In any decent team, someone's gotta be the powerhouse.
Like the name implies, they're usually the largest and/or the strongest member of the team, in charge of heavy lifting. If someone needs to bust open the door, hold the line against the enemy, break down boulders, or help you move your furniture, they are the one to turn to.
In a fight they're often the one who holds off the army of mooks while the others challenge the Big Bad. While The Leader and The Lancer often fight side-by-side, The Big Guy can be a One-Man Army. Against stronger enemies they might end up suffering The Worf Effect; i.e. getting trounced to set up the villain as an unusually grave threat.
While most are passionate and unflinchingly loyal, what holds them back from leadership among the core team is being Dumb Muscle. They know how to knock heads together but don't do much in the way of strategy. Despite this, as renowned warriors, they may still exercise authority over the supporting troops.
Note: The Big Guy may not necessarily be the strongest on the team (and usually isn't by the end). They just have to be the one who specializes in fighting or physical duties.
Common traits and subdivisions of the Big Guy include:
The typical tough guy. Gruff, mean, sometimes scarred and withdrawn warrior. Could go so far as to be a Berserker. In an entire Five-Man Band of ass-kickers, their big guy will most likely be ready to punch you in the face for smiling at him.
The Gentle Giant who you don't want to push too far. They can be a calming element in the group, offering both experience and wisdom, or just able to pull two others apart easily. In this case he may show signs of The Heart or The Mentor. Despite, or because of, their size, they're among the least aggressive and nicest of the bunch. In an extreme case they may be a Lovable Coward.
A ''closet'' Gentle Giant may also look like the typical tough guy.
The Boisterous Bruiser, whose presence is larger than his physical size. This can range from being Big Fun, to an Emotional Bruiser, Blood Knight, or generally being Hot-Blooded and loud. This guy can be as large as the other types, but those with short and Stout Strength are usually here.
A Genius Bruiser who can also fill the role of The Smart Guy. This character is rare, (presumably also for balance reasons) as The Smart Guy is traditionally unimposing and the Non-Action Guy. The polar opposite of the Dumb Muscle, this version uses their Strength intelligently, and may be diligent in their training and studies.
The Pint-Sized Powerhouse, a child or otherwise unimposing person that still packs a punch. If they're not a great athlete their power may come from raw determination. In cases of truly great strength, you may be dealing with a cyborg, mutant, alien, or some other justification for unusual power. This type is more common with female examples who may be a Cute Bruiser or Girly Bruiser.
The Brute, an exaggerated tough guy to the point of being a bully, and normally Evil Counterpart to any of the other Big Guys. He may be dumb, or too savage to do anything else for the team, but he's kept around because he's good in a fight.
Powers and skills common to the big guy:
The Big Guy will often be the band's "tank"; a Mighty Glacier who serves as the strongest physical fighter, but also the slowest and least proficient at magic or other specialized skills. Alternatively, he's just a Stone Wall taking the hits for others. The lucky ones are those who are as fast as they are strong.
Most Big Guys tend to prefer big, heavy weapons like axes or hammers (or oversized guns like bazookas or chainguns if in a modern/futuristic setting).
Others are powerful martial artists who clobber the bad guys with their bare hands.
If it's a magical setting, they may also be adept at Dishing Out Dirt or have a Green Thumb, as the "earth" element can be seen as tough, strong, and/or sturdy. Ice and Metal may have similar connotations. More rarely electricity will be used since it's loud and powerful raw energy.
Recently more and more women are filling this role, which used to be a rarity unless the whole team was composed of women. Since physical strength is usually a masculine trait, she may be a tomboy, Lad-ette, or mannish. But you can flip this on its head by making her the Amazon: big, and beautiful.
If she's playing the tough guy straight, her softer side is often a secret cache of girlish habits which she finds embarrassing. On rare occasions, she may be revealed to be a Butch Lesbian, a Tsundere, or even a Violently Protective Girlfriend. When there are Two Girls to a Team, the Big Girl and The Chick commonly form a Tomboy and Girly Girl pair. Most of the time, the Big Girl is the tomboy and the Chick is the girly girl.
Not to be confused with The Strongman (though overlap is not unheard of) or that other Big Guy.
Can have some overlap with Scary Black Man, The Strongman and the Proud Warrior Race Guy especially when dealing with dwarves. Due to their status as the biggest, most physically-dangerous person on The Hero's team, they often fall victim to Big Guy Fatality Syndrome. They often form a Brains and Brawn relationship with The Smart Guy in the group, or will be used as a Foil for them a la Brains Versus Brawn.
