The Brute is one of the starting classes in the popular board game Gloomhaven. Known for its durability and melee damage-dealing potential, the Brute can fill a number of roles in your Gloomhaven party. This comprehensive guide will provide you with everything you need to know to build, play, and master the Brute class.
We’ll cover the Brute’s cards, builds, perks, enhancements, and items in detail so you can optimize your Brute and dominate in any Gloomhaven scenario. Whether you want to play the Brute as a tank, damage-dealer, or hybrid, this guide has you covered. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Brute Card Choices
The Brute has access to a wide variety of ability cards that allow you to build your deck in different ways. Here are the key cards available to the Brute at each level and an analysis of their usefulness:
Level 1 Card Options
Eye for an Eye
- Top: Retaliate 2
- Bottom: Heal 1, Range 3, Add Earth
Retaliate can be useful if you have shields ready, otherwise you’re just taking damage. The small heal is ok but not exciting. Overall a decent initiative card but abilities are a bit lackluster.
Grab and Go
- Top: Loot 1
- Bottom: Move 4
The repeatable Loot 1 is nice for gold. The Move 4 gives high movement which is great for a melee class. A solid card despite the high initiative.
Leaping Cleave
- Top: Attack 3, Target 2
- Bottom: Move 3, Jump
A strong Attack 3 on two enemies is great. Getting experience for using it is a bonus. The Jump helps navigate monsters crowding you. One of the best Brute cards.
Overwhelming Assault
- Top: Attack 6, Add +2 Attack (loss)
- Bottom: Move 3, Push 2
The Attack 6 loss card can be good burst damage and XP. But the loss means you have to save it. Push 2 can manipulate monster positioning but risky. Overall not that flexible.
Provoking Roar
- Top: Disarm
- Bottom: Force a monster to move toward you
Awesome Disarm ability to reduce damage taken. 10 initiative lets you go first. Forcing a monster to you instead of allies is extremely useful to protect squishies.
Shield Bash
- Top: Attack 4, Stun (loss)
- Bottom: Shield 1
Situational stun loss card, best saved for late battle. But Shield 1 bottom is great for a tank before Retaliate. Low initiative helps control turn order.
Spare Dagger
- Top: Ranged attack
- Bottom: Melee attack
Having a reliable ranged attack is very useful for initial room engagements. Bonus melee attack on bottom enables potential double attacks. Solid card.
Sweeping Blow
- Top: Attack 2, Target all adjacent
- Bottom: Move 3, Push 1
Seems good but low damage and situational use. Push 1 often doesn’t utilize traps effectively. Middle initiative makes it awkward.
Trample
- Top: Attack 3, Pierce 3
- Bottom: Move 4 (loss)
Fantastic vs shielded enemies. Even without pierce, Attack 3 is good. Loss bottom is ok for XP. Top attack is highly reliable.
Warding Strength
- Top: Attack 3, Push 2
- Bottom: Shield 1 (for 6 hits)
Solid top attack with push utility. Persistent Shield 1 bottom for 6 hits is awesome. Delay using for more value. Great card.
Level X Cards
Balanced Measure
- Top: Attack X
- Bottom: Move 4
Dealing attack equal to movement is great. Use after big movement for big attack. Gives XP too. Top attack will get used more than bottom move.
Skewer
- Top: Attack 3, +5 Attack if Wind is present
- Bottom: Move 6 (loss)
Situationally powerful attack, but needs Wind element. Loss bottom is ok situationally. Overall a decent but tricky card.
Wall of Doom
- Top: Attack 2, Retaliate 2 (loss)
- Bottom: +1 Attack
Bad retaliate loss card. +1 Attack sometimes boosts AOE but low impact. Not worth a card loss, sadly.
Level 2-9 Card Options
Fatal Advance (Level 2)
- Top: Kill a normal monster (loss)
- Bottom: Move 4
Kill normal loss card is ok. Move 4 is nice but not essential. Middle-of-the-road level 2 card.
Juggernaut (Level 2)
- Top: Move 2, Attack 2
- Bottom: Negate all damage for the next 3 turns (loss)
Awesome damage negation! Move 2 and Attack 2 top provide flexibility. Great card for a tank Brute.
Brute Force (Level 3)
- Top: Attack 2, Target all adjacent enemies, Add Muddle
- Bottom: Move 2, Add Shield 1
AOE attack with muddle debuff is nice. Move 2 plus Shield 1 is very handy. Non-losses help frequent use.
Hook and Chain (Level 3)
- Top: Attack 3, Pull 2
- Bottom: Move 4 in a line, Attack 1 for each hex moved
Pull utility is useful but attack is just ok. Bottom straight line movement is too situational.
Unstoppable Charge (Level 4)
- Top: Attack 5
- Bottom: Move 4, Stun
Fantastic repeatable Attack 5! Stun bottom can protect allies. Great addition to our deck.
Skirmishing Maneuver (Level 5)
- Top: Move 2, Attack 2, Move 2, Attack 2
- Bottom: Ranged Attack 2
Very flexible melee attacks with movement. Having a backup ranged attack is excellent too.
Immovable Phalanx (Level 6)
- Top: Attack 4, Add Shield 1
- Bottom: +2 Attack if end movement on occupied hex (persistent)
Reliable Attack 4 with shield. Bottom combos enable big damage turns without moving. Core Brute card.
Defensive Tactics (Level 7)
- Top: Immobilize 2 enemies at Range 3
- Bottom: Retaliate 1, Shield 1 (persistent)
Great way to stop enemies approaching with the top. Bottom provides lasting retaliate and shield.
Frenzied Onslaught (Level 8)
- Top: Move 2, Attack 1, Move 2, Attack 1
- Bottom: +2 Attack if enemy is Stunned, Disarmed, or Muddled
Decent shuffle attack but needs setup for bottom bonus. Nice with Immovable Phalanx but otherwise tricky.
Face Your End (Level 9)
- Top: Pull 2, Range 3
- Bottom: Kill any normal or elite (loss)
Pull helps group enemies for AOE attacks. Loss kill for elites is nice utility in final room.
Brute Builds
The Brute has several potential builds depending on whether you want to play as a tank, damage-dealer, or a hybrid style. Here are guides to building your Brute for each role:
Tank Build
The Brute can absorb damage well for the team with its large health pool and hand size. Use shields mitigation and crowd control to reduce incoming damage.
Playstyle: Get in enemies’ faces to draw attacks away from teammates. Use shields and abilities that reduce incoming damage. Move enemies around and disable them to control the battlefield. Don’t prioritize your own damage.
Key Cards: Provoking Roar, Shield Bash, Juggernaut, Warding Strength, Brute Force, Defensive Tactics
Level Progression:
- Level 1: Drop Overwhelming Assault, Sweeping Blow, Wall of Doom
- Level 2: Gain Juggernaut over Fatal Advance
- Level 3: Gain Brute Force over Hook and Chain
- Level 4: Gain Unstoppable Charge over Devastating Hack
- Level 5: Gain Skirmishing Maneuver over Whirlwind
- Level 6: Gain Immovable Phalanx over Quietus
- Level 7: Gain Defensive Tactics over Crippling Offensive
- Level 8: Gain Selfish Retribution over Frenzied Onslaught
- Level 9: Gain King of the Hill over Face Your End
Damage Build
Focus on dealing big damage rather than tanking. Stack attack modifiers and hard-hitting abilities.
Playstyle: Prioritize your own damage output above all else. Leverage movement for bonus damage. Go late initiative to pick your moments.
Key Cards: Balanced Measure, Skewer, Trample, Unstoppable Charge, Immovable Phalanx, King of the Hill
Level Progression:
- Level 1: Drop Overwhelming Assault, Sweeping Blow, Wall of Doom
- Level 2: Gain Fatal Advance over Juggernaut
- Level 3: Gain Brute Force over Trample
- Level 4: Gain Unstoppable Charge over Eye for an Eye
- Level 5: Gain Skirmishing Maneuver over Grab and Go
- Level 6: Gain Immovable Phalanx over Warding Strength
- Level 7: Gain Defensive Tactics over Spare Dagger
- Level 8: Gain Frenzied Onslaught over Fatal Advance
- Level 9: Gain King of the Hill over Provoking Roar
Hybrid Build
Try to balance decent damage output with some tanking capability. Good for solo or two-player parties.
Playstyle: Mix up between dealing damage and absorbing attacks depending on situation. Don’t fully commit to either extreme.
Key Cards: Skewer, Unstoppable Charge, Juggernaut, Warding Strength, Immovable Phalanx, Defensive Tactics
Level Progression:
- Level 1: Drop Overwhelming Assault, Sweeping Blow, Wall of Doom
- Level 2: Gain Juggernaut over Fatal Advance
- Level 3: Gain Brute Force over Hook and Chain
- Level 4: Gain Unstoppable Charge over Eye for an Eye
- Level 5: Gain Skirmishing Maneuver over Grab and Go
- Level 6: Gain Immovable Phalanx over Quietus
- Level 7: Gain Defensive Tactics over Spare Dagger
- Level 8: Gain Selfish Retribution over Frenzied Onslaught
- Level 9: Gain King of the Hill over Face Your End
Brute Perks
Perks allow you to modify your attack modifier deck. Good perks provide more consistency in your damage output. Here are some solid perks to take on the Brute:
- Ignore negative item effects:Allows you to wear heavy armor without downsides
- Remove two -1 cards:Take out the worst negatives first
- Replace one -1 with +1:Further improve your deck
- Add one +3 card:Big damage boost
- Add two +1 cards:Consistent damage bump
- Add one Stun card:Useful control ability
- Add one Muddle card:More enemy impairment
- Add one Disarm card:Reduce incoming damage
- Add one +1 Shield card:Some self-tanking ability
I’d suggest taking perks in roughly that order to maximize your overall combat effectiveness. Removing negatives and adding additional +1s is the most universally useful path.
Enhancements
Here are some high impact enhancement suggestions to consider for your best Brute cards:
- Leaping Cleave (bottom):Add +1 Move
- Skewer (top):Add Wound or +1 Attack
- Skewer (top):Add +1 Hex
- Brute Force (bottom):Add Strengthen
- Warding Strength (top):Add Immobilize
In general, look to enhance your movement to allow bigger Balanced Measure attacks and enable Trample chaining. Extra damage or conditions on your best attacks is great too. Avoid enhancing loss cards or situational abilities.
Items
Use items to complement the Brute’s kit:
Defensive Items
- Iron Helmet: Shrug off x2 attack modifiers
- Hide Armor: Extra shields
- Heater Shield: More shields!
- Minor Healing Potion: Emergency healing
Offensive Items
- Warhammer: Big damage on AOE attacks
- Minor Stamina Potion: Refresh for ability combos
Utility Items
- Boots of Striding: Fixes Brute’s movement weakness
- Poison Dagger: Damage over time
- Power Potion: Buff those Unstoppable Charges
Key purchases are Hide Armor to keep you alive in the fray, Boots of Striding to enhance movement for damage, and Warhammer to capitalize on your AOE attacks.
Conclusion
The Brute excels as a durable melee damage-dealer that can be built for tanking, DPS, or a hybrid style. Carefully evaluating your card choices, perks, enhancements, and items will allow you to construct exactly the brawny Brute your party needs. Focus on boosting your movement, attack damage, and survivability to maximize your effectiveness in any Gloomhaven scenerio.
I hope this guide gives you all the tips and info you need to master the Brute class! Let me know in the comments if you have any other Brute questions. Thanks for reading and happy glooming!
