The Not-Alicorn Dilema

[Varian Dusk 23]

So I posted a short lived topic before, asking if the bat transformation with Fluttershy in the Episode "Bats!" would have given anyone else wings. 

 

However, due to the way I worded it, I didn't get the answer I was looking for, so here we go again. 

 

In what ways, could a unicorn acquire permanent to semi-permanent wings? In S1E16 "Sonic Rainboom" Rarity gets wings from Twilight Sparkle. However, as Twi states, the wings are made of gossamer and morning dew. These obviously aren't the wings I'm looking for. 

 

Short of preforming FMA style Alchemy to modify myself, how would a Unicorn manage to get a pair of wings that could function well enough for flight and short to mid distance travel? Is saying I use magic and science to fashion a pair of bat wings to much? 

 

I don't want to be an Alicorn. I want to fly dangit. 

[Princess Oceangem 61]

Use magic to sort of fuse yourself with a flying animal which is basically what the spell in Bats! did (accidently). And just so you know, you wouldn't be an alicorn. You would be a winged unicorn an Alicorn has the magics of all three pony races so as long as you don't have earth pony magic you are fine!

[ShadOBabe 18,984]

Eh, well I would mention that people are likely going to roll their eyes furiously at it.

Not only do you look like an alicorn, you look like you're trying to be an "edgy" alicorn, with the bat wings and such. If you're character is very skilled at magic, you could do a spell like the one that gave butterfly wings to Rarity. They'll just disappear when you land.

 

EDIT: I understand that might be too feminine, but you could pick a different bug's wings.

Or, or, you could have someone build you steampunk wings?

Edited January 28, 2015 by ShadOBabe

[Koukatsu 5,898]

WELL, if THAT'S all, assuming your Unicorn is decent with magic, I don't know why you couldn't just float yourself around, like they do to pretty much anything else.

[Princess Lona 381]

@ShadOBabe beat me to it. I have to agree on the steampunk wings. If you go full mechanical all the alicorn OC naysayers will be more forgiving because it will be more obvious the character is not an alicorn. Or maybe you could get a jet pack?

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

My character does it quite well and it makes sense for her. Not sure if it will fly (See the pun?) in EQE and I'm still waiting to hear from the mods, but I designed it to be incredibly close to canon and to make sense for her. It has very clear and fair downsides.

 

I could be persuaded to allow you to take a page out of my book and use the idea. With credit, of course.

 

I'm offering cause "I don't want to be an Alicorn. I want to fly dangit." was exactly how I felt.

Edited January 29, 2015 by bronislav84

[Gildarts 54]

Not to be rude or anything, but an alicorn would be a better choice. If your oc is fused with a animal or built his own wings it would feel like yo're trying to make an alicorn oc but without the mary sue traits. But you don't without success to do so. The only thing that would change is that when people call your oc bad you could say "My oc isn't a alicorn,it's a winged unicorn". Now in my exprerience those kind of ocs are the ones that get the most hate, and the same thing goes for its' creator.  

[TenorSounds 831]

Just...have your OC Dragonball it and use their magic to fly around. Grafting wings onto a unicorn while repeatedly pointing out "not an Alicorn!" just seems kind of try-hardy.

[Varian Dusk 23]

I want to thank everyone with their comments and input, it's nice to hear things from both sides of the floor. 

 

to the tune of what kind of wings, thank you to @ShadOBabe. I never thought about my character looking edgy, but now that you mention it it does sort of look that way. 

 

To all those who mentioned Steampunk wings, THANK YOU. I previously made another OC who was a scientist, and he would be the type to make something like that. I didn't want to cross two scientist characters... but then again there is nothing wrong with that. 

 

TO those who suggest I just float around... that feels like a HEAVY MP usage spell, and wouldn't do in the long run. THat and wings just look cool. Also kudos to @TenorSounds for saying "Just Dragonball it". Made me laugh a good bit. 

 

Thank you all for your input! Any additional comments are also welcome!

[VitalSpark 1,830]

TO those who suggest I just float around... that feels like a HEAVY MP usage spell, and wouldn't do in the long run.

I don't know if you've read Fallout: Equestria, but the main character in that, Littlepip, is a unicorn who had never managed to master any spells apart from levitation. As per FIM, levitation seems to be a skill that all unicorns learn very early on, but they each also tend to acquire a few extra spells related to their special talents. Well, Littlepip doesn't. She could only levitate things. And she got teased relentlessly about that at school.

 

The thing is, as the story progresses she gets very, very good at it. In one scene (it's quite near the beginning of the story, so not too much of a spoiler) she kills a very powerful enemy by dropping a train carriage on its head.

 

She eventually reaches a stage where she is able to levitate herself, though she tends to find this very draining. She can levitate very heavy objects more easily than she can levitate herself, and it's not because she's frightfully overweight. (She's actually physically very small.) It is just inexplicably more difficult to levitate herself.

 

It really does work well in the story.

 

I have an RP character (who I created before I started reading FoE) who does a similar trick. She can't levitate herself, but she can levitate objects to use at platforms. So if she's falling out of a high window, she might spot a park bench on the ground, and levitate that up to catch herself before lowering it to the ground. She might twist her ankle painfully doing that, but avoid a fatal splat onto the ground.

Edited January 30, 2015 by Vital Spark

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

You're welcome.

 

Technically my character doesn't make Steampunk, but mechanical things with spells on them. But the result is close to the same. The difference is this makes sense in pony, while Steampunk would need some heavy derivation and would be a bit too high tech. Regardless, if you don't feel like rewriting your character and wanna discuss it for RP purposes or perhaps fanfiction, my PM box is open. It's just that too many people doing this kind of thing makes it seem less cool. I may mass produce a less complicated version, but it would only be confined to certain RPs.

 

Generally, Lektra keeps the transforming pet to herself because the spells put on it to allow it to do what it does are very hard to do in quick succession.

 

A remote controlled, non intelligent, non transforming flying personal transportation device is much simpler and would satisfy anyone's simple will to fly.

Edited January 30, 2015 by bronislav84

[Varian Dusk 23]

I don't know if you've read Fallout: Equestria, but the main character in that, Littlepip, is a unicorn who had never managed to master any spells apart from levitation. As per FIM, levitation seems to be a skill that all unicorns learn very early on, but they each also tend to acquire a few extra spells related to their special talents. Well, Littlepip doesn't. She could only levitate things. And she got teased relentlessly about that at school.

 

The thing is, as the story progresses she gets very, very good at it. In one scene (it's quite near the beginning of the story, so not too much of a spoiler) she kills a very powerful enemy by dropping a train carriage on its head.

 

She eventually reaches a stage where she is able to levitate herself, though she tends to find this very draining. She can levitate very heavy objects more easily than she can levitate herself, and it's not because she's frightfully overweight. (She's actually physically very small.) It is just inexplicably more difficult to levitate herself.

 

It really does work well in the story.

First off, kudos for referencing FAE, I loved that story, and spoilers wouldn't bother me. 

 

My only issue with this scenario for my OC is that he wouldn't be levitating bigger and bigger things. If anything he'd levitate a lot of small things at once, but never anything larger than half his size or weight. 

 

Now, while I get that Lil Pip got better and better at it, it (to me) is in reference to a skill try in a game. She gradually gets stronger but only by putting points into THAT skill. It would make sense that she would get stronger in that regard because for all intense and purpose, she is constantly training that skill. 

[The Shadow Stallion 127]

The main reason I wanted an alicorn was not because of the super magical powers, but because they can fly. I feel your pain, but I went down the path of the alicorn and so much hate has been given.

 

Honestly I feel that even steampunk wings unicorns will get hate as an alicorn wannabe. And I would add to this should a steampunk winged or butterfly winged unicorn get accepted, why not an alicorn? Same basic principle.

 

Perhaps a new breed should be made. I read here that alicorns supposedly have the magic of all 3 pony tribes. Heck just give me the pegasus wings and a wee bit of magic and I'll be happy to be a Unisus, or a Pegacorn.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

I dunno about that. I've gotten nothing but positive feedback about my character. A bit of concern, but people really like the concept.