Designer's Note: While a more straightforward reading of the lyrics of "The Boxer" suggest that the first person narrator and the boxer are not the same person, I think Paul Simon intended a certain ambiguity of identity. In any case, combining them makes for a more complete and interesting character, in my opinion. The Boxer's most notable trait is gullibility. Despite having spent a few years learning about the seamier side of life, he still tends to trust that other people's intentions are good and honorable, and is often inclined to believe what he's told. He's trying to learn to "not be such a sap!" and sometimes life seems intent on beating it out of him, but he still has to make an EGO roll (adjusted by circumstances, and possibly with Streetwise or a similar skill as complementary) to mistrust or disbelieve someone. On the other hand, his undimmed enthusiasm and unstoppable faith make him a compelling, and surprisingly poetic, speaker sometimes. He has some kind of harmful secret in his past - or thinks he does, as certainly no one is ever known to have come after him, but something made him run away from home as a teenager, hitchhiking or riding the rails until he landed in New York. A chance encounter got him into the "fight game" when he impressed a gym owner with the way he disposed of a couple of muggers. He took way too many shots to the face before learning to duck or block. Now the years are rolling by me They are rocking evenly And I am older than I once was And younger than I'll be, but that's not unusual. No, it isn't strange After changes upon changes We are more or less the same After changes we are more or less the same I am leaving, I am leaving (but the fighter still remains, still the same) Although his build puts him usually in the bantamweight or featherweight category, the boxer is definitely competent at his trade. If he learns a couple more aggressive damaging punches, he could be a contender. If his 3d6 jabs aren't getting the job done, he'll go to blocking and dodging, waiting for an opening or trying to wear out his opponent, or go for a clinch and then follow up with a haymaker. He doesn't follow boxing rules in a brawl, and will grab and throw, haymaker from behind with a club, or do anything else he feels the situation warrants. He's gullible (and people who know this can use it to distract him in a fight - "Look, it's the cops !") but not dumb, nor is he a musclebound hulk incapable of subtlety - he has Stealth and Concealment. Nor is he a berserker - if there is nothing to gain in a fight (he's not protecting someone for example) he's perfectly willing to cut and run, even if - perhaps especially if - he's winning. With a fighting weight of 50 pts plus 50 Disadvantage pts, The Boxer is suitable as a player character in some low-powered games using Dark Champions or Pulp Hero, or as a sidekick to a standard powered character - he'd probably be very loyal if he found someone who proved over time that they will NEVER take advantage of him. He fits easily anytime in the 20th century and into the late 19th and early 21st, and with a few changes could be dropped in any major city in the world. With a few tweaks, he could appear in any historical, fantastic, or futuristic setting where boxing or a similar martial art is practiced professionally. As a contact or encounter for the players, remember - He's a boxer, he's gullible, he has contacts on the street - there's no limit to the ways The Boxer can get into trouble, and no reason he wouldn't ask the player characters for help if he needs it. He's also perfectly ready to help if asked, and can be readily added to a party that may need one more good hand to hand combatant, or be a source of information if none of the characters have local knowledge or the Streetwise skill. Or even if they do and their own contacts just aren't connected right now. Prize fighter's face - he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him til he cried out in his anger and his shame. He's also absolutely bristling with plot hooks, but that should probably be left off the visual description. "The Boxer" lyrics by Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel. Character sheet by Lucius Alexander Copyright Palindromedary Enterprises