Brand Guide - Soloing Summoner's Rift with FIRE

Archive post, September 2011. Brand still casts Sear [Q], Pillar of Flame [W], Conflagration [E] and Pyroclasm [R] from the same buttons, so the combos at the bottom still read correctly, but the setup around them doesn't survive. The rune page this asks for and the 9/0/21 masteries beside it belong to systems Riot has since replaced, so there are no magic penetration reds or Fortitude quintessences left to buy, and Will of the Ancients has left Summoner's Rift. One description has gone stale as well: Conflagration [E] now splashes onto surrounding units whatever state the target is in, and setting them Ablaze doubles how far that splash spreads rather than adding it. We're keeping the post as a record of how Brand got played at the time.

Nobody can quench my heat.

It's been a while since I've written a full champion guide, so I'm dedicating this one to Brand, one of (in my humble opinion) the strongest champions in League of Legends.

Things to know:

• If you miss your pillar you will do almost no damage
• HIT YOUR PILLAR
• Annie can burst down 2 players. You can burst down 5.
• You're still squishy. Don't try and solo 5 champions unless you're hiding in a bush and they can't see you.
• Your spells all "ignite" the target, and will give all your abilities a secondary effect.
• At level 7 one Pillar + a Conflag will take out a caster wave.
• How to hit his pillar: Whenever someone's about to last hit a minion, they have to pause very slightly to release their attack. Hit them with your pillar at this moment. Real easy.

Runes:

• Magic Penetration Reds (Insight)
• Clarity or Replenishment Yellows - This is crucial he's mana hungry
• Blues - Whatever you want. Ability Power, CDR, Mag Resist all work.
• Quints - Fortitude or ability power, Fortitude is better because he's still squishy.

Masteries: Standard 9/0/21 Masteries

Summoners: Flash + Ignite. You can run Ghost or Exhaust instead of Ignite if you want, but Ignite really helps pull in the early game kills.

Spells:

Pillar of Flame: Your bread and butter skill. Throws down an AOE that hits all champions inside. Deals 25% extra damage against ablazed targets.

Conflagration: Nukes an enemy. If the target is ablaze, it hits nearby enemies in an AOE as well.

Sear: Skillshot nuke. If the enemy is ablazed it will stun them for 2 seconds at all levels.

Pyroclasm: (ult) Bounces on enemies up to 5 times and moves faster if targets are ablaze.

As you can tell, all his spells are nukes and deal damage. You blow things up.

Skill Build: Start with W(pillar), since it makes for the best pulls/harass. Level 2 get E(conflag), level 3 W, level 4 Q(your stun). Max W then E after and get your ult whenever you can.

Level 1: Pillar

Level 2: Conflagration

Level 3: Pillar

Level 4: Sear

Level 5: Pillar

Level 6: Pyroclasm

Level 7: Pillar

Level 8: Conflagration

Level 9: Pillar

Level 10~18: Finish maxing your Ult/Conflagration

Item Build: Start with Boots + 3 pots (or 4 pots if you feel like it)

2~3 Doran Rings

Sorceror Boots

Deathcap

Next item:

• Void staff if they have force of nature
• Rylai if you have low CC
• Will of Ancients or Zhonya's Hourglass for survivability

Single Target Killing Combo: E -> Q -> W

Farming Combo: W-> E

Teamfights: W -> E -> R -> Q