Idea for an OC. Any feedback is appreciated!

[Tjb2000 26]

Ok so I am thinking of an idea for my OC's backstory. I want him to be an alicorn, if there can be male alicorns, and I want to find a way for him to fit in and not cause plot holes in the mlp universe. I was thinking about something like he was around at the time that Discord was in control of equestria and he fell under discord's influence and was subsequently banished somewhere else. I want there to be a reason why he is never mentioned of why he is not on the stained glass of canterlot. I also need a name. Does you think this is good, or accurate, or should I move on and try to find something else?

[Iiznocannon45 46]

Well, any alicorn OCs are not too great in the brony community. They just seem... too, you know, overpowered. Thats why there aren't too many earth pony OCs.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

You lost me at Alicorn. Please try something else, if you actually want to make sense in the canon. Anything else.

[Tjb2000 26]

If you would have read the story, then maybe it could make some more sense. You see, he is not mentioned out of fear of summoning him, like Hades. I am still working on the backstory but I still appreciate your input!

[Countess Noodle 607]

Scrap the alicorn idea. The banished idea has also been done to death, scrap that also. Be one of the 3 races. No pegacorn either.

Edited January 17, 2015 by Countess Noodle

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

I actually did read it. It's still incredibly cliché and doesn't work in canon, especially having a connection to a show character like Discord. If you really want a canon sounding character, choose a different race. I swear I'm trying to help.

 

Scrap the Alicorn idea. Please.

Edited January 17, 2015 by bronislav84

[SFyr 1,982]

Here's the underlying issue with the alicorn idea people often mention: it's a cheap and obvious way to make a character more powerful than those around them. It's something you do when you want a character to be impressive, and if you have any connection to them as someone you put yourself in the place of, you tend to want yourself to be impressive to others so it only makes sense to make an impressive character. True or not in your case, it seems to be the common 'taste' of having an alicorn these days.

 

The first few times the idea would've stuck, because power trips are nice now and then. However, it's become so common in the brony community that it lacks almost any creative spark in itself--in fact, by including it you have to work many times harder to make it creative again, which becomes even harder when being too creative in forming a unique background/plot can also become problematic for the same issue a flashy/overpowered OC experiences.

 

In my own experience... here's a few key things to consider when writing about characters to be endeared to your audience:

*.) Give characters motivations (and possibly regrets)--they need to want something for believable reasons, and that thing must be out of their immediate/near reach currently.

*.) Do not over-tragedize any OC. A sad sack with horrible luck, or an OC that comes off as overly victimized becomes hard to like. 

*.) Your character must ideally have flaws, and those flaws will also often visibly detract from how cool they are. Being a rebel/badflank is a flaw in the same way being crushingly adorable is a flaw in a beauty contest.

*.) 'Coolness' is a cheaper way to make characters likable--there are many other, more subtle things that end up being more effective. For example, courage despite being afraid, trying hard despite having a tenancy to fail, and a positive/friendly attitude despite making bad impressions legitimately through their own missteps.

*.) Refreshing uniqueness is often found in humble places. To this day my favorite fanfiction (of which I've literally read over a hundred by now) is about a human shopkeeper who came to equestria... and opened a general store, and at all times tried to avoid having any sort of adventure/excitement thrust on him. Doesn't sound good, but it really, really is.

Edited January 17, 2015 by SFyr

[Tjb2000 26]

I love creative writing so I am going to try my hardest to make this work but if it doesn't I will go with a powerful unicorn. Also, I wasn't planning on making my OC a god or anything like that. He would be kind of like Luna.

[SFyr 1,982]

@@Tjb2000, just remember Luna is practically a goddess, and a ruler of the nation most of MLP stories are centered on. Currently she's the 2nd most powerful pony in existence by theory. "Like Luna" is like saying he's "like the king of England." He's still instantly above almost every other pony minus a key few, if that's true.

 

However, I'm not saying it can't be done. I actually did end up liking a story with an additional alicorn thrown in the mix--however, said alicorn was a male turned female, and a lot of buildup and awkwardess/weirdness followed it too. It takes a lot of work and good decisions, but alicorns can work in a story. It's just not likely to while still taking itself seriously.

 

Also, to be honest I find the Discord synopsis also questionable. Like, why would discord ascend somepony, then banish them only for them to return and be awesome and powerful? Immense power does not tend to be given to pawns, and common ponies among dieties tend not be treated as anything other than pawns.

Edited January 17, 2015 by SFyr

[Tjb2000 26]

I am still working on it but thank you for the advice, I will have to think about this one!

Ok so I think I am going to make the story, see if it works, and then go from there.

Oh also, I kinda just want to create an alicorn character, it doesn't really mean that I am going to have it as my personality. I just want it to be a unique character that I can make stories about and stuff.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

So wait, after all that, according to your edits you're still not understanding? It's not fun to be in a RP with a made up Alicorn, nor is it fun to read a story about one. You'll just be wasting your time I'm afraid.

[Tjb2000 26]

I have thought about it and I may go with a Pegasus or a unicorn. I want to make the other character just for the hell of it now I guess.

[PonyPal123 47]

You know i don't know what so wrong with having a alicorn pony i mean if he is going to be a really powerful pony i don't see whats so wrong with it. I mean if he is just an ordanairy pony then yeah make him a unicorn or something but go with alicorn if you want to

[Dulset Tarn 441]

You know what makes a good character? Not power.

Seriously, the less you're thinking about what amazing things your character can do, and the more limits you place on them, the more you'll be thinking about how they interact with others or compensate for their weaknesses, as well as the in-character causes for those weaknesses.

[Tjb2000 26]

What I have decided to do is make this character into a fan-fiction but not an OC.

[Dulset Tarn 441]

What I have decided to do is make this character into a fan-fiction but not an OC.

That sounds like a much worse idea. I'm not sure how that's even possible.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

It really is a worse idea. Alicorn fanfics tend to be bad I hear.

[PonyPal123 47]

i still don't reaaly get whats so wrong with alicorn ponies, princess celestia and luna are alicorns and cadance and twilight?

[Plume 922]

@@PonyPal123, 

 

That's the thing, alicorns are special. They need a lot of work and thought to be pulled off, and most people tend to think that they turn out bad and (sometimes) with good reason: the fandom has a created many an over-powered alicorn with zero backstory and such.

[PonyPal123 47]

That's the thing, alicorns are special. They need a lot of work and thought to be pulled off, and most people tend to think that they turn out bad and (sometimes) with good reason: the fandom has a created many an over-powered alicorn with zero backstory and such.

 

 

Ok that makes sense