Build:Firebrand - Support Firebrand (2024)

This build was last updated on June 08, 2024 and is up to date for the June 25, 2024 patch.

Overview

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

Skill Bar

Weapon 1: Staff

Weapon 2:

Weapon 3: Mace

Weapon 4: Shield

Healing skill: Mantra of Solace

Utility skill 1: "Stand Your Ground!"

Utility skill 2: Hallowed Ground

Utility skill 3: Sanctuary

Elite skill: Mantra of Liberation

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

Specializations

Honor: Top, Mid, Bot

Virtues: Bot, Mid, Bot

Variants

• Battle Presence with Loremaster

Firebrand: Mid, Mid, Top

Variants

• Archivist of Whispers
• Loremaster

Equipment

Rune: 6x Superior Rune of Leadership

Infusion 1: 18x Concentration WvW Infusion

Infusion 2: Undefined quantityx X

Relic: Relic of the Flock

Weapon 1: Staff

Weapon 2:

Sigil 1: Superior Sigil of Energy

Sigil 2: Superior Sigil of Bounty

Weapon 3: Mace

Weapon 4: Shield

Sigil 3: Superior Sigil of Energy

Sigil 4: Superior Sigil of Concentration

Equipment Variants

Stats

• Healing infusions are also a viable choice

Relic

• Relic of Febe
• Relic of the Zephyrite

Sigils

• Superior Sigil of Transference

Consumables

• Bowl of Fruit Salad with Mint Garnish
  • Delicious Rice Ball personal food option
• Bountiful Maintenance Oil

Usage

General

• Focus on using your pages for your highest value skills: Epilogue Eternal Oasis, Chapter 4 Stalwart Stand, and Epilogue Unbroken Lines
  • Chapter 3 Heated Rebuke and Chapter 2 Daring Challenge can sometimes be worth the pages
• Avoid using the final charge of Mantra of Solace

Priorities

High

• 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 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

Detailed Explanations

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.

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

• 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.

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
• Avoid using the final charge of Mantra of Lore unless absolute necessary to help yourself or your party survive

Condition clear priority

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

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 Mantra of Solace

Primary boon priority

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

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.