User blog comment:DE-Note/RWBY Game idea/@comment-32598036-20150804014542/@comment-25555436-20150805032258

No, they are special combos, and performed as such (Each character has 1 Brutality per Fighting Style), with a bit more complexity than usual. Completing them just completes the Brutality and insta-kills the oponent, while failing them....is insulting, just a more-damaging-than-usual combo. And whoever or whatever told you that the enemy must be at low HP was saying bullshit.

I once fought a Jax. Had 70-80% HP remaining. He grabbed me. Slammed me like 12 times, which was his Brutality. By the time my HP reached the 20-30% area, the game was already saying "Jax Wins" and Mileena, who I was using, was barely more than a torsowoman.

Thankfully, they are special combos, and as such they can be hard to perform and complete. So against anything from noob to intermediate, you likely won't be brutalized. Against anything above that, you will; if you lose once, you lose the entire match, unless you are so good the oponent never gets the chance to even start the Brutality.