Starting Item(s):
Boots + Health Pots = Provides sustain and ability to dodge enemy champions easier in early lane phase.
Doran's Ring = Provides mana regeneration and a bit of AP for those lane you don't have to worry about dodging skill shots in.

Early Game:
Boots , Doran's Ring , Doran's Ring , Sorcerer's Shoes , Hextech Revolver

Mid Game:
Sorcerer's Shoes , Doran's Ring , Doran's Ring , Hextech Revolver , Rabadon's Deathcap , Giant's Belt

Late Game:
Sorcerer's Shoes , Will of the Ancients , Rabadon's Deathcap , Rylai's Crystal Scepter , Void Staff

Best Final Options:
Zhonya's Hourglass , Abyssal Scepter , Deathfire Grasp

This guide is here to better understand how to play Brand. This guide should not be followed as if it were the rulebook because every game is different. Matchup's, skill level, and confidence all make up how you should be playing League of Legends. The items that I have recommended in the initial build is what is used in many cases. When the items and what items are built are not specific to this though. This guide is here to help you understand how to play Brand, not be the sole provider of information.

The Author:
My name is ShadyBad. A.K.A. TheAdmins. I have been playing league since the game first came out. I have over 1k wins and over 500 ranked games played. As I continue to grind ELO and make myself a better player I want to share my knowledge with other players in the community. I have created a few guides on a few different sites but was not very serious about them. This guide has taken me the longest due to the fact that I want to be able to add every detail until I feel it is perfect.

Recommended:
9x Magic Penetration Reds
9x Mana Regeneration Yellows
9x Ability Power Per Level Blues
9x Ability Power Quintessence

This rune setup provides plenty of sustain for Brand. When runes matter the most (which is early game), Brand seems to have a mana problem due to the high mana costs for his Pillar and other Spells. Since Brand is an AP carry then it only makes sense to fix that problem when it can be.

Alternative(s):
9x Magic Penetration Reds
9x Health Per Level Yellows
9x Ability Power Per Level Blues
9x Ability Power Quintessences

This rune setup provides Brand with a little more health from the get go. If the enemy has a little more poke and you don't feel that you can dodge them then this may be a better option for you.

9x Magic Penetration Reds
9x Heal Per Level Yellows
9x Magic Resist Blues
9x Ability Power Quintessences

This rune setup is for those enemies like Kassadin that eat away at Brand very quickly. The setup provides much sustain and resistances to many of those assassins that seem to counter him so very well.