold. This item gives 160 ability power at 20 stacks and 20% cooldowns reduction. But if your dying a lot, this items isent worth the effort of buying it.
This item can be good if you playing against a Health heavy team, and its has also some nice stats like, mana reg. and cooldowns reduction, also gives a little bit of ability power.
Is also an awesome item for a caster. It god a high amount of ability power, 12 mana reg. and 20 % cooldown reduction. I can recommend this item if you not taking
Is a good item for fair amount of ability power, and the 25% spell vamp. (spell vamp is Mages way of getting lifesteal) the spell vamp is an aura, so you also helping out your team :) I usually take this if we don't have a support in our team for the healing.
This item is just awesome. 100 Ability power. 50 armor and you can get invulnerable for 2 sec. I will recommend this item if your playing against Karthus Nocturne Lux cause those champions got Extreme long ranged on there ultimate and can do tons of damage on a caster.
Catalyst the Protector Can be a good item if your having a had time in your lane, cause of more mana and Health, and the power to restore that mana and health every time you lvl up. is Ideal for laning. and can be build into or later on. both items are good if you having a hard time keeping alive.

When your setting up the items, you need to keep in mind that casters can MAX have 40% cooldowns reductions, so buying and is just stupid. and if you got a good support he/she will probably take thats another 10 %.. so try keep your build between 20 and 30 % cooldowns reductions (keep in mind a good jungler gives the second blue buff for you and the rest of the game, which also is mana reg and cooldown reduction), so focus Ability power and mana instead :)

Summoner Spells

Recommended spells:

mobafire has not been corrected them yet, so they do not fit 100%.


Can easilly be used to escape from or catch up with a foe. It can also be used to dodge or land skill shots. Another use for this spell is to "wall jump", where you use flash to hop over a wall, which can drastcially decrease the path you would otherwise need to travel.
Masteries there gives benefits to Flash is Summoner's Insight and Mastermind
Flash cannot be activated if the player is affected by hard Crowd Control
Cooldown increased to 265 seconds
Range reduced to 400


Ignites an enemy unit, dealing 50 plus 20 x level true damage over time to a single target, reduces the health regeneration and the healing effects received by 50%.
Is a common spell which is good in duels and a free extra damage that scales with levels. It is often used to get first blood and to counter champions with a good amount of self heal like Vladimir Warwick and Swain.
Masteries there gives benefits to Ignite is Summoner's Wrath and Mastermind

Viable Summoner Spells

*New*
Empowers your champion, increasing ability power by 10-78 (depending on level) and attack speed by 35% for 12 seconds (220 second cooldown)
Improved Surge increases the attack speed bonus to 40% and ability power gained by 10%
Usable at summoner level 1
Masteries there gives benefits to Surge is Summoner's Wrath and Mastermind
Why you wanna take Ignite instead of Surge First those 10% isent overall ability power, only the 78 you get from Surge itself. so 78 * 1,1 = 86 ability power + Rabadon's Deathcap that´s another 30% : 86 * 1,3 = Its total of 112 Ability power in 12 seconds. Which is a large amount. But you need to be lvl 18. and have Rabadon's Deathcap and your losing the benefits of lower the enemy healing reduction, and early game dominants dude to the high damage from Ignite


Slows movement speed by 40% and reduces auto/basic attack damage by 70% and ability/item damage by 35% for 2.5 seconds.
Exhaust is an extremely powerful tool for disabling champions who mainly autoattack, as well as any champion that can deal a high amount of damage. When your team is chasing an enemy and he is getting away, using Exhaust on him will help your team gain the upper hand. Using it against enemies when escaping can help you as their movement speed will be greatly decreased.
Masteries there gives benefits to Exhaust is Summoner's Wrath and Mastermind
Duration reduced to 2.5 seconds


Is a 'non-targeted' summoner spell that makes your Champion move 27% faster and ignore unit collisions with other Champions, minions and monsters for 10 seconds.
Masteries there gives benefits to Ghost is Summoner's Wrath and Mastermind


After 4 seconds, it teleports your champion to target turret, friendly minion or Ward (making it invulnerable for the duration). Can be canceled.
Teleport is a 'targeted' summoner spell. It is used to quickly travel from one location to a friendly turret, minion or Ward anywhere on the map. It is not stopped like Recall upon damage, but it still can be stopped with crowd control abilities such as stuns, roots and silences.
Masteries there gives benefits to Teleport is Summoner's Insight and Mastermind

Early game phase

In the start of the game, you start buy buying Boots of Speed 1* Health Potion and 2* Mana Potion then move Quickly out to help your jungler to spot any. possible ganks.
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The red spots is where you are standing as lookout for your jungler. Your need to ask your jungler if need needs a pull. Here is the most important thing to keep away from your jungler so you don´t take his experience when killing the monsters. it can and will **** his jungle route up a lot!

When you start Laning in mid, you first spell is Pillar of Flame, I find this spell best in start for Harassing, just hit him with it and move back and let your Blaze do the work.

I cant say this Enough..

MINIONS KILLS! MANY PEOPLE FORGETS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS!!

When your going lvl. 2 take Conflagration then your harassing is Conflagration then Pillar of Flame for 25% more damage. 1 or 2 times of that combo sends most Character back for healing. and you get free experience and gold. when he is coming back you probably lvl. 3 then you can chose to take 1 more skill in Pillar of Flame for more damage. or you can take Sear for the stun. It depends on how much your pushing the lane? Do they got a jungler? How is the warding on your team? do you have wards in mid lane? and so on. but in time you learn what is best in that game your playing. :)

First time you get back get 2 wards if they got jungler, and place them in the brush in water. if not then only buy items.
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Like this. and try always to keep those ward there as long as you and your team is laning, so you don't get ganked.

When your lvl 4 or 5 you can start clear minions pack easily with Pillar of Flame and then Conflagration. when you have pushed you lane. go home and buy Mejai's Soulstealer and Sorcerer's Shoes if you got gold for it.

Mid / Late game phase

Now your about lvl 6 and you got all your skills Mejai's Soulstealer and Sorcerer's Shoes Always have an eye on minimap, and if your lanes need ganks, go for them. just push your own lane fast and go gank.

This Push / Gank / home / push / gank / Home. can you do until the enemy team starts going together. and when they do so. your team should do the same. If your Lanes dont need ganks, then focus a lot on last hitting. Best way is Pillar of Flame followed by Conflagration if this is the case. remember to ward your area if they got jungler.

When your having team fights, your an important player to keep alive, so you need to learn on when to engage and when to fall back again. Here I got few simple rules I use:

Only go as close so your spells can hit, used them and go back again, until your cooldown is over.

NEVER Engage the fights!!

Don´t try save a solo player vs a team., better he dies then you both dies.

Always be the one closest to your base. don´t get caught between enemy team and there base. (if you do so.. go die to turrets, so they don't get kill on you)

Skill Sequence

Blaze

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

Tip: Just hitting/harassing the enemy's a few times before entering team fights can easily remove 10-20 % of there health. so don't underestimate this passive.

Sear

Cooldown: 8 / 7,5 / 7 / 6,5 / 6 Seconds

Cost: 50 Mana

Range: 900

Damage: 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+0.65 per ability power)

Tip: Sear is the spell there starts Brand´s maximun damage combo: Sear for Blaze then Conflagration for spreading the Blaze to rest of the team. then Pillar of Flame for the 25% more damage and finally Pyroclasm which travel insane fast and finish up the rest off the team. But your going to miss out your Stun, which I think is a must in team fights.

Pillar Of Flame

Cooldown: 10 seconds

Cost: 70 / 80 / 90 / 100 / 110 Mana

Range: 900

Damage: 80 / 125 / 170 / 215 / 260 (+0.6 per ability power)

Tip: This spell im trying to safe for the perfect time, cause it has so long cooldown. buts is a great spell to check brushes for enemy's, because if they are there. they all are Blaze can ready for your Conflagration and Pyroclasm

Conflagration

Cooldown: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 seconds

Cost: 60 / 65 / 70 / 75 / 80 Mana

Range: 625

Damage: 70 / 105 / 140 / 175 / 210 (+0.55 per ability power)

Tip: This is the spell I usually starts fights with. then Sear for the stun. followed up by Pillar of Flame for insane damage and then finish up with Pyroclasm for mostly of the kills :) I also use Conflagration and Sear often when I get chased or im trying to help out and team mate from not dying.

Pyroclasm

Cooldown: 105 / 90 / 75 seconds

Cost: 100 / 150 / 200 Mana

Range: 750

Damage: 150 / 250 / 350 (+0.5 per ability power)

Tip: Try use this Pyroclasm when the enemy´s are Blaze for the faster travel, and then they dont have time for running away from each others.