Originally Posted by Sunder the Gold
My consternation comes from the fact that Yellow Radio wasn't screwing with Black Lotus with confusion. He was battling her hand-to-hand, scepter to blade, in close-range combat. His basic attacks and defenses were "close-range direct".
An indirect defense would be a non-special ability that confuses, distorts or denies the opponent's senses, like Charcoal Smoke. Or perhaps the power to summon and control strong gusts of wind which assist one's dodging and throw off the opponent's balance and aim. Anything except "being basically really fast" or "parrying skillfully with a weapon."
Yellow is directly across from multi-range Purple. Just like Purple, Yellow is suspended between Red and Blue, favoring neither range. The Yellow King should be just as capable as the Purple King at fighting from a distance.
Indeed, his Silly-Go-Round has quite a range, and can affect multiple targets. But it's a special move, a desperation attack. Just that alone does not allow him to fight at range; even once his opponent is confused, if all Radio has is his scepter and body, he must engage at close range to deplete their HP even a little bit.
Sulphur Pot can fight at long or close range. He can wade into his Charcoal Smoke and attack his blinded opponents with his bare hands, or he can stay outside of the smoke, away from his target, and light a single small spark.
Someone else like Pot might release an opaque poisonous or corrosive gas to which they themselves are immune. They can then hide and retreat from the enemy until their HP is depleted, or sneak in and strike while they are blinded.
But even if Yellow Radio had a basic move to confuse others, how could that be used offensively without a direct attack? Confusion doesn't deplete HP, and even Silly-Go-Round was no so powerfully disorienting as to make his victims hit themselves.
It's possible that Yellow Radio has some form of basic ranged attack that he didn't feel would work against Black Lotus. Perhaps some form of throwing weapon, like grenades designed as something clownish.
It would be pathetic next to Red Rider's or Scarlet Rain's basic direct attacks, but then I doubt his scepter-work is a match for Blue Knight's swordplay.
But anyway, formulating this answer has given me more ideas.
In particular, the thought of a Yellowish avatar that controls wind. As a direct attack, very weak. As a way of indirectly controlling the battle through manipulation of the self, enemy and environment, an excellent Yellow skill.
Likewise, perhaps the power to control magnetism or gravity.
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