Just noticed...

[elliott20]

Vaunred, the sample master of nine character from Tome of Battle, looks like he could be a close approximation to Roy. Maybe that was Wizards way of paying homage to Roy? Probably not. But an interesting theory none the less.

[NerfTW]

Who are you talking about, and what do you mean? I have no idea who Vaunred is or how he's similar to Roy.

[elliott20]

He's a sample character from the 3.5 book "Tome of Battle". He's the sample character for the Master of Nine. Here's what he looks like.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dnd_cwc_20070213_vaunred.jpg

[veti]

"Vaun" is derived from an old Welsh word meaning "small" or "little". "Red" is ... err... red.

"Little red" = "green hilt"? I guess the hilt is the smaller part of a weapon. So It Must Be True.

On a serious note - he's black, he's bald and he's got a big sword. That's - okay, I suppose those are points of commonality, but it's not a very convincing resemblance.

[Nightmarenny]

"Vaun" is derived from an old Welsh word meaning "small" or "little". "Red" is ... err... red.

"Little red" = "green hilt"? I guess the hilt is the smaller part of a weapon. So It Must Be True.

On a serious note - he's black, he's bald and he's got a big sword. That's - okay, I suppose those are points of commonality, but it's not a very convincing resemblance.

Shoulderpads too. Anything in his backstory?

[KoboldRevenge]

Could just be the generic Scary Black Man (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScaryBlackMan) and just be the guy who wields the huge sword in the group.:smallconfused:

[elliott20]

Well, yeah, it's mostly because he's a big bald black guy with a big sword. But truth of the matter is, OOTS is a stick figure comic and I can't say I have all that much to go on.

[Studoku]

Could just be the generic Scary Black Man (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ScaryBlackMan) and just be the guy who wields the huge sword in the group.:smallconfused:
TVTropes has been invoked. Oh well, may as well go along with it.

Roy's more of a Bald Black Leader Guy (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BaldBlackLeaderGuy)

[NerfTW]

Well, yeah, it's mostly because he's a big bald black guy with a big sword. But truth of the matter is, OOTS is a stick figure comic and I can't say I have all that much to go on.

Well, we have no indication Roy is bigger than average. (Although within the group he is, being that the only other human male is a scrawny bard)

I seriously doubt any character that just happens to be bald and dark skinned in fantasy is a reference to Roy. That's like saying that every blond white bard is a reference to Elan, and every red headed rogue type is a reference to Haley.

[Steward]

Or every ambiguously-sexed verbose elfin wizard with purple hair is a reference to Vaarsuv--well, actually, in that case I would say that.

I'm not sure Vaunred is a Roy reference though -- if it was it seems too strained to be clever.

[ThePhantasm]

If there were other points of similarity - say, having an unusually high intelligence for being a fighter, and certain character mannerisms - then I could see it. But going off of just what you described, it seems like a bit of a stretch.

[derfenrirwolv]

Perhaps Samuel L Jackson is also a tribute to Roy?

[Qwertystop]

Well, the sword does glow, and the hilt is green. Armor doesn't match, though, and this guy has a backup sword while it was the focus of an entire mini-storyline that Roy doesn't.

[Toofey]

Also the glowey eyes...

[MoonCat]

Also the glowey eyes...

...Roys eyes don't glow.

[Metahuman1]

It's, probably not, but the idea might have been to give Roy a VERY subtle nod. One Wizards could later Deny if anything unwanted came of it if they needed too. Or it might have been the artist that drew the character in Tome of Battle opted to do a very subtle nod on his own, again, one he might deny if he needed too.

[Dvandemon]

He's a sample character from the 3.5 book "Tome of Battle". He's the sample character for the Master of Nine. Here's what he looks like.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dnd_cwc_20070213_vaunred.jpg

See now, it's always best to start these kinds of things FROM THE BEGINNING from the beginning. Don't assume people know what you are talking about. It's like walking up to someone and starting the latter half of a conversation.
EDIT: Aside from the superficial similarities (i.e. Big sword, bald, black) he's not someone I'd compare to Roy

[Blisstake]

There are only so many ways you can make a stick figure of a bald black guy wielding a sword.

[rekuu]

This is not Roy.

[MoonCat]

This is not Roy.

They didn't say it was. Just that he might be a homage, which he isn't.