What features of some OCs do you really dislike?

[Kivil 1,721]

-Tragedy for a back story

-Relatives to somepony important

-Name to close to cutiemark

-immortal

-alicorns

-black and red. (Only acceptable red character is Big Mac)

-Literally anything opposite of MLP itself.

-too dark of characters

-super duper close friends with the Mane 6 or the other princesses

-too complicated color scheme, mane/tail, cutiemark, or anything of that sort

-Rainbow colored. (Only acceptable rainbow is Rainbow Dash herself!)

 

 

 

You get the gist!

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

Some OCs are just really ugly. Either they have a horrid color scheme or their body shape just looks unatural. At times, it's both.

 

With some OCs, you can sorta tell they have quite the ego about them. It's those "tough as nails" that doesn't afraid of anything OCs by real-world standards. Even worse yet is when it's supposed to be the thing that makes them interesting. If the best thing your OC has to offer is doing "amazing things just for the sake of impressing other ponies" then you might want to consider making your OC a circus performer. It'd be a bit more... plausible. That and an odd color scheme might actually fit for something I guess.

 

Irrelevant:

 

Well, my OC Erythema has been sort of a growing experiment. She's one of those "tough as nails" characters but it's the conflicts from her old habits as she makes an effort to integrate into Equestrian society that is supposed to make her interesting -- not her mad skillz (that are starting to get rusty anyway). The highpoint of her backstory is how her heart was touched in the line of firefighting and it's a moment that has defined her life anew.

 

[Prince Firemane 309]

Well, my opinion is that you can have an OC that hits every Mary Sue nail on the head but still have a well-rounded characters; it all depends on how skillfully the creator writes in those traits. But I think that the not-so-new trend is now is to create a character with all the traits someone wants, but tacks in "negative" traits in a half-assed attempt to even them out. The most prominent example of this is when someone has an Alicorn OC that either can't fly or can't cast magic. That makes no sense in any way, shape or form and smacks of some kind of surface defect specifically included so people don't call their character a Mary Sue. I wouldn't have a problem if the character is a newly ascended Alicorn and isn't used to their new appendage(s) and eventually becomes more comfortable with them and gains some skills; but they never do. Come on, guys, Twilight eventually learned to be a decent flyer.

 

Another, more aesthetic issue people have are color schemes. The colors used by the show are muted, and people tend to make their characters more vibrant. Also, people also have a tendency to gravitate towards colors that are not used on the show very often, such as white or red. White isn't common, but it isn't rare either. Red is used more sparingly. Black, however, isn't used at all; just various dark greys. Even Nightmare Moon wasn't black either, she was actually blue. An exceptionally dark blue, but still blue nonetheless.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

Red and black, tragic backstories, Garystu/Marysuedom, Being better than the Mane 6, being friends with the Mane 6, and other things that totally screw over canon

[Sweetie-Belle 180]

Alicorns.

Also if they're Mary Sues.

Neon ponies = NO.

I didn't understand why people were dissing red & black ponies on here, so I went to Ponycreator and made a red/black pony to see how it looks like... yeah, now I hate that.

Really dark colors. I mean, MLP is meant to be colorful!

 

 

People are saying 'being friends with mane 6'; I personally have no issue with that, UNLESS you're talking about friends as in "Come on every adventure the Mane 6 go on and be basically the 7th Mane 6 part!" friends. Then no. I have no issue if a OC is friends with any pony from Mane 6 though. 

[Sommar 1,289]

~Neon ponies with a million colors.

~Mary Sue's.

~Overly tragic back stories.

~Ponies with a color palet that clashes together.

~Ponies with too many accessories.

~Related to *insert a character from the show here*.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

1. Ponies of the wrong race. If your OC loves to grow flowers as a hobby, they're an earth pony! Only earth ponies can grow stuff! 
2. Earth Ponies with special powers. Your Earth Pony OC should have more strength than your unicorn or pegasus OC. That's normal. But an Earth Pony who can control the weather or use unicorn style magic is bad. If they have unicorn style magic, just make them a unicorn!*
3. Ponies similar to canon characters. If your OC is an Apple farmer who's parents are dead and lives with their grandma, younger sister, and older brother, just write an Applejack fanfiction! 
4. Ponies that dwell on their past too much.  
5. Ponies related to or in a relation ship with a major character or princess. 
6. Alicorn OCs. 
7. Recolors. 
8. OP ponies. If your OC can defeat Discord in seconds and can control Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and if they were to be evil, the Mane Six can't stand a chance, try again. 

I'm not listing anymore because I had to keep rewriting past four because I kept leaving the page. 

 

*If your OC does Earth pony work and has unicorn magic, you could make them an Earthicorn. I wrote a fanfiction where Rarity is an Earthicorn. 22+/5- I say I did pretty good with that. So mix ponies are fine. Although Creating a Pegacorn is a bad idea because they look like alicorns. The magic is weaker and they don't have Earth Pony abilities, but still, one look at them and they look like Alicorns. 

 

I'm less strict on OCs than most bronies. If you have a good reason for breaking the rules, then go ahead. Although I don't see why you need to break rule 7. Same with rule 3, but I can understand why you would create a similar canon OC if you can't write that cahracter. Just don't make them too similar. Maybe instead of an apple farm, they own a vegetable farm. Maybe instead of an older brother and younger sister, they are the oldest. etc.  A character can be based on a canon character without being a copy. 

 

for 4, notice how I didn't say ponies with tragic back stories. If your character isn't dark and emo because of their past, then a dark backstory is perfectly fine. (Pinkie PIe, who had a sad childhood, is happy, and Applejack, who lost her parents, isn't dark, either.) 

[Leif 54]

-The brightest neonest colours in existence

- Alicorns that are more powerful than Luna, celestia, discord, tirek, star swirl the bearded, and batman combined

-Pegasi that can blow apart entire planets by flying through space

-Earth ponies that can cause massive fissures and split equestria at the core in a single buck

-Unicorns that can make Godzilla explode into cookies and cake with a single blast

 

Basically anything overpowered

[Hocus Pocus 636]

Well.... I'm probably gonna tick SOMEPONY off, because chances are most people's OCs can fall into at least one of these categories.

But I was asked for my opinion, so you darn well better believe I'm gonna give it!

 

• Alicorns as Ponysonas/Self inserts/Main OCs

I don't mind an Alicorn OC as long as it is well written, and the writer can admit that it cannot be, and will never be canon. But for Celestia's sake, don't try to pass it off as the Pony that's supposed to represent you in Equestria... The only people that do that are incredibly insecure or in some very rare cases, incredibly pretentious.

 

• Any actual relation with a canon character

No, Fluttershy is not your girlfriend, Discord is not your uncle, and you were not the dark disciple of Sombre before you decided to rebel against him. It's fine to have SEEN a canon character, heck, everypony's probably seen Celestia or Luna at least once, but you have never made acquaintance with any of them.... Not even background ponies.

 

• Bat Ponies

Seriously, the only reason one of these ever existed in the first place was because Twilight botched a spell. Fluttershy was the ONLY bat pony and she isn't even one anymore! There is no reason for anypony to have cast a similar spell that backfired on your OC.

 

• Self-made races in general

As if Alicorns weren't snowflakey enough

 

• Non Mystic-based magic in ponies other than unicorns

Non-unicorns have been confirmed to be able to use magic when Zecora did the trick with her spilled tea... However, your earth pony/pegasus/griffon/whatever cannot go around blasting magic everywhere like a unicorn on speed. Your magic did not come from some radiation accident or equivelent, and you are not Gandalf.

 

• Rainbow vomit color schemes

If your color palate looks like you ate a bowl of Fruity Pebbles and then barfed on your sketchbook, you should probably re-consider your character design

 

• Anything that contradicts the canon

Joke involving a minor spoiler from "Make New Friends, but Keep Discord" .... Also I make fun of "My Little Dashie" a bit

 

 

You are not a stallion version of Twilight from another dimension that escaped from the rift that Discord opened in "Make New Friends, but Keep Discord", you are not the apprentice of Starswirl the Bearded, and Rainbow Dash is not your pet. (Shots fired at My Little Dashie)

 

 

 

• The "I'm evil because it's edgy" character

Where's that DAMN fourth chaos emerald?

 

• Having a poorly written tragic backstory

I have nothing against original villains or dark stories in MLP. Heck, a lot of things in MLP are pretty dark already. For example, the crystal caverns beneath Canterlot where they threw thieves and greedy crooks. They were left to rot in the most ironic labyrinth possible. Here they are, surrounded by what they desire most, treasure.... Yet they cannot escape to use any of it. But if you're a self-respecting author, please don't write a sad backstory for the sake of being a pittywhore.

 

• Overpowered OCs

You cannot compete with any of the main characters at their special talents... I can't believe some people have to have this said to them. Trying to be better than everypony else at something ruins the fun of it, whether it's other people in an RP who are tired of your attention hogging, or it's the readers of your original story who are tired of your character easily overcoming every challenge with the same perfect "special talent". Remember, nopony likes godmodders.

 

 

Now, keep in mind that while I may not like your OC, that doesn't mean I don't like you as a person. I have fallen victim to almost all of these more of these pet peeves than I'm ever willing to admit when I first started writing... Even for MLP... Just remember that the most endearing characters are often the most normal. They're more relateable than "Snowflake the dark overlord", and they resonate on a more personal level that way. That's not to say they can't have unique talents and quirks, but there's a fine line that is often crossed when people feel they have to be special snowflakes in order to stand out... And while you may indeed stand out, you'll be standing out in all the wrong ways.

 

Edit: fixed some grammar and stuff, there are probably a lot more errors in here still, but...... meh :/

Edited May 28, 2015 by Hocus Pocus

[Spikey-Wikey 378]

Those stripey pegasus OC's (usually they have edgy expressions).

 

Oh, and that older OC of mine

[Alleviate 342]

-Zebra stripes on a pony.

-Edgy colour-schemes

-Edgy backstories (Parents may/may not understand character.)

-References to non-Equestrian stuff which they just shouldn't know about (pop-culture references, etc.)

-Alicorns. (Unless you have an incredibly good reason.)

-Abilities which far outshine a canon character in their specific area.

-Abilities which make them better than Celestia.

-Super dark OCs (Cringy 'dark' humor included)

-7th Element of Harmony

-Inexplicable close relations with previous main characters (ESPECIALLY love interests which magically only manifest when 'Le Edgelord' enters. Though friendships with some characters is perfectly acceptable.)

-Things which don't fit in at all. (That doesn't mean 'be non-creative', it means 'be sensible')

-Character clones/Obviously stolen characters

-Talents that don't make sense in Equestria (Weapon-related cutie-marks, such as modern guns, missiles, nukes, etc. Cannons and bows are acceptable for a guard, somewhat)

-Flawless Characters (They're dull. Simple.)

-Paradigms of good and evil. (Unless they're a sodding Paladin or something (which I sincerely hope they are not) No.)

Edited July 30, 2015 by Shardikku

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

Shallow stereotypes, which often try to remedy self-imperfections. Without realizing the amount of riches to be found within some of this traits.

Like a learning experience, which is often lacking with overly-perfect characters.

So, where does  perfection reside?

So close, yet so far.

[Radiobolt 186]

-Alicorns

-Neon/rainbow/black

-OP as fuck

-OMG I CRI EVERIYTIME backstories

-Overused CMs, like a quill and paper, or a brush with paint, or somethin

[CinnamonPop 3,350]

I really don't like the "OP" ones.

 

I tend to stay away from strength, and shift more towards the story, which I'm still working on with mine. -_-

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

OPness and unrefined personalities. And badly/poorly written backstories.

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Evil because Evil: Villain OCs are usually well done, since it's usually people who are better at making OCs are usually the ones making them, but when there's a villain who's evil for no reason, that's just dumb. Also, villains tend to be the victim of the "overly tragic backstory" problem.

Psychopaths, sociopaths, etc. are real things. Those are the "evil" people, they just use you up for their own gain. I've seen an interview of this guy talking to a little girl who was a psychopath and she admitted to wanting to kill her brother, etc. and didn't even think TWICE about it. Evil for no reason people exist.

[Nebula 28]

Poorly written dark backstories.

Having no flaws.

Terrible colour schemes.

lack of personality.

[Phoenix Flair 332]

- cutie marks that are WAY too detailed and too vague

- insanity

- all powerful villains

- all powerful heroes

- personalities that are ripped off from the mane 6 (generally RD, sometimes Fluttershy)

- ponies that are or try to be friends with everyone or otherwise exhibit a lack of self-interest/actual personality

 

Just to name a few.

[Kiri 7,288]

Rainbow sparkly neon scene immortal alicorn demon of chaos who doesn't want to be evil but still is.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Quartz Aegis

[Zhortac 1,474]

-Alicorns

-Alicorns that pretend their not royalty, and claim there's non-royal alicorns in canon, when there isn't any evidence. 

-overpowered crap

-powers/cutie mark that doesn't fit with the MLP theme (MAH OHCEE IS AN ASSASSIN!!!!)

-ANY blood relation to ANY canon character

-ANY romantic relationship with ANY canon character (friendship is fine to an extent, as long as it makes sense)

-tragic back stories

-edgy personalities

-red and black

-part anything that doesn't make sense (MAH OHCEE IS PART PONY PART DEMON PART KLINGON)

-color schemes that look horrid (IE: brown with hot pink and neon green)
-being a fucking DJ...if I had a nickle for every OC that was a fucking DJ or some music pony, I could buy a brand new car

[DeadAccount 4,603]

I can't say I really dislike much about OCs. I mean, I love how they are all unique in their own way

 

But I guess that's not what I'm here to talk about so I'll just list some things...

-The haters

- the really freaky-colored alicorns

- personalities that do not make sense

[Christmasy Britty 2,553]

honestly I really dislike it when someone takes an oc and just makes it super powerful and op so like an alicorn, yes they are pretty and awesome but they are just too powerful 

[Phoenix Flair 332]

Whenever I see an OC like this:

 

I always think of this:

[skbl17 199]

- Overpowered OCs without believable context. This is my problem with alicorn OCs; not the race, but giving them Celestia-tier or Luna-tier abilities. If you're going to create an OC and give him or her abilities that most would consider "overpowered", consider the limitations of the world or said OC's circumstances. Create believable limits; even Princess Celestia has limits!

 

- Overly dark and tragic backstories. They get old, and after a while, any semblance of sympathy just evaporates.

 

- No backstory. Unless your OC just popped up in the present...actually, even then, "(S)he just popped into existence one day" is marginally better than having no backstory at all. You don't need to be a good writer to come up with a believable backstory.

 

- Incredibly dark coat/mane color schemes. Yes, I'm talking about the red and black OCs, or dark navy and purple OCs. My rule of thumb is that your OC's coat color should still be clearly visible on a low brightness screen. I will admit that I'm a bit of a hypocrite, as I would consider my own ponysona a "bad OC" on this basis alone, with his dark brown and dark gray color scheme. A redesign is probably in order. On the other hoof...

 

- Crazy color schemes. I should not see an OC with black hooves with red stars and stripes in every color of the rainbow, a tail splashed in twenty colors, and a coat that's one-third blue, one-third brown, and one-third orange. I already have to wear eyeglasses, please don't make me permanently blind from looking at your OC.

 

- No flaws. Nopony's perfect; everypony has flaws and limitations.

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

I just don't like sloppy writing and world building. Do whatever you want, I just want to see it done well.