Firebrand - Quickness Support Healer

The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Support, Healing and Utility

Designed for: Raids and Fractals

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Normal

This build was last updated on October 17, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A Firebrand support build for raids and fractals, providing permanent Quickness and high Fury and Might uptime. This build brings a massive amount of healing, and a wide range of defensive utility including Aegis, Protection, Resistance, Resolution, Stability, heavy condition cleanse, and projectile destruction.

This build will usually be paired with a DPS-focused source of Alacrity, and it is especially popular in fractal groups as it doesn't have to give up any utility in order to provide healing.

Key to a guardian's strength is its versatility, so be sure to read the skill and trait variants to know what you should be bringing.

Skill Bar

Staff

Axe/Shield

Utility

Weapon Variants

• Sword also generates Fury to your subgroup with Symbol of Blades, and provides a teleport on a low cooldown, useful on fights like Matthias where you move around a lot.
• Spear is an option for players that own Janthir Wilds. It offers the most healing of the weapons, along with Fury, Might, Resistance, Resolution and even some condi cleanse. The Might generation is lower than Staff, its ranged capabilities are less impressive, and it lacks the utility of Shield, but the three weapons are all very strong and you can swap between different setups depending on the encounter.

Other weapon variants sacrifice your Fury or Might generation, so make sure someone else is covering these boons before using!

• Hammer provides a knockback, immobilize, and Ring of Warding, useful on fights like Samarog where pushing/CC is required. The auto chain also drops a symbol, providing a lot of healing and Protection for your subgroup.
  • If using Glacial Heart, Hammer becomes your second strongest healing weapon (after Staff) as every skill becomes a heal.
• Greatsword provides an AoE pull and good mobility, useful on fights like Slothasor for pulling adds and dropping poisons.
• Scepter is your only ranged weapon, useful for kiting mechanics like poison on Siax or flak on Sabetha while offering a bit of Might on the symbol. (But try not to kite if you can help it, as Firebrand loses a lot of effectiveness when not with the main group.)
• Mace provides an extra block and improved healing to your subgroup, as well as easy access to Protection and Regeneration.

Skill Variants

As Firebrand is a defensive support, it's important to swap skills to fit the encounter. All of the following utility skills and elite skills are viable depending on the situation:

Utility

• Hallowed Ground - A source of pulsing Stability for your team. Longer duration, but harder to use than "Stand Your Ground!".
• "Stand Your Ground!" - Instant AoE stun break and Stability.
• Mantra of Lore - Popular choice for raids. Provides tons of Regeneration and Condition Cleanse.
• Signet of Wrath - alternative signet if the DPS in your subgroup deal mainly condition damage.
• Signet of Mercy - if you think a ranged revive will be needed.
• "Hold the Line!" - more Protection and Regeneration uptime.
• "Advance!" - could be used if you need to apply Aegis in a larger AoE than Mantra of Solace, or for more Aegis uptime in general.
• Shield of the Avenger - destroys projectiles in fights like Arkk. Isn't always reliable as the shield has very low health and can be killed easily.
• Wall of Reflection - reflects projectiles. Take it if Chapter 3: Valiant Bulwark is not enough for the fight.
• Hammer of Wisdom - even more CC.
• Sanctuary - very strong CC. Also works well in situations where mobs heavily outnumber your team:
  • Subject 6 in Thaumanova Reactor Fractal, prevents mini oozes from coming to subject 6 when your teammates take down Veteran Ooze.
  • Elite Molten Flame Shaman(before crossing bridge)/Champion Molten Effigy in Molten Boss Fractal.
  • Abyss chamber and Last boss prevent spectral flames from reaching your team / The Voice in Deepstone Fractal.
  • Siren's Reef (Black Peter,Deposit treasure, last 3 bosses)

Elite

• Mantra of Liberation - multiple instant AoE stun breaks and stability (and quickness if Stalwart Speed is traited).
• Renewed Focus - personal invulnerability and cooldown reset on tomes.

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Specializations

Trait Variants

• Master of Consecrations if you're running consecrations.
• Glacial Heart adds a moderate AoE heal to every CC, immobilize or chill you perform. This synergises well with a lot of your kit, but in particular Hammer.
• Pure of Heart - Worse Might uptime for slightly better heal potential. Popular choice for Raids.
• Force of Will if your party can't stay stacked in your symbols.
• Weighty Terms gives you more pages to use for utility. Make sure you're still providing enough Regeneration and Protection though.
• Protector's Impact if you want more Protection for your party.
• Protective Reviver great trait for speedy reviving.
• Archivist of Whispers if you want spam a lot of tome skills. Make sure you're still providing enough Quickness though.

Equipment

Head
Harrier

Shoulders
Harrier

Chest
Harrier

Hands
Harrier

Legs
Harrier

Feet
Harrier

Backpiece
Harrier

Accessory
Harrier

Accessory
Harrier

Amulet
Harrier

Ring
Harrier

Ring
Harrier

Staff
Harrier

Sigil

Sigil

Axe
Harrier

Shield
Harrier

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Minstrel Variant

This version gives you more toughness and vitality for surviving or tanking.

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

Axe
Minstrel

Shield
Minstrel

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Consumables

Food

Utility

• (if you use minstrel variant in raids).

Usage

Fitting Into Party Compositions

• As you provide Quickness, Fury and Might, you can be paired with any Alacrity-provider. However, if they are able to provide Fury or Might then this opens up your options for traits or weapons.
• If you’re planning to play Support Firebrand in high-level fractals, the high movement uptime can result in lower Might uptime as Empower is harder to use. It might be worth ensuring your Alacrity-provider also provides some Might to fill in the gaps.
• An important note is to make sure your teammates know you are a Support Healer and not Quickness Support Condi DPS or Condi DPS. This lets your group adapt their builds and avoids awkward moments where you have to explain why you're lowest on the DPS meter.

General Tips

• Know you should use Aegis via mob/boss attack (example: Ensolyss use his Upswing (orange AoE), Lunge, etc...)
• You don't have to use all charges on your books. Often using 1-3 abilities is enough and often more efficient.
• Use F2 Tome of Resolve for heavy pressure situations and Condi cleanse (Skill 2 and 5 remove conditions).
• Use F3 Tome of Courage for Stability, Reflects and bonus toughness for your group from Epilogue Unbroken Lines.
• Use F1 Tome of Justice in low pressure situations for additional damage.

Healing

• Get your party to stack as closely as possible to you so they get the full benefit of your heals and mantras.
• In order of healing, your strongest heals in Tome of Resolve are:
  1. Chapter 4: Shining River
  2. Chapter 3: Azure Sun
  3. Chapter 1: Desert Bloom
• While Epilogue: Eternal Oasis is nice if there are condis to cleanse, the 33% healing buff will probably be lower healing than if you'd spent those two pages on Chapter 1: Desert Bloom instead.
• Your basic healing rotation consists of swapping between staff and axe/shield and using Empower and Symbol of Vengeance as much as possible to maintain Might and Fury.
• For burst heals use Shield of Absorption, Tome of Resolve, and Holy Strike.
  • If a period of sustained healing is required, you can do 3-1-4, then exit and combo Holy Strike with the water field from Chapter 4: Shining River.
• The most powerful tool you can provide as a firebrand is Aegis. Watch for big incoming hits, then mitigate them with Protector's Strike, Shield of Judgment, or "Advance!".
  • This also improves your healing due to Invigorated Bulwark.
• Cleanse conditions if needed with Tome of Resolve - Epilogue Eternal Oasis (convert up to 5 condi to boon) or Chapter 2: Radiant Recovery, Mantra of Lore, or Holy Strike + Light Field from your weapon/utility skills.

Boons

• Depending on your rotation, you can output 9-12 stacks of Might from Empower, and ~15 from Mantra of Potence. You can also dip into Tome of Justice to fill gaps in might via Inspired Virtue and Epilogue: Ashes of the Just.
• Symbol of Vengeance or Symbol of Blades will pulse Fury to your subgroup or party. You can also generate a lot with Gleaming Disc on Spear, just make sure it is Illuminated before use.
• Use "Feel My Wrath!" to cover gaps in Quickness and Fury. The build is perfectly capable of providing both without this elite though.
• Try to dip into Tome of Resolve and use Chapter 3: Azure Sun regularly (whenever you hit max pages, for example). This is sufficient to maintain Vigor, Regeneration and Swiftness.
• Restoring Reprieve generates close to 50% Protection uptime, and Shield of Judgment provides just under 40%. The easiest way to make it permanent is to occasionally jump into Tome of Courage and use Chapter 1: Unflinching Charge.

Pre-stacking Buffs (Fractals only)

You have to prestack buffs for your party before entering boss fight. Prestacking is done near Mistlock Singularities to abuse the skill reset after using it. Don't use mistlocks before prestacking. Fractal meta is heavily dependant on prestacks!!!

• 0. Take Hallowed Ground and position yourself near Mistlock Singularity while facing your teammates.
• 1. Use Hallowed Ground to provide a fire field for blasting. <-- This is also a signal for your teammates to also start prestacking.
• 2. Use Holy Strike (Staff 2) to blast Fire field then cast Empower.
• 3. While channeling Empower, spam Mantra of Potence and use 1 charge of Mantra of Solace.
• 4. Use "Feel My Wrath!".
• 5. Take Mistlock Singularity.
• 6. Replace Hallowed Ground with your previous skill if needed.
• 7. Use 1 charge each of Mantra of Potence and Mantra of Solace.
• 8. Run for the boss as fast as possible.

Often in pug groups teammates might run towards the boss too soon or too late. To prevent that you can do step 7 while running towards the boss or when the fight is about to start. Remember to always use it on your allies.

CC

Baseline CC:

• Blazing Edge
• Shield of Absorption
• Chapter 3: Heated Rebuke
• Chapter 2: Daring Challenge

If you need more CC:

• Bane Signet
• Sanctuary - pulsing knockback for 5 seconds
• Hammer of Wisdom - 2 charges of knockdown
• Banish and Ring of Warding if using hammer
• Binding Blade if using greatsword
• Line of Warding if using staff against non-boss mobs
• Chains of Light if using scepter

General Tips

• Be careful of using Epilogue Unbroken Lines because it will grant 300 toughness to yourself and nearby allies, potentially interfering with tank aggro.
• Binding Blade or Chapter 3: Heated Rebuke can be used to pull adds together.
• Use Mantra of Liberation, Tome of Courage, "Stand Your Ground!", or Hallowed Ground if Stability is needed.
• Use Shield of Absorption, Chapter 3: Valiant Bulwark, Shield of the Avenger, or Wall of Reflection to counter projectiles.
• Use Symbol of Swiftness when running between encounters.

Encounter Specific Tips

Fractals

Aquatic Ruins

• Use Pre-stacking Buffs method before boss.
• Use Tome of Justice off cooldown, provide Might and 5, 4 for DPS boost
• Can bring "Stand Your Ground!" for Stability

Swampland

• Bring both Mantra of Lore and Mantra of Liberation in wisp stage for condi cleanse and stunbreak from traps for teammates

Nightmare

• Bring "Advance!" to block Ensolyss' slams.
• Avoid dying during Ensolyss' capture phase as you will have to charge your mantras again.

Shattered Observatory

• Bring stability for Skorvald via Tome of Courage skills and "Stand Your Ground!" if No Pain No Gain is active as your Renegade should be boonstripping with Mallyx.
• During Skorvald's last phase, provide stability to the group. Enter either or both of Tome of Resolve and Tome of Courage.
• You can use Chapter 3: Valiant Bulwark in Tome of Courage to reflect Arkk's Solar Fury (the red balls).

Spirit Vale

Vale Guardian

• Make sure not to face Seekers when using Blazing Edge to ensure you don't pull them into the group.
• Tome of Resolve can be used to quickly recover after a skipped green, or at the end of the split phase.
• If you are skipping greens, players getting teleported and downed is often a death sentence. Merciful Intervention can help you quickly recover them.
• Shield of Absorption can be used to knock away Seekers that get too close.

For more information, see our Vale Guardian Guide.

Spirit Woods

For more information, see our Spirit Woods Guide.

Gorseval the Multifarious

• "Advance!" can be used to block Gorseval's slams.
• Blazing Edge can be used to pull the little spirits into Gorseval to they can be cleaved down.
• Use Tome of Resolve during the break bar to help out-heal the returned damage.
• Outside of the break bar, the healing requirement is low on this encounter. Therefore it might be effective to bring Sanctuary to end it quickly.
  • Place Sanctuary on your group to heal them while you CC.

For more information, see our Gorseval the Multifarious Guide.

Sabetha the Saboteur

• Tome of Courage can also be used to provide Stability during the flamewall attack.
• If it's available, use Epilogue Unbroken Lines in Tome of Courage when Karde spawns, to provide toughness and protection for his flamethrower attack.

For more information, see our Sabetha the Saboteur Guide.

Salvation Pass

Slothasor

• Use Blazing Edge to pull slublings (NOT the friendly slubling) into the stack.
• Unless it's being covered by other people, bring "Stand Your Ground!" to provide Stability for the Fear attack after Slothasor's defiance bar is broken.
• Tome of Resolve 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 Tome of Courage can reduce it, though some slubling attacks are unblockable.

For more information, see our Slothasor Guide.

Bandit Trio

• "Stand Your Ground!" 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 Wall of Reflection. 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 Tome of Courage.
• If your group's CC is bad, take Sanctuary 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 Tome of Courage and apply as much Stability and Resolution to your group as possible to protect against this.
• Shield of Absorption can be used to block shards from Matthias' jump attack (make sure not to block the shards from the bubble attack).

For more information, see our Matthias Gabrel Guide.

Stronghold of the Faithful

Escort

• "Stand Your Ground!" is worth taking to reduce general annoyance from the various White Mantle CCs.

For more information, see our Escort Guide.

Keep Construct

• Blazing Edge can be used to pull the orb into a rift.

For more information, see our Keep Construct Guide.

Twisted Castle

• "Stand Your Ground!" is worth taking to reduce general annoyance from the various White Mantle CCs.

For more information, see our Twisted Castle Guide.

Xera

• Use Blazing Edge to pull adds into the stack.
• Use Tome of Resolve during the split phase and on the "puzzle islands" to clear condis, provide Swiftness, and

keep everyone alive.

For more information, see our Xera Guide.

Bastion of the Penitent

Cairn the Indomitable

• Bring "Stand Your Ground!" to help your group if you are skipping greens.
• If you are skipping greens and "Stand Your Ground!" is not off cooldown, you can use Tome of Courage 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 Tome of Resolve 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 Sanctuary. Try to drop it on the target of Brutalize to provide healing as well as CC.
• Shield of Absorption can be used to knock Rigom into Samarog.

For more information, see our Samarog Guide.

Deimos

• "Advance!" can block the pizza attack, as well as Mind Crush in an emergency (or CM).
• When blocking Mind Crush rather than hiding in the dome, you will take ticking damage for 10 seconds afterwards, so Tome of Resolve will be useful to keep people alive.
• Merciful Intervention can be used for quick ressing - especially useful on the hand kiter.

For more information, see our Deimos Guide.

Hall of Chains

Soulless Horror

• Make sure not to pull the Tormented Dead into the group with Blazing Edge.
• After the Tormented Dead has been knocked, you can use Line of Warding to prevent it from returning to the group.
• You can also knock the Tormented Dead away with Shield of Absorption
• Tome of Resolve can be useful in dealing with conditions if people are hit by scythes or the Tormented Dead AoE.
• You could take Sanctuary to help with CC.

For more information, see our Soulless Horror Guide.

River of Souls

• You could bring Signet of Courage as an emergency heal.

For more information, see our River of Souls Guide.

Statues of Grenth

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 Blazing Edge 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 Tome of Resolve or Tome of Courage 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.

For more information, see our Largos Assassins Guide.

Qadim

• Blazing Edge 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 Sanctuary 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

• Sanctuary 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.

For more information, see our Cardinal Sabir Guide.

Cardinal Adina

• Chapter 3: Valiant Bulwark in Tome of Courage can be used to protect against the hand knockback in the split phase by camping the tome to keep using it. Note that Tome of Courage 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

• You should bring "Stand Your Ground!" to protect everyone from the knock-back attack at the start of each phase.

For more information, see our Qadim the Peerless Guide.