Tips on Fighting Brutes

[GTCv Deimos]

I wanted to throw this topic up to see if we could pool some knowledge on how to fight Brutes... especially the Militia Brutes. You know, the big hulking guys, with the ability to switch between three different weapons.

Obviously, Batman isn't an uber challenging game, so in the single player, I didn't really think too much about Brutes; since they only show up a few times. Now that I'm actively working on boosting my challenge scores - specifically Azrael's Atonement - I'm now trying to figure out misc tricks and options for KOing, or at least managing them. It's challenging, because by the time they actually show up, I'm too focused on keeping my combo going, and I don't want to risk dropping said combo to experiment.

The game tells you straight up that the definitive ways to take them out is to pummel them. The rest of us quickly pieced together that the special takedown also is an easy way to KO, or at least knock down their hp.

The only other thing I really know is that with the weapons, the brutes are susceptible to the same counters as regular militia. see:

Blades - Blade Dodge Takedown
Shield - Aerial Attack (and then pummel)
Shock Fists - Zap Gun

... and thus ends my repertoire for taking on a brute.

Anyone else have other items they've tried? Does the super stun work on them, kinda like sickle and hammer from BAC? Freeze bomb? Can you batclaw them?

One other note... I was trying to get a perfect freeflow on one playthrough, and my combo mysteriously dropped. I went from Blade Dodge Takedown, directly into Special Takedown... and I'm not sure if I just fat-fingered it (I did get my brutes mixed up, and I thought the blade dodge was going to KO him), or does the game not register this particular combination of moves? See the below vid (skip to 3:00).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3YyJkp8_sg

Either way, I hope we can put together some more information to help us better take on these PITAs.

[Buck]

The brutes move fast which makes them difficult to counter. Also the counter animation is excessively drawn out as well. So while this doesn't break your combo, it does break the "flow" of combat and can throw you off rythmn.

My Personal suggestion - KISS - And the simpliest way to deal with them is through takedowns.

For situations where you simply can't give the brutes primary attention (because you have a higher priority target such as medic's) then I find it best to control them with gadgets. Freeze em in ice for a bit, use the REC to knock em down for a moment or pop some smoke on them to keep them stumbling about.

[Roast Goose]

Instant takedown will knock a regular brute out in one go, but not Malitia brutes. If you're holding a bat, then it will.

I find the best way to deal with brutes (and most encounters) is to be proactive. Letting them throw a strike -even if it can be countered- puts you on the backfoot, since it adds nothing to your multiplier, deals no damage and can still hit you even if you dodge (it doesn't stop when you redirect, unlike regular fighters).
Go straight to using the REC to make them hit others and launch a beatdown, counter an attack, THEN perform an instant takedown (this reduces the chance of dropping your combo even if you press it right). Or grab a bat (from a distance, so you roll to it instead of twirling it where you might get hit) and use regular strikes if you want a higher multiplier. Freezing them is an option, but they will eventually get out. AFAIK the special batclaw slam works on them just like regular thugs.

[GTCv Deimos]

Originally posted by Buck:

The brutes move fast which makes them difficult to counter. Also the counter animation is excessively drawn out as well. So while this doesn't break your combo, it does break the "flow" of combat and can throw you off rythmn.

My Personal suggestion - KISS - And the simpliest way to deal with them is through takedowns.

For situations where you simply can't give the brutes primary attention (because you have a higher priority target such as medic's) then I find it best to control them with gadgets. Freeze em in ice for a bit, use the REC to knock em down for a moment or pop some smoke on them to keep them stumbling about.

that is one thing I noticed about them. They don't attack with the same rhythm as other enemies. They just waddle up to you, and start the attack animation as soon as they're in range.

[Buck]

Originally posted by Roast Goose:

Instant takedown will knock a regular brute out in one go, but not Malitia brutes. If you're holding a bat, then it will.

Use multiple takedowns then.

Originally posted by GTCv Deimos:

that is one thing I noticed about them. They don't attack with the same rhythm as other enemies. They just waddle up to you, and start the attack animation as soon as they're in range.

I vaguely recall once hearing or reading that the combat animations were tuned using a musical rythemn to keep the flow of combat moving smoothly.

[GTCv Deimos]

Originally posted by Roast Goose:

Instant takedown will knock a regular brute out in one go, but not Malitia brutes. If you're holding a bat, then it will.

I find the best way to deal with brutes (and most encounters) is to be proactive. Letting them throw a strike -even if it can be countered- puts you on the backfoot, since it adds nothing to your multiplier, deals no damage and can still hit you even if you dodge (it doesn't stop when you redirect, unlike regular fighters).
Go straight to using the REC to make them hit others and launch a beatdown, counter an attack, THEN perform an instant takedown (this reduces the chance of dropping your combo even if you press it right). Or grab a bat (from a distance, so you roll to it instead of twirling it where you might get hit) and use regular strikes if you want a higher multiplier. Freezing them is an option, but they will eventually get out. AFAIK the special batclaw slam works on them just like regular thugs.

Thank you. That's helpful. I did know about the bat (which, unfortunately there isn't any in Azrael's Atonement).

I think the problem that I have in that challenge is that I lose track of which of the two brutes I'm fighting. I know it takes two takedowns each, but - and this is what happened in the vid I posted - I though that was takedown #2, and was confused as to why he was still standing. Freezing one would actually be a smart move, since I could then know that there's only one in play.

[GTCv Deimos]

Originally posted by Buck:

I vaguely recall once hearing or reading that the combat animations were tuned using a musical rythemn to keep the flow of combat moving smoothly.

I'd believe that. I know it's not a traditional action game... like say... Bayonetta... but I enjoy how choreographed the whole experience is.

Which also makes it jarring when the brute shows up, and takes a swing at you with unexpected timing.

Thankfully, the militia brutes are very much on that rhythm, so while they're still tough, they're at least predictable.

[Roast Goose]

Originally posted by GTCv Deimos:

Originally posted by Buck:

I vaguely recall once hearing or reading that the combat animations were tuned using a musical rythemn to keep the flow of combat moving smoothly.

I'd believe that. I know it's not a traditional action game... like say... Bayonetta... but I enjoy how choreographed the whole experience is.

Which also makes it jarring when the brute shows up, and takes a swing at you with unexpected timing.

Thankfully, the militia brutes are very much on that rhythm, so while they're still tough, they're at least predictable.

AA was originally going to be a rhythm game of some sort, so even through its massive changes it always held that base.

Brutes kinda remind me of the knife takedown in AC in how jarring they can be. At least this time the knife attacks are sped up, especially ninjas on hard/NG+. As anoying as they can be, I think it helps highlight just what a threat they're meant to pose.

[GTCv Deimos]

I was thrown off by the ninjas at first, because I remember the assassins from BAC, and how they had three swipes, a delay, and then one more.

Thankfully, the brutes swipe animations are a bit less flashy than the ninjas. It's easier to visually process each attack, so it's easier to perform each dodge.

[Charlie]

If you have all the upgrades the easiest way to take out regular brutes is the Batclaw Takedown, I believe it's ALT + 2. You only need a 5x combo and it only takes a few seconds. The second best method in my opinion is just regular takedowns, I don't like to do beatdowns on brutes in BAK because the combat is quite buggy, especially on PC. Countering after doing a takedown can randomly drop combos and enemies can clip out of position very easily.