[{quoted}](name=Monstar Energy,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=AOzyvnuE,comment-id=000000000000,timestamp=2015-11-25T19:09:02.297+0000)
burst support>poke support>tank support>burst support if a poke support keeps up the damage, he can keep an enemy tank support/his carry low with a low, but constant dps, low enough so that he doesn't want to go in. a good burst support can punish a poke support for poking by doing a higher dps for a shorter amount of time. and then retreating until their cds are up again, and a tank support can regen and takes less total damage from the cycle of a burst support, while potentially being able to put down low dps to try and even out the trade.
then there are mixes. supports like annie and brand who have burst and poke, have no other means of supporting other than that cc. braum has a shield to negate damage, thresh has a lantern, morg has a black shield, janna has a shield, brand and annie have none of that, just cc and damage that falls off hard if you don't build ap. so yes, brand is a very strong lane bully. but he falls off late like most lane bullies.
The problem with this, is that "Support Brands" don't build "Support" they typically get a support item, ward well, and just harass and bully the enemy laners, then transition into a mage, but because his base damages, and scaling are pretty par for the course, he gets a fairly strong early game with no early items, and can transition into someone really nasty later on, especially if he gets an early liandries.
Tank supports will get pecked away at by his passive and deathfire touch, but he also has the base damages on his abilities to do ALOT of damage.
For instance, I actually played a Support Brand (easiest way to find a weakness to something is to try it out), even with the enemy Nami healing themselves and their tristana non-stop, and their Kindred ganking bot every other minute, they completely lost lane, and got dominated, my Miss Fortune barely had to do anything besides farm.
I seriously think you are underestimating how much raw damage Brand does in the supporting role.