Need help redesigning my OC

[Kitty_Cat 376]

So I am attempting to redesign one of my OC's. The attached image is what she currently looks like.
If the image doesn't load or ends up expiring, I'll give a bit of a description.

Long mid-light blonde mane and tail that are smooth and has a slight wave to it. Tidbits of flame go through a few strands of her hair from scalp to end. some flame tidbits only exist at the tips. Light pink skin tone throughout. Sky blue eyes. Is an alicorn, with stature, horn, and wings being the same size as Twilight's. Normal ear size and shape, same going for her nose. Normal set of teeth. Cutie mark is an upside down bright green heart with a red peace sign in the middle of it.

I like her color scheme in general, I'm wanting to keep that. What I want changed is the fact she's an alicorn; however, I'm torn by the fact that she will no longer be able to fly. I could have her spawn magic wings with her horn, but I don't know what they should look like.

I also want her cutie mark changed. The original design stood for her being the princess of peace and kindness, but that was me being a silly little middle schooler who wanted to be the best and I thought I was the best person on earth. Regardless if that was true or not, I have changed and since this OC represents me in a way, she needs to be changed as well. 

I'm just trying not to be an overrused template that a lot of young folks like I was do. I also don't want to be counted as a person with a Mary Sue character. I've seen Mary Sue's in action and I despise them.

I kind of also want her name to be changed, but considering she's the pony version of an OC I made (who is an anthromorphic cat-human), I am uncertain of this.

[Scilla Bell 103]

I like your OC, she's really cute! I'm no character design expert, but I'm gonna try my hoof at giving some advice. Her color scheme works well, but the values could probably be adjusted a little imo. 

Spawning magical wings is a really neat idea, maybe they could be insect like? I suggest that mostly because they're very simple so it would probably be the easiest spell to consistently cast. Something like in the episode where Rarity gets wings perhaps?

Regarding cutie mark design, the bright green really clashes with the rest of the color scheme. I would really suggest a desaturated color and maybe going for a blue-leaning hue. If you don't like the peace sign itself, but want a similar concept communicated, maybe you could use an olive branch or a dove. I know you mention the peace thing comes from a silly place of being young and idealistic, but I'm not sure what else to suggest. It's really hard to give advice on cutie mark design without knowing much about you or your OC's background.

Name wise, I think Kitty Cat is sweet, but if you want a change maybe something like Kathy or Katie could do something for you. 

I don't think anything about your OC reads as Mary Sue. I can tell it was made by someone young, for sure, but it's in an endearing way to me. 

[Kitty_Cat 376]

Oh yeah, I remember that episode! My mind is going something less colorful, though not super bland either. It's also going to a place where the wings look like some sort of crystal or cloud-like appearance, though I'm not entirely sure how it is going to work out exactly.

For the cutie mark, I may have to do that mostly by myself. Kitty's human-cat form also needs a remake and I think I need to get that done first before I do the cutie mark of her pony version, since I find story to be of top priority whenever I do something creative.

 

Edit: Perhaps she could magically change her wings depending on how she needs to utilize them? 
And I'm going to be drawing her too, so getting the right colors shouldn't be a hassle 

Edited May 1, 2022 by Kitty_Cat

[Props Valroa 26,042]

Alicorn OCs. Would be careful with that, since that is an easy way to get a character to become overpowered. If I were you, just lop off either the wings or the horn and she's golden. 

[Kitty_Cat 376]

9 hours ago, StarlightMirage said:

Alicorn OCs. Would be careful with that, since that is an easy way to get a character to become overpowered. If I were you, just lop off either the wings or the horn and she's golden. 

Exactly what I wanted to do. I’m changing her to a unicorn who can spawn herself wings when she wants them as long as she has enough energy to spawn and maintain them.

I know of how trivial and controversial an alicorn OC can be. They’re so rare in the canon series, with there being 5 out of possibly millions. And the way that alicorns are brought to be makes it even harder. 

My OC had been an alicorn because of her immense power and status in the other worlds. She still holds the power (though this is definitely subject to change), but I greatly doubt her status would actually qualify her as being an alicorn, especially since it’s of a different realm.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

I think a good start would be to redesign the Cutie Mark. The soul looks too much like something out of Undertale so I would suggest keeping the peace sign and either removing the heart/soul entirely or finding something similar to replace it with. Thinking about your OC’s destiny and goals in life can help with this.

[Kitty_Cat 376]

2 minutes ago, ExplosionMare said:

I think a good start would be to redesign the Cutie Mark. The soul looks too much like something out of Undertale so I would suggest keeping the peace sign and either removing the heart/soul entirely or finding something similar to replace it with. Thinking about your OC’s destiny and goals in life can help with this.

Yeah, that’s what I based it on. ->- I was a huge undertale fan at the time and had no respect for copyright.

With having to entirely remake her actual form, including backstory, the cutie mark may actually have to come last. It doesn’t help that I’ve sort of “lost myself” over time due to mental problems, realizations, and stress of transition to college, so it’s hard for me to think about myself in a good light and fetch something creative from it.

Likely TMI but yea.. sorry

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

2 minutes ago, Kitty_Cat said:

Yeah, that’s what I based it on. ->- I was a huge undertale fan at the time and had no respect for copyright.

With having to entirely remake her actual form, including backstory, the cutie mark may actually have to come last. It doesn’t help that I’ve sort of “lost myself” over time due to mental problems, realizations, and stress of transition to college, so it’s hard for me to think about myself in a good light and fetch something creative from it.

Likely TMI but yea.. sorry

It’s ok, I have had similar things happen to me. Don’t pressure yourself with the redesign, just rework the OC at your own pace.

[Props Valroa 26,042]

2 hours ago, Kitty_Cat said:

Exactly what I wanted to do. I’m changing her to a unicorn who can spawn herself wings when she wants them as long as she has enough energy to spawn and maintain them.

I know of how trivial and controversial an alicorn OC can be. They’re so rare in the canon series, with there being 5 out of possibly millions. And the way that alicorns are brought to be makes it even harder. 

My OC had been an alicorn because of her immense power and status in the other worlds. She still holds the power (though this is definitely subject to change), but I greatly doubt her status would actually qualify her as being an alicorn, especially since it’s of a different realm.

What is her backstory / lore?

[Kitty_Cat 376]

2 hours ago, StarlightMirage said:

What is her backstory / lore?

She was created by a high celestial-like being several millennia ago. At the time she had no form and was just a soul. She was taught rights and wrongs and things of similar caliber, school subjects (she excelled in mathematics), and how to use magic. Magic training was very extensive, lasting a vast majority of her time as a formless being.

her ultimate goal was to be willful, kind, and strong enough to be sent into the physical world in order to protect the dimensions from evil that has the potential to cause mass damage.

She had an affection for cats and enjoyed fire magic the most, so her form became partially based on the likeness of cats, and she was given fire magic to use as a secondary, alongside the mandatory light magic essential for defeating evil. Her form was created 18 years ago.
 

she now travels pretty much everywhere in search for places in need of aid.

(once I find an image of her actual form I’ll send it here, though the appearance is subject to change as I remake her.)

[Props Valroa 26,042]

@Kitty_Cat

That is quite interesting, however it seems a bit mary-su ish to me, no offense. Having special origins, dimensional interactions with a character. She seems to be very kind, and the 'good vs evil' thing is also something that is done quite frequently. I would suggest to make her more nuanced, and morally grey. 

[Kitty_Cat 376]

Yep. That’s why I’m remaking her lol.

im trying, just not succeeding.

I understand the issues, I just need to figure out how to make it better

edit: found the image, sort of. It’s super old and the quality has greatly diminished. This isn’t mine sadly but it represents her most accurately. Only difference is that her hands were intended to be human hands but I’m considering changing it.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Kitty_Cat

[Kitty_Cat 376]

I don’t think I explained her very well which is what made her seem like a Mary Sue. Her origin doesn’t necessarily mean she’s all-knowing and all-powerful n something. She only had fire and light magics and is incredibly weak to water obviously. She is mortal.

her speed is high, attack power is slightly above average, and her defenses are quite low. She has slight preference to melee attacks as her aim is literal crap. She does levitate objects and people including herself but has a speed limit, making it not as good in battle. Like the Force, it requires good concentration and she’s not good at concentrating when in a stressful situation.

while she does want to go against evil, she does have other personal goals too. The evil part was just a task given to her and is thus deemed as top priority.

[Props Valroa 26,042]

@Kitty_Cat

I feel like she would be some kind of guard or warrior for Celestia, perhaps she fights against Equestria's monsters and that gives her a solid purpose. Like a lead guard, or some sort of mercenary for the crown.

[Kitty_Cat 376]

:0!!

Thats an amazing idea! How the heck did I not think of that lol. I’ll take that into consideration when I get enough ideas for a remake.

[Props Valroa 26,042]

@Kitty_Cat

Could have been raised by one of Celestia's guards or something, too.

[Scilla Bell 103]

I personally really enjoy the fantastical and grandiose origin story, but I can see why you would want to change it. Something I want to ask though is if you have a particular setting/continuity in mind for your OC to exist in? 

My own OC is rather plain without much of anything special going on (yet) but she doesn't exist in any of the MLP show continuities, mostly because I don't want to feel limited by anything. (Though, G5 is tempting me a bit..)

[Kitty_Cat 376]

2 minutes ago, StarlightMirage said:

@Kitty_Cat

Could have been raised by one of Celestia's guards or something, too.

Not super crazy of her being raised by one tbh. Just her joining it through hard work is good by me.

been thinking about her new cutie mark. I’m wondering about a single small white/light yellow sparkle of light at the bottom with some sort of orange/yellow magic spiraling up from it, or a fire sprouting from it instead. I’m hoping the colors will work with pastel pink lol.

[Kitty_Cat 376]

4 minutes ago, Scila Bell said:

I personally really enjoy the fantastical and grandiose origin story, but I can see why you would want to change it. Something I want to ask though is if you have a particular setting/continuity in mind for your OC to exist in? 

My own OC is rather plain without much of anything special going on (yet) but she doesn't exist in any of the MLP show continuities, mostly because I don't want to feel limited by anything. (Though, G5 is tempting me a bit..)

Not the entire backstory will change, just the tidbit of her arriving into equestria and giving her actual purpose in the realm and give a rounder story rather than just have one basic and ultimate goal.

I don’t really have anything specific in mind; if I did I wouldn’t have asked for as much help as I’m needing. All I need is a spark, then the wildfire will grow on its own.

[Evil Pink One 12,979]

She could be related to her, ( Celestia) a distant relative since they have similar elemental traits....fire and light.

She is speed and close combat oriented, so maybe a shorter hair for airodynamics and practicality for combat.

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by Kujamih

[Kitty_Cat 376]

4 minutes ago, Kujamih said:

She could be related to her, a distant relative since they have similar elemental traits....fire and light.

She is speed and close combat oriented, so maybe a shorter hair for airodynamics and practicality for comvat.

 

If you’re talking about the human-cat and the pony, they’re the same person. Kitty just takes a different form in equestria to match the world’s existential norms and rules, like how twilight becomes human in EG.

 

reponse to edit: I don’t know how Luna and Celestia came to be and I really don’t think it would make sense for them to be related.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Kitty_Cat

[Evil Pink One 12,979]

You know that unicorns can fly right?

You can make her like the "human torch"  when she flies, that way she looks even cooler... And the design of the flame would look like a phoenix wings 

4 minutes ago, Kitty_Cat said:

If you’re talking about the human-cat and the pony, they’re the same person. Kitty just takes a different form in equestria to match the world’s existential norms and rules, like how twilight becomes human in EG.

Edited my post.

[Kitty_Cat 376]

1 minute ago, Kujamih said:

You know that unicorns can fly right?

You can make her like the "human torch"  when she flies, that way she looks even cooler... And the design of the flame would look like a phoenix wings 

Edited my post.

I’m aware. That’s what I spoke of early on in this post. But given that alicorns can be born and kitty is just a unicorn, I don’t know the “canonocity” of this occurrence. And again, unlike Cadence I don’t know how Luna and Celestia work since they are higher alicorns with high duties. And who else would be along with Celestia to create Kitty? I don’t know if Celestia can straight up create ponies.

[Props Valroa 26,042]

@Kitty_Cat

I would have said to avoid OCs knowing Canon characters but I have a character who is Twilight's older sister, so I shouldn't be saying that, but I think the name may not make much sense considering her character, hmmm.

[Kitty_Cat 376]

4 minutes ago, StarlightMirage said:

@Kitty_Cat

I would have said to avoid OCs knowing Canon characters but I have a character who is Twilight's older sister, so I shouldn't be saying that, but I think the name may not make much sense considering her character, hmmm.

I try to stray away from OCs knowing other characters other than just passing by on the occasion and not knowing it, or just having heard of them. She likely won’t know Celestia personally but likely would have met her as she was coronated to be a guard.

Edited May 2, 2022 by Kitty_Cat