In the fast-paced world of League of Legends, securing an early advantage can often dictate the entire game. For junglers and laners alike, understanding and controlling the Red Brambleback (often shortened to "Red Buff") is key. But beyond just taking the camp, the real mastery lies in leveraging its unique properties to snowball your lead and control the map.
At a glance:
- Understand the Red Brambleback’s evolution throughout the game – from early camp to Draconic wisp to Voidborn bonus.
- Learn how to maximize the Crest of Cinders' burn damage and slow, both offensively and defensively.
- Determine when to prioritize Red Buff for yourself versus your teammates, based on champion, lane matchup, and game state.
- Adapt buff control strategies based on the Elemental Rift and Baron Nashor spawns.
- Grasp the nuances of buff transfer upon death, ensuring optimal uptime for your team.
Unleashing the Power of Crest of Cinders: Beyond the Basics
The Red Brambleback grants the "Crest of Cinders" buff upon defeat, a powerful tool for any champion. However, many players only scratch the surface of its potential. It's not just about extra damage; it's about strategic application.
The Crest of Cinders provides:
- Health Regeneration: Restores health while out of combat, allowing for extended presence on the map.
- Basic Attack Enhancement: Applies a burn that deals true damage over time and slows the target.
This combination makes it incredibly valuable for: - Ganking: The slow is crucial for securing kills in early ganks. A jungler with Red Buff has a significantly higher chance of successfully locking down a target. The burn damage also provides valuable extra damage.
- Objective Control: When contesting dragons or Baron Nashor, the true damage burn from the buff helps melt down these high-health targets.
- Kiting: Ranged champions can use the slow to maintain distance and deal consistent damage, particularly effective against melee-heavy compositions.
- Dueling: The constant burn of true damage combined with the slow gives a significant advantage in 1v1 situations.
Red Brambleback's Transformations: Adapting to the Game's Flow
The Red Brambleback isn't static; its properties change throughout the game, influencing how you should approach it:
- Early Game: A standard camp granting the Crest of Cinders to the killer. Focus on securing it for your jungler to enhance their ganking potential.
- Elemental Rift (Draconic Form): Killing the Red Brambleback spawns a Crest of Cinders wisp, which can be picked up by the jungle pet owner or an ally with Smite (if the jungle pet owner kills it). This adds a layer of decision-making: should you grab the buff yourself, or give it to a teammate who can better utilize it?
- Voidborn (Post-Baron Nashor): After Baron spawns(25:00), the Red Brambleback transforms into a Voidborn. Killing it grants the Crest of Cinders to all living allied champions, providing a massive team-wide power spike.
Example: If your mid-laner is a scaling mage like Veigar, and your team is ahead, gifting him the Draconic Red Buff wisp can accelerate his power curve and allow him to carry team fights. Conversely, if your ADC is struggling, securing the Voidborn Red Buff will help them output consistent damage.
Red Buff Priority: Who Needs It Most?
Deciding who gets the Red Buff isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. Consider these factors:
- Champion Role: AD Carries (ADCs) benefit greatly from the later-game burn damage and slow. Assassins can use it for early ganks, but the buff is often less vital to their late-game scaling. Control mages, while not always the best recipient, can leverage the slow to kite and survive skirmishes.
- Lane State: A losing lane might desperately need the buff to equalize the playing field. A fed lane can use it to further snowball their advantage. This is a calculated risk: investing in a struggling lane can pay off if they can turn the tide, but it's a gamble.
- Team Composition: If your team lacks engage, giving the Red Buff to a bruiser tank like Darius allows them to stick to targets and initiate fights more effectively. If you're running a heavy poke composition, distributing the buff to an ADC may be the better choice.
- Current Objective: Are you grouping for a dragon fight? Giving the buff to the highest damage dealer ensures quicker objective takedown. Are you trying to split push? Giving the buff to the duelist allows them to win 1v1s and apply pressure to towers.
Decision Tree:
- Is Baron Nashor active? If yes, prioritize securing the Voidborn Red Buff for the entire team.
- Is your ADC hyper-scaling and the primary damage dealer? If yes, funnel Red Buff to them in the mid-to-late game.
- Is your team lacking engage or peel? If yes, give the buff to a frontline champion or support.
- Is a lane significantly behind? If yes, consider giving them the next Red Buff (with caution).
- Otherwise, prioritize your jungler in the early game to facilitate ganks and objective control.
Practical Example: Consider a scenario where you're playing as a jungler on the red league of legends team RED Canids (mentioned in more detail in RED Canids: A Brazilian Legacy), and your mid-laner, Tockers, is playing a champion like Azir. Giving him the Red Buff might not be optimal compared to giving it to brTT, your ADC, especially if you're heading into a dragon fight. Azir benefits more from sustained mana and cooldown reduction, while the ADC is more effective with the damage and slow.
Mastering Buff Transfers: Keeping the Advantage Alive
The Crest of Cinders can be transferred upon death, but only if initially gained from a non-Voidborn Red Brambleback. This adds another layer of strategic depth:
- Protect the Carrier: If a key carry has the buff, make them a priority target for protection.
- Strategic Suicide: In niche situations, a champion with the buff might intentionally die near a high-priority target (e.g., a fed ADC) to transfer the buff and swing a fight. This is a high-risk, high-reward play.
- Vision Control: Maintain vision around the buff carrier to prevent them from being caught out and losing the buff to an enemy.
Important Note: If you receive the Red Buff while dead, you will keep it after respawning. This can be a valuable way to deny the enemy team the buff transfer.
Quick Answers: Common Questions About the Red Brambleback
Q: Does Red Buff burn damage apply to structures?
A: No, the burn damage only applies to champions and monsters.
Q: Does the melee slow on Red Buff apply the same as the range slow?
A: No, the slow is more effective when applied by melee attacks than ranged attacks. This makes it particularly valuable for melee champions trying to stick to targets.
Q: What happens if I kill the Red Brambleback but I'm already have the Crest of Cinders?
A: The duration of the buff is refreshed.
Q: If I have the Red Buff, and I die to a Voidborn Red Brambleback, do I transfer the buff to the killer or any ally?
A: No, the transfer mechanic only applies to buffs obtained from a non-Voidborn Red Brambleback.
Actionable Close: Dominate with the Red Brambleback
Mastering the Red Brambleback in League of Legends involves more than just clearing a jungle camp. It requires understanding its evolving states, prioritizing the right recipients, and leveraging its unique properties to gain an edge. Use this guide to refine your strategies, make informed decisions, and dominate the Rift. From early ganks to late-game teamfights, the Crest of Cinders is a potent weapon in the hands of a skilled player. Adapt your approach, prioritize strategic buff control, and climb the ranks.