Brute

This page is work in progress. This page still needs to be reworded and properly cited.

Brute is one of the twelve power classifications created by the PRT still in modern day use.<ref>PRT Master Reference - Classifications</ref> A Brute classification typically indicates enhanced strength or durability, often both.<ref name=":0">Has enhanced strength or durability, most dangerous in a melee, typically very difficult to put down.  While the execution may remain fairly stable, the source of this power can vary.

General response depends on degree of brute classification, but should involve focusing fire, limiting movements, and maintaining a safe distance.

Threat level 2+:  Communicate brute nature.  Assume divided fire will not have any serious effect, and devote focused fire to the target.  Treat as low priority unless movements cannot be restricted, in which case the brute can be escalated to moderate priority.

Threat level 5+:  Assume standard munitions are not going to hamper the brute.  Lethal munitions are authorized, truck emplacements are authorized.  Property damage should be expected and accounted for.  Where possible, move fight to an open area. Threat level 9+:  Inter-city missile emplacements and other large scale munitions are authorized.  Assume standard parahuman abilities are not going to hamper the target. - PRT Master Reference - Classifications - Brute</ref> There are no known Brutes without at least some form of self-protection.<ref>Brute#Known Brutes</ref>

Methodology

Brute powers might manifest themselves in variety of ways. Most Brutes are either some combination of big, strong, and tough or possess some other method of self-protection.<ref>Brutes are some combination of big, strong, and tough, with very high innate durability or self-protection methods through one mechanism or another. - BRUTE, document by wildbow</ref> Examples of Brute powers include, but are not limited to:

• Increased mass and muscle, often utilizing biokinesis or some form of Changer effect.<ref>Muscle brutes are those who rely on size, physical strength, and some tenacity for their brute disposition.  Biokinesis is often a factor, or their power might run through their bodies and have a sort of changer effect on them, with veins of fire and surging size and proportion. - Brute - Muscle Brutes, document by wildbow</ref>
• Different forms of armor, offering external protection.<ref>Armor brutes piece together a shell around themselves, producing raw armor that will absorb blows up until it is cracked or penetrated, at which point the brute becomes easier to injure.  The armor often regenerates and/or provides additional capabilities.  Heavily defense-leaning, but often provided with a weapon of some sort, raw stats, or their offensive potential is interlinked with their defense, in a retaliatory sense. - BRUTE - Armor Brutes, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Some form of personal shielding.<ref>Field Brutes maintain a personal forcefield, or durability that is very potent but temporary or readily broken.  They may sport bursts of power, utility, or other benefits - BRUTE - Field Brute, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Some method to control objects in close range, using these to block attacks.<ref>Shield brutes draw heavily on a defensive feature that is direction-dependent or is based around an object or field that is moved around at will.  Their defense is typically top class… when it is situated to block the attack in question. - BRUTE - Shield Brutes, document by wildbow</ref>
• Different transformations, assuming more durable forms.<ref>Transfiguration brutes offer transformation and revival abilities.

They arise from situations where death is sought or held at bay. - BRUTE - Brute types, document by wildbow.[1] </ref>

• Different forms of regeneration<ref>Regen brutes offer benefits over time, and healing abilities.

They arise from damage over time, and from self-harm. - BRUTE - Brute types, document by wildbow. </ref>, sometimes coupled with adaption<ref>Crawler#Abilities and Powers</ref> or growth<ref>Lung#Abilities and Powers</ref>. In some rare cases, parahumans with enhanced senses fall under the Brute rather than the Thinker classification.<ref name="RPG1">Question by braincraft: What classification is used for enhanced or expanded senses? There are a

lot of characters in Worm that have something along those lines, and 

outside of Worm there's stuff like Superman's telescopic vision, x-ray vision, and enhanced hearing, or Wolverine's ability to track by scent.

Answer by wildbow: Thinker. In some rare cases they'd fall under a Brute classification. - RPG.net comment by Wildbow. </ref>

Trigger events

For Brutes, trigger events involve some form of physical harm, where the source and severity of the damage, combined with contextual factors, inform the resulting ability.<ref>Brute triggers generally involve being physically harmed.  The nature of that physical harm, the degree or type of damage, and the contextual factors all inform the resulting ability. - BRUTE, document by wildbow</ref>

In particular, the nature of the harm effects the powers in the following ways:

• Harm from a physical source (crushing, smashing, dismemberment, broken bones, etc.) results in powers emphasizing raw strength, biological alterations, armor, shields, and size.<ref>Physical based harm involves crushing, smashing, collisions, cuts, gouging, disembowelment, impalement, stabbings, abrasion, scraping, tearing of flesh, dismemberment, broken bones and more in that vein.  Powers derived from physical damage will tend to be more physical as a result, emphasizing raw strength, biological alterations, armor, shields, and size. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Damage from environmental hazards (extremes in temperature, radiation, electrocution, vacuums, etc.) results in more energy-based powers: Examples including personal telekinesis, forcefields and energy manipulation.<ref>Energy damage includes extremes in temperature, energy based damage like burns from fire, radiation and steam, electrocution, low temperature burns from cold or vacuum.  Powers derived from energy-based harm will often be more energy based, with personal telekinesis, forcefields, energy manipulation, and some more concrete manifestations of time, space, or reality warping. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Forms of harm outside of these two categories (chemicals, poison, disease, etc.) lead to powers relating to growth, phasing, constructs, and more esoteric manifestations of time, space, or reality warping.<ref>‘Other’ damage includes chemicals (ie. acids), poison, drugs, disease, and ambient damage from genetic issues, and serves as a ‘misc’ category for sources of harm that fall outside this spectrum.  Powers relating to growth, phasing, constructs, and more esoteric manifestations of time, space, or reality warping all fall into this category. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>

Brute powers are also influenced by the degree and nature of the damage, expressed in the following ways:

• Surface damage tends to create surface level protection, often along the lines of personal forcefields or exterior armor.<ref>Surface damage tends to create surface level protection.  Damage limited primarily to the skin or to sensitive areas of the body will tend to produce powers along the lines of personal forcefields or exterior armor.  This provides a degree of protection that may be penetrated, accessing the flesh within, which often isn’t protected more than a typical unpowered person (or only marginally so). - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Deeper tissue damage will involve more thorough changes and restructuring. Brutes along these lines may more closely resemble Breakers, drawing from endless fountains of muscle mass or energy to repel or stand firm against attacks.<ref>Deeper tissue damage will involve more thorough changes and restructuring.  Brutes along these lines may more closely resemble Breakers, drawing from endless fountains of muscle mass (deep physical harm) or energy to repel or stand firm against attacks.  Such brutes are often hurt more, but have a capacity to keep going despite this harm, and/or they get stronger while injured. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Internal harm without clear outside source will often express itself by giving powers that relate to absorption or expression of forces. This might be kinetic energy, light, electromagnetism, or something more abstract like time or inertia.<ref>Finally, sources of harm that don’t come from the outside but from within, will often grant a form of brute power that ties into absorption and/or expression of forces.  This might be kinetic energy, light, electromagnetism, or something more abstract like time or inertia.  Absorbing one form of energy to power defenses or taking damage to charge a battery and then lash out with an offensive application of the power would be example cases.  Gross impalement (to a degree where the shard may be confused as to whether the object is going from the outside in vs. the inside out) may also fall under this category. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>
• Gradual damage will often provide regeneration in some capacity, or biokinesis of a more intentional sort than might be seen in deeper tissue damage.<ref>Sources of harm that do gradual damage (some poisons, being on fire, being immersed in chemical, drowning) will often provide regeneration in some capacity, or biokinesis of a more intentional sort than might be seen in deeper tissue damage. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>

Combinations with other ratings

[Coming soon]

Role in the Cycle

Brute powers are generally very low level powers, making it easy for the entities to explore them. The entities continually refine their ability to persevere: A select few Brute powers and other Brute powers that perform exceptionally well are actually attempts by the entities to devise a form of true perpetuity, both for continuing the cycle and for their end goals.<ref>Brute powers are a very low level power, easy for the entities to explore, as they continually refine their ability to persevere.  Very select brute powers and brute powers that perform exceptionally are actually attempts on the entities’ parts to devise a form of immortality, both for perpetuating the cycle and for their end goals. - BRUTE, document by wildbow.</ref>

PRT countermeasures

Brutes are most dangerous in a melee and are typically very difficult to put down. As such, the PRT's general response involves focused fire, limiting movements, and maintaining a safe distance, depending on the exact Brute rating.<ref name=":0" />

Threat level	Additional measures
2+	The team is notified of a Brute classification.<ref name=":0" /> It's assume divided fire will not have any serious effect, and focused fire is devoted to the target.<ref name=":0" /> Treated as low priority unless movements cannot be restricted, in which case the brute can be escalated to moderate priority.<ref name=":0" />
5+	It's assumed standard munitions are unable to hamper the target.<ref name=":0" /> Lethal munitions are authorized, truck emplacements are authorized.<ref name=":0" /> Property damage should be expected and accounted for. Where possible, move fight to an open area.<ref name=":0" />
9+	Inter-city missile emplacements and other large scale munitions are authorized.<ref name=":0" /> It's assumed standard parahuman abilities are unable to hamper the target.<ref name=":0" />

Known Brutes

Note: This list describes the Brute ratings of different capes. For a full overview of their abilities, please check their individual pages.

Name	Known ratings	Power description
Alabaster	Brute<ref>Alabaster Not a brute in the conventional sense, white supremacist Alabaster proves to be one to his victims.  Flawless in appearance, his S.O.P. makes for much ugliness. - Playtest Capes, document by wildbow. </ref>, Thinker<ref>Power:  Maintenance.  Thinker power makes him more effective at maintaining and fixing gear.  He can reroll craft checks, and is assumed to have a grounding in all non-niche craft types. - Playtest Capes, document by wildbow.</ref>	Restores himself to pristine condition every 4.3 seconds.<ref>Alabaster – A white skinned (literally) young man who restores himself to pristine condition at set intervals (every 4.3 seconds).  Initially seen as a member of Empire Eighty-Eight. - Cast</ref>
Alexandria	Brute, Mover, Thinker<ref name="14.y">Alexandria had originally named herself after the Library of Alexandria, though she’d ceased mentioning that, choosing to leave enemies in the dark instead.  As strong as she was on a physical level, her mind was equally formidable.  She never forgot a detail, absorbed information quickly, reading two pages of a book with a glance, and she learned quickly, retaining everything she picked up.  She knew most commonly spoken languages, no less than ten styles of martial arts and she could match some of the best non-tinkers in the world when it came to computers.  Not only was she rated well in the brute classification, but she held high scores in the mover and thinker categories. - 14.y (Bonus Interlude)</ref>	Has enhanced strength and a virtually invincible body.<ref>Alexandria – Second in command of the Protectorate.  Flies and has enhanced strength, a virtually invincible body, eidetic memory, and senses emotions.  The triad of flight, strength and invincibility recurs often enough, in enough variations, that it’s often referred to as ‘the Alexandria package’. Runs the team based in Los Angeles.  Member of the now-disbanded Triumvirate. - Cast (In Depth)</ref>
Blasto	Tinker 6 (Master 5, Blaster 2, Changer 2, Brute 2)<ref>Blasto, Real Name Unknown Classification:  Tinker 6 (sub: master 5, blaster 2, shifter 2, brute 2); plants. Disposition: Villain (B) Last Known Location:  Boston (Allston area, east). - Interlude 19 (Donation Bonus #1)</ref>	Produces plant-hybrid minions.<ref>Power:  Blastocyst - Produces plant hybrid minions.  Minions cannot communicate (this includes clones and humanoids), are lumpy/misshapen, and have social scores of 0.  They suffer one additional wound of the same type (without any attached effects) every time they take fire damage.  Creations are loyal.  They follow simple instructions, 20 words or less, and obey a pheromone-laden Blasto so long as he is in earshot. - Playtest Capes, document by wildbow.</ref>
Crawler	Brute<ref name="I12">Crawler was one of the two group members who had yet to rejoin the group.  He was engaged with a young man with a glow that suffused his hair and emanated from his eyes and mouth.  White flashes appeared with little accuracy and devastating effect, carving spherical chunks out of the brute. - Interlude 12</ref>	Extremely rapid regeneration; adapts to any injury with permanent physical changes that render him increasingly resistant and increasingly monstrous
Echidna	Master/Striker 10, Brute 8, Changer 2<ref>“Tentative ratings, based on what we know, we have her down as a brute eight, a changer two and a combination of striker and master with a rating of ten.” - Queen 18.4</ref>, Thinker<ref>“Chevalier, take your team, follow after my Wards. If she can detect capes, we’ll need to assign her a thinker classification, and we’ll need to assume that any isolated groups are at risk. Undersiders? Take Myrddin’s Wards and pursue Flechette and Parian. Ensure they aren’t intercepted. The rest of us will track down Noelle. Any indications about her location from the video?” - Queen 18.5</ref>	Can 'smell' parahumans.<ref>“The gun woman. Who else is there?” “Other local heroes,” Miss Militia replied. “Oh. There aren’t more? The Undersiders didn’t get in touch with you?” Noelle sounded funny. Her voice was hollow, almost disappointed. “It’s just us right now.” “Because I smell more,” Noelle said. “Which makes it hard to believe you. But you can lie if you have to.” “You can smell us.” “Not you. But it doesn’t matter,” Noelle’s voice broke. She stopped. - Queen 18.4</ref>
Glory Girl	Brute ?, Mover ?	Super strong with a forcefield constantly surrounding her
Hatchet Face	Brute, Trump	Superhuman strength and durability
Hookwolf	Changer 4, Brute 7	Surrounds himself with shifting armor of metal blades
King	Brute, Striker ?	Superhuman strength, automatically transfers all damage received to everyone he has touched in the previous 24 hours
Lung	Brute 4-9, Blaster 2-6	Regeneration. Becomes progressively bigger, stronger and faster-healing as the fight goes on
Weld	Brute, Changer	Made of metal

Speculated Brutes

Note: This list describes the Brute ratings of different capes. For a full overview of their abilities, please check their individual pages.

Note: This list deals with speculation. If you have a relevant and reliable citation, please add that cape to the 'Known Brutes' list. Please add capes to this list conservatively: It's meant to list capes that are generally agreed upon to be Brutes, but we lack proper citations for.

Name	Speculated classification	Power description
Aegis	Brute ?, Mover ?	Redundant body and has a never ending supply of adrenaline

References

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