New Daggerheart Campaign

[zakael19]

Bruisers are already the Elites.
What this causes is an impossibility to challenge characters at the higher end of their tier. I guess unless you pull from the next highest tier?

Bruisers are Brutes, if we're using 4e terms. They don't have enough consistent damage output (+ to hit, reaction roll abilities) to really threaten a party, nor the multi-spotlight action economy. Leaders can get closer, but when I want to make a fight interesting I make sure to include a 5point solo plus other stuff (or a two phase one as a true boss).

Their math doesn't work. A PC will wipe out half of them with one strike, trimming down their damage to a neglible amount. Plus their attack bonus is unlikely to connect anyway.

You don't have to group them all up. The damage isn't relevant if what you're looking to do is chip at multiple targets. The other thing I do with them is use them in a non-offensive way as fictional sourcing. Pile a bunch of minions around somebody and say they're Restrained; get in there and give the minions advantage if they're ignored. Add color. Take advantage of the flexibility of the system.

 

[Reynard]

I have found that mixing solos and leaders into a "boss" statblock works pretty well.
As to environments: they aren't there to eat PC resources, they are there to build up Hope and Fear pools by requiring rolls.