Braum is the ultimate protector. While other supports play to kill or engage, Braum plays to nullify — blocking projectiles with E, stunning through ally autos with his passive, and peeling with R knockup when enemies dive your backline. Your greatest strength is making your carries unkillable.
Abilities
Skills Overview
P
Concussive Blows
Passive
Braum's basic attacks apply Concussive Blows. Once the first stack is applied, ally basic attacks also stack Concussive Blows. Upon reaching 4 stacks, the target is stunned and takes magic damage. For the next few seconds they cannot receive new stacks, but take bonus magic damage from Braum's attacks.
Concussive Blows stuns after 4 stacks — YOU apply 1 stack per hit, but allies each apply 1 per auto. In lane, apply 1 stack with Q or auto, then have your ADC auto-attack 3 times for the stun. This is your bread-and-butter CC chain.
Q
Winter's Bite
Skillshot · Slow · Passive Apply
Braum propels freezing ice from his shield, slowing and dealing magic damage.Applies a stack of Concussive Blows.
CD: 8/7.5/7/6.5/6 · Cost: 45/50/55/60/65
Winter's Bite applies 1 stack of Concussive Blows on hit. Use Q to start the passive from range — then walk up to auto for the 2nd stack while your ADC gets the 3rd and 4th.
W
Stand Behind Me
Dash · Ally Targeted
Braum leaps to a target allied champion or minion. On arrival, Braum and the ally gain Armor and Magic Resist for a few seconds.
CD: 12/11/10/9/8 · Cost: 40
Stand Behind Me dashes you to ANY ally including your jungler or midlaner. In lane, dash to your ADC to shield them from burst. In fights, you can W to a far-away ally to save them across the map.
E
Unbreakable
Directional · Shield Wall · Projectile Block
Braum raises his shield in a direction for several seconds, intercepting all projectiles causing them to hit him and be destroyed. He negates the damage of the first attack completely and reduces the damage of all subsequent attacks from this direction.
CD: 16/14/12/10/8 · Cost: 30/35/40/45/50
Unbreakable blocks ALL projectiles — abilities, auto attacks, and ultimate projectiles. Position yourself between incoming damage and your carry. You can E while moving.
R
Glacial Fissure
Skillshot · Line · Knockup · Slow
Braum slams the ground, knocking up enemies nearby and in a line in front of him. A fissure is left along the line that slows enemies.
CD: 130/115/100 · Cost: 100
Glacial Fissure is an AoE line that knocks up and slows. Aim it to catch multiple enemies — especially good into melee engage comps who cluster when diving.
Skill Leveling Order — Max E first, then Q, then W · R at 6 / 11 / 16
| Level | Q | W | E | R | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Q — Concussive Blows applicator and slow from level 1 | ||||
| 2 | Take W — dash to ally, shield available for protect plays | ||||
| 3 | Take E — Unbreakable block, full kit available | ||||
| 4 | Level E — more damage absorbed and wider block | ||||
| 5 | Level E | ||||
| 6 | R — Glacial Fissure line knockup, teamfight controller | ||||
| 7 | Level E | ||||
| 8 | Level Q — lower CD on Concussive Blows applicator | ||||
| 9 | E maxed ✓ | ||||
| 10 | Level Q | ||||
| 11 | R rank 2 | ||||
| 12 | Level Q | ||||
| 13 | Level Q | ||||
| 14 | Q maxed ✓ | ||||
| 15 | Start leveling W — lower CD on ally dash | ||||
| 16 | R rank 3 | ||||
| 17 | Level W | ||||
| 18 | W maxed ✓ |
Itemization
Recommended Builds
Starter Items
Relic Shield
HP sustain and gold generation. Braum's auto-attack pattern generates Relic Shield charges naturally through the passive.
400g
Health Potion
Early sustain for aggressive lane trades.
50g
Core Build
Locket of the Iron Solari
Shields your entire team — perfect for a peel support who wants to protect everyone at once. Pop it as enemies start their burst combo.
3190g
Mobility Boots
Roaming to dash to low-HP allies across the map. W to any ally from a roam position saves them from unexpected burst.
1000g
Warmog's Armor
Massive HP pool lets you absorb projectiles through E without dying. More HP = more damage blocked = more allies protected.
3000g
Frozen Heart
Attack speed slow aura on the enemy team. Ideal against Caitlyn, Jinx, Kog'Maw — the exact carries Braum is picked to counter.
2500g
Situational
Thornmail
Grievous Wounds on auto attacks. Critical against healing-heavy comps like Soraka ADC or Samira with LifeSteal.
2700g
Knight's Vow
Direct damage redirect from your carry to yourself. Combined with your E block, you absorb an enormous amount of damage meant for your ADC.
2300g
Force of Nature
MR for heavy AP comps. More movement speed lets you W to threatened allies faster.
2800g
Locket first for immediate teamfight contribution. Warmog's next for maximum E absorption value. Frozen Heart is exceptional against ADC-heavy compositions that Braum naturally counters.
Engage Core
Shurelya's Battlesong
Speed boost for your team to follow your R knockup. After Glacial Fissure lands, Shurelya's lets everyone collapse instantly.
2500g
Locket of the Iron Solari
Shield your team during the engage window before the enemy counterattacks.
3190g
Warmog's Armor
Sustain and HP to engage repeatedly across a long game.
3000g
Run Shurelya's build when your team needs engage rather than peel. Braum's R combined with Shurelya's creates a devastating engage sequence.
Runes
Resolve Primary
Aftershock
Triggers on Concussive Blows stun or your R knockup — gives massive bonus resistances during your protection window. Makes you nearly impossible to burst when you're blocking for your team.
Font of Life
Your Q and Concussive Blows stun marks enemies — every ally auto on them heals. Sustain for your ADC during extended trading.
Conditioning
Free armor and MR scaling that amplifies your already strong base resistances. You become increasingly hard to kill as the game goes on.
Unflinching
Tenacity and slow resist when low HP — critical for staying in front of your carry while absorbing punishment.
Inspiration Secondary
Biscuit Delivery
Early mana sustain. Braum is somewhat mana hungry early with Q poke and W dashes.
Cosmic Insight
Flash CDR is critical — Flash into R is your surprise engage tool that enemies can't predict.
Shards
Ability Haste · Armor · Health
Gameplay
How to Play Braum
01
Early Game
Set Up Concussive Blows and Control Lane
- At level 1, auto attack the enemy ADC once to apply the first Concussive Blows stack. Then have your ADC auto 3 times for the stun. This setup is free and extremely punishing at level 1.
- Q applies Concussive Blows from range — use it to start the passive on an enemy, then walk up to auto for the 2nd stack. Your ADC needs 2 more autos after that for the stun.
- Avoid aggressive trades without your ADC's follow-up. Braum's damage output is very low — your value comes entirely from your passive and E block. Let your carry do the damage.
- Use W to dash to your ADC if they're being all-inned. You appear between them and the enemy, and your E block can stop the incoming burst. This surprise positioning wins many trades.
- Control Ward the tri-bush or river pixel brush every back. This gives you vision of roaming enemies and lets you W-dash to your ADC before they get caught.
02
Mid Game
Roam and Protect Your Carries
- After Locket completion, roam to mid and look for R knockup setups. Your R line is long — throw it down a lane to catch multiple enemies walking in a line.
- In skirmishes, always stand between the incoming damage source and your carry. Your E blocks are most valuable when you absorb the key poke ability — Caitlyn Q, Ezreal Q, etc.
- Before Dragon fights, use R to poke the enemy team from the river entrance. A R knockup before the fight forces them to burn summoners or take a free knockup into your team's engage.
- Coordinate your stun setup with your jungler. Q the target, tell your jungler to auto 3 times. The passive proc from a 3-auto stun sets up any jungler's full burst combo.
- Track which enemies have dashes or displacement abilities. Braum's E cannot block Lee Sin R or Blitzcrank W knockbacks — don't position expecting those to be blocked.
03
Late Game
Block Key Abilities and CC Divers
- In teamfights, always position between the enemy carry's attack direction and your ADC. Your E is most valuable blocking Caitlyn R, Jinx rockets, or Jhin 4th shot — anticipate these and block them.
- R at the start of a fight to knock up multiple enemies — then activate Shurelya's for your team to follow up. The 1-second knockup followed by a speed burst is a lethal engage chain.
- Your W's dash to ANY ally means you can save your midlaner or top laner getting burst — not just your ADC. Develop awareness of who's in danger across the entire fight.
- Thornmail after Frozen Heart if the enemy ADC has lifesteal. The combo of attack speed reduction and grievous wounds destroys scaling auto-attackers like Kog'Maw or Jinx.
- Late game, your primary role is to never let the enemy ADC die your ADC. Constant positioning between the two ADCs, E blocking key shots, and R knockup on divers wins games.
Teamfighting
How to Teamfight as Braum
Braum teamfights by nullifying the enemy's output rather than creating damage. Block the big shots with E, apply Concussive Blows stuns on carries, and R knockup anyone who dives your backline. The fight goal is simple: let your team deal damage freely while the enemy cannot deal it to you.
1
Pre-Fight — Position as Shield Wall
Before engage
01
Stand in front of your ADC in the direction of incoming fire. Identify the main damage source — Caitlyn, Jinx, Xerath — and face E toward them.
02
Apply Q to the main target before the fight starts. Pre-stacked Concussive Blows means your ADC only needs 3 autos for an immediate stun when the fight opens.
03
Activate Locket as the first abilities land — your team enters the fight shielded.
E does NOT block everything — specifically not Lee Sin R, Gragas R, or Blitzcrank W knockbacks (displacement, not projectiles). Don't waste E on these — it won't block them.
2
Fight — Block and Stun
Fight opening
01
E immediately when the enemy carry fires their key ability. Caitlyn R, Jinx Super Mega Death Rocket, Jhin 4th shot — these are the abilities your E exists to block.
02
Auto attack the main target to build Concussive Blows. Each of your autos + your ADC's 3 autos = guaranteed stun. Stay on the same target to stack efficiently.
03
W to your ADC if they're being dived — appear between them and the assassin. Your E facing the assassin blocks their auto attacks and most abilities.
3
Aftermath — R the Divers
Mid-fight
01
R anyone who dives your backline — Glacial Fissure's line knockup can hit multiple diving melee champions. They're stunned in place for your team to burst.
02
Q fleeing enemies to apply the first Concussive Blows stack for the chase. Your ADC can then auto 3 times during the chase for a stun that ends the fight.
03
Stay near your ADC through the end of the fight. Your presence blocks projectiles even without actively pressing E — the threat alone changes enemy positioning.
Braum's R range is much longer than it looks in practice. Practice throwing it down extended corridors — you can hit enemies 1500+ units away if aimed perfectly.
Tips & Tricks
Advanced Mechanics & Hidden Tech
Advanced mechanics for Braum.
Basic
Q First to Start Passive
Always start Concussive Blows with Q from range — it applies 1 stack safely. Then walk up to auto for the 2nd stack. Your ADC handles the 3rd and 4th for the stun. Never waste your Q as just a slow.
Basic
E Blocks Projectiles Only
Unbreakable blocks projectile abilities and auto attacks but NOT displacement or non-projectile abilities. Lee Sin R, Gragas R, and Zac E are not blocked. Know exactly what E stops.
Intermediate
W to Allies for Emergency Saves
Stand Behind Me dashes you to ANY ally — including ones across the map in a side skirmish. If your midlaner is getting burst, you can W to them from bot lane and block incoming damage. This play is almost never expected.
Intermediate
E While Moving
Unbreakable can be activated while walking — you don't have to stop to block. Keep moving toward your defensive position while holding E up. This makes repositioning while blocking much more effective.
Advanced
Passive Stun Through Multiple Allies
Each unique ally generates their own stacks of Concussive Blows contribution. In a 5v5 teamfight, if you and 2 other allies all auto the same target — Q (you), auto (ally 1), auto (ally 2), auto (ally 3) — the stun procs almost immediately.
Basic
R Down Narrow Paths
Glacial Fissure is most effective in narrow corridors — river paths, jungle paths, and lane. Aim it down the Dragon or Baron pit entrance to catch the entire enemy team walking in a line.
Intermediate
W into Enemy for Passive Reset
You can W to an enemy champion — you'll appear next to them and your next auto applies the first Concussive Blows stack. This is a gap-close that lets you initiate from unexpected angles.
Advanced
Frozen Heart + ADC Counter
Frozen Heart's attack speed aura debuff affects any enemy within 700 units. Position next to the enemy ADC during fights to constantly slow their attack speed. Combined with E blocking their shots, you effectively nullify their damage output entirely.
Matchups
Counters & Matchups
Braum struggles against poke compositions that deal damage from outside E range and champions who can CC him before he positions as a shield. He excels against burst ADCs and projectile-heavy compositions.
Click any matchup to expand tips & how to play against them
Loses Against
Blitzcrank hooks Braum himself before he can position as a shield. Braum being pulled away from his ADC means the ADC is exposed to the follow-up E knockup with no protection.
Stay close to your ADC at all times so Blitz cannot hook you away from them. If you get hooked, W back to your ADC immediately after the CC expires.
Leona's E+Q engage comes from behind the minion wave where your E has no angle. She engages on you rather than your ADC, negating your protective role. Her CC chain stuns you while the ADC is exposed.
Counter-engage on Leona with R when she dashes in. The knockup reverses her engage and gives your ADC time to escape or deal damage.
Nautilus hooks from outside your E's blocking angle and his ult tracks any target across the screen. His tankiness means your Concussive Blows barely damage him.
Focus on Concussive Blows stuns on the Nautilus to slow his engage. Let your jungler handle the damage — your job is to keep the Nautilus CC'd.
Wins Against
Jhin's 4th shot and W are projectiles blocked by your E. He has no gap close against your W dash. Concussive Blows stun completely neutralizes his slow 4-shot rhythm during the stun window.
Absorb Jhin's 4th shot with E — it's his highest-damage moment. After blocking it, immediately engage on him as he's in his reload animation.
Your E blocks Caitlyn's R and her auto-attack pattern. She relies on range advantage but your Q applies Concussive Blows from distance and your ADC can auto her down when she's stunned.
Block every Caitlyn headshot and R with E. She deals massive single-target damage on those moments — nullifying them swings the fight entirely.
Soraka has no escape from your W dash. You can dash onto her from range and immediately begin stacking Concussive Blows. She cannot heal through a stunned target's follow-up damage.
W onto Soraka when she steps up to heal. The aggressive dash forward forces her back under tower and prevents heals.
Yuumi's healing cannot compensate for the stun lockdown your passive creates on her host. The host being stunned repeatedly loses all of Yuumi's healing value.
Stack Concussive Blows on the host champion. Yuumi's healing is wasted when the host is stunned — coordinate with your ADC to auto 3 times after your first Q application.