Firebrand - Condi Firebrand

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

Focused on: Condition damage and Support

Designed for: Open WorldOpen World GeneralOpen World Solo and Open World Support

Expansions required: Path of Fire Builds

This build was last updated on May 15, 2023 and is up to date for the February 14, 2023 game patch.

Overview

Condition Firebrand is simultaneously one of the strongest DPS and Support options for open world farming in a group, and is also one of the best solo options available.

The DPS version of this build offers exceptionally high damage, competing for the highest DPS slots if it has allies, while also providing very high Aegis Aegis uptime. Most of its damage is AOE, making it one of the strongest cleave options available, and its primary damage source being Burning Burning means that it has burst that rivals power builds, something most condition builds cannot offers. Its primary weakness is its reliance on melee-ranged abilities and its lack of mobility, both of which can be somewhat mitigated by the use of Scepter or Sword as backbar weapons.

Similarly, the Support version of this build (Dubbed "Condi Quickbrand") maintains very high DPS for a support while providing up to 4 allies with permanent Quickness Quickness and very high Aegis Aegis uptime.

Both builds can dip into further ally support through the use of skills such as , , and , along with being able to enter into their more defensive tomes should the situation call for it. This versatility makes them incredibly strong picks for general PVE, and especially for open world farming.


Template Code

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Skill Bar

Axe/Torch
Scepter/X
Utility


Weapon Variants

  • Staff - the best option for ranged AOE
  • Sword, Greatsword - higher burst than Scepter


Skill Variants

  • - strong option for power-based variants to provide extra vuln
  • can be used to provide extra Stability Stability.
  • for more condition cleanse.
  • for Blind Blind on demand.
  • or for more crowd control.
  • or if projectiles are a problem.
  • - party Protection Protection
  • - more quickness uptime


Specializations


Honor

Honor offers higher might generation for yourself and nearby allies, longer boon duration from symbols, and higher defensive utility thanks to endurance regeneration and the small amount of sustain. It does this at a very small DPS loss (under 10% when compared to Virtues). Replaces Virtues.


Equipment

Ascended gear is not required. You can use exotic gear with the same stats instead. Due to the nature of Firebrand, multiple Default options are listed.


Viper

This set uses gear similar to that of Build:Firebrand_-_Condi_DPS, making it a good option for general PVE.

Head
Viper
Shoulders
Viper
Chest
Viper
Hands
Viper
Legs
Viper
Feet
Viper
Backpiece
Viper
Accessory
Viper
Accessory
Viper
Amulet
Viper
Ring
Viper
Ring
Viper
Axe
Viper
Torch
Viper
Sigil
Sigil
Scepter
Viper
x
Viper
Sigil
Sigil
Rune
x6


  • Full Dire Dire or Carrion Carrion can be used along with and as a budget option. It is recommended to upgrade to proper gear as soon as possible.
  • , - budget dps


Quickness Variant

This set uses gear similar to that of Build:Firebrand_-_Quickness_Support_Condi_DPS, making it a very strong support/dps set for general PVE.

Head
Viper
Shoulders
Viper
Chest
Viper
Hands
Viper
Legs
Viper
Feet
Viper
Backpiece
Viper
Accessory
Viper
Accessory
Viper
Amulet
Viper
Ring
Viper
Ring
Viper
Axe
Viper
Torch
Viper
Sigil
Sigil
Scepter
Viper
x
Viper
Sigil
Sigil
Rune
x6


  • This variant should be run with and . It is also recommended to take .


Variant Equipment

For both variants, there are a number of options to customize the build.


Consumables

Food
  • Any ascended food is superior to any other food you could use. Steak for power, flatbread for conditions. Budget versions of these foods exist and are acceptable.
  • - farming
  • - DPS
  • - defense
Utility
  • (and variants) - farming
  • , - dps
  • - dps if using gear with high toughness


Usage

Tome Breakdown

Firebrand has three tomes. Each is dedicated to a different specialty.

  1. - Damage via Burning Burning
  2. - healing and condition cleanse
  3. - defensive boons and projectile hate

In each of these tomes, you can often just spam skills to great effect, but it is strongly advised you sit down and learn what the skills in each tome do. Some big ones to memorize:

    1. Chapter 3 Heated Rebuke Chapter 3 Heated Rebuke - circular pull that can group enemies
    2. Epilogue Ashes of the Just Epilogue Ashes of the Just - provides a very powerful buff to nearby allies
    1. Epilogue Eternal Oasis Epilogue Eternal Oasis - increases all healing allies (including you) receive
    2. Chapter 4 Shining River Chapter 4 Shining River - a large waterfield that heals
    3. Chapter 1 Desert Bloom Chapter 1 Desert Bloom - a powerful heal
    1. Chapter 1 Unflinching Charge Chapter 1 Unflinching Charge - Provides stability, which grants quickness
    2. Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark Chapter 3 Valiant Bulwark - a projectile-hate bubble
    3. Epilogue Unbroken Lines Epilogue Unbroken Lines - provides extreme defense to nearby allies for 5 seconds, also triggers


Damage

  1. /
  • Use whenever available.
  • If everything you have is on cooldown, fill with auto-attacks


Boons

  • Use your and off cooldown for Quickness Quickness.
  • Use your approximately every 7 seconds for Quickness Quickness from and .


Defense

  • has many good defensive skills. You can go into it and press a few skills (including Epilogue Unbroken Lines Epilogue Unbroken Lines if possible) to quickly stack defensive boons.
  • Carefully time your activation of to block dangerous attacks.


Crowd Control


Ratings

This build has a rating of 5 stars based on 5 votes.
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5 stars
Sotirios gave this build 5 stars • April 2021
This is April 2021 and I came back to the game after 9 years, to continue playing my long forgotten guardian. Metabattle suggested numerous builds, which I tried most of them. This build, condi-firebrand, with the combination of dire/trailblazer is working like a charm, for open world PvE, dungeons, fractals, PvP and zerg WvW. I might change to axe/shield for some extra defense and exchange some of the abilities to “stand your ground” and “mantra of liberation” but still works like a charm! It is a 5 out of 5, especially when it comes to cheap solutions with dire being one of the cheapest options for new players, which is a big help to join the end game as fast as they can.
5 stars
Ruv gave this build 5 stars • April 2021
I hate guardian. Burn the heretics, tho.
5 stars
Linera gave this build 5 stars • January 2021
The ideal build for burning demons, undead, and heretics alike. You can push out multiple stacks of burn on any foe so fast that they wont even have time to regret their poor life decisions. Its main attacks include but are not limited to: burn, more burn, 3, big burn, and bonus burn. And in the event that you are running full vipers, not even elites can withstand your holy fire. It should be noted that a firebrand is still a guardian, in other words, don't count on your health pool to soak up all the damage, especially from tougher adversaries. Abuse aegis, dodge, and don't forget protection. Overall, a powerhouse of a condi build with extreme burst. 5/5
5 stars
MasterZi gave this build 5 stars • September 2020
Despite being a big fan of the Firebrand's theme, I've been hesitant to play Guardians because of their low health pool. However, with some practice, I found that this build is capable of taking on some of the toughest enemies even in full Viper gear. Like most Guardian builds, this Firebrand build has an incredible amount of burst DPS, but what really drew me to it is the utility it provides. The boon generation, damage mitigation and sustained healing help you stay in the fight as you watch well over 10k of fire damage tick every second. I highly rate this build because while you have to be careful of your low health pool, often you can burn entire groups of enemies to a crisp without being threatened at all.
5 stars
Onlywrin gave this build 5 stars • June 2020
Easily one of the most powerful solo builds in the game. It can be a little complicated to play but it's well worth it.

Comments

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