A reviewed avatar of the Gambler, without the contraditions and better balanced then the previous version i had submited at the UA list.
The Gambler
by Haroudo Xavier (haroudo@terra.com.br)
Attributes: The Gambler is the man that chooses to live through the games of chance that requires skill as well (cards), using the game as his paradigm to understand, control, and run his own life. For the Gambler, the game itself is not of chance, is matter of skill, cleverness, and human observation. They believe they are gifted to understand the human condition looking over a poker table.
Almost always, the gambler is a mysterious character, charming, even when dressed in wretched clothes. He always can smile, walk in a charming way or seem quite stylish even when furious. At the same time, he seems to be doomed to fail in his life beyond the game tables. Except for the game, his live is a collection of ruins, everything almost seem to be lost, family, lovers, and sometimes even friends. But still, he is extremely confident in the game, his arena, his battlefield, where different from the rest of the world, he must and frequently is, the winner.
The Gambler is a very honorable figure, despise his chosen way of living or style, he never cheats in the game of his choice. To compensate for the falls on his life, he must know he is capable of winning through skill. Even when the kind of game allows some cheating, he only goes to certain lenghts. Also, he will not choose adversaries just because they are easier to defeat, or cheat; he is the gambler, not a small crook. For him, the channeled avatar powers are like an add-on to his gambling expertise, and most of them use it without even perceiving they are channeling an archetype.
Taboo: The Gambler can’t loose. The game is what stands between his gambler life and his real life, and at least one have to work out correctly. The Gambler is the one that chooses that his life as a professional gambler is worth more than anything else. He will never loose a game willingly, and even unwilling he should try to win, even if his live is at stake.
The gambler will not give much time or attention to his private life, usually they are loners and drifters. Their only real friends are other players, pack of cards and stale beer over a green table cloth. Certanly, they are charming, even in a ragged way, but the gambler always tries to dettach itself from those lovers, friends, and people that could take them from their chosen life. They know that love is not a game for them, at least not one they can bet or even be sure of the odds.
The gambler will never cheat. They can bluff, count cards, and use all kinds of metagame preparation, even faint some love interest or friendship to keep their opponents guessing, but they can’t blatant cheat. The purity of this “other universe” where they really live is too important. Cheating takes away the challenging, takes away their reason to keep playing, and live.
Symbols: A very new, or very used deck of cards are the best symbols for the gambler. The Ace of Spades, or The Queen of Hearts, are cards associated with this archetype. Charming smile, long sleeves, dices, are also acompaning them. In a few cases the gambler has one weapon associated with his figure, but that’s rare. They are really good at playing, not killing. You can’t beat a dead body in a poker game.
Suspected Avatars in History: Doc Holiday.
Channels:
1-50%: With a succesful roll of avatar: The Gambler, the Gambler can feel the best (most lucrative, most skilled players) places in town to play his game. He can also locate a specific player, or stake/bet with this power.
51-70%: The Gambler now is so focused to live his life through the game, that when playing any kind of games where there is both chance and skill involved, he can flip-flop any rolls that are below his Avatar: The Gambler even if it’s not his obssession skill.
71%-90%: The Gambler can always know when someone is cheating him in a game, he can automaticaly know it with this channel. He can also roll, trying to know exactly what kind of cheat it is, and/or who is the reponsible for it.
91%+: At this level, the Gambler has a similar power to the Merchant second channel. You can call bet, and put at stake, anything that is owned by the players on the table, and make it possible for them to make the same. Everyone must be willing (even if they do not believe it is serious) and free (can’t be convinced by force or supernatural powers) to accept the bet, or it won’t work. Years of life, his whole fortune (every single and utterly cent he owns), the love for his wife, his soul, skills, absolutely ANYTHING.
99% Examples:
At 1932, Kyle Wassler, was know to never die if he had a game appointment to attend.
At 1956, Adriano Baccare, could reverse a persons luck in a snap of fingers.
At 1987, Michael Ollawsky, have been seen several times at two or more different places, at the same time, as long as those bilocations was at pokers game places.
I like this. I always felt that the Gambler should have been one of the central Archetypes in UA, but maybe that’s just my Tim Powers influence rubbing off on me.
Tim Powers.. I keep hearing about him… can someone tell me a good book?
BTW I as well like this Archtype.. Keep it up Haroudo!
A good starting point for Tim Powers is “Last Call”, which served as a big chunk of the inspiration behind avatars in UA.
So does he break taboo if he loses because of chance, or only if he loses on purpose? Because if he can’t lose at all, it makes this archetype pretty difficult.
The way i see it, he losses both way, but should be more penalized if loses willing. See, is like when you feel you’re a great writer of chess player, or martial artist and you fail if not willing. You still will lose some part of your self concept at it. And the uniserve too will look at you a little less. All Avatars are like you present yourself to the universe. The Gambler must be a victorious Glambler, or should choose another path. Is a Hard to follow Avatar, but also very fun to play and very desireable to play with one like that, so it should also been balanced accordly.
And sorry for my Bad Englsihy. ::))
I have a simple suggestion about the taboo. A good gambler knows that he can’t win always, and accepts the risk. In fact, without that risk, there’s no point in gambling – so I don’t think that just losing should be a breach of taboo. My suggestion is: The Gambler breaks taboo if he rejects a fair gamble. If he is offered a bet or a game, and the reward and the risk are balanced, and the game is not manipulated, he must play. Otherwise, he breaks taboo.
Lola, of Run Lola Run, was probably channeling this one.
The “retry” aspect (where she rewound time 20 minutes, twice, because something went wrong) would make a good 4th channel.
to “Just Myself”, i think is a great suggestion. 🙂 As soon as i discover how to edit my “the gampler” submission, i will add something on that line, thanks.
Btw, to the ones that liked this avatar, also check The Damnation Game from Clive Barker. Is great for building up the kind of vibe that would improve the mood for a game with this avatar on it, and also a terrific horror story.