Good OC's?
- Thread starter Legacy|iB
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I have a fic with an OC planned. In fact, most people are waiting for an update from said fic. :unsure!:
Thing about this OC, EXTREME background character. Her importance of the fic is only as a messenger type from one area (Hinata Sou), to the other (Aoyama Clan). A number of her attributes could easily fall into the Mary Sue trap if I'm not careful, which, I have tried to rectify by keeping her in the background and no where near main character status.
Thing about this OC, EXTREME background character. Her importance of the fic is only as a messenger type from one area (Hinata Sou), to the other (Aoyama Clan). A number of her attributes could easily fall into the Mary Sue trap if I'm not careful, which, I have tried to rectify by keeping her in the background and no where near main character status.
The blind kenjutsu user is Arisa, for reference. And I'm glad you like her.
As for Basara, while she IS indeed too nice, to be fair, there is a considerably darker part of her which I plan to show. In my intention she was to be simply the desire for freedom of Kyuubi, thus relatively neutral towards humans, but I did realize that I got sort of carried away with her.
I think I can fix the mistake, but I'll need to be careful.
As for Basara, while she IS indeed too nice, to be fair, there is a considerably darker part of her which I plan to show. In my intention she was to be simply the desire for freedom of Kyuubi, thus relatively neutral towards humans, but I did realize that I got sort of carried away with her.
I think I can fix the mistake, but I'll need to be careful.
^-^;; I really don't know about being a Mary-Sue ish. When I created my OC (DEL) I just wanted a character that I would normally like whether it was my creation or not. Of course, that's even harder than it sounds. I still can't find the right balance yet especially with his fic time with my fave Keitaro, so at times, I just make it that Keitaro gets the adventure himself, while DEL is only present when he needs to be.
There are few stories with OC-main characters that are good.
This is mainly because people like to idealize things.
I have to admit however, that I also have a favourite OC-character that is also the main character of the story.
Uric the Oddball - and the wild hunt
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/378519/1/
the name appears several times in HP-canon and this is a delightful story about his years at hogwarts. (I usually laugh to much when reading this).
This is mainly because people like to idealize things.
I have to admit however, that I also have a favourite OC-character that is also the main character of the story.
Uric the Oddball - and the wild hunt
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/378519/1/
the name appears several times in HP-canon and this is a delightful story about his years at hogwarts. (I usually laugh to much when reading this).
Perhaps you are referring to Plugsuits by Andrew Joshua Talon?
I think its possible to write good ones if you are careful with how you use them and try to keep them balanced for use in the story with how you use them. If you want a mentor type character, you can make them more powerful than the main character, just be careful not to make them to powerful or have them overshadow the main character. Other characters have other problems.
I know of several good ones. Caged Fox has several good ones, and he isn't afraid to kill them off. Lacking Sight has some that play pretty big roles, but are done nicely. They are fallible and that really helps. Sic Semper Morituri has a few main ones and some minor ones. That is one really long fic, and I don't think it is really anywhere near completion.
The thing with OC's is that usually, the characters end up altered anyway to be non-canon, and thus become original yet still based on existing characters. Also cases where a character has so little canon characterization that there is no choice but to make up stuff. Kyuubi ends up one such character quite often. Rin and Obito are kinda like that. Obito has more information about him, but not all that much is known about Rin. Many times the main characters are altered yet still fit decently well. Ranma in Just Won't Die and Path of Chaos are in ways similar, and yet different. Naruto can range from being a complete moron to a genius to a broody bastard or anything basically, just hiding behind a mask. When a person writes a character, they make their own version. These differences come up even with official versions. Differences from manga and anime, or in the case of Tenchi, multiple versions.
If a person can create OC's then they are basically ready to create everything on their own. They understand how to use archetypes and can probably make use of the 36 Plots. Someone made two more unofficial ones but I forgot what they were.
The thing with OC's is that usually, the characters end up altered anyway to be non-canon, and thus become original yet still based on existing characters. Also cases where a character has so little canon characterization that there is no choice but to make up stuff. Kyuubi ends up one such character quite often. Rin and Obito are kinda like that. Obito has more information about him, but not all that much is known about Rin. Many times the main characters are altered yet still fit decently well. Ranma in Just Won't Die and Path of Chaos are in ways similar, and yet different. Naruto can range from being a complete moron to a genius to a broody bastard or anything basically, just hiding behind a mask. When a person writes a character, they make their own version. These differences come up even with official versions. Differences from manga and anime, or in the case of Tenchi, multiple versions.
If a person can create OC's then they are basically ready to create everything on their own. They understand how to use archetypes and can probably make use of the 36 Plots. Someone made two more unofficial ones but I forgot what they were.
I disagree with you that Jeff in Sic Semper Morituri is a good OC.
It's been a while since I read any of that on, but he seems to know much more than anyone should know. Yes, I remember there being something "special" about him (I can't remember the exact details and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone).
Thinking back to when I was reading it, I believe the term is "Gary Stu"....
It's been a while since I read any of that on, but he seems to know much more than anyone should know. Yes, I remember there being something "special" about him (I can't remember the exact details and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone).
Thinking back to when I was reading it, I believe the term is "Gary Stu"....
He does have weaknesses and I sure as hell would not want to be him. There are several others in the story that are good, like some of the guards or friends. The cultist girls are kinda good, not that I really like them.
Black Dragon does have a lot of great ones though. Kinda interesting how he keeps reusing one name but the character is completely different in each fic. Raiden Shikodan I think. Gruff Russian vigilante in Guardian, powerful tough demonic angel in Nexus II, something else in the space one that I haven't read.
Black Dragon does have a lot of great ones though. Kinda interesting how he keeps reusing one name but the character is completely different in each fic. Raiden Shikodan I think. Gruff Russian vigilante in Guardian, powerful tough demonic angel in Nexus II, something else in the space one that I haven't read.
Raiden is always obscenly powerful, but he usually isn't very smart, either.
Take a look at Nexus II. I have no doubts in my mind Raiden could, if it came down to it, destroy Ranma just because of the dark power raging through him. At least, I like to think so. That Ranma kicks his ass mentally and physically despite the huge power difference (power is just that, power, not skill) makes me giggle and touch myself.
Seriously, BD is just all kinds of awesome written down on paper.
Take a look at Nexus II. I have no doubts in my mind Raiden could, if it came down to it, destroy Ranma just because of the dark power raging through him. At least, I like to think so. That Ranma kicks his ass mentally and physically despite the huge power difference (power is just that, power, not skill) makes me giggle and touch myself.
Seriously, BD is just all kinds of awesome written down on paper.
I must agree, good OCs are extremely difficult to make. BTB's fic, Forevermore, which I'm continuing right now, calls for a good number of OCs, but no matter what I do people always complain. Well, it's difficult to please everyone, unfortunately.
On the other hand, my Love Hina Sister Princess, has a HUGE number of OCs - 30 to be exact, at the moment. Not to mention 12 of them are more or less main characters (Keitaro's little sisters). But despite that, I haven't received any flames yet, fortunately. I guess it's because most of them are lolis :snigger:
Or maybe just because it's up on fanfiction.net.
It really depends on how well made the OC is. A good character is a deep one. Also, in fanfiction, it must be remembered that people come to read fics about the characters they love in a certain fandom, not some random OC. It's best if OCs remain in the background. They should be there to serve a purpose, not just to fulfill the author's ego.
There are rare cases where OCs can work as main characters. For example, I found the main character OC in Soul Requiem: Return to Hinata Sou quite well done. The fact that he's the main character, if anything, only made it better. Well, perhaps because he sort of inherited Keitaro's memories somehow.
One of the best OCs I've seen so far (that I remember. Sigh, me and my abysmal memory) would be Toshio from Ships in the Night. It just goes to show that OCs should really be left to really accomplished writers with lots of experience.
The worst OC I've ever seen....hmmm....don't remember any, really. Fortunately, I don't commit any bad ones to memory .
On the other hand, my Love Hina Sister Princess, has a HUGE number of OCs - 30 to be exact, at the moment. Not to mention 12 of them are more or less main characters (Keitaro's little sisters). But despite that, I haven't received any flames yet, fortunately. I guess it's because most of them are lolis :snigger:
Or maybe just because it's up on fanfiction.net.
It really depends on how well made the OC is. A good character is a deep one. Also, in fanfiction, it must be remembered that people come to read fics about the characters they love in a certain fandom, not some random OC. It's best if OCs remain in the background. They should be there to serve a purpose, not just to fulfill the author's ego.
There are rare cases where OCs can work as main characters. For example, I found the main character OC in Soul Requiem: Return to Hinata Sou quite well done. The fact that he's the main character, if anything, only made it better. Well, perhaps because he sort of inherited Keitaro's memories somehow.
One of the best OCs I've seen so far (that I remember. Sigh, me and my abysmal memory) would be Toshio from Ships in the Night. It just goes to show that OCs should really be left to really accomplished writers with lots of experience.
The worst OC I've ever seen....hmmm....don't remember any, really. Fortunately, I don't commit any bad ones to memory
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