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The Difference between a Tank and a Bruiser

HoboGod·5/5/2015, 7:42:15 AM·7 votes·6,817 views

Now, I see a bunch of people confused on the difference between Tank and Bruiser, and honestly, it's quite confusing. Both typically build a healthy mix of defensive and offensive items based on the situation. Both propel themselves into the front line. Both make excellent use of crowd control and/or sustain.

Here's where I think they differ! Bruisers are tanky assassins and Tanks are tanky supports. Bruisers are looking to safely create picks, using their burst, dps, and CC to get priority targets low enough for their team to murder. Tanks are creating zones of control which enemies cannot safely move past without killing the Tank.

Here are some examples: Jarvan and Wukong are Bruisers. Sion and Nautilus are Tanks.

Jarvan and Wukong can recklessly jump into a fight and use their damage heavy CC on priority targets, but can do almost nothing to prevent an enemy bruiser or assassin from doing the same. Sion and Nautilus have some pick potential, but are hindered by unreliable burst and low dps, making them easily kited. However, they do have strong tools for counter-engaging, peeling for priority targets, and causing attrition damage which generally stops enemy bruisers and assassins from doing anything.

So here's my rule of thumb: If you'd rather the enemy pick Zed over Ezreal, you're a tank. If you'd rather the enemy pick Ezreal over Urgot, you're a Bruiser.

Tell me if you agree or if I'm completely wrong.

19 Comments

ProfDrDeath5/5/2015, 8:57:01 AM4 votes

Tank:

Tanky
Low burst damage
Decent sustained damage (over time threat)
A ton of long and/or AoE CC and/or utility
Usually, 0-1 offensive items
Better with early defense than early offense

Bruiser:

Tanky
Decent burst damage
Good sustained damage
Single target CC, less utility
Usually 1-2 offensive items, or 2 semi-offensive ones
Works both with early offense and early defense

Fighter:

Robust (good base tankiness)
Good burst damage
Good sustained damage
Short, interruptive or conditional CCs, low team-focused utility
1-3 defensive items, preferably build later

Examples:

Tanks: Zac Leona Sion (edging towards being a bruiser)

Bruisers: JarvanIV Irelia Nasus RekSai

Fighters: Riven Pantheon Tryndamere

Sire Hippington5/5/2015, 1:05:17 PM4 votes

The problem is that there is no real definition for either. Everyone uses his own definitions of tanks/bruisers/fighters.

My definitions would be:

Tanks: Tanky, high cc/utillity, good burst, low dps. Examples: Alistar Gragas Maokai Leona ...

Bruiser: Tanky, high dps with good aoe, low cc, no/few gapclosers. Examples: Garen DrMundo Renekton Shyvana ...

Fighter: Tanky, High singletarget dps with good burstspikes, good offensive gapcloseing, a bit cc. Examples: Rengar XinZhao Jax Irelia ...

Light Fighter: Lowish tankiness, high mobillity and other tools to avoid damage, high damage, low cc. Example: Talon Fiora Fizz MasterYi Riven ...

I seperated into those 4 groups as they differ quite a bit in their playstyle. Most champions are a bit off a mix between those classes anyway. Amumu for example is a Tank that gets quite close to bruisers with the constant aoe damage from W and the low cd E, while Jarvan is kinda tank/fighter hybrid, good cc/utillity and burst with good gapcloseing+singletarget dps. Also, many champs are kinda in between fighter/ligth fighter and it's mostly their itembuilts that pushes them to eitehr side. A full off pant would be a light fighter by my definitions, but a tanky pant would be a fighter.

P.S: I would cry if i play a bruiser and the enemie picks ezreal, bruisers are very vulnerable to kiteing, and Ez is the lord of kiteing...Killing the likes of ez is a job for Assasins like Talon

Kouga5/5/2015, 8:06:34 AM3 votes

The term "Bruiser" is an old tag for what Riot now officially classifies as "Fighters". It all comes down to what their job in the game is, and how they typically accomplish this.

From the description of Fighter on the Wiki:

Fighters can build to be extremely survivable, but the key distinction between tanky fighters and true tanks is that tanks are designed to draw damage and disrupt enemies, while fighters deal damage.

They can both initiate, may have CC, but the "rule of thumb" you're looking for is: After the shit hits the fan, what are they doing? If you're a Fighter, like Kha'Zix, after the fight starts you try to dish out as much damage as possible or seeking out targets. If you're a Tank, like Braum, you are sticking near your allies and defending them either through direct protection (such as spell shields or health shields).

ZeeDrakon5/5/2015, 10:47:17 AM2 votes

IMO tanks DONT build offensive items since they dont scale with AD/AP very well. (with the only exception i can think of beeing maokai) though i agree with the rest.

YOU BEEN WARNED5/5/2015, 2:37:34 PM1 votes

Bruisers usually have good AD scalings, tanks don't. ( which is why I don't think Sion is a true tank )

Also true tank burst combos often doesn't deal half the target's HP, nor is their DPS high.

True tanks: Braum Alistar Taric Blitzcrank Thresh Nautilus <-- you could argue the hookers aren't because they have ridiculous scalings.

Pseudo (those are usually AP bruisers): Shen Malphite Gragas Chogath Maokai Sion Singed

Bruisers: Darius XinZhao MonkeyKing JarvanIV Shyvana Irelia Riven

Jax, because jax: Jax

Melee carries: Tryndamere Fiora Gangplank Yasuo

Hasztalan25/5/2015, 3:08:32 PM1 votes

THere are so many bad examples and false information in this thread its no wonnder why ppl keep confusing them ^^

And no, Sion is not a tank.

BluePolarizer5/6/2015, 12:58:22 AM1 votes

Bruisers are typically separated into 2 categories:

light fighters and heavy fighters.

Heavy fighters typically build 1-2 offensive items, rest tank: Irelia Nasus Renekton Shyvana JarvanIV Their role is to jump in alongside (or even as) the engage and start threatening the enemy backline with high damage, and forcing focus on themselves.

Light fighters typically build 1-2 defensive items, rest damage: Riven MasterYi Pantheon Fiora Yasuo Their role is to jump in after the engage and focus down the backline, while using mobility and slipperiness to avoid damage, but still be tanky enough to take a few hits. Because they all have very high sustained damage, they can 1v1 enemy tanks, but in 5v5s, it is better to put their damage to use against squishies since they aren't that tanky (though still way tankier than most ADCs, traditional supports and mages)

Assassins build full glass, of course: Zed Leblanc Shaco Talon Fizz They can't take hits at all, so the plan is to delete enemy squishies before they can react.

Tanks are typically also separated into 2 categories, though they both build pure defense.

Initiators usually have high AOE damage, tons of AOE CC, typically a huge AOE CC ult and usually initiate fights for the team by diving, ulting and then soaking up damage while stunning/slowing/AOE burning the entire enemy team. Some heavy fighters with an AOE stun can also serve as initiators, but typically aren't as durable.

Typical initiators: Malphite Gragas Sejuani Amumu Zac

Peeling tanks usually have low AOE damage, but very reliable single target CCs and shields/heals to help allies. Their teamfight initiation isn't as good due to lack of reliability on their AOE CC or just not having AOE CC, but their peeling for carries is exceptional because you can't walk past them; they WILL catch you then keep you stunned for days while the carries whack you. Their reliable single target CC also makes them exceptionally strong at ganking and catching lone enemies.

Typical peelers: Maokai Galio Nautilus Leona Braum

IcyPepper5/5/2015, 7:44:35 AM1 votes

So here's my rule of thumb: If you'd rather the enemy pick Zed over Ezreal, you're a tank. If you'd rather the enemy pick Ezreal over Urgot, you're a Bruiser.

Close, but I like it when the enemy chooses assassins over mages when playing bruisers. I'm tanky enough to handle their combo that would delete a squishy, have enough damage to scare their squishy little ass, and I typically have some tools to lock them down (but not as much as a tank) for my team to focus or to protect my carries.

NovaVariousHD11/25/2018, 5:56:21 AM1 votes

Its simple.... bruisers destroy tanks. And squishy champs destroy bruisers.

SEKAI5/5/2015, 7:48:19 AM1 votes

Tanks are melee, for the most part, have a strong cc oriented kit. Doesn't scale much on damage but is extremely strong and threatening when building utility and defensive stats, not in a one shot way, just genuine oppressing and scary as they destroy your team formation again and again. Ex. Sej, Ali, Naut, Leona.

Bruisers are again, mostly melee, who has a kit sitting somewhere between offense and defense. They are primarily encouraged to build mostly defensive but is rewarded both damage and sustain while doing so. Their kit features either like 1 strong cc or multiple soft or unreliable cc. Ex. Nasus, Sion, Garen, Mundo

BluePolarizer5/5/2015, 8:09:08 AM1 votes

true. Bruisers are typically bad at peeling but good at dueling, diving and killing, while tanks are good at peeling and initiating, but can't solo kill very easily.

LilxPaprika5/5/2015, 10:46:02 AM1 votes

The reason there's a blur though is because with item slows and max CDR a bruiser can often create a decent amount of disruption. Bruisers can also be tankier than tank by means of sustain. vs tanks its typically harder to break the ice against them, high threshold for taking dmg, vs bruisers its more about kiting them. If a bruiser can't get a hold of anyone they are very vulnerable they usually need to stick to people to stay alive. Bruisers excel with team mates that can support them a bit. Like a lux, karma, lulu. A tank is pretty self reliant to survive.