Black Sabbath tribute characters

[Snarky]

since characters for stuff like this are not copying heroes, but emulating rock stars, what are the rules.

 

rip Ozzy

[lemming]

I do have a character named "Fairy Wears Boots" and while post-Ozzy, thought about a thug mastermind "The Mob Rules"

[PartyKake]

I wonder what powerset would be the best fit for a war pig.

[momentarygrace]

The most appropriate name for a tribute character is off limits anyway.... 😞 

 

 

 

[El D]

So long as you aren't using the name of an actual band member from Black Sabbath anything just inspired by should be fine. War Pig, Paranoid (Perry Noid?), Child of the Grave... I wouldn't try to run around as Mozzy Mosbourne but song references should be okay.

 

'Child of the Grave' is actually a really good name for a Necromancy MM, come to think of it.

[Scarlet Shocker]

Salad Bloody Salad; Plant/pain

 

 

I was never a heavy metal fan but as an honorary "Black Country Mon" I love what he gave to my adopted home territory. As a music fan and radio presenter with an eye on the jazzier side of the tracks I encountered his mentors (allegedly) in Jazz Sabbath, a small jazz quartet that he unashamedly plagiarised and ripped off.

 

What listening to them taught me was that Black Sabbath had a very great body of work. It wasn't simply thrashing guitars and making noise. Listening to it you get some genuine musical craft and for all Ozzy's feigned weirdness and deliberate strange there was real, actual musical talent in Black Sabbath and they did change music for ever in a very positive way.

Edited July 22 by Scarlet Shocker
addendum

[Uun]

If you weren't aware, Ozzy's final concert on July 5 raised $190 million for charity (Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice). Highest grossing charity concert ever.

[Forager]

18 hours ago, Snarky said:

since characters for stuff like this are not copying heroes, but emulating rock stars, what are the rules.

 

rip Ozzy

 

Are you talking about a character that is Ozzy, just a parody, or someone inspired by him? Ozzy Osbourne is probably a trademark and protected by intellectual property law. Not every person is trademarked, but a lot of celebrities are.

 

Your take on a slurring, debaucherous rockstar with a goth aesthetic and British accent wouldn't violate any laws. That's an expy. If you named him Spazzy Spazbourne, he's a parody. That's all legal, but nobody knows how a GM would interpret them.

 

On it's face, the ToS seems to only prohibit violations of intellectual property law, but those are not widely understood, so I don't know if the application in-game matches that.

 

The typical forum goer response to this sort of thing is often unnecessarily cautious. 

[Snarky]

16 minutes ago, Forager said:

 

Are you talking about a character that is Ozzy, just a parody, or someone inspired by him? Ozzy Osbourne is probably a trademark and protected by intellectual property law. Not every person is trademarked, but a lot of celebrities are.

 

Your take on a slurring, debaucherous rockstar with a goth aesthetic and British accent wouldn't violate any laws. That's an expy. If you named him Spazzy Spazbourne, he's a parody. That's all legal, but nobody knows how a GM would interpret them.

 

On it's face, the ToS seems to only prohibit violations of intellectual property law, but those are not widely understood, so I don't know if the application in-game matches that.

 

The typical forum goer response to this sort of thing is often unnecessarily cautious. 

I was more curious because someone asked in game.  

I am still quite busy on my “every contact/every mission” with my Nosferatu padody/copy (not trademark protected)

 

This thread was a way to honor Ozzy, answer specific questions about homage characters for Black Sabbath, and answer general questions about how to be inspired by something but not violate ToS.  
 

Thank you for the thoughtful and informative response.

[Lazarillo]

There's also a rule, to my knowledge, that basically says "no creating real/historically noteworthy figures", though like all the "no [x]-type characters" rules, enforcement is pretty spotty in execution.  So making a direct "tribute" to Ozzy would likely be an enforceable conduct violation.  Just because of the ways the rules are presented, I'd imagine explicit parodies (the "Spazzy Spazbourne" example above would also be as likely to get acted on as other such examples.  But more indirect references through lyrics or song titles are probably going to fly unless you just happen to get spotted by a GM who really hates heavy metal, or something.

[Gerswin]

As someone with 60 Grateful Dead themed characters and an entire SG (Heroes of the Golden Road), it is completely possible to pay tribute to the music(ians) that inspire you without triggering the ire of ToS violations.

[GM Crumpet]

Song titles aren't copyright, song lyrics are. All band member names plus those of their families are off limits, and any associated characters. I don't know Black Sabbath so can't say what they have associated with the band that is considered their property like, say, Iron Maiden do with Eddie.

[LegionAlpha]

On 7/22/2025 at 2:45 PM, momentarygrace said:

The most appropriate name for a tribute character is off limits anyway.... 😞 

 

 

 

This is for any "armored" hero. Including Positron. 

[Scarlet Shocker]

Tommy Sabbath, with a big fookin' axe is probably ok, as is Salad Bloody Salad as a plant/pain troller

[Gerswin]

BS ideas:

Child of the Grave

Fairy in Boots

Paranoid Warpig

Supernaut

 

solo Ozzy

Hellraiser

CrazyTrain Conductor

Flying HighAgain

Madman with a Diary

Mr. Tinkertrain

[Ghost]

2 minutes ago, Gerswin said:

BS ideas:

Child of the Grave

Fairy in Boots

Paranoid Warpig

Supernaut

 

solo Ozzy

Hellraiser

CrazyTrain Conductor

Flying HighAgain

Madman with a Diary

Mr. Tinkertrain

You forgot Ozzys greatest song..

 

Mr Clawley

[Octogoat]

Too soon?

[Psyonico]

I see your Black Sabbath x Temptations and raise you Gilbert and Sullivan x Sir Mix-a-lot

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkJdEFf_Qg4

[Scarlet Shocker]

1 hour ago, Psyonico said:

I see your Black Sabbath x Temptations and raise you Gilbert and Sullivan x Sir Mix-a-lot

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkJdEFf_Qg4

 

Oh you poor dear.

 

Let's go back to where it all began

 

 

[Octogoat]

 

[AboveTheChemist]

Headless Bat Man

[cranebump]

Whatever you do, the character must be a Bad, Bad Boy.

Edited July 25 by cranebump