BRAND

THE BURNING VENGEANCE

Classical splash art of Brand

Icon of Brand

Brand in game PNG - league of legends

Informations about Brand:

Title: The Burning Vengeance

Real Name: Kegan Rodhe

Pronouns: He/Him

Release Date: April 12th, 2011

Attribute: Mage

Role: Support/Mid

Region: Runeterra.

LORE OF BRAND

The son of a Freljordian healer, Kegan Rodhe was born an outsider. The little magic and herbcraft his mother possessed allowed them both to survive on the fringes of a small coastal community named Rygann’s Reach. Friends were few and far between. Even as a young boy, he knew his father was an enemy reaver, and that he—and Kegan by extension—was the reason his mother was shunned. The villagers called him “the reaver-bastard”. Kegan allowed his loneliness and resentment to smolder, often turning violent.

After enduring years of seemingly endless winter, his mother’s frail body finally gave in. As Kegan spread her funeral ashes, he thought of the people she had spent her life healing. None had come to pay their respects. He knew they wished him to disappear into the cold air as well.

He would oblige them, but not before he took his revenge. He burned down the village and fled into the night, leaving himself with scars that would never heal.

Kegan wandered the frozen tundra of the Freljord. He told himself that he was searching for his father, but he knew deep down he was looking for a friend... or, at the very least, a kind face. Finding neither, he holed himself up in a cave, and waited to die.

It was not death that came to him, but another outsider.

The mysterious mage named Ryze saw potential in this half-frozen young man, and took him on as an apprentice. Teacher and student struggled as Kegan’s nascent, wild magic frustrated them both, and Ryze’s requests for patience and humility often fell on deaf ears.

Unfortunately, instructing Kegan would always come second to Ryze’s original mission. He had long sought to collect and hide away a power that could be Runeterra’s unmaking—the legendary World Runes. After tracking down one such fragment, Kegan faced the same desperate temptation that had driven so many before him to madness. The Runes were the source of all magic in the world and, against his master’s warnings, he chose to seize that power for himself.

Ryze was forced to watch in failure as his apprentice was burned away by the raw magic, Kegan’s soul utterly consumed. The creature that was born in that moment was no longer the bitter young man Ryze had rescued from the snows, nor the Freljordian mage he had come to know as his friend.

Rather, this vengeful being of fire and fury that now walked the mortal realm would eventually become known as Brand.

Cursing his former master, and every other living thing that would ever come between him and the Runes, Brand lashed out with magical flames, and Ryze barely escaped with his life.

Over the centuries since that day, Brand has lived an anarchic, wildfire existence, taking and never giving anything back to the world. At times, he blazes across the heavens like a comet. At others, he sinks into the cold earth and slumbers, waiting for the unmistakable scent of magic that will lead him to another World Rune… and should he find one, there are precious few in Runeterra with the power to stop him.

BRAND VOICE - League of Legends

FUN FACTS ABOUT BRAND

1. Voice Actor Connection to "Dragon Ball Z": Brand's original voice actor, Erik Braa, also provided the voice for the character Bardock in the English dub of the anime series "Dragon Ball Z." This connection adds an interesting layer of trivia for fans of both "Dragon Ball Z" and League of Legends.

2. Early Concept as a Fire Elemental: Before his release, Brand was initially conceived as a more traditional fire elemental champion. However, the developers wanted to create a more unique and visually striking character, leading to the creation of Brand as a sentient being consumed by flame.

3. Inspired by Slenderman: Brand's design draws inspiration from the Slenderman mythos, particularly in his lore and appearance. The concept of a mysterious, malevolent entity wreathed in flames echoes the eerie and unsettling nature of Slenderman, adding depth to Brand's character.

4. Featured in "League of Legends: Rebirth" Comic: Brand is featured in the "League of Legends: Rebirth" comic series, which explores the origins and backstories of various champions in the game. The comic delves into Brand's lore, revealing more about his transformation into a fiery harbinger of destruction.

5. Connection to Ryze's Lore: In Ryze's updated lore, it is revealed that Brand's fiery form was created as a result of Ryze's actions to contain the World Runes. Brand was once a human named Kegan Rodhe who stumbled upon one of these powerful artifacts, which transformed him into the fiery entity known as Brand.

ABILITIES OF BRAND

Passive - 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.

Q - SEAR

Brand launches a ball of fire forward that deals magic damage. If the target is ablaze, Sear will stun the target for 1.5 seconds.

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.

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.

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.

BRAND ABILITIES COMBOS

Brand R - league of legends

1. Standard Combo:

- Start with Q (Sear) to stun the target with a skill shot.

- Follow up with W (Pillar of Flame) for AOE damage in the target area.

- Activate E (Conflagration) on the target hit by Q or W to spread Blaze.

- Finish off with R (Pyroclasm) for massive AOE damage, especially if multiple enemies are affected by Blaze.

2. Engage Combo:

- Flash in or use Protobelt to close the gap.

- Immediately cast R (Pyroclasm) for AOE damage and apply Blaze to multiple targets.

- Follow up with Q (Sear) to stun a priority target.

- Use W (Pillar of Flame) and E (Conflagration) to spread Blaze and deal additional damage.

3. Peel Combo:

- Use Q (Sear) to stun an enemy diving onto your carry.

- Cast E (Conflagration) on the stunned target to apply Blaze.

- Follow up with R (Pyroclasm) to deal damage to the diving enemy and any nearby enemies, potentially forcing them to retreat.

- Use W (Pillar of Flame) to zone or slow enemies trying to follow up on the engage.

4. Burst Combo:

- Land a skill shot Q (Sear) to stun the target.

- Quickly follow up with R (Pyroclasm) to deal significant burst damage.

- Activate E (Conflagration) on the stunned target to spread Blaze and amplify damage.

- Use W (Pillar of Flame) to further damage and finish off the target if needed.

5. Combo with Crowd Control Setup:

- Coordinate with a teammate who has reliable crowd control (e.g., Leona's Zenith Blade or Amumu's Bandage Toss).

- Have your teammate initiate with their crowd control ability.

- Follow up with Q (Sear) to stun the immobilized target.

- Use W (Pillar of Flame) and E (Conflagration) to spread Blaze and maximize damage.

- Finish with R (Pyroclasm) for additional burst damage, especially if multiple enemies are affected by Blaze.

BUILD OF BRAND

source: www.leagueofgraphs.com

RUNES OF BRAND

TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY WITH BRAND

1. Master Skillshot Accuracy: Brand's kit revolves around skillshots, particularly his Q (Sear) and W (Pillar of Flame). Practice landing these skillshots consistently, especially in laning phase where hitting them can lead to significant poke or all-in potential. Predict your opponent's movements and aim where they are likely to go rather than where they currently are.

2. Manage Passive (Blaze) Effectively: Brand's passive, Blaze, deals additional damage over time and can spread to nearby enemies when triggered by his abilities. Learn to manage Blaze effectively by prioritizing targets that are already affected by it to maximize damage output. Use abilities like E (Conflagration) to spread Blaze to multiple enemies and amplify your damage in teamfights.

3. Positioning in Teamfights: Positioning is crucial for Brand in teamfights, as he is relatively immobile and vulnerable to enemy engages. Stay at the backline of your team and use your long-range abilities to poke and zone enemies from a safe distance. Be mindful of enemy threats and avoid overextending, as getting caught out of position can lead to your demise.

4. Utilize Ultimate (Pyroclasm) Wisely: Brand's ultimate ability, Pyroclasm, bounces between enemies affected by Blaze, dealing massive damage with each bounce. Use Pyroclasm strategically in teamfights to maximize its potential damage output. Look for opportunities to cast it when multiple enemies are grouped together or when Blaze is already spread across the enemy team.

5. Vision Control and Map Awareness: Maintain vision control and be aware of enemy movements on the map. Ward key areas such as river entrances, jungle entrances, and objectives to spot incoming ganks or potential flanks. Communicate with your team to coordinate vision and anticipate enemy rotations, allowing you to position yourself safely and make informed decisions.

TIPS FOR COUNTERING BRAND

1. Stay Mobile and Dodge Skillshots: Brand's abilities are primarily skillshots, meaning they can be dodged if you're quick on your feet. Keep moving unpredictably to make it harder for Brand to land his abilities, especially his Q (Sear) and W (Pillar of Flame). Use dashes, blinks, or movement speed buffs to dodge his skillshots and avoid taking unnecessary damage.

2. Build Magic Resistance: Brand deals primarily magic damage, so building magic resistance items can significantly reduce his damage output. Consider purchasing items like Mercury's Treads, Banshee's Veil, or Abyssal Mask to mitigate the damage from Brand's abilities and increase your survivability against him in lane and teamfights.

3. Focus on Crowd Control and Burst: Brand's lack of mobility makes him vulnerable to crowd control and burst damage. Coordinate with your team to lock him down with crowd control effects like stuns, roots, or silences, preventing him from casting his abilities or repositioning. Follow up with burst damage to quickly take him down before he can unleash his full combo.

4. Exploit His Lack of Mobility: Brand lacks innate mobility and escape tools, making him susceptible to ganks and flanks. Coordinate with your jungler to apply pressure to Brand in lane and punish him for overextending. Look for opportunities to engage on him when his Flash or other escape abilities are on cooldown, forcing him to either retreat or risk getting caught out.

5. Stay Spread Out in Teamfights: Brand's ultimate ability, Pyroclasm, bounces between nearby enemies affected by Blaze, dealing massive damage with each bounce. To mitigate the impact of Pyroclasm in teamfights, stay spread out from your teammates to reduce the number of targets it can bounce to. Avoid clumping together, especially when multiple teammates are affected by Blaze.

6. Counterpick with High Mobility Champions: Champions with high mobility and gap-closers can effectively counter Brand in lane and teamfights. Consider picking champions like Zed, LeBlanc, or Yasuo who can easily dodge Brand's skillshots, close the gap, and burst him down before he can retaliate.

SKINS OF BRAND