Firebrand - Support Firebrand

Part of the current metagame

Our curator decided this build is in the current metagame regardless of rating. The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Healing, Boon support and Crowd control

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

This build was last updated on August 23, 2022 and is up to date for the August 2, 2022 game patch.

Overview

A support Firebrand build for WvW. Provides a large amount of Stability, powerful healing, cleansing and boon support.

Skill Bar

Staff

Mace/Shield

Utility

Weapon Variants

• Axe provides excellent CC but at a short range
  • Recommended for smaller numbers

Skill Variants

• for large numbers or if rez is unneeded
• for smaller numbers

Template Code

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Specializations

Variants

• can be useful for lower cooldown, especially if Quickness is already covered

Equipment

Head
Minstrel

Shoulders
Minstrel

Chest
Minstrel

Hands
Minstrel

Legs
Minstrel

Feet
Minstrel

Backpiece
Minstrel

Accessory
Minstrel

Accessory
Minstrel

Amulet
Minstrel

Ring
Minstrel

Ring
Minstrel

Staff
Minstrel

Sigil

Sigil

Mace
Minstrel

Shield
Minstrel

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Equipment Variants

Stats

• Healing infusions are also a viable choice

Sigils

• for higher Stability uptime

Runes

• better healing but less boons, boon uptime and survivability

Consumables

• • personal food option

Usage

Priorities

High

• Stability
• Stunbreaking aliies
• - if applicable

Moderate

• Condition clear
• CC
• Healing
• Primary boon support

Low

• Cover boon support

Surviving

• This build has high passive defense
• This build has no mobility skill access
• This builds has high active defense
  • While your active defenses are strong, they are ideally saved for your group and not used selfishly
  • can be prioritized over , but only if your entire party is in range and not stunned (or not in range of )

Active defense priority - for stunbreaking - for stunbreaking - for Immobilize Epilogue Eternal Oasis Chapter 2 Radiant Recovery + Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand - for Immobilize (Only outside of ) Dodge - if you have time to finish cast - only if the knockback isn’t disruptive Epilogue Eternal Oasis Chapter 4 Shining River Chapter 2 Radiant Recovery - with 1 or more conditions only Chapter 1 Desert Bloom Aegis Regeneration

Detailed Explanations

Stability

• Apply Stability before allies get caught by enemy CC
• When using cover the application by applying other boons immediately after the cast
  • is ideal for this
• Avoid overlapping multiple Stability sources on your party, both your own and other players
• Enemy CC is most likely to land when they spike your group, your group is moving through theirs, or your group is moving away from theirs.

Stability priority + Epilogue Unbroken Lines + Chapter 1 Unflinching Charge

Stunbreaking

• is your group stunbreak, use its charges very carefully - the cooldown is too long to waste them
• Allies are most likely to be CCed at the same times they need Stability or while they are the focus target.
• Turn your camera, make use of a “Look Behind” keybind and listen to voice communications to pay attention to caught allies.
• Give them additional support after stunbreaking as needed

Signet of Mercy

• Watch for low allied health bars to enable precasting (Using the skill before an ally is downed so that it finishes casting on them as soon as they do go down)
• Give yourself quickness with before beginning the cast
• Cover the cast with Stability ( or only - the others are too slow)
• Make sure to communicate over voice comms. Broadcast that you are beginning, casting and finishing the rez, include the name of the person being rezzed if possible.
• If another player with a higher priority calls they are rezzing at the same time, cancel the rez (“Stow Weapon” keybind or Escape button while in a Tome skill) and communicate the fact you are cancelling.

Condition clear

• You have limited condition clear compared to other supports, focus on using yours when allies have Immobilize
  • Allies are very likely to get Immobilize at the same times they need Stability

Condition clear priority (if applicable) + Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand (Only outside of ) (to proc Epilogue Eternal Oasis Chapter 2 Radiant Recovery ⇒ (Blast finisher)

CC

• Use your CC when:
  • Your group calls a spike:
    • Winds -
    • Wells - +
    • Shades -
    • Traps - +
  • On top of enemy downs (while alive players are on top of them)
  • Enemy groups moving defensively while your group is pushing

CC Priority (if applicable) Chapter 3 Heated Rebuke Chapter 2 Daring Challenge

Healing

• Be careful when healing others, and are powerful heals but can easily leave you out of position if misused
• Give yourself quickness with before casting

Healing priority (if you have time to finish cast) (only if the knockback isn’t disruptive) Dodge () Epilogue Eternal Oasis Chapter 4 Shining River Chapter 2 Radiant Recovery - with 1 or more conditions only Chapter 1 Desert Bloom Aegis Regeneration

Primary boons

• Defensive boons like Protection or Aegis should be prioritized when your group is on the defensive
• Offensive boons like Might and Quickness should be prioritized when your group is on the offensive
  • Especially as your group spikes, try to always use a charge of

Primary boon priority - Aegis + Quickness - Might - Protection + Aegis - Protection + Aegis

Cover boons

• Cover boons are low value boons applied to soak strips instead of critical boons like Stability
• While most boon rips randomly choose from the boons on a target, boon corrupts always work on a first in, last out priority.
  • This means that cover boons should be applied after primary boons when possible

Cover boon priority Chapter 3 Azure Sun - Vigor + Regeneration - Swiftness - Fury (if applicable) - Regeneration

Settings

• Under General Options / User Interface check Always show squad health bars and Always show party health bars. These will make it much easier to keep track of who needs your support.
• Also under General Options / User Interface turn on Thick party health bars
  • Thick squad health bars can be used too as a matter of personal preference, but is not recommended for large numbers
• Under Squad Options uncheck View as a grid. This will allow you to keep track of your allies' boons, conditions and health, enabling a better decision-making and skill management.