Matchup

Pyke
Pyke
90%
10%

vs

48.2%

over 1827 games

Brand
Brand
18%
82%
Heavy AP damageHigh burstSustained DPSHeavy poke

Skill matchup

You are stronger early — look to snowball before your opponent scales.

Build vs Brand

Build adapted to this matchup

Starting items

Health Potion
x2

Core build

Youmuu's Ghostblade
1vs Tank
Edge of Night
2vs Tank
Voltaic Cyclosword
3vs Tank

Standard

Boots of Swiftness
4vs Slow
Umbral Glaive
5vs Tank

Summoner spells

41496%
343%

Anti AD

Plated Steelcaps
4vs AD
Guardian Angel
5vs AD
Frozen Heart
vs AD
Death's Dance
vs AD
Randuin's Omen
vs AD
Dead Man's Plate
vs AD
Zhonya's Hourglass
vs AD

Anti Heal

Chempunk Chainsword
6vs Heal

Anti AP

Mercury's Treads
4vs CC
Maw of Malmortius
5vs AP
Kaenic Rookern
vs AP
Mercurial Scimitar
vs AP

Anti Heal

Thornmail
6vs Hybride

Anti Tank

Umbral Glaive
5vs Tank
Axiom Arc
vs Tank
Hubris
vs Tank
Serpent's Fang
vs Tank
Bastionbreaker
vs Tank
Profane Hydra
vs Tank
Serylda's Grudge
vs Tank

DPS

Opportunity
DPS

Other options

Bloodsong
HP
Celestial Opposition
HP
Solstice Sleigh
HP
Locket of the Iron Solari
HP
Bandlepipes
vs Hybride
72.7% WR11 games
DominationDomination
Hail of BladesHail of Blades
Cheap ShotCheap Shot
Sixth SenseSixth Sense
Ultimate HunterUltimate Hunter
ResolveResolve
UnflinchingUnflinching
Bone PlatingBone Plating
Adaptive ForceAdaptive ForceHealth Scaling

Power Spikes

Strength by game phase

Early (0-15)
Mid (15-30)
Late (30+)
PykePyke
BrandBrand
Aggressive
Careful
Careful

Brand's abilities

Passive, spells and ultimate

Blaze (P)

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

LevelQWER
38s10s13s
67s10s13s1m40
96s9.5s13s1m40
116s9s13s1m30
166s8s11s1m20
186s8s9s1m20

Playing against Brand

How to counter and exploit weaknesses

1

Spread out: Brand's R bounces and his passive explodes in AoE. Staying grouped is suicide.

2

His Q only stuns if you're already ablaze — if he hits you with E first, absolutely dodge the Q.

3

Brand is immobile and squishy — assassins and direct engages destroy him easily.

4

Buy MR early: his damage is nearly 100% magic and his % max HP ratios hurt a lot.

Source: op.gg + LTL Engine · Patch 16.9.1 · May 8, 2026