View source for Firebrand - Frontline Firebrand

{{MBuild
| profession = guardian
| specialization = firebrand
| designed for = wvw
| focus = ground control, healing,  support, utility
| rating = Archived
}}

==Overview==
Frontline firebrand provides a large amount of {{gw2wiki|Stability}} as well as moderate damage, healing and utility.

==Skill Bar==
{{Skillbar
| profession = guardian
| specialization = firebrand
| set1 = Hammer
| set2 = Mace, Shield
| healing = "Receive the Light!"
| utility1 = "Stand Your Ground!"
| utility2 = Mantra of Potence
| utility3 = Mantra of Lore
| elite = Mantra of Liberation
}}

===Weapon Variants===
'''Staff'''
{{Skillbar standard
| profession = Guardian
| specialization =
| weapon1 = Staff
}}
* Staff can be used instead of hammer or Mace/Shield to provide a very powerful healing burst and additional might through empowers, on top of its general usefulness through symbols and CC.

===Skill Variants===
'''Heal'''
* {{Skill|Mantra of Solace}} slightly lesser but more frequent healing.

'''Utility'''
* {{Skill|Purging Flames}} group conditions cleanse.
* {{Skill|Wall of Reflection}} if projectile hate is needed.
* {{Skill|Contemplation of Purity}} strong option against personal short time condition overload
* {{Skill|Merciful Intervention}} A powerful mobility, healing and reviving tool. Extremely effective if used well

'''Elite'''
* {{Skill|Renewed Focus}} personal defense option

==Specializations==
{{Specialization|Honor|mid|mid|bot}}
'''Variants'''
* {{trait|Invigorated Bulwark}} trades rezz proficiency for increased healing output.
* {{trait|Pure of Voice}} higher stability uptime but looses personal sustain and healing output.
{{Specialization|Virtues|mid|mid|bot}}
{{Specialization|Firebrand|bot|mid|bot}}
* {{trait|Legendary Lore}} when lacking protection uptime. Looses a good source of quickness.

===Variants===
Swap Virtues to Valor for higher uptime of the Tome of Courage at the cost of group healing and offensive power.
{{Specialization|Valor|mid|mid|bot|variant=y}}
'''Variants'''
* {{trait|Communal Defenses}} excellent passive healing bonus, preferred option if having multiple guards using Valor as {{trait|Strength in Numbers}} doesn't stack.
* {{trait|Altruistic Healing}} excellent self sustain option but reduces access to the tome.

==Equipment==
{{PvE equipment
| stats = Celestial
| rarity = Ascended
| runes = 6 Superior Rune of Durability
| infusions = 18 Mighty WvW Infusion
| s1w1 = Ascended, Celestial, Hammer, Superior Sigil of Energy+Superior Sigil of Bloodlust
| s2w1 = Ascended, Celestial, Mace, Superior Sigil of Energy
| s2w2 = Ascended, Celestial, Shield, Superior Sigil of Concentration
}}
=== Consumables ===
* {{Food|Plate of Mussels Gnashblade}} 
* {{Utility|Magnanimous Maintenance Oil}}

===Variants===
'''Stats'''
* Swap '''Celestial''' for '''Crusader's''' for an easier to obtain stat.
* '''Minstrel's''', '''Wanderer's''' and '''Commander's''' are good options to add boon duration.
* '''Marauder''' is a good option to add damage.
* '''Cleric's''' can be used to add healing power.

'''Runes'''
* {{Rune|Superior Rune of the Water}} good access to constant healing with {{Skill|Mantra of Solace}}
* {{Rune|Superior Rune of the Monk}} highest healing option - good when using several '''Minstrel's''' parts
* {{Rune|Superior Rune of Mercy}} strong option for GvG

'''Sigils'''
* {{Sigil|Superior Sigil of Concentration}} for {{gw2wiki|Stability}} and {{gw2wiki|Quickness}} uptime.
* {{Sigil|Superior Sigil of Transference}} or {{Sigil|Superior Sigil of Benevolence}} for increased group healing.
* {{Sigil|Superior Sigil of Renewal}} instead of Sigil of Energy. While {{trait|Selfless Daring}} outscales the Renewal Sigil at 370+ Healing Power, it can be useful for inexperienced players.

'''Infusions'''
* 18x {{UC/WvW Healing Infusion|label=yes}}

'''Food'''
* {{Food|Fried Oyster Sandwich}} offensive variant of the damage reduction food.
* {{Food|Delicious Rice Ball}} good option when requiring more group heal.
* {{Food|Red Lentil and Flatbread Feast}} alternative feast option against condition pressure.

'''Utility'''
* {{Utility|Bountiful Maintenance Oil}} alternative support option, also benefits from other modificators of outgoing healing.
* {{Utility|Magnanimous Sharpening Stone}} offensive option.

==Usage== 
'''General'''
* Use {{Skill|Renewed Focus}} to escape damage. {{Skill|Renewed Focus}} will also refresh your tomes, meaning it is best used when all tomes are on cooldown.
* Use {{Skill|Purging Flames}} when you are being overwhelmed with conditions. Try to use it during fights and not on regroups, where you may block allies from blasting water fields. 
* {{Skill|"Stand Your Ground!"}} - gives '''area Stability''' to help secure stomps/resurrection or mitigate the effectiveness of an enemy CC (''try to use SYG proactively, before a bomb''). It is only a stun break for yourself, not your party. 
** If possible use {{Skill|"Stand Your Ground!"}} while {{Trait|Stalwart Speed}} and/or {{sigil|Superior Sigil of Concentration}} are ready/active.
* {{Skill|Tome of Courage}} is your -and your party's- panic stability and area break stun. Use it only after {{Skill|"Stand Your Ground!"|}} is on cooldown and stability it urgently needed.
* {{trait|Selfless Daring}} and {{trait|Pure of Heart}} make up a significant part of your group healing. Try to use your dodge rolls and aegis skills not only just for personal defense but also when your group requires some healing.

'''Tomes'''
* Tomes will go on full cooldown once stowed so make sure to only pull them out when you can make full use of them.
* Use {{Skill|Tome of Justice}} on spikes and for general DPS 
** Use Epilogue: Ashes of the Just as often as possible for a significant group damage increase.
** On spikes pull enemies in with Chapter 3: Heated Rebuke then follow up with Chapter 4: Scorched Aftermath and Chapter 2: Igniting Burst
* {{Skill|Tome of Resolve}} brings high healing and condition cleanse.
** Try to use Epilogue: Eternal Oasis before other healing skills to benefit from the increased healing. 
** Chapter 4: Shining River creates a Water Field - coordinate with your allies to blast it for healing.
* Use {{Skill|Tome of Courage}} for its {{gw2skill|Stability}} access to fill in gaps between {{skill|"Stand Your Ground!"}}
** Chapter 4: Stalwart Stand brings a very strong pulsing {{gw2wiki|Resistance}} field, make use of it against condition pressure.

'''Hammer'''
* Rotation: Engage with {{Skill|Zealot's Embrace}}, {{Skill|Virtue of Justice}} and immediately after use {{Skill|Mighty Blow}}. Catch enemies with {{Skill|Ring of Warding}}. Continue autoattacking until {{Skill|Mighty Blow}} is ready or until you regroup, in which case save {{Skill|Mighty Blow}} to blast Water Fields.
* {{Skill|Mighty Blow}} is a blast finisher - use it on combo fields like fire, water, and chill. 

'''Mace/Shield'''
* Use Mace/Shield to support your group and create heavy burst CC and healing. The autoattack provides very strong AoE healing. 
* Rotation: Autoattack continuously throughout the fight. When bombing the enemy in Mace, use your {{Skill|Symbol of Faith}} to give an extremely high healing Regeneration plus AoE pressure. Then activate on your shield {{Skill|Shield of Judgment}} for a burst heal to allies and protection, followed by {{Skill|Protector's Strike}} for a high damage skill and a small damage mitigation. Either when you see a downed enemy or ally, use {{Skill|Shield of Absorption}} to push back a res/stomp attempt, either double tapping for a large burst AoE heal or channeling for projectile defense.