Firebrand - Condi DPS

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on October 05, 2023 and is up to date for the September 19, 2023 game patch.

Overview

A condition DPS build for Firebrand in fractals and raids. This build can inflict massive AoE Burning bursts with , which resets on killing (most) enemies. This makes it one of the burstiest condition damage builds and very strong if it can consistently reset .

In addition to DPS, Firebrand's tomes can provide high defensive utility to its subgroup including Aegis, Protection, Resistance, Resolution, Stability, projectile destruction, and emergency healing.

Skill Bar

Axe/Torch

Scepter/Torch

Utility

Weapon Variants

makes Axe strong enough that you don't need to swap to another weapon set. Scepter is the default pick to provide a ranged option.

Skill Variants

Utility

can be swapped out for more utility:
- for more CC.
- for group Stability.
- might be useful on encounters where reliable Swiftness and Aegis are more valuable than damage.

Elite

is totally optional - it gives you access to invulnerability, more pages for utility tome skills, and can allow you to recover from accidentally spending too many pages, but provides no extra damage.
- offers ~10% Quickness uptime to your group. With this and , three firebrands could mostly maintain Quickness in their subgroup, allowing for a quickness support to be dropped.
- for on-demand Stability and an AoE stunbreak.

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Specializations

Trait Variants

You could run for more support and personal sustain.
Taking would be a ~3.5% DPS loss and allow you to provide ~20% Quickness uptime to your subgroup.
gives you more pages to spend on utility tome skills.

Equipment

Head
Viper

Shoulders
Viper

Chest
Viper

Hands
Viper

Legs
Viper

Feet
Viper

Backpiece
Sinister

Accessory
Viper

Amulet
Viper

Ring
Viper

Axe
Viper

Torch
Viper

Sigil

Scepter
Viper

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

is slightly more DPS and follows the same rotation, but be aware that you do not generate the conditions necessary to trigger the rune yourself, so make sure another player is able to provide Confusion or Torment.

Non-SotO Relics

Unfortunately there aren't any good core damage relics for condi firebrand, so you may wish to pick an option that offers some utility instead. Otherwise the best option is probably and using as your elite - it has a 30s icd, so using it every other time you cast will help you keep track.

Consumables

Food

or ascended variants

Utility

- or for a cheaper alternative

Usage

Rotation

The basic idea is to use skills off cooldown while spamming Burning with key skills.

Axe is by far the most damaging weapon set. However, if you need to swap to Sceptre for ranged damage, you have several long cast-times that that can be used to cover the time and minimise the need to use Sceptre's weak autoattacks.

Thanks to , expending all charges of generates two pages. This means that you can frequently jump into and use any or all of the following skills (listed in order of priority):

Opener
During the opener spam all charges as fast as you can without delaying other skills

and during the cast
Epilogue Ashes of the Just
Chapter 4 Scorched Aftermath
Chapter 2 Igniting Burst
Stow Tome
x2
- if you're very fast you can fit this in before the Zealot's Fire throws, but don't miss them!

Axe

While on Axe, you mostly use and off cooldown and autoattack in between, making sure to finish auto chains.

When comes off cooldown, activate it and wait for the second charge from , then throw both charges together. You want these two to remain synced up, but if they become desynced just use them off cooldown.

Tome Usage

You cannot see the cooldown of your tome skills outside of your tome, but Epilogue Ashes of the Just has the same cooldown as , and Chapter 2 Igniting Burst has the same cooldown as . By casting these skills in close succession it is somewhat possible to keep track. Using three skills in one burst provides a page refund via so the third skill is essentially free.

Scepter

You may occasionally want to swap to Scepter for ranged damage. As the autoattacks are very weak, you want to cover as much time on this weapon with the following:

throws
Recharging

Using these skills means you spend as little time autoattack as possible whilst still being able to benefit from .

Video example

General Tips

All mantras are instant cast and should be used while performing the rest of the rotation.
and should be used in place of autoattacks when up. You should throw the free you get from as well.
- is not affected by Alacrity, but is. This means they have approximately the same cooldown so if you activate when it comes off cooldown and wait until triggers, you can throw both in quick succession.
Make sure to always complete your auto attack chain while on Axe.

Encounter Specific Tips

Note: Tomes have been significantly reworked since the tips below were written, so any use of utility tomes may come at a substantial DPS loss.

Spirit Vale

Vale Guardian

Use on Scepter to Immobilize Seekers that are getting too close.
Make sure not to face Seekers when using to ensure you don't pull them into the group.
You can bring to provide some Quickness in the split phase, if you will not have any other source.
can be used to invuln the damage if you are skipping greens.
If you don't trust your healers, you can bring to heal up after a skipped green.
can be used to quickly recover after a skipped green, or at the end of the split phase.
The split phase guardian will reset your when they die, so you don't need to save it for the main phase.

For more information, see our Vale Guardian Guide.

Spirit Woods

For more information, see our Spirit Woods Guide.

Gorseval the Multifarious

can be used to pull the little spirits into Gorseval to they can be cleaved down.
During the split phase, use on the big spirits to prevent them moving into Gorseval.
During the later parts of the encounter it may be worth dropping your on the Orbs to prevent them expanding into the group.

For more information, see our Gorseval the Multifarious Guide.

Sabetha the Saboteur

For more information, see our Sabetha the Saboteur Guide.

Salvation Pass

Slothasor

Use to pull slublings (NOT the friendly slubling) into the stack.
- Slublings reset your when they die, so be on the lookout for stray ones to pull in.
If you are the only firebrand in the group, you might want to bring to provide Stability for the Fear.
can be used while jumping in Slothasor's hitbox to block the spores from the shake attack.
can be used to quickly cleanse conditions if people are hit by the shake attack.
If slubling pressure is too high, then Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark in can reduce it, though some slubling attacks are unblockable.

For more information, see our Slothasor Guide.

Bandit Trio

is worth taking to reduce general annoyance from the various bandit CCs.

For more information, see our Bandit Trio Guide.

Matthias Gabrel

You can be the group's primary reflect if you bring . Note that you must place the wall inside Matthias' hitbox, or the targeted person will need to remain still in order to ensure all the shards are reflected correctly.
if you are not the main reflect, you can be a backup by using Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark in .
If your group's CC is bad, take to easily break the sacrifice. Matthias will no longer try to sacrifice players in the abomination phase, so you can use it to block the Shards of Rage attack instead (make sure not the block the bubble attack).
Matthias will Fear the whole squad when transitioning into the abomination phase. If it's available, enter and apply as much Stability and Resolution to your group as possible to protect against this.

For more information, see our Matthias Gabrel Guide.

Stronghold of the Faithful

Escort

is worth taking to reduce general annoyance from the various White Mantle CCs.

For more information, see our Escort Guide.

Keep Construct

can be used to pull the orb into a rift.
Slightly delay after the orb collecting phase and drop it on the group and KC when it starts using phantasmal blades to cleanse the Confusion and Torment from your subgroup.

For more information, see our Keep Construct Guide.

Twisted Castle

is worth taking to reduce general annoyance from the various White Mantle CCs.

For more information, see our Twisted Castle Guide.

Xera

Use to pull adds into the stack.
Use during the split phase and on the "puzzle islands" to clear condis, provide Swiftness, and keep everyone alive.
You can help clear shards with without having to run into the AoEs.

For more information, see our Xera Guide.

Bastion of the Penitent

Cairn the Indomitable

If you have no other source of Stability, you can bring to help your group to skip greens.
If you are skipping greens and is not off cooldown, you can use to provide some Stability to your subgroup instead.

For more information, see our Cairn the Indomitable Guide.

Mursaat Overseer

For more information, see our Mursaat Overseer Guide.

Samarog

Epilogue Eternal Oasis in can be dropped on the target of Brutalize to boost healing to them during the break bar.
If your group's CC is lacking, you can bring . Try to drop it on the target of Brutalize to provide some incidental healing as well as CC.

For more information, see our Samarog Guide.

Deimos

When blocking Mind Crush rather than hiding in the dome, you will take ticking damage for 10 seconds afterwards, so will be useful to keep people alive.
If you are responsible for Aegis then you need to take as the duration and AoE are much larger.
can be used to Immobilize Prides to keep them away from Saul.

For more information, see our Deimos Guide.

Hall of Chains

Soulless Horror

Make sure not to pull the Tormented Dead into the group with .
After the Tormented Dead has been knocked, you can use to keep it Immobilized at range.
can be useful in dealing with conditions if people are hit by scythes or the Tormented Dead AoE.
If CC is severely lacking, you could take to help.

For more information, see our Soulless Horror Guide.

River of Souls

You could bring as an emergency heal.

For more information, see our River of Souls Guide.

Statues of Grenth

Do not run on the eyes, as the Daze will overwrite the orb stun.

For more information, see our Statues of Grenth Guide.

Dhuum

You can use Epilogue Eternal Oasis at every Greater Death Mark to convert the Torment.

For more information, see our Dhuum Guide.

Mythwright Gambit

Conjured Amalgamate

Use to pull in swords and CC shields.

For more information, see our Conjured Amalgamate Guide.

Sorting and Appraisal

For more information, see our Sorting and Appraisal Guide.

Largos Assassins

As it's hard to maintain DPS during Nikare's charge, use or to heal and clear condis, or provide extra toughness and Protection.
The breakbar attack fires out projectiles than can be blocked with Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark.
The Largos are Exposed for eight seconds after being broken, so it may be beneficial to try your burst to coincide with this - if you enter your tome as the breakbar appears this should be approximately the correct timing.

For more information, see our Largos Assassins Guide.

Qadim

can be used to pull Magma Elementals (either into the group or away, depending on strategy).
If the squad is really struggling to prevent the Lava Elementals from reaching Qadim, you could consider bringing as this will prevent them from being able to enter his hitbox for five seconds. Be aware that this will also push Magma Elementals out, so be very careful when you use it.

For more information, see our Qadim Guide.

The Key of Ahdashim

Cardinal Sabir

is a good choice here as Sabir cannot be damaged during one of his defiance bars, so breaking it quickly is a group DPS increase.
will allow you to invuln through some shockwaves and hold on to the damage buff.

For more information, see our Cardinal Sabir Guide.

Cardinal Adina

Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark in can be used to protect against the hand knockback in the split phase by camping the tome to keep using it. Note that will not be up for every split phase (unless you are very slow) so you will either need to alternate with another player, or just keep it as a backup.

For more information, see our Cardinal Adina Guide.

Qadim the Peerless

If the group lacks another source of Stability, you should bring to protect everyone from the knock-back attack at the start of each phase.

For more information, see our Qadim the Peerless Guide.

Firebrand - Condi DPS

Contents

Overview