A lot of people have been talking about using Brute Force as a one-off, "in-case-you-need-it" card, and that's true, it's only good in a pinch if you're playing as most investigators. But if you are playing as Silas Marsh? Just throw away one of your weapons, because you won't be needing them as much.

The majority of enemies in this game have around 2 health, maybe 3, and occasionally 4. With Silas's base 4 , he's going to get 7 minimum, which means on Standard he's going to easily succeed by 2 or more most of the time and land 3 damage. And after you land that 3 damage with Silas, use his unique ability to return Brute Force back into your hand so you're ready to punch another cultist.

In the unfortunate case that you lose Brute Force, either through a random discard or because you had to REALLY punch SUPER hard this turn or what have you, there are many options to get it back. This includes Silas's ability, of course, as well as cards like Resourceful and True Survivor.

Resourceful in particular is interesting because I believe that if you commit it with Brute Force, you would be able to use Resourceful's ability to pick up Brute Force from the discard pile, and then use Silas's ability to put Resourceful back into your hand. So for your next fight action that turn, you can commit both Brute Force and Resourceful again, and use Resourceful AGAIN to put Brute Force back in your hand, so you're, again, ready to punch yet another cultist.

I suspect that Brute Force may become less useful the more players you have, but for what it's worth, I tested it in a 3-player Return to Dunwich campaign with an investigating-focused Luke Robinson and a fight-focused Leo Anderson, and with Brute Force along with Sharp Vision, I was basically able to do everything that the other two players were too busy to take care of. By the end of the campaign, I only used my Meat Cleaver to commit to tests. And plus, there's nothing more satisfying than punching a cosmic horror with nothing but your bare fists.

Edit: more detail.

There is a slew of characters that can dependably land any sort of skill test they desire, often via judicious skill use and test manipulation like Lucky! or Live and Learn. For them landing a Brute Force is child's play, even from a startpoint of just 1 or 2 base . Its even easier for the characters starting at 3 or 4.

Silas Marsh particularly can thread the needle and land 3 damage on every Brute Force he plays.

Static buffs, skill cards or Cornered will greatly help land the bonus damage too. Also give extra consideration to it in latter campaigns, where 3 health foes are more commonplace.

Brute Force can be a brilliant backup or addition to a deck that fights with 2 damage weapons (most 1 hand weapons), if you cant find a weapon the punch can tide you over and you can use it to nail an odd-health foe in less actions then a 2-damage weapon would. It can save a bullet and it costs no resources!

put this card in "Ashcan" Pete's deck

combo with duke ability

basically a super version of vicious blow (2)

more icon and more space for other class card

just one exp

so fucing op

now we dont have to chose between Inspiring Presence and vicious blow