Beating up Georgie the bartender for trivial things would fall under the ruthless category. But there's also the more subtle ruthlessness that Tony exhibited (like revenge being "cold cuts" as he describe once to Melfi):

- Setting up Feech LaManna to have his parole violated
- Loaning Artie the $50,000 for the Frenchman, knowing that Artie would flub it
- Fronting Davey Scatino the Executive Card Game money knowing he had the store that could be busted out
- Making Matt Bevilaqua sweep up by Silvio at that card game, knowing that Silvio would react violently
- Blasting Dean Martin Live From the Sands at the lawyer's oceanfront house to get his $200,000 back
- The way he treated Junior after the indictments after Season 1, from seizing nearly every earning channel Junior had, to mocking Junior about the Executive Card Game (knowing he was under house arrest and couldn't run it)
- Pulling Bryan Camarata into his circle for a time, and pulling Bryan out of Carmela's sphere regarding investment advice
- Beating Carmela to the punch by tainting the divorce attorney pool in North Jersey
- Sleeping with Christopher's Las Vegas call girl after Christopher's death, sort of a parting shot at Christopher
- Jerking Hesh around with the shylock business, especially making a huge production and mockery of paying the weekly vig