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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: HealingBoon support and Crowd control

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required: Heart of Thorns buildsPath of Fire Builds

Difficulty:
Hard
This build was last updated on January 20, 2024 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A support Firebrand build for WvW. Provides a large amount of Stability 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
  • Mantra of Lore for large numbers or if rez is unneeded
  • Signet of Mercy for smaller numbers


Template Code

[&DQExGS4rPjpLFwAANgEAAEsBAAAyAQAAGBYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]
Copy Template Code


Specializations

Variants
  • Battle Presence with Loremaster
Variants
  • Archivist of Whispers
  • Loremaster


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
Relic


Equipment Variants

Stats
  • Healing infusions are also a viable choice
Relic
  • Relic of Febe
  • Relic of the Zephyrite
Sigils
  • Sigil of Superior Sigil of Transference


Consumables

    • personal food option


Usage

General


Priorities

High
  • Stability Stability
  • Stunbreaking aliies
  • Signet of Mercy - 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
    • "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 Toggle
  • Mantra of Liberation - for stunbreaking
  • "Stand Your Ground!" - for stunbreaking
  • Tome of Resolve - for Immobilize Immobilize
  • Tome of Courage + Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand - for Immobilize Immobilize
  • Dodge
  • Empower - if you have time to finish cast
  • Holy Strike
  • Shield of Absorption - only if the knockback isn’t disruptive
  • Aegis Aegis
    • Protector's Strike
    • Shield of Judgment
    • Mantra of Solace


Detailed Explanations

Stability

  • Apply Stability 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 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 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 Stability priority Toggle


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 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 Mantra of Solace before beginning the cast
  • Cover the cast with Stability 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.


Condition clear

  • You have limited condition clear compared to other supports, focus on using yours when allies have Immobilize Immobilize
  • Avoid using the final charge of Mantra of Lore unless absolute necessary to help yourself or your party survive
Condition clear priority Toggle


CC

  • Use Sanctuary before crossing the enemy group to isolate players
  • Use your CC when:
    • Your group calls a spike:
      • Winds - Winds of Disenchantment
      • Wells - Well of Corruption+Well of Suffering
      • Shades - Desert Shroud
      • Traps - Procession of Blades+Test of Faith
    • On top of enemy downs (while alive players are on top of them)
    • Enemy groups moving defensively while your group is pushing


Healing

  • Be careful when healing others, Empower and Selfless Daring are powerful heals but can easily leave you out of position if misused
  • Give yourself quickness with Mantra of Solace before casting Empower
Healing priority Toggle
  • Empower (if you have time to finish cast)
  • Holy Strike
  • Shield of Absorption (only if the knockback isn’t disruptive)
  • Dodge (Selfless Daring)
  • Aegis Aegis
    • Protector's Strike
    • Shield of Judgment
  • Regeneration Regeneration
    • Symbol of Faith


Primary boons

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


Cover boons

  • Cover boons are low value boons applied to soak strips instead of critical boons like Stability 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 Toggle


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.


Ratings

This build has a rating of 5 stars based on 2 votes.
Log in or register to rate this build.
5 stars
Soldier198 gave this build 5 stars • July 2023
One Firebrand per party is still mandatory due to the immense amount of defensive boons it brings in addition to tons of other utility. Stability, protection, aegis, resistance, swiftness, might stacking, CC's, ranged revive, group stunbreaks, minor healing and supplemental condition cleansing. It is an extremely effective build.
5 stars
OuterOcean gave this build 5 stars • December 2022
This is still the most important support in the game, since there is so much cc in the game. No other build has the ability to negate this much other than firebrand, even after the rework.

Comments

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