Blizzard
| Strength 6d |
Agility 5d |
Intellect 5x |
Willpower 8b |
| Hand Size: Edge: |
4 (25) 2 |
Origin:
While he may seem possessed of superhuman endurance in the cold, Blizzard is but a normal human. He lacks ascendant powers of any stripe, whether from significant beneficial genetic mutations, a background rife with occult happenstance, or even power-inducing freak accidents.
Powers:
(none)
Hindrances:
(none)
Equipment:
Arctic Gear (s): when on the job, Blizzard always wears an insulated, fur-lined winter coat, an insulated helmet with eye protection, insulated boots (with strap-on snow shoes), insulated trousers, and if without a vehicle, skis and ski poles, and a backpack / sled combo device.
Knife (s): Blizzard always carries at least one blade with him, in a sheath attached to his webbing. Made from m.s. 13 metals, this tool can be used to cut through items of like m.s. in time, and allows Blizzard to inflict his Strength +2 damage in melee combat.
Rifle (a): his primary weapon, Blizzard has taken to wielding a simple rifle as has his fellow GI Joe snow trooper, Iceberg. He can discharge this powerful firearm to inflict his Agility +5 in damage per shot, and can do so eight times before he needs to change its magazine.
Sidearm (a): a backup for his rifle, this smaller weapon packs less punch, but does the job. Blizzard can discharge this firearm to inflict his Agility +4 in damage when firing a single shot, or his Agility +5 in damage in a magazine-expending, semi-automatic hail of leaden doom.
Skills:
Boxing (s): a skill that Blizzard picked up in his Basic Training is the ability to fight unarmed. When attacking in melee, Blizzard may divide his pre-card play action score between two unarmed attacks, the last of which will occur as a contingent action.
Education (w): as his primary military specialty, Blizzard has been charged with the education of his fellow soldiers in the fine art of cold weather survival. Just knowing what to do isn't enough, though. He has been trained how to dispense information to others, and make it 'stick'.
Guns (a): a vital talent Blizzard mastered upon enlisting, this skill represents his ability to wield most firearms. Whether it's a standard, semi-automatic, or fully automatic rifle or pistol, or something somewhat more esoteric, Blizzard may do so at a reduced difficulty.
Military / United States (w): the source of all his other talents, this skill represents Blizzard's mastery of military protocols and procedures. In addition to offering the man additional military contacts, it acts as a convenient 'origin' piece for Blizzard and all his abilities.
Survival (w): since it is his job to teach others cold weather survival talents, it would be silly if Blizzard didn't have this skill down pat. When he finds himself stranded in cold, barren climates, Blizzard can whip up enough food, water, and shelter to get by indefinitely.
Contacts:
As a member of GI Joe, Blizzard can readily rely upon his fellow Joes for assistance in a pinch; he's so good at what he does that people tend to take notice whenever he requires assistance on the job. Furthermore, Blizzard has innumerable military contacts (mostly his students).
Calling:
Soldier: Blizzard is as tough as they come, but doesn't work well with others. He nonetheless executes his orders to the best of his ability, for the Joes always give him the harshest missions available. Blizzard doesn't complain, though, for it lets him prove his personal worth.
Costume:
Blizzard's first GI Joe field uniform consists of white insulated trousers with black knee pads, an insulated, fur-lined brown and white jacket, a brown knife sheath, insulated brown boots and gloves, gray web gear for his accessories, a gray leather belt, and his white helmet.
Personality:
Blizzard is incredibly tough, mostly because he has to be - and because those he's training need to learn to be just as tough to survive the intense cold of the polar regions. He has 'people problems', however, and doesn't work well with others - unless absolutely necessary, at least.
Real Name: Gregory M. Natale, grade E-7 (later E-8)
Occupation: arctic warfare training instructor
Legal Status: dual Austrian and American citizen with no known criminal record
Marital Status: single
Alias(es), if any: none
Group Affiliation: GI Joe
Height: 5' 10"
Hair: auburn, later dyed bright red
Eyes: brown
Weight: 170 lbs
Other Distinguishing Characteristics: upon the Joe team's reactivation, Blizzard grew out a full beard and moustache, mostly because he could.
Story:
Blizzard has always been tough as nails. He used to be in charge of the Army's cold weather combat training program, teaching qualified grunts the harsh lessons necessary to survive combat amidst unforgiving weather conditions. And he was very, very good at what he did.
One notable experiment he was in charge of involved sequestering cold weather specialist candidates for an entire year in a Thule, Greenland Army base, to see what training and conditioning could better prepare grunts for combat in such harsh climes, and the results were simple.
No training could prepare a trooper for these terrible conditions. No matter their skills, only the toughest, meanest grunts could last through to the end. As the instructor during this experiment, Blizzard couldn't show sympathy for his charges, though - it was his job not to.
His excellent performance got noticed by GI Joe, and they recruited him as part of their effort to cultivate a stable of soldiers who specialized in harsh climes. Once he was on the team, it was determined that the man didn't work well with others, but he always got the job done.
He's not a likeable fellow, Blizzard. He's the best there is at what he does, however, so the other Joes tolerate his gruff personality, and have a grudging respect for the fellow. They continued to possess this respect, in fact, until the Joe team was taken apart in '94.
(Historical Divergence)
Exactly what Blizzard did while GI Joe was inactive has yet to be revealed, though the man likely spent a whole lot of time away from civilization. When he was called back into action by General Hawk, though, Blizzard didn't hesitate to rejoin the fight against Cobra!
He's stuck with the team ever since, answering the call of duty whenever the group needed him on a special mission against Cobra. In fact, after the Joes prevented Cobra from taking over the earth during World War III, the full roster has been recalled to mop up all of Cobra's messes!
1997 Variations
Equipment:
Grenades (i): later in his GI Joe career, Blizzard began to carry several grenades on the job. He can toss these explosives at something (or someone) to inflict intensity 10 fragmentary damage to his target, and anything else within near missile distance that lacks proper cover.
Costume:
After the Joe team's temporary deactivation, Gregory adopted a much different suit. This one is comprised of an insulated jacket and trousers, both featuring gray camouflage, insulated black boots and gloves, khaki-colored web gear for his accessories, and a gray knitted cap.
2018 Variations
Costume:
Blizzard's third GI Joe field uniform is like his first, including an insulated, fur-lined brown and white jacket, white insulated trousers, black knee pads, insulated brown boots and gloves, black and gray web gear, leather belts, gear pouches, and holsters, and a white helmet.
His fourth, Tiger Force ensemble is comprised of an insulated, fur-lined neon yellow jacket, neon yellow insulated trousers, gray knee pads, insulated gray boots, black gloves, gray web gear, leather belts, gear pouches, and holsters, and a neon yellow helmet.
Extra Goodies:
GI Joe directories featuring a version of Blizzard:
| 1988 | 1997 | 2018 |
* Note: 2018 saw two versions of Blizzard (Versions 3 and 4).
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