How to beat Brand

Common role: Mid / Support

A burst mage who chains stuns and ablaze passives to melt health bars.

What makes Brand dangerous

Brand stuns you if you are already ablaze (Q after another ability), blasts an AoE (W) that hits harder on burning targets, and spreads his passive between nearby enemies for a detonation. His ultimate bounces between clustered enemies, ramping his passive and chunking a whole grouped team.

How to play against Brand

• 1Don't clump — his ult and passive bounce and spread between nearby enemies.
• 2Dodge his W or the Q stun; his combo needs the ablaze setup to lock you.
• 3He is immobile with no escape — dive or engage on him.
• 4Stack magic resist and health to survive his burst window.

Weaknesses to exploit

• ✓Completely immobile — no dash or escape.
• ✓His stun requires an ablaze setup — dodge the first proc.
• ✓Ult and passive fizzle if enemies are spread out.
• ✓Squishy; a dive shuts him down.

Abilities & how to counter them

What each of Brand's abilities does — and how to play around it.

• P
  Blaze

  Brand's spells light his targets ablaze, dealing damage over 4 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. If Brand kills an enemy while it is ablaze he regains mana. When Blaze reaches max stacks on a Champion or large monster, it becomes unstable. It detonates in 2 seconds, applying spell effects and dealing massive damage in an area around the victim.

  Strong: his burn ticks and, when maxed, detonates for a big AoE hit. Weak: it spreads between nearby enemies — don't stand next to allies.

• Q
  Sear

  Brand launches a ball of fire forward that deals magic damage. If the target is ablaze, Sear will stun the target.

  Strong: stuns you if you're already ablaze, locking his combo. Weak: no ablaze, no stun — dodge the first proc and it's just a skillshot.

• W
  Pillar of Flame

  After a short delay, Brand creates a Pillar of Flame at a target area, dealing magic damage to enemy units within the area. Units that are ablaze take an additional 25% damage.

  Strong: a big AoE that hits harder on burning targets. Weak: a delayed circle — step out of it before it lands.

• E
  Conflagration

  Brand conjures a powerful blast at his target that spreads to nearby enemies, dealing magic damage. If the target is ablaze, Conflagration's spread is doubled.

  Strong: spreads his passive and adds burst between clustered enemies. Weak: single-target if you're alone — spacing limits the spread.

• R
  Pyroclasm

  Brand unleashes a devastating torrent of fire that bounces up to 5 times off of Brand and nearby enemies, dealing magic damage to enemies each time bounce. Bounces prioritize stacking Blaze to max on Champions. If a target is ablaze, Pyroclasm will briefly slow them.

  Strong: bounces between grouped enemies, ramping his passive across the team. Weak: it fizzles if enemies are spread — don't clump.

Itemization

Spread against his bouncing ult; magic resist and health survive the burst. Dive his immobile frame and dodge the ablaze setup to deny the stun.

This guide covers Brand's core kit and playstyle — advice that holds up across patches.