Firebrand - SA Burn

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:

Difficulty:

Hard

This build was last updated on September 28, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A build that uses Shattered Aegis to proc Permeating Wrath for damage while keeping the Stability support of the normal Firebrand build.

Skill Bar

Scepter/Torch

Mace/Shield

Utility

Variants

Weapons

• You have 4 viable weapon options:
  • Mace is the easiest to use and has extra defensive utility
  • Axe has a powerful CC with Blazing Edge
  • Main hand Pistol is the highest damage
  • Spear has a huge amount of hits and strong support through Resistance

Utilities

• Hallowed Ground
• "Advance!"
• Signet of Mercy
• Wall of Reflection

Template Code

[&DQEqJy4bPipLFwAANgEAAEwBAAAAAAAAGBYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

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Specializations

Variants

• Stoic Demeanor

Equipment

Head
Celestial

Shoulders
Celestial

Chest
Celestial

Hands
Celestial

Legs
Celestial

Feet
Celestial

Backpiece
Celestial

Accessory
Celestial

Accessory
Celestial

Amulet
Celestial

Ring
Celestial

Ring
Celestial

Scepter
Celestial

Torch
Celestial

Sigil

Sigil

Mace
Celestial

Shield
Celestial

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variants

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Transference increases Signet of Mercy consistency vs Poison
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Bounty
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Frenzy
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Fire

Rune

• Rune of Superior Rune of Leadership

Relic

• Relic of the Herald - make sure party has a good Swiftness source

Consumables

• or

Usage

General

• Focus on using your pages for your highest value skills: Chapter 4 Scorched Aftermath, Epilogue Ashes of the Just, Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand, and Epilogue Unbroken Lines
  • Chapter 3 Heated Rebuke can sometimes be worth the pages
  • If you use Chapter 4 Scorched Aftermath and Epilogue Ashes of the Just while in Tome of Justice make sure to use Tooltip|Chapter 2: Igniting Burst to proc Swift Scholar
• Avoid using the final charge of Mantra of Solace

Priorities

High

• Stability
• Stunbreaking aliies
• Signet of Mercy - if applicable

Moderate

• Damage

Low

Surviving

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

Active defense priority

• Mantra of Liberation - for stunbreaking
• "Stand Your Ground!" - for stunbreaking
• Tome of Resolve - for Immobilize
  • Epilogue Eternal Oasis
  • Chapter 2 Radiant Recovery
• Tome of Courage + Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand - for Immobilize
• Dodge
• Shield of Absorption - only if the knockback isn’t disruptive
• Aegis
  • Shield of Judgment
  • Mantra of Solace

Stability

• Apply Stability before allies get caught by enemy CC
• When using "Stand Your Ground!" cover the application by applying other boons immediately after the cast
  • Mantra of Solace is ideal for this
• Avoid overlapping multiple Stability sources on your party, both your own and other players
• The final charge of Mantra of Liberation is very powerful, but should be conserved for use when all other Stability are expended
• 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

• "Stand Your Ground!"
• Tome of Courage + Epilogue Unbroken Lines
• Hallowed Ground - if applicable
• Mantra of Liberation

Stunbreaking

• Mantra of Liberation 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

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 Mantra of Solace before beginning the cast
• Cover the cast with Stability ("Stand Your Ground!" or Mantra of Liberation 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.

Damage

• Start fights on Scepter/Torch to use Symbol of Punishment (and Cleansing Flame if in range) before swapping to Mace/Shield
• The majority of your damage comes from Shattered Aegis and Permeating Wrath
  • Whenever the enemy is in range to be hit by Shattered Aegis use Shield of Judgment or Mantra of Solace
    • Make sure to space out your casts slightly to give the aegis time to be hit by the enemy, if you overwrite Aegis with a new application you'll waste a Shattered Aegis proc
• The other way you proc Permeating Wrath is with your ground AoEs: Symbol of Faith, Symbol of Punishment, Purging Flames and Chapter 4 Scorched Aftermath
• Epilogue Ashes of the Just can be used right before your group engages to increase the spike

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.