Super mutant brute

Super Mutant Brutes are the second hardest Super Mutants opponents in Fallout 3.

They are either equipped with an Assault Rifle or a melee weapon and a Frag Grenade.

They have more hit points that the regular Super mutants and they do wear a makeshift armor, this along with their superior armaments makes them a more difficult opponent.There are a few good tactics that you can use in order to dispatch them:

You can stay at a safe distance and shoot them with a Sniper Rifle or a Scoped .44 Magnum, one or two hits at the head will be enough to kill them, provided that the weapon you use is at a good condition.

An other tactic is to close in range with a Chinese Assault Rifle or a Combat Shotgun and cripple their hands with Vats hits, this will cause them to drop their weapon and the will either attempt to pick it up or they will attack you with their bare hands, both scenarios offer a few seconds of a clear shot.

You will notice that after a certain level that Brutes will form the mainstay of all you Super mutant encounters.