Braum Support Guide: Tips for Shielding Your Team

Introduction

If you're looking to be the backbone of your team in League of Legends, look no further than Braum. This guardian powerhouse excels in protecting and empowering his team, making him a valuable asset in any game. In this guide, we'll delve deep into mastering Braum's passive and abilities, optimal item builds for the support role, positioning and team shielding tactics, and engagement and protection strategies. Whether you're a seasoned support main or new to the role, this guide will help you play Braum like a pro.

Mastering Braum’s Passive and Abilities

Understanding Braum’s Passive – Concussive Blows

Braum's passive, Concussive Blows, is one of his most crucial abilities. This passive allows Braum to apply a stack of Concussive Blows with each auto-attack or when he hits an enemy with Winter’s Bite. After four stacks, the enemy is stunned and takes bonus magic damage.

Tips for Mastering Concussive Blows:

• Coordinate with your ADC: Braum’s passive relies on teamwork. Communicate with your ADC to focus on targets and maximize stuns.
• Utilize in team fights: In larger skirmishes, spread stacks across multiple enemies to disrupt and control the fight.
• Apply pressure in laning phase: Use Braum's passive to threaten stuns and force enemy laners to play defensively.

Abilities Breakdown

1. Q – Winter’s Bite: Braum throws ice from his shield, dealing magic damage and applying a slow. This ability is great for poking and setting up Concussive Blows.

   • Pro Tip: Use Winter’s Bite to engage or peel off aggressive enemies.

2. W – Stand Behind Me: Braum leaps to an ally, granting both of you bonus armor and magic resist. This ability is perfect for protecting your ADC and repositioning yourself.

   • Pro Tip: Use Stand Behind Me to close gaps quickly or escape dangerous situations.

3. E – Unbreakable: Braum raises his shield, intercepting incoming projectiles and reducing damage from all directions. This ability is essential for mitigating damage in team fights.

   • Pro Tip: Time Unbreakable to block critical skills or ultimates, protecting your team from heavy burst damage.

4. R – Glacial Fissure: Braum’s ultimate sends a fissure through the ground, knocking up and slowing enemies. It’s perfect for initiating fights or disengaging.

   • Pro Tip: Aim Glacial Fissure to catch multiple enemies or disrupt enemy formation during team engagements.

Optimal Item Builds for Support Roles

Choosing the right items is crucial to maximize Braum’s effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of optimal item builds:

Core Items

• Relic Shield: Start with Relic Shield for health sustain and gold generation.
• Zeke's Convergence: Synergizes well with Braum's engage and crowd control abilities.
• Knight’s Vow: Pairs perfectly with Braum's W, giving additional protection to your ADC.

Situational Items

• Locket of the Iron Solari: Provides a shield for your team, great for mitigating burst damage.
• Mikael's Crucible: Removes crowd control effects from your carries, essential against heavy CC compositions.
• Redemption: Offers healing in team fights and additional utility.

Boots

• Mobility Boots: Allows for faster rotations and better map presence.
• Mercury’s Treads: Useful against heavy AP and crowd control-heavy teams.

Positioning and Team Shielding Tactics

Effective Positioning

Positioning is critical for any support, especially for Braum. Here are some positioning tips:

• Stay Close to Your ADC: Ensure you are in range to protect or engage with W and E.
• Zone Control: Position yourself to cut off enemy engagements and protect your backline.
• Ward Placement: Maintain vision to control objectives and prevent enemy ambushes.

Team Shielding Tactics

Mastering Braum’s shielding abilities is fundamental:

• Anticipate Burst Damage: Use Unbreakable to preemptively block high-damage abilities.
• Shield Your Carries: Prioritize shielding squishy carries to prevent them from getting burst down.
• Disruption: Use your ultimate to disrupt the enemy team's positioning, giving your team the upper hand.

Engagement and Protection Strategies

Engagement Strategies

Braum excels at initiating fights and protecting his allies. Here’s how to engage effectively:

• Coordinate with Jungler: Work with your jungler to initiate ganks and secure kills.
• Effective Use of Q: Use Winter's Bite to slow enemies, making it easier to initiate with your team.
• Follow Up with Ult: Once the enemy is slowed or stunned, follow up with Glacial Fissure to maximize crowd control.

Protection Strategies

When it comes to protection, timing is everything:

• Proactive Use of W: Use Stand Behind Me to position yourself effectively, shielding your allies from incoming damage.
• Ultimate for Disengage: If the fight is turning against your team, use Glacial Fissure for disengage, allowing your team to retreat safely.
• Prioritize CC Removal: With situational items like Mikael's Crucible, cleanse crucial CCs from key carries to keep them in the fight.

Conclusion

Playing Braum support is all about mastering his unique abilities and understanding how to shield your team effectively. By focusing on utilizing Concussive Blows, optimizing your item build, positioning strategically, and employing smart engagement and protection strategies, you can significantly increase your team’s chances of victory.

Ready to become the ultimate guardian of your team? Put these Braum support tips and strategies into practice, and see the difference it makes in your gameplay. If you found this guide helpful, share it with your fellow summoners, and leave a comment with your own Braum tips and experiences!

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