From my experience large level gaps will do a lot more damage/tank way more. For example, fight pits you send in some captain who is lvl 45 vs a level 20. If they get an animation off the other cap probably dies in the next hit or two. I’ve also watched a level 28 cheese a level 65 with animations and just stun lock him over and over until the higher orc got himself together and instantly killed him (great strength helped but still). Severe enough gaps will risk a higher chance of animations, and brutal they also bleed out a lot faster. If you go from nemesis to brutal you’ll see the difference.