Unicorn OCs without listed magic. It bugs me!

[Silverhoof 2,844]

One of the things I love to do is read OC descriptions.

 

Character archives:
http://mlpforums.com/forum/24-character-archives/
and Equestrian Empire characters are here:
http://mlpforums.com/page/eqw-characters/_/approved/?sort_col=field_68&sort_order=asc&per_page=25

A few things bug me. Tragic backgrounds, no description outside a picture and a name, and worst of all: Unicorns without magic!

 

Even untrained Unicorns have a spell all their own. Telekinesis is universal, but so is one spell.

Rarity has the Gem Finding spell. She never went to school for it, it just came to her one day.

The same is with Snails: he has that light spell. He never went to even magic kindergarten.

 

Too often I cannot tell the difference between a Unicorn OC and an Earth pony OC. Unicorn characters need to define their magic, or at least mention that they haven't bumped into their signature spell yet.

 

The untrained spells aren't likely to be combat oriented, they can be totally frivolous.

 

Silverhoof has a little training but he never went to a magic school: his first spell was this:

The New You: This spell can change the color of anything, reverting back to its true colors one day later. If cast on a pony, it will reinvigorate the skin, cleanse the coat and mane, and refresh the recipient. It can make any color, even luminous colors. Silverhoof can make colored lights bright enough to read by. It has twice the range of of a longbow, and can cover an store front with a single spell. Duration: One day

This spell is very Equestrian, its silly but has its uses.

 

Unicorn OCs don't even need to write out their spells in such detail, just mention what they could do.

 

Does you OC like to sing? an easy spell would create fabulous music to accompany the song.

Like to paint? conjure a magic painbrush with any color paint you need, no mess no fuss.

Want to be a combat fiend? Summon a flaming sword, you can never be disarmed!

 

Do you get my point? If you are going to be a unicorn, do a little something with magic. Magic is in your blood. Magic defines a unicorn, and sets him apart from the other races. Magic is to unicorns that freedom and flight is to pegasi.

 

There was a thread a while ago asking Unicorn OCs to detail their magic, and people went all Dungeons and Dragons with it. Most Equestrian magic has nothing to do with combat. I acknowledge in some roleplays you need combat magic.But if you don't need to fight, come up with something really fun.

 

OK rant over. I bumped into a few pictures of OC's and magic, It might give you some ideas.

Below is a little colt with a single spell: he can turn his beloved toys into spectral guardians.

(I think I found this on 20% cooler). its simple, silly, but allows for combat roleplay.

click to enlarge

Edited February 5, 2014 by Silverhoof

[Page.Turner 940]

I honestly couldn't agree more. When people have original characters of any kind, the lack of description (both physically and mentally/emotionally) can really be annoying. Even for artists who want to know what the character is like in order to depict them correctly! It's hard to do when you get someone who just says basic crap like, "Unicorn pony who is friendly and a little shy but likes strawberries" ...

 

Anyway, I think it should be a mandatory field in the character archive that if you choose Unicorn, you should be able to fill in their specialized field of magic.

 

I also think that Unicorn characters shouldn't worry about being 100% different from each other. Diversity is great, I know, but even in real life there are people who have the same talents and stuff.

 

Oh, and the whole tragic back story thing? IT NEEDS TO STOP. HOLY CRAP. Especially since they're all the damn same!

 

"My parents died when I was young so I was orphaned/given to other cruel family members"

"My parents were mean and cruel and damaged me emotionally, physically, mentally, and even sexually"

"I never knew my parents. I lived on the streets my whoooooole life."

"No one has ever loved me"

 

You can even mix and match those tragedies, but it all boils down to, BOO HOO LOOK AT ME I AM SO SAD ALL THE TIME I NEED TO BE SAVED AND LOVED AND GIVEN ALL THE ATTENTION! PLEASE PITY ME BUT I HATE PITY JUST FEEL SAD FOR ME BECAUSE I'M SPECIAL AND ECLECTIC

 

@______@;;

[Blaze Bronson 343]

I haven't read that many OC's, but I see your point. My OC is a pegasus, because I would love to fly. And my OC uses flight as a way to escape reality and calm down.

I didn't want him to be a unicorn, simply because magic doesn't interest me as much. I don't have any special magical ability to give him.

 

Everyone should start out with an earth pony, and if they feel they got a special magic ability to add, or have a cool passion for flying. Then they should adjust accordingly.

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

*(This post has been edited.)*

Edited February 7, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Silverhoof 2,844]

I haven't read that many OC's, but I see your point. My OC is a pegasus, because I would love to fly. And my OC uses flight as a way to escape reality and calm down.

I didn't want him to be a unicorn, simply because magic doesn't interest me as much. I don't have any special magical ability to give him.

 

Everyone should start out with an earth pony, and if they feel they got a special magic ability to add, or have a cool passion for flying. Then they should adjust accordingly.

Actually all pegasi do have magic. Its just the same magic. Manipulating weather, walking on clouds, making homes/cities out of clouds. Pegasus magic may not be diverse, but its a racial magic that they all share.

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

Actually all pegasi do have magic. Its just the same magic. Manipulating weather, walking on clouds, making homes/cities out of clouds. Pegasus magic may not be diverse, but its a racial magic that they all share.

 

Unicorn magic = most active.

Pegasus magic = mid-range.

Earth magic = most passive.

[Silverhoof 2,844]

My unicorn OC/ponysona, Peridot, is pretty good at enchantments (whether they're on ponies/people, objects, etc.).

 

.........

 

...And... that's pretty much all I've got so far.

Can you define that a bit more? What does Enchantment mean? In DnD, its like mind control. In other books its making magic items.

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

*(This post has been edited.)*

Edited February 7, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Blaze Bronson 343]

Actually all pegasi do have magic. Its just the same magic. Manipulating weather, walking on clouds, making homes/cities out of clouds. Pegasus magic may not be diverse, but its a racial magic that they all share.

Unicorn magic = most active.

Pegasus magic = mid-range.

Earth magic = most passive.

Ohh, I haven't actually thought about that. I guess they have some kind of magic. That is actually really cool, since I considered making an unicorn with magic to control the wind.

Instead I can add it to my pegasus =)

 

It's only in limited amounts, where I could create favorable breezes, or make light things fly in the wind. You think that is too much? Since that would actually be quite a powerful ability combined with him being a pegasus. 

[The Mane-iac 1,648]

Totally agree, but I'm a fairly hardcore roleplayer. I've been logged out of character creation on MMOs many times because when I create a character everything must fit. I even follow the same format for single player games like Elder Scrolls. And I have been really wanting to get into a D&D group but I don't know anyone who plays.

 

It was no different when I created my pony character, Puddlejumper. Except where I usually have a name already in mind before creating the character, name was the last thing for my pony since I needed it to be lore friendly so I needed to figure out who my pony was first. She's still being tweaked now and then, but for the most part she is where I want her. If she were a unicorn, her special magic ability would have been vital to her creation or she would not feel complete to me.

 

Don't get me started on tragic backstories. Just one of the over done, not too lore friendly things on my list that bothers me about more than a few OCs. I respect others choices though and don't say anything unless they ask for constructive criticism. I just instead avoid any roleplay that may include characters with traits that may bother me, in the ponyverse or elsewhere.

Edited February 5, 2014 by The Mane-iac

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

*(This post has been edited.)*

Edited February 7, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Silverhoof 2,844]

@,

Ah. The sophistication of the spell speaks to me of a sophisticated magical education.

Am I guessing right?

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

*(This post has been edited.)*

Edited February 7, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Thrashy 2,800]

I think the "D&D" approach to spell loads is a little justified in my own case, as I've got an original setting that's a lot more...shall we say, harsh compared to what the Equestrians seem to be used to. When your environment requires you to "be quick or be dead", you want a motherbucker who can toss fireballs at your side.

 

But yeah, it does seem to be a common theme that folks omit any mention of their unicorn OCs' spells. Even if a character makes for an atrociously inept wizard, they've still got to have at least one spell they're good at, often directly relating to their special talent - Rarity's jewel-finding, Shining Armor's aptitude for magical barriers, etc. My OC Sprocket isn't a strong spellcaster himself, but he has a natural talent for accelerating recovery and a number of spells relating to metal (he uses a "metal detector" spell on a daily basis for his job in the mines).

[Scribblegroove 565]

My OC has a pretty well described special spell. It's just so hard to make it seem like it requires a lot of skill and talent to use the spell, since he also seems to do it with ease. Just like your own special talent, I believe your special spell should be something unique to everyone... And something extraordinary...

 

http://mlpforums.com/page/roleplay-characters/_/scribblegroove-r5437

 

I like the idea of having unique abilities, and they should also apply to pegasi and earth ponies as well. A talent for something isn't the only thing you should add... Something that only YOU can do should be somewhere in your OC as well...

[SveciaDash 364]

oh my... i thought it said alicorn OCs and was about to claim genocide on false empresses/emperors...

DERP

Edited February 5, 2014 by SveciaDash

[Thrashy 2,800]

People claim to be alicorns???? FALSE EMPRESSES/EMPERORS 

 

the only OC thats an alicorn is lauren fausts our glorious goddess empress of ponykind.

 

having your OC as an Alicorn just seems kinda like a ''pay extra attention to me because im the mightiest of races''

 

How so? Alicorns like Celestia and Luna may be able to do some cosmic shit with their powers, but they're not infallible beings. Luna was banished to the Moon, unable to do anything for thousands of years, and Celestia herself almost fell to the likes of Chrysalis. Hell, I've got an alicorn myself, and not only is he not a very strong leader, but he dies.

 

So if there's a perception that alicorns are some kind of master race, it's a false perception at best...and for anyone who does make alicorn OCs just for the purpose of having them be all-powerful Mary-Sues, well, the joke's on them.

[SveciaDash 364]

How so? Alicorns like Celestia and Luna may be able to do some cosmic shit with their powers, but they're not infallible beings. Luna was banished to the Moon, unable to do anything for thousands of years, and Celestia herself almost fell to the likes of Chrysalis. Hell, I've got an alicorn myself, and not only is he not a very strong leader, but he dies.

 

So if there's a perception that alicorns are some kind of master race, it's a false perception at best...and for anyone who does make alicorn OCs just for the purpose of having them be all-powerful Mary-Sues, well, the joke's on them.

even tho we dont know how long a normal pony lives for, alicorns can be thousands of years old and well, all alicorns are at the moment royal. 

 

But yes.. alicorns are more powerfull than all the other races.. the amulet that gives you a fudge load of power is named the ALICORN amulet. 

 

Celestia only almost fell to chrysalis is because she had drained so much power of löve and would normaly not be able to beat celestia. 

 

also going on the immortal subject, celestia has twice been hit by what you would assume if it was a adult show 'lethal beams' once by Nightmare moon and by chrysalis 

 

but myes i understand that everyones OC is in an alternate universe with different rules and where cannons cannot be fired

Edited February 5, 2014 by SveciaDash

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

even tho we dont know how long a normal pony lives for, alicorns can be thousands of years old and well, all alicorns are at the moment royal. 

 

But yes.. alicorns are more powerfull than all the other races.. the amulet that gives you a fudge load of power is named the ALICORN amulet. 

 

Celestia only almost fell to chrysalis is because she had drained so much power of löve and would normaly not be able to beat celestia. 

 

also going on the immortal subject, celestia has twice been hit by what you would assume if it was a adult show 'lethal beams' once by Nightmare moon and by chrysalis 

 

but myes i understand that everyones OC is in an alternate universe with different rules and where cannons cannot be fired

 

Oddly, Sombra is a unicorn, and yet he's clearly just as powerful.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[SveciaDash 364]

Oddly, Sombra is a unicorn, and yet he's clearly just as powerful.

Well.. we never saw any alicorn go face to face with sombra. Cadence probably could have gone face to face with him but then again childrens show with no death involved. 

 

but myes atleast luna and celestia lives for what seems to be eternity not sure if twilight and cadence will. 

 

thats my point with alicorns.. they love longer than normal ponies and are really really strong at magic. 

 

Being an alicorn is a clear advantage to being a normal pony

[Thrashy 2,800]

even tho we dont know how long a normal pony lives for, alicorns can be thousands of years old and well, all alicorns are at the moment royal. 

 

But yes.. alicorns are more powerfull than all the other races.. the amulet that gives you a fudge load of power is named the ALICORN amulet. 

 

Celestia only almost fell to chrysalis is because she had drained so much power of löve and would normaly not be able to beat celestia. 

 

also going on the immortal subject, celestia has twice been hit by what you would assume if it was a adult show 'lethal beams' once by Nightmare moon and by chrysalis 

 

but myes i understand that everyones OC is in an alternate universe with different rules and where cannons cannot be fired

 

You should realize that immortality and invincibility are two totally different things; Celestia and Luna's extended lifespans mean nothing in the context of whether or not they can be defeated/killed outright. For example, vampires are immortal for as long as they avoid sunlight and pointy wooden sticks, but they can be destroyed, and thus aren't invincible...no matter how many super-strength 'bonuses' their vampirism gives them, a wooden stake to the heart turns them to dust.

 

My point is, if even the Changeling queen can best an "all-powerful" alicorn like Celestia, then realistically speaking, alicorns must not be all they're cracked up to be.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Thrashy

[The Mane-iac 1,648]

Oddly, Sombra is a unicorn, and yet he's clearly just as powerful.

 

I'd argue that we don't actually know that is is just as powerful. I'd wager that he is actually weaker then unicorn Twilight, just that he is corrupted by dark magic or whatever they called it. He was also shown only after being cursed and turned into the smoke monster.

[SveciaDash 364]

You should realize that immortality and invincibility are two totally different things; Celestia and Luna's extended lifespans mean nothing in the context of whether or not they can be defeated/killed outright. For example, vampires are immortal for as long as they avoid sunlight and pointy wooden sticks, but they can be destroyed, and thus aren't invincible...no matter how many super-strength 'bonuses' their vampirism gives them, a wooden stake to the heart turns them to dust.

 

My point is, if even the Changeling queen can best an "all-powerful" alicorn like Celestia, then realistically speaking, alicorns must not be all they're cracked up to be.

Chrysalis could knock out celestia since she had drained all the love from shining armor and his love was so strong for cadence bla bla *pukes* granting her so much power. if chrysalis would'nt had drained that love power celestia would've dealt with chrysalis.

 

point is that alicorns are the closest thing to godhood. im not saying that alicorns are super mega awesomly can destroy the universe powerfull.. all im saying is that alicorns are more powerfull than a regular pony. maybe not by alot, but atleast a little

Edited February 5, 2014 by SveciaDash

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

Ello govna!

 

What drives me up the walls more than anything is a "pity me" back story. It's like...I don't know, I understand that not all ponies will be the happiest people in Equestria (Take Mrs. Harshwhinny for example), but it's like they are trying to drive away from the MLP criteria as far as possible and try to be "unique". I get that, but oh my gosh at least try not to be like at least 80% of the OC population and have dead parents or some shiz. ><

[ReverieRiver 526]

I... hadn't really thought about that.

 

I mean... My character Ariel is a unicorn, and I've done the exact thing that this topic is discussing: failing to describe said unicorn character's powers. The only reason I made her a unicorn in the first place was, well... because it best fit her backstory and the future world that she previously lived in.

 

Also... The subject of "tragic" backstories has been brought up. And, considering that both of my characters have what could be considered as such, now I'm starting to feel self-conscious...