Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a game apparently about stealth, patience, and assassinations, but you can also play as a big man with an even bigger hammer. With his no-nonsense muscles and general violent outlook, the Brawler class stands out from the pack of quieter outlaws and legends as one of the most powerful options available if you know how to use him.

　　If you’re looking to join the fray or are sick of getting plummeted by a big old hammer, this guide will teach you everything you need to know about the Brawler.

　　Other Hood: Outlaws and Legends guides: Beginner's Tips and Tricks, Robin the Ranger, Marianne the Hunter, Tooke the Mystic

　　

Late Game Hero

Hood: Outlaws and Legends is broken down into distinct rounds within the game. Although each round seamlessly slides into the next, there is a noticeable change in tactics and behavior as each game progresses. The first two rounds are hallmarked by stealthy maneuvers, patient exploration, and a distance between the opposing teams. For fairly obvious reasons, this makes the Brawler a less advantageous character at the beginning of the game.

　　But that doesn’t make him useless; you’ll just have to learn to approach in a way the class isn’t quite built for. While you can smash the enemy team quite effectively, you shouldn’t be out looking for a fight unless the other team is running away with the objectives. And while you’ve got a way of circumventing area lockdowns, you should avoid putting the area into lockdown whenever possible.

　　Look to move quietly and assassinate State Guards you happen to come across. Tag enemies and let Hunters and Rangers lead the way when you can. They’ll more quickly push into enemy territory in this stage of the game.

　　Once the vault door is open, the Brawler really comes into his own. He can naturally carry the chest quicker than any other class, so make sure you’re ready to pick it up as soon as possible. If there’s already a Brawler or someone else is carrying the chest, you become the bruiser of the group. Stick close, possibly even drawing enemy fire, and start flattening anyone that makes a beeline for the chest.

　　When you get to the winch, the Brawler is truly in their element. From this point, the action tends to get closer and stops moving. From here, you’ll want to be on the frontline at all times, spinning the winch whenever possible, but you should be engaging in every fight that breaks out around the winch.

　　

Never Back Down

Other classes like the Ranger and Hunter will want to escape melee encounters, and the Mystic can often struggle on their own. The Brawler, on the other hand, always wants to be as close as possible to the other enemy teams.

　　The Brawler is the peak of melee combat in this game, and while it can be a little awkward, you have to use all those skills to your advantage. If an opponent runs away from you, think about chasing them down. This isn’t a golden run, the runner might not be worth chasing if you’re defending a location, or they might be leading you into an ambush. But if they’re backing up a few feet and turning around, keep as close to them as possible.

　　The Brawler is one of only two classes with a heavy attack, which when combined with a sprint can be a one-hit kill, so use that to close the distance if a player is trying to stay back. Instead of a dodge, the Brawler can block, which means you’ll be less mobile than most other classes, but still a massive threat. Use the block to defend against the Hunters ranged attacks, then sprint in to close the distance once they’re out of ammo.

　　Remember that each hit can stun another player, so use your light attacks to keep them staggered and deliver the powerful heavy attacks when you’re more confident they won’t dodge out the way.

　　It's easy to forget that the tutorial also teaches you that you can parry and counterattack. While it can be tricky to pull this off with other players, it almost certainly ensures a victory in a one-on-one fight if you can time your block for when the weapon flashes.

　　

Explosive Entrance

The Brawler carries with him an explosive pouch. It can be very tempting to use, but it is most valuable in certain situations. Try and save them for moments when the enemy team has control over the winch or when the sheriff makes an appearance.

　　It has a relatively small blast radius, but throwing it at the winch when nearly always causes the enemy team to scatter, which you can use to deliver a killing blow or two even when outnumbered. More importantly, it will halt their attempts to steal the chest.

　　The sheriff is another matter. He can one-hit kill anyone in melee range, and the Brawler has no other ranged powers. Luckily, the blast will drop him to his knees so you can safely escape his iron grip. Because of the long fuse, the blast isn’t very good at actually dispatching players, so don’t bother using it in a fight. Standing still to throw also opens you up to a headshot from the ranged players, so it's better to do it when you’re on the attack.

　　

Brawlers Lead The Way

Brawlers are at their most effective when everything starts going wrong, and you should be ready for those moments. His ability lets him lift the portcullis if he falls, which can greatly expedite your team's movement, so be ready to temporarily open these shortcuts when moving with the chest or rushing in to attack.

　　When the alarms trigger (and by the end of the game they probably will), Brawlers can quickly and safely dispatch the charging State Guards. NPCs aren’t much of a threat to the Brawler, but other classes can quickly be overwhelmed by their armor and swords. If there are NPCs in the area and assassination is no longer an option, it should be the Brawler’s role to remove them from the game.

　　In the early game, you’ll probably be sticking close to the Hunter and Ranger. In the late game, they’ll be sticking close to you.

　　

Play the Objective

When the endgame begins and teams desperately try to winch the treasure away, a proxy war will be fought over the nearest control points to the extraction point. It is pivotal to take these and deny the advantage to the enemies.

　　But that is not the job for the Brawler. A Brawler should focus on the main objective, the winch, and leave the struggle for the control points to the other classes when you can. A single brawler can completely disrupt the winch if not take it entirely if the other team doesn’t have a good defense, and that is where your talents lie. Taking a control point is often a game of hiding, assassinations, and waiting, which is better done by the Hunter or others that have less of a direct role in the final moments of the games.