From the neutral character, Freelance Agent:

"While Freelance Agent is committed to a story, it gains for each character with lower skill committed by opponents."

So, I figure this can be read one of two ways:

1) The entire time (while) FA is committed to a story, it gains the bonus for each character with lower skill committed by opponents, regardless of when they were committed. So, let's say the FA is defending, and the active player has already comitted Paul Lemond. As soon as the FA commits, he gains the bonus, because Paul Lemond is also committed.

-or-

2) "While" refers to the effect's trigger, rather than the duration of the bonus. In this case, the Freelance Agent would *not* get the bonus in the situation above, because the Freelance Agent must already be committed when Paul Lemond commits in order to benefit from the bonus.

Which is correct?

I think it's #1. If it only applied at one time during FA's commitment, it would probably say something like "When FA commits...", like Ravager from the Deep.

#1 is correct.

What Dam said regarding Ravager from the Deep is an accurate example of how it would work otherwise.

Dark Young said:

Ravager is a different situation, though, IMHO, as its effect hits everything at a story *after* it commits.

Here's my thing: you're saying that if my opponent is the active player and commits a one skill and two skill guy to a story, then I commit the Freelance Agent, Freelance Agent gets +4 skulls. He's got good skill for cost *and* a strong ability. That seems a little much. Are you sure he doesn't only get the benefit when he's already committed and another player *then* commits low skill guys? Because if he works on previously committed guys retroactively, he seems like he's costed *way* low.

Ravager is a good comparison because he works differently. The wording on his card specifically states "after he's committed to a story, do this", making it a triggered effect that only happens once and at a certain point. This serves to balance out the tremendously powerful ability of wounding everything committed to a specific story by actually making it a liability on attack (he hurts everyone else committed with him on attack, and defenders haven't been committed yet so he doesn't hurt them) and thus generally only a benefit for the player controlling him if he's used on defense.

Freelance Agent, on the other hand, has a passive "while" effect - while he's committed at a story, he gains two Combat icons per lower skill opposing character committed to a story. Clearly passive and thus can change around.

I would like to see an official ruling on him, though. The card text is a bit vague, so it's hard to tell if he gains two Combat icons per lower skill opposing committed character at the story Freelance Agent is committed to or ALL of the stories in play at the time (which would make him considerably more powerful and a little ridiculous).