Guide Sections (15)
- Champion Stats
- The Mana-Efficient Trade
- The Brand Skin Tier List
- When They Ban Brand
- Runes That Work on Brand
- Leveling Brand's Abilities
- Mastering Brand's Kit
- Matchups That Matter for Brand
- Positioning Laziness
- When the Poke Doesn't Land
- Zone Control in Fights
- The Scaling Build
- Brand's Strongest Moments
- The Combo Nuke
- Recent Patch History
Champion Stats
Patch 26.4 Update: Brand received changes this patch. Check the full patch 26.4 notes for details.
Low elo players have terrible spacing. They consistently clump together in jungle corridors or around objectives, which is the 'dream' scenario for Brand's passive (Ablaze). They also don't respect the DOT damage, often walking away from a fight with 20% HP only to die to the burn 4 seconds later. Brand's ability to turn a lost teamfight into a victory through pure AoE damage makes him a smurf favorite.
The Mana-Efficient Trade
Start W (Pillar of Flame). It has great range and deals massive area damage. Poke the enemy ADC or Mid whenever they walk up to last-hit. If you land two Ws, they are already at 60% HP. If you are support, use your range to zones them from the wave entirely.
W the backline minions when the enemy is standing near them. The splash damage counts. Don't spam Q unless you land the W first. Mana is your only leash early game—don't let it snap before the first dragon fight.
The Brand Skin Tier List
'Zombie Brand' is the gold standard—the walking animation is hilarious and the VFX are incredibly clear. 'Eternal Dragon Brand' has some of the most beautiful and modern animations in the game. 'Battle Boss Brand' has very distinct 8-bit sound effects that can be quite distracting for the enemy. Avoid the older skins as they don't capture the 'burning' aesthetic as well.
'Zombie Brand' is the only choice for the custom walk alone. It tilts enemies just seeing you approach. 'Eternal Dragon' is beautiful, but the Q is a bit too bright. Stick to Zombie for the legacy flex and the cleaner animations.
When They Ban Brand
Zyra is the best pivot for the 'I will top the damage charts from the support role' identity. If you pick Annie, you're looking for the flash-stun, not the burn. Vel'Koz is if you're confident in your geometry—otherwise stay on Zyra.
Zyra offers similar AoE control and massive burn damage. Annie brings the simple AoE burst stun. Vel'Koz gives you more range and true damage. Zyra is the closest 'support carry' pivot.
Runes That Work on Brand
Dark Harvest is the best scaling option for Brand—every burn tick has a chance to proc it. Cheap Shot for the bonus true damage on CC'd targets. Secondary Sorcery with Manaflow Band and Scorch to ensure your lane poke is oppressive and you never run out of mana.
Leveling Brand's Abilities
Max W first—it is your primary source of AoE damage and poke. Max E second for the targeted spread damage. Q is maxed last as it is primarily a utility tool for the stun.
Mastering Brand's Kit
Sear. You fire a bolt of fire. If the target is Ablaze (already hit by another spell), they are STUNNED for 1.5 seconds. This is your only self-peel. Use it wisely.
Pillar of Flame. You create a pillar of fire in an area. It deals 25% extra damage to Ablaze targets. This is your primary damage tool. Use it to check bushes or zone enemies.
Conflagration. You set a target on fire. If they are Ablaze, the fire spreads to nearby enemies. Use this to reliably apply your passive to multiple targets before following up with W or R.
Pyroclasm. You release a torrent of fire that bounces between enemies and Brand. It slows enemies. Use this in tight spaces or against clumped teams to guarantee maximum bounces.
Matchups That Matter for Brand
Skill Matchup. It's a poke battle. Whoever lands their CC first wins. You out-damage her in teamfights, but she has more pick potential. Stay mobile and dodge her Q.
Hard Counter. He can windwall every single one of your abilities except your E. You have to bait out his windwall or wait for him to dash onto you to land a point-blank stun.
Skill Matchup. If you get hooked, you die. If he misses, he's a target for your poke. Stay behind minions and punish his missed hooks with your full combo.
Positioning Laziness
Stop being the front line! Brand is one of the squishiest champions in the game. If you get caught once, you are dead. Stay behind your tanks, wait for the enemy to commit, and then unload your combo. Also, don't miss your Q! If you use E-Q and miss, you have no self-defense left.
Your Q is your only self-defense. If you throw it and miss, run. There is no 'fighting back' without it. Brand is an artillery piece—keep the distance or die.
When the Poke Doesn't Land
Dodge if facing Zac or Vi. High-mobility divers who can reach you from screens away will make your life a nightmare. Also dodge into heavy-sustain comps with Soraka or Yuumi where your burn damage won't stick effectively.
Zac and Vi will ruin your day. They don't care about your distance. If you're against them, buy Zhonya's second item. No exceptions. Yuumi and Soraka make your burn feel like a tickle—focus on the burst combo (E-Q-W) rather than just W poke.
Zone Control in Fights
Teamfighting as Brand is simple: hit as many people as possible. Use E (Conflagration) to apply your passive, then W (Pillar of Flame), and finally R (Pyroclasm). The ultimate will bounce between targets, proccing multiple passive explosions. If done correctly, the entire enemy team will simply explode in a chain reaction of fire.
Wait for the clump. The moment they group for an objective, press R. Don't worry about the kill—worry about the passive explosions. Three people with 3 stacks each will delete the entire team. You're the match that starts the forest fire.
The Scaling Build
Brand Jungle. With his passive's monster damage, Brand has a surprisingly fast and healthy clear. It's the ultimate 'smurf' pick that confuses the enemy team and allows you to carry from a high-impact role with massive AoE damage. (Or Liandry's into Rylai's for the 'perma-slow burn').
Liandry's into Rylai's is the core for a reason. The perma-slow burn is what makes Brand a nightmare. If they're all squishy, go for Shadowflame. Brand Jungle is viable if your team has a tank top—his clear speed is actually disgusting.
Brand's Strongest Moments
Level 3 is your first burst window (E-Q-W combo). Level 6 is your massive spike—now you can carry any 2v2 or 3v3 skirmish. Your biggest item spike is Liandry's Torment, which turns your passive into a lethal max-health shredding machine.
Level 3 with the full combo is your first kill window. Level 6 is your invite to win any bot lane 2v3 gank. Once you have Liandry's, you are the most dangerous person in the mid-game. End the game before their ADC gets 4 items.
The Combo Nuke
Walk away from a fight before the enemy dies, letting the burn finish them off. Use the Mastery 7 emote while they are ticking down at 5% HP. Nothing tilts a player more than seeing a teammate run toward them with 3 stacks of your passive, knowing they are about to blow up the whole team.
Walk away while the R is still bouncing. It's the ultimate 'cool guys don't look at explosions' flex. If they die to the burn while you're already back at base, type 'outplayed' for the final tilt.
Recent Patch History
Recent Balance Changes
| Patch | Date | Type | Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| V26.4 | Feb 19, 2026 | BUFF | damage buffed |
| V14.17 | Aug 28, 2024 | BUFF | P nerfed |
| V14.14 | Jul 17, 2024 | NERF | E adjusted |
| V14.13 | Jun 26, 2024 | NERF | P nerfed, E nerfed |
| V14.9 | May 1, 2024 | BUFF | P adjusted, Base stats buffed |
| V14.5 | Mar 6, 2024 | NERF | P buffed, R adjusted |
