What are the rules for making an OC? I need help.

[Paleopony 701]

I know that an OC can be a unicorn, pegasus, earth pony, kirin, gryphon, changeling, ect. I'm planning to make an OC that is a prehistoric horse. But I really don't know if that is acceptable given that they are extinct in the MLP universe and would have lived a very long time before FIM takes place. I just don't know where to draw the line. Any advice?

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

There will always be something in what you create, even completely innocuous things, that won’t sit well with SOMEONE out there. In the end it’s best to just make what you want to make. If you want to create a prehistoric equine character, no one is going to stop you, and I honestly can’t think of a reason they would want to.

Their taste or interests don’t have the final say. And you have to right to express your own creative ideas.

EDIT: Unless you’re referring to the RP section here. They MIGHT have some rules there.

Edited July 29, 2021 by ShadOBabe

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

Just do it..... Someone's bound to correct you if there's a mistake

[Fritzy 1,691]

Far as I see it. There are no rules. Don’t listen the bs you can’t have that “rules” just go for it! Something like that sounds unique and fun anyways. 

[Happy Heart 323]

It's your OC... When it comes down to it, that's all that matters, right?

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

While there are no written rules for making an OC, people have made unwritten rules. In designing my first pony OC, Thunder Dash (who's in my avatar), I transferred over my love for Pikachu to him. I decided to give him the ability to wield electricity and convert it to magic. I did make him Rainbow Dash's older brother when I first started, but people didn't like that (another unwritten rule). 

HOWEVER, the one thing to avoid is the Mary Sue/Gary Stu character, perfect, famous and all that with crazy powers that make them like a deity. 

[Reality Check 631]

Go wild, it's your OC after all

Edited July 29, 2021 by Reality Check

[Splashee 28,563]

@Paleopony

Your topic will be moved to Original Character Help.

[Illiad Easle 3,126]

20 hours ago, Paleopony said:

Any advice?

To add my two cents as one who's made numerous OCs, there's a big difference between an OC and their setting, or how you might use them in a story or a role-play. You can make any character you want, but some of them may not make sense or be fun to play with in a given setting.

For a prehistoric pony like a Mesohippus all that you'd need is to find the proper setting, say they fell through a time portal or came from another dimension, some people might not like that explanation, but others will. In a sense, the limits imposed on an OC depend on the situation, typically when a RP is looking for members they'll impose rules on the types and qualities of OCs they'll accept, but more often than not they're willing to make exceptions if you can integrate your character into their world.

[MidnightFire1222 2,105]

20 hours ago, Paleopony said:

I know that an OC can be a unicorn, pegasus, earth pony, kirin, gryphon, changeling, ect. I'm planning to make an OC that is a prehistoric horse. But I really don't know if that is acceptable given that they are extinct in the MLP universe and would have lived a very long time before FIM takes place. I just don't know where to draw the line. Any advice?

It depends on the situation. If you're making it for a roleplay specifically, it may not fit into the setting of a specific roleplay. If you're just making one because you want to make one and not for any specific purpose, well, all I can say is that the sky's the limit. I've made several different OCs. Some are just for the fun of it, so I do whatever I want with them. Others are to fill a specific role, so there are some constraints I need to put on them, not necessarily for for a roleplay, but for an ongoing project that I'm doing for the fun of it that probably won't end up getting done anytime soon.

My point is, as long as it works for you in the situation you're making it for, do whatever you want with the OC.

EDIT: To add to this, I think someone may have mentioned avoiding the 'Mary Sue/Gary Sue' and 'over powered/deity/god-like power' trope, but if you really want your character to be over powered then by all means, make them a god IF YOU WANT TO. It's up to you. There always the option of having them come from or exist in a parallel universe or something.

Edited July 30, 2021 by MidnightFire1222

[Will Guide 21,359]

On 2021-07-29 at 8:04 PM, MidnightFire1222 said:

It depends on the situation. If you're making it for a roleplay specifically, it may not fit into the setting of a specific roleplay. If you're just making one because you want to make one and not for any specific purpose, well, all I can say is that the sky's the limit. I've made several different OCs. Some are just for the fun of it, so I do whatever I want with them. Others are to fill a specific role, so there are some constraints I need to put on them, not necessarily for for a roleplay, but for an ongoing project that I'm doing for the fun of it that probably won't end up getting done anytime soon.

My point is, as long as it works for you in the situation you're making it for, do whatever you want with the OC.

EDIT: To add to this, I think someone may have mentioned avoiding the 'Mary Sue/Gary Sue' and 'over powered/deity/god-like power' trope, but if you really want your character to be over powered then by all means, make them a god IF YOU WANT TO. It's up to you. There always the option of having them come from or exist in a parallel universe or something.

I agree. And usually the only time I ever have my character be godlike is if I'm doing one-on-one role plays and the other person's okay with the idea