What features of some OCs do you really dislike?

[TimeyMarey007 110]

• Overpowered OCs: All OCs must have their own flaws and strengths.

Alicorns: Especially if male or non-royalty. Those ones don't exist in the show yet.

Dating canon characters/married with canon: I don't like stuff contradicting canon.

Offspring of canon characters/canon X fanon characters: Title says it all.

Neon colors: Well, having just one is fine enough.

Male, but has female muzzle: That annoys me to an extent.

Total recolors: Having the same design isn't recoloring. It's recoloring if the entire thing, including cutie marks, gets recolored.

Having out-of-place occupations: Equestria doesn't have its own department issuing licences to kill.

Out-of-place cutie marks/cutie marks don't make sense: Well, in canon there are characters with CMs that don't quite make sense, but as a cutie mark represents your best talent (most of the time), your CM shouldn't be a symbol or something that's out-of-place in the MLP:FiM universe.

[MozillaToast 233]

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

Aren't Luna's guards batponies?

 

Anyway, I'm not going to say exactly what everyone else has said, like red and black edgemaster OCs, or the princess of everything everywhere OCs etc. but, there is something that I do dislike above all other things is when the pony's talent is not relevent to anything they do. For example, if an OC has the talent of being able to go invisible, but not once has demonstrated it. Albeit backstory or in RP, if your OC has a talent then surely it'd perform said talent often? Right..?

Oh yeah, there are a few exceptions to this rule as it must be pretty hard to do certain talents in certain scenarios like if your OC can make amazing cupcakes, if they're in a war that might not be possible for said OC to do it.(But why would a cupcake maker go to war anyway?)

Also I don't like OCs in scenarios that make no sence for them to be there.

Don't get salty if I happened to describe a fair few of people's RPs you might be in but its my opinion, not the law.

Anyway peace.

[[NULL] 906]

What many people don't seem to realize is that it's not necessarily the features themselves that automatically make the OC bad, but rather the execution. If the creator of the OC is an incompetent writer, then chances are their OC will be terrible.

 

In other words, I only dislike shitty OCs.

Edited August 3, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[Spikey-Wikey 378]

I have a full list of my dislikes now:

 

-Zebra stripes on a pony

-Pegasi being overused

-Cutie marks that don't make sense in Equestria like video game controllers or guns

-OC's with rainbow manes and/or tails

-Any older OC of mine <_<

-Mane 6 rip-offs

-Male, but female muzzle

and...

-Alicorn, but not royalty, if they are royalty it's okay, but if they're just a background pony not royalty and is Alicorn, it makes no sense being alicorn.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Filly Lyra

[SkullcandyPegasus 603]

It bugs me when the colors are all "bleh" and not neon rainbow enough. Also, why do people make unicorn characters when alicorns are better? ,-,

 

Any oc that's not a pirate/robot is flawed. x3

There's an example of a perfect oc.

[Moonlight 7,286]

Most have mentioned alicorns here but I'm going to add on and say I can't stand alicorn OCs that have a broken horn (or extremely weak magic) or have injured wings or can't even fly at all.

 

There's literally no reason for your OC to be an alicorn if it can't fly or do magic. Can't do magic? Make it a pegasus or earth pony. Can't fly? Cool, make it an unicorn or earth pony.

 

And other stuff:

• Dark colors
• Overly saturated colors, especially bright reds, it's eye bleeding and looks bad overall
• Edgy backstories/Edgy names/Edgy anything
• DJ OCs, other occupations exist y'know
• Zebra stripes on a pony
• Friends/Related/Lover of any canon pony. Being friends with a canon pony isn't inherently bad I suppose but making them bffs is pretty bad

[cider float 2,537]

I wouldn't make an OC. I just make characters relative to a story and fit the components to it.

[StoneCold 144]

The only problem I have is with poorly written OC's. Any idea has potential, assuming it's written correctly.

 

You want to make Prince Neon, the brooding son of celestia who's also been mentored by Sombra and is the seventh element of harmony? Fine, but you better do a damn good job of it.

[Arylett Charnoa 4,919]

;;Cracks fingers;;

Oh, here we go. Here we go.

Predominately black coat with unfitting neon colors and unnecessary clutterous markings/designs. This is a HUGE pet peeve of me. Your pony doesn't need a bajillion zebra stripes. The base of a basic pony wasn't designed for excessive complexity, so zebra stripes on such a small space make it look very cluttered. I also don't like unusual features, like a long lionlike tail, a broken horn, etc. Pony + X hybrids just really get me going. They just don't look right. A pony's design is good as is, it doesn't need to be part wolf or lion or whatever nonsense.

Colors that don't go well together with inconsistent saturations also really get to me. It seems like a lot of people just don't understand how colors work together and make them look horrible. Either like swampy dark messes with no distinguishing features or rainbow overly saturated eye rape.

 

As someone else has said as well, male ponies with female muzzles and eyelashes. I think some people are confused that here is gender dimorphism between ponies and it is a minor thing that drives me insane.

 

Oh and pony creator. The ponies made from it look so stilted and soulless... it invokes a lot of uncanny valley from me. Also, they are not accurate to the show's proportions, with limbs looking awful. The 3D pony creator people like using nowadays also applies, but even more and much much worse. Those models are just... just no.

Most alicorn OCs also aren't very good to me. Although they agitate me less because of their species and more because of how badly written they are. There is little reason for random pony #4203 to be an alicorn. That is reserved for special circumstances and there should be a good explanation.

Really though, I care mostly about appearance as I don't read most backstories and information about an OC. (I like to stick to my own stuff) It is likely though that an OC with a bad design will be just as badly written. And the only real things that bug me about writing are mostly the same of art: people trying too hard to be special that their OC becomes an uninteresting Mary-Sue and ironically ends up looking like every other bad writer out there.

 

Related to this though, I am tiring of "gamer ponies." I know most of the fandom plays video games, but... I think it's kind of a sad special talent. I don't really think of playing video games as being a talent, but rather, a past time. It's like saying that watching movies or reading books is your talent. I understand that games are interactive and different from these two medium, but knowing specifically how to play Halo or Call of Duty (or whatever you kids do nowadays) isn't really going to be particularly useful to anyone in a career sense. If you're good at them, then you do indeed have a lot of skills that would be useful in other pursuits. (Like good reflexes, maybe a few math skills, etc. All of the things that make you good at playing a game) These might be a better basis for a talent. I don't mind if the character designs video games for a living or is a beta tester or something - these are practical applications of that talent... but... just being playing games on their own isn't really useful. Although honestly, video games don't really fit so well in the world of MLP in the first place. It isn't so technologically advanced and seems kind of out of place. Not to say that they don't exist, but excessive amounts of ponies that just play video games just doesn't seem likely. Talents are typically more abstract than that.

I understand that people have a right to create things I may not approve of, but I also have the right to criticize these things. If they enjoy doing these things, then by all means, they should continue. Doesn't mean I'm not still going to keep sneering quietly in the background.

[Envy 6,137]

While there are a lot of OCs that I really can't even begin to understand the appeal of, I just really don't feel like I can judge. Rainbow, red and black, alicorn zebra changlings with gamer cutie marks and overtly-dark backstories are, to be honest, the very least of my worries.

 

Guess I just don't understand why we're making such a big deal about this - I mean there are currently TWO topics on this very same subject on the first page of this section.

[TerribilisScriptor 107]

good features:

-defined strengths and weaknesses that are balanced

-a well done backstory that isn't grimmdark

 

bad features:

-alicorns with horrid design and/or backstory

-OCs that are better at skills the maincast has (for an instance an OC that is stronger than tirek, or faster than RD)

[CinnamonPop 3,350]

I really dislike too many accessories. I can deal with hats, scarfs, vests, dresses, etc... But not too many that it completely ruins the design of the character.

 

Red Ponies

Edited March 28, 2016 by CinnamonPop

[SolyWack 482]

I'd like to consider myself an artist, so it just makes me cringe in terror when I see either a recolored canon pony, or really terrible color schemes. Seriously people, do not use the very top right color in the color picker EVER, FOR ANYTHING!

 

I don't mind tragic backstories or alicorns if they're done right, which most of the time, they are unfortunately not.

[Phanact 333]

I suppose I think that I prefer simple OC's are the best.

 

I hate overdone OC's and what not. With like 500 accessories, and definitely shouldn't be alicorns in my mind.

[deathpioupiou 103]

absolutely nothing, as I said in another topic, if you like your OC, it's a good one, no reason to dislike anythings

[Ponies4Bronies 394]

It could be a really long list so lets say for short, anything that is devoid of creativity.

[Applefolf 147]

Let's see...

- Red + black colour scheme.

- Unnaturally bright and dark colours, and overall colours/schemes that do not match those found in the show (and whatever the equivalent of sparkle dogs are in mlp).

- Alicorns.

- Being the 7th element of harmony, or the 8th, or the 9th, or whatever.

- Deep integration with the mane 6, such as being married to Rainbow Dash.

- Offspring of Luna, Celestia, or Cadence, adoptive or otherwise.

- Being perfect with no flaws, or flaws that do not have an impact whatsoever.

- Superpowers or incredible amounts of power.

- Super detailed cutie marks.

- Ones with technology not found elsewhere in Equestria, unless it fits in well.

- Backstories devoid of thought, and/or are over-dramatic and do not want to make you sympathise with the character. 

- Being Equestria's only hope.

[Night Visions 624]

Trust me, I've seen some bad OCs in my explorations of the internet and let me just name the one thing that nobody likes seeing-- Alicorn OCs. Now, there are some that are okay, as long as they're not the stereotypical Mary Sue/Gary Stew. Of course, I can't give examples without sounding "biased", so I'll end that there.

 

With that aside, let me continue:

• Red + Black OCs: the color scheme is both overused and would be more related to a form of villain; however, I have seen some OCs with this color scheme that have made it work.
• Crossover OCs: just...don't (unless it's Fallout: Equestria and it can actually fit into the story itself)
• Recolors: look, if you are incapable of drawing your own OC and you're really desperate, use the Pony Creator or find somebody who's willing to draw your OC for you
• Overly Bright Color Scheme: I don't feel the need to explain this, it's fairly straight-forward
• Over-use of Accessories: one or two is fine, but using like...thirty bracelets, "sparkly" dresses, a large bonnet, five necklaces, and jewels in the mane is TOO much
• Anything with a Terribly Thought-Out Backstory: people do realize that there are people who could help with writing their OC's backstory...right?
• Any Form of Affiliation with the Mane 6: unless you can...no, I'm not even going there, that's just ridiculous

 

That's pretty much it. Any more than that, and this list would go on and on for the equivalent of a novel.

[The Nth Doctor 661]

I'll admit my OC started out as a red and black Alicorn

 

Then I started...trimming away aspects that didn't fit with his character until I ended up with what I have now

 

And yes, I also used a Ponymaker because not everyone can afford commissions and I started making my OC long before I discovered people that will take requests for drawing OCs

 

But, through trial and error, I finally have an OC I'm happy with

Edited March 28, 2016 by The Nth Doctor

[Stormlight 1,371]

From looking around the many pony OCs, I would have to say these are the things I dislike involving an OC:

 

• Red and Black color scheme - Overused and "too evil" appearance

 

• Accessories being overused - A simple choker/collar or even a set with four bracelets are fine, but going overboard and placing over ten different colored and styled bracelets are overwhelming

 

• Having a connection/relationship with any of the canon characters - It's self-explanatory, really. If an OC is somehow related to any of the characters, or is considered them their "best friend", it just ruins the fun of ever trying to roleplay, to be honest

 

• Alicorns with no reasonable/unbelievable backstory - Again, self-explanatory. I don't have a problem with the race itself, but some alicorn OCs I've seen just had some ridiculous stories.

 

• Backstories that make so sense whatsoever - I won't go into depth about this issue, but it's just something I am strict about

 

• Overpowered OCs - It's overdone, so much.

 

Overall, all I could say for some advice is to just be original! Make an OC that seems like it could've been added to the show itself and not change the plot or focus on the main characters

[MDLineArt 93]

Thing is, I have no problem with black and red OCs, no problem with Alicorns, I don't even mind traumatic back stories.

 

No, the thing that earns my ire is cheap pops for sympathy by using real trauma and not even acknowledging it as something to be taken seriously (Primarily mental illness or Abuse), but never really addressing it with the baggage that comes with it.

 

And I think this comes from an issue of not really addressing a characters theme. I don't mean cutie mark, I don't mean Alicorns or even snowflake custom creations. I mean what are you, as the designer of the OC, trying to express or experience through the OC.

 

I get some flak for having a changeling OC, and I can understand why, as it seems we are kinda pumped in with the Alicorns and Red-Black OCs, but I take the nature of a changeling with the thought of duality, what you are born as instead of what you choose to be, losing yourself to the crowd, etc. Each characters design and strengths as an individual will be brought out by how they address these themes, and how it colours thief world view.

 

Unfortunetly I don't see this level of thought in many OCs because they rush to define it by its type rather than ask if that type serves as a good basis for the story or experience you are trying to tell. When that happens, it's plain for all to see but rarely addressed.

 

Simple example, a story you can explore with an Alicorns that you couldn't with any other is the idea of a idle goddess. Yes, she could fix many woes of the world, but in the end she knows that doesn't help, it just builds reliance, and hinders others from growing. So now your are left in a conundrum. Which is worse, having no power or all the power and no will to use it, and which makes the smaller who do make a difference mean so much more. Just a thought

[PinkieatHeart 208]

I suppose the only thing that really bugs me is when an OC has virtually no flaws. Everyone has flaws, no matter how perfect they may seem. I understand that a person wants to be cool and perfect, and they use their OC to make it happen for them, but they don't need to, because people actually like characters with flaws.

 

It seems that preteens are most susceptible to these kinds of OCs... I'm guilty of creating one myself way back when. I'd like to go back to that character and give her some flaws though, and round out her personality. Just to see what she can turn into.

[pyroshark 19]

Royalty 

 

O.P.

 

ANYKIND OF BATPONY

 

Someone who finds a new creature no one else used and says its "creative"

Looking at you silver quil

 

Making bright neon colors. I don't want to go blind you know.

[Zamasu 20]

The entire concept of actually making OC (including personality and all).

I just dont see the point. 

[Snake 516]

Oh gosh..

 

-edgy

-alicorn self inserts (unless it's a character for a story or something. I mostly mean this one for alicorn ponysonas)

-bffs with the mane 6/princesses

-overpowered villain with tragic cliche backstory (bonus points if caused by the mane 6/princesses and they're back for revenge)

-neon colors

-PITCH BLACK WITH PURPLE OR RED. STOP. NOW.

-Mane 6 recolors

-giving your non alicorn OC alicorn wings. It doesn't make sense unless their parents were alicorns, which is also bad