Alistar vs Brand
Skill matchup
Build vs Brand
Build adapted to this matchup
Recommended items for Alistar: Locket of the Iron Solari, Zeke's Convergence, Knight's Vow, Boots of Swiftness, Celestial Opposition, Solstice Sleigh, Thornmail, Bandlepipes.
Starting items
Core build
Standard
Summoner spells
Anti CC
Other options
Power Spikes
Strength by game phase
Brand's abilities
Passive, spells and ultimate
Brand's spells light his targets ablaze, dealing damage over 4 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. If Brand kills an enemy while it is ablaze he regains mana. When Blaze reaches max stacks on a Champion or large monster, it becomes unstable. It detonates in 2 seconds, applying spell effects and dealing massive damage in an area around the victim.
Cooldowns
Cooldowns by spell rank
| Level | Q | W | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8s | 10s | 13s | – |
| 6 | 7s | 10s | 13s | 1m40 |
| 9 | 6s | 9.5s | 13s | 1m40 |
| 11 | 6s | 9s | 13s | 1m30 |
| 16 | 6s | 8s | 11s | 1m20 |
| 18 | 6s | 8s | 9s | 1m20 |
Playing as Alistar
Tips to maximize your impact
- Pulverize during your charge
Cast Pulverize (Q) during the Headbutt (W) charge: it's your core engage, and the target takes a knock-up as soon as you arrive.
- Stay in melee range during Trample
Stay in melee range during Trample (E): each pulse that hits a champion gives you a stack, and at max stacks your next auto stuns.
- Knock them toward your team
Get behind your target, then cast Headbutt (W) toward your team: the charge knocks them back along your path, straight into your allies.
- Cast your R when you get focused
Cast Unbreakable Will (R) when you dive under a tower or get focused: it removes all CC on you and reduces the damage you take.
Playing against Brand
How to counter and exploit weaknesses
- Dodge his Q while you burn
When you're ablaze, prioritize dodging Sear (Q): it stuns any target that's ablaze.
- Leave his pillar of flame
Leave the Pillar of Flame (W) area as soon as it appears: it lands after a short delay and hits harder if you're ablaze.
- Punish his lack of mobility
If you can engage, go in on him: his kit has no dash and no shield.
- Spread out from your allies
Spread out from your allies in teamfights: Pyroclasm (R) bounces between nearby enemies, and Blaze (passive) explodes around a target at 3 stacks.
Other Alistar matchups
Patch 16.21.1