Concussive Blows

Whenever Braum lands a basic attack, he applies Concussive Blows to the target. Once the first stack is applied, auto-attacks from all ally champions apply an additional stack. After four stacks, the target takes bonus magic damage and is stunned. Targets cannot be stunned again for a few seconds. In addition, when Braum auto-attacks them, it does bonus magic damage while the target is immune to the effect.

Winter’s Bite

Braum launches a blast from his shield, damaging, slowing, and applying a stack of Concussive Blows to the target.

Stand Behind Me

Braum lunges to an ally champion or minion, giving them and himself armor and magic resistance.

Unbreakable

Braum raises his shield, summoning a wall that absorbs incoming projectiles and causes him to take the brunt of the damage and crowd control facing that direction. In addition, he gains damage reduction, movement speed, and ignores unit collision while the shield is up.

Glacial Fissure

Braum slams his shield into the ground after a delay, sending out a line that damages and knocks up the first enemy (also applies in an AoE around him). Enemies after the first are knocked up for less time. In addition, he leaves a large fissure in a line that slows all enemies walking on it.

Greater Mark of Armor

Having armor marks will help you absorb a lot of the enemy marksman’s damage. In addition, it will help out against some minion and monster damage - by a minimal amount, but you still benefit. In addition, it'll help out with boosting your protection-rate on Stand Behind Me by just a small amount.

Greater Seal of Health

Generally these are widely favored by many supports and tanks due to the good amount of health early on. Overall, +72 health won't seem like much mid and late game, but it will make a big impact in early game until you get a good health item; it also helps in boosting the damage for Winter's Bite because of health scaling damage.

Greater Glyph of Scaling Magic Resist

In case there happens to be a strong mage support in bot lane (such as Zyra, Morgana, or Annie), it's best to get initial magic resist since a lot of support burst comes in that form. Also note that it will help your MR when you have a lot of armor. Magic Resist also helps in case their jungler is AP/their mid laner roams to your lane a lot.

Greater Quintessence of Armor

Armor quints are essential for surviving a lot of the enemy ADC's early game poke. Three of these, along with your marks and masteries, help you absorb a lot more damage early on, as well as assist you slightly in mid-late game, as well as slighty boosting Stand Behind Me by a small amount - your glyphs will also help in this sense.

Defense Tree

Braum doesn't benefit much from the offensive tree due to his kit lacking a lot of important ratios, however because of the health/armor/magic resistance scaling ratios on Winter's Bite and Stand Behind Me, he utilizes the defense tree very well.

Utility Tree

Because of the offensive tree not giving much else other than a bit of damage and vulnerability for Braum, he needs some more survivability, engagability, and disengag-ability. Therefore utility comes in handy just for that.

Items

Braum relies heavily on lots of tanky items that will allow him to help his team and soak up tons of damage. Without tanky items, Braum can't benefit from much other than his base CC. Therefore, items are essential on Braum to succeed in your goal of protecting your ADC.

Relic Shield

Relic Shield is an excellent starter item on Braum due to the increase in health and income of gold, as well as giving him a slight boost in sustain. Winter's Bite benefits from this item early on, making it wise to pick it up for the bonus burst. REMEMBER: Use Spoils of War only on melee or siege minions/if you or your ADC need health, as it will heal them for some as well as grant you more gold benefit.

Health Potion

Simple and to the point, a Health Potion will help you heal up a bit more when you've engaged/were engaged on. Wait for level two before you use your potion: once you're level 2, your opponent will most likely be as well and have an additional spell, preventing your benefit from Health Potion if you've used it too soon; if you need to, you may also use it when being assaulted for a little bit of sustain from the early damage. NOTE: If you're successful, you'll be increasing Winter's Bite, therefore replacing a Health Potion with a Mana Potion will help with that spamming.

Stealth Ward

This ward is the difference between your success and failure. If their jungler comes to gank your lane, it's most likely he wants to get an early kill. Therefore, placing a Stealth Ward in the river will give you an early warning and a lot of distance. If the enemy has a lot of poke and/or a jungler champion who doesn't typically gank pre-6 or before their clears, replace this ward with two more health potions. The topic of warding is in a later chapter.

Targon's Brace

Getting Targon's Brace right away will benefit you in multiple ways. For one, you'll get more health for Winter's Bite and tankiness; secondly, you'll get a half-minute reduction to the cooldown on Spoils of War, allowing you to sustain more, as well as get more gold income; finally, you also get a small amount of HP regen, improving the bonuses your masteries give.

Sightstone

If you have enough for it or have a preference of buying this first, Sightstone will make it possible to improve vision and vision control. After you get Sightstone, sell your Stealth Ward (if you have it) for a Sweeping Lens in place of the practical "infinite ward" unique passive Sightstone. Also benefits Winter's Bite.

Face of the Mountain

Face of the Mountain gives many benefits for Braum, that including incredible tankiness, the ability to shield/sustain allies and himself, and giving a bit of cooldown reduction for all of his abilities' benefit. Rushing this will provide you with everything Braum could dream for.

Ruby Sightstone

After getting Face of the Mountain and Sightstone, grab Ruby Sightstone. Because of the boost in health and the one-extra ward limit (which will replace Stealth Ward) you'll be able to pull off a bit more tankiness, along with some more vision; a support tank's admiration.

Sunfire Cape

Braum isn't all tankiness, but he still needs some for success. Grabbing Sunfire Aegis will help you dish out a bit more damage (this coordinates well with Concussive Blows, Winter's Bite, and Glacial Fissure for the sense of "extra damage" in getting close).

Locket of the Iron Solari

In case you're very aggressive, you or your allies might get caught in a bad situation/teamfight. Therfore, Locket of the Iron Solari will help sustain a bit of damage - not much, but a little less than an ability. Good for absorbing more damage with Unbreakable.

Randuin's Omen

Defensive doesn't always mean best on a tank, however for Braum, it all depends on opinion or condition. For example, if you believe that Randuin's Omen is more powerful of an offensive than Sunfire Aegis, don't let my opinion stop you; if you believe so, go ahead. But in the sense of condition (you're losing lane) usually you should grab Randuin's Omen instead for the movement/attack speed slow, considering that Unbreakable will absorb a lot of damage/slow their assault down, usually from their marksman.

Righteous Glory

Turbo Chemtank is good for innitiating/disengaging on an enemy due to the ability of chasing/retreating, as well as slowing them down if they catch up/fall behind. Overall, Turbo Chemtank is good for just about everything, and shouldn't be underestimated.

Warmog's Armor

If you aren't feeling tanky enough, grab Warmog's Armor to make yourself feel like a wall. It doesn't give much other than the benefit of health and regen, but overall improves your tankiness/mastery benefit. Take this if you feel you're taking little damage (have enough armor/MR).

Thornmail

If the enemy has an AD heavy team, it's best to build armor; typically when an enemy relies on AD, they are reliant on auto-attacks. Getting Thornmail will show them pain as they attack you ( Thornmail applies before resistances, meaning they'll take more damage than they can do!) and coordinates well with Randuin's Omen to slow their attack.

Banshee's Veil

If the enemy is extremely good at poking/CC locking opponents, you might not do much other than keep enemies at bay while taking a ton of damage or from being locked in place, grab Banshee's Veil to stop that damage/risk of death by control. Coordinates well with Unbreakable by giving it (basically) another stack of absorbing.

Mikael's Crucible

In case the enemy team has a lot of poke, assassination potential, or CC, grab this in place of an item you'd prefer (I prefer Turbo Chemtank) so you can heal them and save their behind in a jiffy. It's also good against magic heavy comps, if you'd prefer this over Banshee's Veil.

Boots of Mobility

Because Braum relies on lots of crowd control and the ability to save allies, he needs to be close to allies most of the time, as well as be able to apply that CC. Through movement speed, Braum can engage a target with a friend, get back to lane, ward and return, etc. Grab Mobility Boots early and mid-game, and hover other choices when you can afford the switch late game.

Ninja Tabi

You can use Ninja Tabi as a replacement to Mobility Boots late game, based on if the enemy has a lot of armor or damage with auto-attacks. Note that it will reduce damage from auto-attacks, making it useful on hyper-carries.

Mercury's Treads

Basically just like Ninja Tabi for mages: replacement to Mobility Boots and is useful against AP/CC-heavy teams. Grab this if you prefer its benefits over Ninja Tabi.

Enchantment: Homeguard

Take this a majority of the time; the benefit of Enchantment: Homeguard will help you greatly in reaching allies, defending, making distance out of base, etc. NOTE: Despite the fact fountains now heal for 4% HP per .25 seconds, the heal may still feel godly slow, therefore Enchantment: Homeguard will make it feel much faster.

Enchantment: Alacrity

If you prefer this over Enchantment: Homeguard, it's still a viable option and good for equalizing Mobility Boots movement speed while in-combat. I generally don't think I'll ever use it, however it's completely preference for this enchantment.

Enchantment: Captain

If you have an initiate-reliant team ( Malphite, Orianna, etc.) getting Enchantment: Captain will help you reach the team-fight/objective much faster, and clear it with ease. Never take this unless you have a composition similar to that I mentioned! Otherwise, it's a useless enchantment and doesn't have much effect.

Warding Totem

Good for early game, but after Sightstone is practically useless. By the time you get Sightstone, you may not even be level 9 yet, therefore the cooldown and duration still exist, and don't compare to Sightstone. TL;DR Until Sightstone.

Sweeping Lens

After Sightstone, this would be best for controlling the opponents vision (considering they'll most likely ward in the same places you do in lane, plus they'll have Sightstone too). If you feel it'd be better, go ahead and get it at level 1; I don't recommend it, but it's just a preference thing based on your choice.

Scrying Orb

If your team is smart and ultimately get full Sweeping Lens, grab this instead so that you can benefit from vision over far distances at major objectives. If you feel the enemy is at Dragon, put it down there and ping your Ezreal to fire. Same applies with Baron Nashor, Red/Blue Buff, etc. I wouldn't choose this over Sweeping Lens, but it's freedom of choice.

About Stealth Wards

Stealth Ward is a simple consumable that places a ward at the ground, granting vision nearby the ward but respecting terrain. It is considered invisible, but can be spotted by true sight and takes three hits to destroy. There are many many places to put your Stealth Ward, but for many different reasons.

About Vision Wards

Vision Ward is a simple consumable that places a ward at the ground, granting vision nearby the ward but respecting terrain. A Vision Ward is visible to the opposing team, however it can see a Stealth Ward and invisible units, taking five hits to destroy. There are only a few spots you can put you Vision Ward for the most benefit, however they last a long time if not found/destroyed.

About Ward Locations

Below here is a slide-show of locations that are good for warding, and below that is a list of why they're good locations for Stealth Ward and Vision Ward alike.

Warding Locations

There are many places to put your wards down, however there are many specific areas that should be kept close watch of. Here's the list for understanding why they're good locations for wards, and understanding which team should put them there.

Early Game

Braum's early game defines how the game will most likely go due to the fact he relies heavily on his ADC's cooperation. Without consistent poke and harass, Braum will have difficulty getting his partner to higher levels. This chapter is tailored to help you get through laning phase as Braum.

About You - the Support

Playing as Braum means your most likely playing support (he can be played as top occassionally, but that's another guide.) As a support, you have many jobs that you have to juggle to make yourself a truly valuable player to the team. In the spoiler below, you'll learn about all the early game thing Braum will need to know.

Regarding Your ADC

As a support, it is your sole job to protect your ADC and "support" them early so they can "carry" you late. Braum is, of course, one of those supports. With CC like Winter's Bite and Glacial Fissure to protections like Unbreakable and Stand Behind Me, all the way to interesting mechanics like Concussive Blows. Braum is always a good pick, but there are still a few things you need to know about your ADC.

Playing Braum in Early

As Braum you have many jobs, and most are listed above in the spoilers. But the most important job as Braum is that you play aggressive early. Early on, Braum is somewhat weak, but once he gets Glacial Fissure, you can go ham as you please as long as it's off cooldown. Here's a little description of things you must pay attention to.

Mid Game

Mid game is all about roaming and letting your marksman farm. As Braum, this is your chance to help out other teammates in a some-what similar, but much different way that you did with your ADC. In this section, you'll learn how to gank and roam as Braum, and potentially learn about other roles a bit more from a support perspective.

About You - the Support

A support in mid-game is really boring and really long, if you want the completely honest answer. All it really is; roaming around, warding where wards needs to be, and ganking with the jungler/sometimes alone. In the spoiler below, I'll explain this long boring process that is occasionally a lot of fun, if you do it right.

About the Jungler

You'll need to know a lot about what your jungler will be doing in mid-game, so this part will teach you to understand what your jungler will be doing throughout this period of roaming and such. If you know what a Jungler is going to do during mid-game, feel free to skip this part.

Late Game

When it comes to late game teamfights, Braum excels beyond compare. The ability to disrupt everything with Glacial Fissure, follow through with a Winter's Bite and Unbreakable, and zoning out a vulnerable target make him one of the best teamfight supports because of his surprising CC and presence. This chapter will go over how to teamfight as Braum.

About Team Fights

What is a team fight? well its simple, isn't it - both teams start a fight, and the winning team focus an objective off of the success. Well yes, of course, but every member has an important role to play in the fight. This part will tell you the logistics of what everyone needs to do.

Braum in Teamfights

Braum in late game is a super tank and can absorb a hell of a ton of damage. Therfore defending your Ashe can be very simple and easy, right? It's just Stand Behind Me + Glacial Fissure + Unbreakable, right? Not hard, right?! WRONG! It's a bit more complicated than that. But I'll break it down for you: