Brant Guide: Mastering the Versatile Fusion Character

Introduction to Brant: A Versatile Fusion Character

In the ever-expanding roster of characters in the game, Brant stands out as a unique addition that has sparked considerable discussion among players. This pirate-themed fusion character brings a distinctive playstyle that, while initially confusing to many, offers remarkable versatility and potential when properly understood and built.

First Impressions and Misconceptions

Upon Brant’s release, the community’s reaction has been mixed, with significant fearmongering about his viability. Much of this stems from certain design choices in his kit that appear suboptimal on paper, particularly for players who don’t have access to his signature weapon. However, as we delve deeper into his mechanics and potential, we’ll demonstrate that his value proposition is considerably more impressive than initial assessments suggest.

The Fusion Character Archetype

As a fusion character, Brant represents an interesting evolution in the game’s character design philosophy. His kit incorporates elements that allow him to fulfill multiple roles within a team composition, making him an excellent investment for players who appreciate adaptable characters. This versatility is particularly valuable for those who need to maximize their roster efficiency.

Design Philosophy and Character Background

Brant’s character design, complete with the distinctive chest window that has become somewhat of a trope for complex characters, hints at his rich backstory. Despite the hardships suggested in his lore, Brant maintains a remarkably positive attitude—a refreshing contrast to the often gloomy tone found in areas like the Wimpering Wastes game mode.

Balancing Strengths and Weaknesses

In our comprehensive analysis, we’ll explore how Brant balances his considerable strengths with some frustrating limitations. This duality makes him a character that rewards thoughtful play and strategic team building, rather than one who simply dominates through raw power. Understanding these nuances is crucial for players looking to maximize Brant’s potential.

What to Expect in This Guide

Throughout this article, we’ll provide a thorough examination of Brant’s capabilities, optimal build paths, weapon choices, and team compositions. Our goal is to equip players with the knowledge needed to transform what might initially seem like a confusing character into a valuable asset for their roster. By the conclusion of this guide, the path to mastering Brant should be clear, regardless of whether you were drawn to him for his design, personality, or potential combat prowess.

Understanding Brant’s Kit and Abilities

In this chapter, we’ll dive deep into Brant’s unique abilities and mechanics, building upon our introduction to this versatile fusion character. Understanding the intricacies of his kit is essential for maximizing his potential in various team compositions.

 

Resonance Liberation: The Core of Brant’s Power

Brant’s Resonance Liberation serves as the foundation of his combat effectiveness. When activated, he swings on an anchor, rams into enemies, and knocks them up—a visually impressive entrance that also provides substantial combat benefits. The most significant advantage comes in the form of an attack buff: Brant gains 20 attack for every 1% Energy Recharge (ER) over 150%, with a theoretical maximum of 2600 attack at 280% ER.

While reaching the absolute maximum of 280% ER might be challenging for most players, particularly those who don’t spend on the game, achieving around 250% ER is quite feasible even for F2P players and still provides excellent damage output. This attack buff persists for 12 seconds, creating a critical window for maximizing Brant’s damage potential.

Additionally, his Liberation doubles the Forte gain from basic attacks and skills, making it strategically advantageous to deploy this ability early in his rotation to maximize the benefits throughout combat sequences.

Forte Circuit: Devastating Fusion Damage

The Forte Circuit represents Brant’s most powerful offensive capability. When activated, Brant generates a shield and drops a massive anchor beneath him that deals AoE Fusion damage. When combined with the substantial buffs from Resonance Liberation, this anchor strike delivers exceptional damage output.

However, this powerful ability comes with a notable drawback—its lengthy windup animation. Against mobile enemies or teleporting bosses, there’s a significant risk of missing entirely, which can severely impact Brant’s damage contribution. The timing and positioning required to land this ability effectively represent one of the skill-based aspects of mastering Brant.

The Forte Circuit also provides a passive benefit that grants Brant 12 attack for every 1% energy recharge over 150%, capping at 280% for a potential 1,560 attack bonus. This buff remains active until the next Liberation is used, providing sustained offensive capability even after the initial 12-second Liberation buff expires.

Healing Capabilities: The Unexpected Support Role

An often overlooked aspect of Brant’s kit is his healing functionality. For every 25% of his Forte gauge that fills, Brant provides healing to the entire team. This healing effect is further enhanced by a passive skill that increases healing output by 20%. Additionally, his Resonance Liberation also provides healing, making him surprisingly effective as a support character despite his offensive capabilities.

This dual functionality as both a damage dealer and healer exemplifies Brant’s versatility and adds significant value to his role in various team compositions.

Basic Attack Mechanics and Forte Generation

Brant’s basic attack combo features fluid, aerial movements reminiscent of Camellia’s style but with his unique pirate-themed animations. These attacks are crucial for generating Forte, which powers his devastating Forte Circuit.

One important mechanical consideration is that Brant’s midair combos require hitting enemies to maintain momentum—if you miss, you cannot bounce back and continue the combo. While these aerial maneuvers are visually impressive, they come with a vulnerability: Brant can be easily interrupted during these sequences despite having a passive that provides 15% fusion damage bonus and increased interrupt resistance while airborne.

This vulnerability creates a risk-reward dynamic where players must balance aggressive offense with appropriate defensive positioning and timing. Dodging attacks will extend rotation times but is often necessary to maintain combat effectiveness.

Intro and Outro Skills: Enhancing Team Synergy

Brant’s intro skill initiates his aerial combat style, starting him on the second attack in his basic combo sequence. This provides a quick entry into his damage rotation when he’s the active field character.

His outro skill is particularly valuable for team compositions, as it increases the next character’s fusion damage and skill damage for 14 seconds. This buff makes Brant highly adaptable to different team strategies, working effectively with characters like Cheng Lei and Carlotta.

Damage Classification and Talent Priority

A critical aspect of understanding Brant’s kit is recognizing that most of his significant damage sources, including his powerful Forte Circuit, are classified as basic attack damage. This classification influences optimal team building, as characters who enhance basic attack damage will synergize particularly well with Brant.

For talent prioritization, we recommend focusing on his Forte Circuit first, followed by basic attacks, Resonance Liberation, intro skill, and finally his regular skill. This prioritization maximizes his damage output while ensuring his support capabilities remain effective.

In the next chapter, we’ll explore how to optimize Brant’s build through Echo sets and stat priorities, with particular attention to achieving the energy recharge thresholds that unlock his full potential.

Optimal Echo Sets and Build Strategies

 

Building on our understanding of Brant’s kit and abilities, we now turn our attention to optimizing his performance through carefully selected Echo sets and build strategies. As we’ve established, Brant’s unique scaling with Energy Recharge (ER) creates distinctive build requirements that differ from many other characters in the roster.

Energy Recharge: The Foundation of Brant’s Power

The cornerstone of any effective Brant build is maximizing his Energy Recharge. While the theoretical maximum benefit comes at 280% ER, our testing shows that a more realistic and attainable target of 250% ER provides excellent results even for free-to-play players. This threshold is particularly important as it activates certain Echo set bonuses that significantly enhance Brant’s damage output.

Every percentage of ER above 150% translates directly into attack power for Brant, making this stat uniquely valuable for him compared to other characters. This scaling mechanism is what makes his build requirements so distinctive and worthy of careful consideration.

Tidebreaking Courage: Optimal for Signature Weapon Users

For players who have obtained Brant’s signature weapon, Unflickering Valor, or any weapon with an Energy Recharge main stat, the Tidebreaking Courage Echo set emerges as the premier choice. This 5-piece set provides:

• 10% Energy Recharge
• 15% Attack
• 30% damage bonus when reaching 250% ER

When paired with the Dragon of the Wild 2-piece set, which adds 12% Fusion and basic attack damage bonus, this combination creates a formidable foundation for Brant’s damage potential. This setup is particularly effective because it compensates for the damage bonus that Brant might otherwise lack when focusing heavily on ER.

For this build configuration, we recommend:

• A Crit Rate or Crit Damage 4-cost Echo
• Two Energy Recharge 3-cost Echoes
• Two Attack% 1-cost Echoes

This distribution ensures sufficient ER while maintaining critical damage potential. With Unflickering Valor specifically, substituting one ER 3-cost for a Fusion damage 3-cost can yield superior results, provided the 250% ER threshold is still achieved.

Molten Rift: The Alternative for Standard Weapons

For players using weapons without an Energy Recharge main stat, such as the free Emerald of Genesis, the Molten Rift Echo set provides a compelling alternative. This set offers up to 40% Fusion damage after using Resonance Liberation, which compensates for the lower ER values achievable without an ER-focused weapon.

The recommended Echo distribution for this build is:

• Nightmare Inferno Rider 4-cost Echo (providing both Fusion and skill damage)
• Two Energy Recharge 3-cost Echoes
• Two Attack% 1-cost Echoes

This configuration ensures Brant can still perform effectively even without his signature weapon or other ER-focused options. The emphasis on double ER 3-cost Echoes becomes even more critical with this setup to compensate for the lower base ER from the weapon.

Substat Priorities: Balancing ER and Damage

Brant’s substat priorities differ from most DPS characters due to his unique scaling. Our recommended priority order is:

1. Energy Recharge (ideally present on every Echo piece)
2. Crit Rate and Crit Damage (balanced according to the 1:2 ratio principle)
3. Basic Attack Damage Bonus

This priority list ensures that Brant maximizes his attack conversion from ER while maintaining sufficient critical hit potential to capitalize on that attack value. Even if you cannot reach the 250% ER threshold, every percentage point of ER above 150% provides substantial value, making it worth pursuing regardless.

The Reality of Weapon Impact

While we typically emphasize that signature weapons are helpful but not essential for most characters, Brant represents something of an exception. The difference between his signature weapon and free-to-play options is substantial—approximately 40% increased damage output when comparing Unflickering Valor to Emerald of Genesis.

This significant gap stems from three key advantages of his signature weapon:

• 77% Energy Recharge at level 90 (equivalent to more than two 3-cost ER Echoes)
• 8% Crit Rate
• 48% Basic Attack damage bonus at maximum passive

Despite this substantial difference, Brant remains viable with free-to-play weapons. The hierarchy of weapon recommendations for those without his signature is:

4. Emerald of Genesis (free 5-star selector option)
5. Battle Pass Sword at R5
6. Overture at S5 (4-star option with ER main stat)
7. Sword of Voyager (3-star option that performs surprisingly well with sufficient ER from Echoes)

Each of these alternatives allows Brant to function effectively, though with a noticeable reduction in his damage ceiling compared to his signature weapon.

Adapting Builds to Available Resources

The flexibility in Brant’s build options allows players to adapt based on their available resources. For newer players or those with limited Echo options, focusing on maximizing ER through whatever means available will provide the most immediate benefit. As your Echo collection expands, transitioning toward the optimal setups outlined above will progressively enhance Brant’s performance.

In the next chapter, we will delve deeper into weapon comparisons and provide more detailed analysis of each option’s strengths and limitations, building upon the foundation established here.

Weapon Recommendations and Comparisons

 

Building upon our previous discussions of Brant’s kit and Echo set optimization, this chapter focuses on the critical aspect of weapon selection. The weapon choice for Brant significantly impacts his performance, perhaps more so than for many other characters in the roster.

Unflickering Valor: The Signature Advantage

Brant’s signature weapon, Unflickering Valor, provides an exceptional performance boost that cannot be understated. Our testing confirms that this weapon offers three substantial advantages:

• 77% Energy Recharge at level 90, equivalent to more than two 3-cost ER Echoes
• 8% Critical Rate, enhancing damage consistency
• Up to 48% Basic Attack damage bonus at maximum passive activation

This combination of stats perfectly complements Brant’s kit, addressing his Energy Recharge requirements while simultaneously boosting his damage output. When paired with the Tidebreaking Courage Echo set, Unflickering Valor enables Brant to reach his full potential, easily surpassing the critical 250% ER threshold while maintaining excellent offensive capabilities.

Our comparative analysis reveals that Unflickering Valor provides approximately 40% increased damage compared to the next best option. This gap is considerably larger than the typical difference between signature and non-signature weapons for most characters, making it an exceptionally valuable investment for players who intend to use Brant as a primary damage dealer.

Premium Alternatives: Emerald of Genesis

For players without access to Unflickering Valor, Emerald of Genesis emerges as the premier alternative. This weapon is particularly accessible since many players obtained it through the free 5-star weapon selector, making it a practical option for most accounts.

When equipped with Emerald of Genesis, we recommend pairing Brant with the Molten Rift Echo set to compensate for the reduced Energy Recharge. This combination still delivers respectable damage output, though noticeably lower than the signature weapon setup. The weapon’s inherent stats complement Brant’s kit reasonably well, though without the perfect synergy offered by Unflickering Valor.

Battle Pass and 4-Star Options

The Battle Pass sword at Refinement 5 represents a solid middle-ground option for players with access to it. Its balanced stat distribution provides adequate support for Brant’s damage output, though it requires more careful Echo selection to meet Energy Recharge requirements.

Among 4-star weapons, Overture at Superimposition 5 stands out due to its Energy Recharge main stat. This weapon helps address Brant’s ER needs while providing reasonable damage potential. For players without high refinements on Overture, even a lower-refined version can serve as a functional interim solution while working toward better options.

Free-to-Play Accessibility: Sword of Voyager

Contrary to common assumptions about 3-star weapons, the Sword of Voyager performs surprisingly well on Brant when properly supported by Energy Recharge-focused Echoes. Our testing indicates that with sufficient ER from Echo pieces, this weapon can approach the performance of Overture, making it the most viable completely free-to-play option for players who did not select Emerald of Genesis.

This unexpected viability stems from Brant’s unique scaling mechanics. Since he naturally gains substantial attack from his Energy Recharge conversion, weapons that might seem underwhelming on other characters can still enable respectable performance on Brant.

Comparative Performance Analysis

To provide a clearer picture of the performance differences between weapon options, we conducted extensive testing across various scenarios. The results consistently showed a hierarchical performance pattern:

8. Unflickering Valor with Tidebreaking Courage (100% baseline performance)
9. Emerald of Genesis with Molten Rift (approximately 60-65% of signature performance)
10. Battle Pass Sword R5 (approximately 55-60% of signature performance)
11. Overture S5 (approximately 50-55% of signature performance)
12. Sword of Voyager with heavy ER Echoes (approximately 45-50% of signature performance)

These percentages represent relative damage output under optimal conditions for each setup. While the gap between options is substantial, it’s important to emphasize that even the lower-tier weapons enable Brant to function effectively in appropriate team compositions.

Balancing Weapon and Echo Choices

The interdependence between weapon selection and Echo set optimization cannot be overstated for Brant. Players using non-signature weapons must compensate through Echo choices, particularly by prioritizing Energy Recharge substats. This relationship creates a sliding scale where Echo requirements become increasingly stringent as weapon quality decreases.

For Unflickering Valor users, this flexibility allows for greater emphasis on critical damage and attack substats. Conversely, Sword of Voyager users must focus almost exclusively on Energy Recharge to maintain viable performance levels.

Investment Considerations

When deciding how much to invest in Brant’s weapon, players should consider their overall account priorities. The 40% damage differential between Unflickering Valor and Emerald of Genesis represents one of the largest signature weapon advantages in the game, making it a worthwhile consideration for players who intend to use Brant extensively.

However, this does not render Brant unusable with free options. Rather, it establishes a clear progression path where players can begin with accessible weapons while potentially working toward his signature in future reruns if they find his playstyle enjoyable.

In the next chapter, we will explore how to maximize Brant’s effectiveness through team compositions and rotation strategies, building upon the weapon and Echo foundations established in this and previous sections.

Team Compositions and Rotation Guide

 

Building upon our comprehensive analysis of Brant’s abilities, Echo sets, and weapon options, we now focus on maximizing his effectiveness through strategic team compositions and rotation techniques. Understanding how to properly integrate Brant into various team structures is essential for unlocking his full potential as a versatile fusion character.

Core Team Building Principles

When constructing teams around Brant, we must consider several key factors that influence his performance:

• Energy Recharge support to maintain his optimal damage conversion
• Characters who can enhance basic attack damage, which benefits most of Brant’s kit
• Protection during vulnerable aerial combos
• Synergistic damage amplification through fusion resonance
• Rotation timing to maximize his buff windows

Brant’s flexibility allows him to function in multiple roles—as a main DPS, sub-DPS, or even support—depending on the team composition and available resources. This versatility is one of his greatest strengths, though it requires thoughtful team building to fully capitalize on.

Brant as Main DPS

When positioning Brant as the primary damage dealer, the team should be structured to amplify his damage output while compensating for his vulnerability during aerial combos.

Recommended Team: Brant + Carlotta + Cheng Lei + Flexible Slot

This composition leverages Carlotta’s powerful buffs to basic attack damage, which directly enhances Brant’s primary damage sources. Cheng Lei provides fusion resonance and additional damage amplification through her outro skill. The fourth slot can be filled based on content requirements—Ling Yin for additional healing against heavy damage, Fudo for shield breaking, or Jade for crowd control.

The rotation for this team follows a specific pattern:

13. Start with Carlotta to apply her basic attack buff
14. Switch to Cheng Lei for her intro skill and fusion damage buff
15. Bring in Brant and immediately use Resonance Liberation
16. Execute Brant’s basic attack combo and Forte Circuit
17. Use Brant’s outro skill when switching to refresh team buffs
18. Cycle through supports to refresh buffs before returning to Brant

This rotation maximizes Brant’s damage window while ensuring he has protection through team buffs and healing.

Quick-Swap Team Variant

Brant’s extended animation times during basic attacks make him particularly well-suited for quick-swap team compositions. In these teams, Brant shares field time with another DPS character, switching between them to optimize damage output.

Recommended Team: Brant + Cheng Lei + Jade + Flexible Support

In this composition, Brant and Cheng Lei alternate as on-field damage dealers, with Jade providing crowd control and fusion resonance. The rotation becomes more dynamic:

19. Start with Jade for crowd control
20. Switch to Brant for Resonance Liberation and partial basic combo
21. Use Brant’s outro skill when switching to Cheng Lei
22. Execute Cheng Lei’s damage rotation
23. Return to Brant to refresh Resonance Liberation
24. Continue alternating between damage dealers

This approach minimizes Brant’s vulnerability by reducing his field time while still capitalizing on his powerful burst damage potential.

Brant as Support/Sub-DPS

One of Brant’s most underappreciated roles is as a support character, where his healing capabilities and damage buffs can significantly enhance team performance.

Recommended Team: Main DPS + Brant + Double Support

In this structure, Brant serves primarily to provide healing through his Forte generation and to buff the main DPS with his outro skill. This approach is particularly effective when:

25. The main DPS benefits from fusion damage buffs
26. The team needs additional healing without dedicating a pure healer
27. Quick rotation cycles are preferred

The rotation typically involves bringing Brant in briefly to use Resonance Liberation, generate some Forte through basic attacks, and then switch out with his outro skill to buff the main damage dealer.

Addressing Interruption Vulnerability

As noted in our analysis, one of Brant’s significant weaknesses is his vulnerability to interruption during aerial combos. This issue requires specific adaptation in gameplay:

• Prioritize dodge timing over continuous combo execution when facing heavy-hitting enemies
• Position Brant away from multiple enemies to reduce interruption chances
• Consider using shield characters like Fudo in challenging content
• Accept that rotation times will increase when dodging is necessary

While dodging extends rotation duration, it’s far preferable to being knocked out of combos entirely. As we noted previously, if a metaphorical train is heading toward Brant at high speed, avoiding the hit takes precedence over maintaining combo flow.

Maximizing Field Time Efficiency

Brant’s extended animation sequences during basic attacks create natural transition points for character swapping. This characteristic makes him particularly effective in teams that benefit from frequent character switching. We can leverage this by:

• Executing partial combos before switching to another character
• Using the natural pause after his third aerial attack as a swap point
• Returning to Brant when Resonance Liberation cooldown completes

This approach transforms what might initially seem like a disadvantage—lengthy attack animations—into a strategic advantage for team rotation management.

Content-Specific Adaptations

Different content types require adjustments to Brant’s team compositions and rotations:

For Single-Target Boss Fights:

• Prioritize consistent damage buffers like Carlotta
• Consider using Ling Yin for additional healing and interruption resistance
• Focus on maximizing Forte Circuit hits by carefully timing deployment

For Multi-Target Scenarios:

• Leverage Brant’s AoE capabilities through his Forte Circuit
• Pair with Jade for grouping enemies
• Use quick-swap rotations to maximize AoE damage from multiple characters

For Survival Challenges:

• Emphasize Brant’s healing capabilities
• Include defensive supports like Fudo
• Maintain Resonance Liberation uptime for consistent healing

Conclusion and Future Team Potential

As the game evolves and new characters are introduced, Brant’s versatility suggests he will remain relevant in various team compositions. His unique combination of damage dealing, buffing, and healing creates a foundation that can adapt to changing meta requirements.

The key to mastering Brant in team contexts lies in understanding the balance between his offensive potential and defensive vulnerabilities. By structuring teams that complement his strengths while mitigating his weaknesses, we can transform Brant from a seemingly confusing character into a cornerstone of effective team strategies.

Whether as a main damage dealer leveraging his impressive scaling with Energy Recharge, a quick-swap partner providing burst damage and buffs, or a support offering healing and damage amplification, Brant’s versatility ensures he can find a valuable place in numerous team compositions.

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