When making your OC, what personality did you give them and how'd you decide on what personality to give them. We're you inspired by another character, did you base them off of yourself. Or was it solely to make the story go forward.

(My first time making a forum and I was curious)

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I have lots of ocs with different or similar personalities. Though I can name a few:
Also for context, most of those universe stories are still WIP, plus theres two versions of that au, plus an extra one for an infection au.
Heartbeat: A medical mare unicorn, and a medical military mare from another world which I nicknamed the Rainbow01verse. On one side, she showed a strong and courageous look when going out in battle, and sometimes adventurous as well. As for the other side, she showed a mother-like personality when talking to her adopted daughter, Peach Glow (alongside parent protective mode). Most other creatures can say that her protective mode when protecting any creatures, including children, came from her ptsd experience. In other words, she doesn't want other kids to suffer like she did. In this case, she is shown to have mental problems of her own, and sometimes goes to therapy or read a book about parenting. She never really gets to have a great childhood, though she gladly makes somepony else very happy and protect them. There are a few times where she plays with the other kids to "fill that empty void of her dark childhood memories". She also has a bf, Stone Wave, an earth pony to hang out and sometimes does adult things together in private. Both ponies have an romantic and mature feeling towards each other, and there are times where Heartbeat is thinking of having a child of her own to hang out with Peach Glow.

Peach Glow: Peach Glow is adopted, and later on, the daughter of Heartbeat, alongside her father, Stone Wave. Ever since getting rescued from a cult like group by the military, Heartbeat and Stone Wave oddly was ordered to "keep an eye on her" (I'm still working on the lore XD), and eventually adopting her, and having a nice relationship with her parents. She was just 19.
Peach Glow also has age regression, in this case, she has the body of a 19 year old pegasi mare, and has the mind of a 10 year old. She was sometimes playful towards her parents and her friends, though sometimes acting a bit serious when danger is around or Heartbeat's boss is shouting at her mom. Throughout her arc, she was slowly becoming mature, and learn some things on her way, such as learning how to control a battle saddle...(lets just say somepony else taught her that). Peach Glow can also seemingly communicate with insects as well.
She also has one wing, since the other one seems to be ripped off. There are times where others are thinking of giving her a full on robotic wing, later on, she did get it, and took some time practicing flying.

Blade: For context, his dark unicorn powers can transform him into a shadow alicorn. In this case, he is a bit of a vigilanti, and tends to fight crime and serve justice. There are also times where he spares his enemies, and let the others deal with them. When not fighting crime, he shows a respectful manner, and sometimes a bit playful and curious. He even has a bit of a father/uncle figures as well, and also those that look up to him as a leader, or those that ask him for their guiding light. Blade is kinda inspired by Captain America, but a little darker.

Ekon: An Zebra mare that's sometimes wary of others, though she did gain some friends along the way. In the Fallout Equestria spin off au I'm working on, Ekon tends to be nervous when walking to areas that she doesn't know, especially when there's raiders around. When there is danger, she will fight if she has to defend not only herself, tho for others as well. In the Rainbow01 verse, she is shown a little homesick, and having thoughts of maybe both pony and zebra kinds can trade more often, alongside the other species of Equestria as well.

Nyoka: An Zebra mare, and one of the villains in my Rainbow01 verse. Shes kinda inspired by the MCU Killmonger due to her political and fighting status. For her backstory, she witnessed the death of her parents and some of her friends. When the leaders of Farasi (canon name in MLP comics, I might change it later) don't want to go after the attackers to avoid a accidental war between the Zebras and the rest of Equestria, Nyoka was very vengeful, and was planning to not only attack her own homeland, thought the rest of Equestria as well. She also managed to become a general, and was able to corrupt several Zebras on her side, including her childhood friend, Panya.

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Many of my OCs are based on real people, famous people to be pacific.

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I have nine OCs as the main cast for an incoming project, just as a heads up. And each of them are different species; some of them not even see in the MLP series before.

Ethan Actaeon Theofylaktos - Ethan is an envious stallion who is inexperienced in lots of things. He is headstrong, never known for compromisation and determined to have what he wants. Confrontation is not a thing he backs down from and he can be rather aggressive. Ethan is financially stable but is frugal about money unless it can be beneficial for him. He can be overprotective of others and is known for his spontaneousness with what he does. He holds grudges and has no problem with delivering vengeance on those that he feels wronged him. Ethan is also rather blunt, to the point where he can come off as rude or insensitive.

Critical and charismatic in his approach to life, Ethan is forbearing and efficient, often prioritizing independence and freedom. He is as reliable and as he is intelligent and can covert opportunities into ones of success. Ethan is flexible when it comes to changes in circumstance and is good with judging things by their colors. He is endowed with one high sense of humor and is relentless when pursuing his own goals. Logical thinking is his expertise, and he is quite realistic with how his time is managed. Ethan is famous for his impartialness, never making judgements born from bias, and he often shows to be quite empathetic.

Yijun Chang - Ingenious and humorous, Yijun is a kirin that is all up for the adventurous life. He has an inquisitive nature and makes sure that nothing is left unnoticed by his eyes. Yijun loves to be a journeyer and socializer, not one for doing things solo but in a group. He is resourceful and can be rather eloquent with his words and great at multitasking. Yijun is a craver for challenges as he likes to experiment with as many things as possible. He is endowed with self-confidence which allows him to take up any opportunities. Yijun is quite youthful as well, making him a good source for anyone needing joy and positivity.

Patience is not something Yijun is known for and he rushes into chances as soon as they present themselves. He is loquacious and is known for rambling and stretching the truth to the point even he is not sure what he is talking about. Yijun gets angered easily and isn’t the best and picking up on social ques within groups. He is someone who gets distracted quite often and can act sarcastic in a bitter and resentful sense. Yijun can be rather irritating and bothersome, but it mostly stems from his desire to have fun. He is not the best at keeping promises in certain forms either, making him an unreliable source for such things.

Chloé Róisín - Tranquil and artistic, Chloe loves the domestic life and partaking in projects involving anything relating to it. She is attentive likes to tend to the wishes and comforts of others and can be quite the romantic. Her intuitiveness allows her to understand and know something regardless of the lack of evidence. Chloe has excellent supervision skills and is known for her incredible love and care for children. She has a selfless concern for others and is incredibly sympathetic to plights of others. Chloe is a great source of comfort for anyone in pain and while it isn’t often, she shows to be quite the witty dhampir.

Moodiness is something Chloe struggles with often, and she can go from impervious to emotional without warning. She can become so self-absorbed that she ignores everything around her, going into parties of self-pity if it becomes too much. Chloe feels incapacitated with sudden change and can become inconsistent and contradicting in her actions. Her words are sharper her fangs which can deliver quite the pinch of the dhampir is pushed hard enough. Overuse is something that she experiences often and can be quite shy. None of which is helped by Chloe’s habit of drinking from others without express permission.

Wafiyah Abdallah - Wafiyah is a friendly and sociable sphinx who is as competitive as she is ambitious. She is dependable and affectionate to those she is close with but fierce to those who cross her. Wafiya likes taking harmless jabs and is known for her sassiness. She is one who relies on communication and is motivated when it comes to her interests. Wafiya likes to go with things that are not grey, but she can work with them if they can be beneficial. The sphinxess is not for beating around the bush and tries to enforce correctitude inside her circles. Wafiya is quite bighearted, but she is not known for showing it often.

Recklessness is one common form of action Wafiya takes because of her drive for success. It leads her to make careless decisions without considering the consequences. She loves being under the spotlight and despises it when no attention is given in her direction. Bossiness is one big turn off about Wafiya as she likes to give others orders even if she is not doing the leading. It ties into her passiveness about letting things happen without much response. Not to mention she exaggerates things and can behave in a conservative manner. Due to familial betrayal, she can be leery when encountering brand new faces.

Thorin Jökull - Thorin is a thoughtful, understanding and caring abraxan that treats people as their own. Analytical and sharp-minded, they tackle tasks with determination and attention and rarely show results late. They like to take on time and mind-challenging tasks and are resourceful with great organization. Thorin is socially aware and considerate of others’ feelings and has solutions for any encountered problems. They are courageous by heart and are known for their perception skills when it comes to other people. Thorin is also quite pure with innocence only seen inside children.

Subjection is something Thorin struggles with due to being influenced by their feelings, tastes or opinions. They are fastidious which makes it difficult for others to keep up with them or count. It is not helped by how worrisome they can be and the enterprising they do in order to reduce risks of certain happenings. They are on the timid side and are not known for having much confidence in themselves. Thorin is overly judgmental of their skills which leaves them not able to celebrate their hard work. Coldness is sometimes shown and the abraxan evinces distance inside social situations.

Fiona Douglas - Fiona is practical and generous kelpie. She is well-balanced, graceful and outspoken, loving to be cared for in exchange for her selflessness. An attentive and tranquil nature rests deep in her and she seems to have an orderly way to live her life. Fiona is extremely efficient with tasks and just as patient in doing them. She is cautious when meeting newcomers and often surprises those around her with her resilience. Fiona is one for peacefulness and prefers spending it away from places with noises and disruption. She keeps her feet grounded and prefers to have stability and security over risk and fame.

Fastidious at heart, Fiona is far too obsessed with accuracies and detail and experiences moments of unfailing without due scrutiny. Anxiety and negativity are something she often feels if there is anything that threatens her sureness in something. Fiona is known to panic whenever she has to meet short deadlines which makes her rush to complete things to meet them. Belittlement is one thing Fiona tends to partake in and she is famous for her arrogance. Not to mention she is rather greedy with whatever money she earns from quests. None of it is helped by her pretentiousness or her tendencies for nullification.

Kimiko Nishimura - Kimiko is a sensual and mysterious kitsune who is intuitive and very perceptive. Able to sense things before they occur and treats complex problems with more simplicity. She tends to develop strong ideas about people before getting to know them well. Despite the tendency to go with the flow, she can become rather cunning and calculating. Kimiko adores challenges that permit her to test her skills and can be persuasive and inquisitive. Altruistic at heart, she is willing to sacrifice herself if it means she or anyone can win. Atonement is something Kimiko is firm on, and she will seek redemption for her wrongdoings.

Secretive by nature, Kimiko isn’t one to share much about herself unless she decides to open up about her life. She has the tendency to be domineering making it difficult for others to do well in her presence unless she loosens up. Jealousy is something Kimiko is famous for when it comes to close friends and loved ones and can be rather possessive of them. She can be cruel to those who deceive her or make any mistakes that could cost her something precious. Spite burns within her should she feel disappointed by someone and she rarely forgets, let alone excuses. Kimiko is also quite pessimistic and can show perverted tendencies.

Azhan Sepher - Azhan is one progressive hippogriff that does not wait for things to happen and takes things into his own talons. He is active and inventive and seems to know his way out of whatever trouble he gets himself into. Azhan has remarkable insight on life matters and others often come to him for advice when it comes to their livelihoods. He is broad-minded and encourages others into liberal thinking instead of being closed off to different and unusual things. Azhan is respected and appreciated highly due to his line of thinking and astuteness and in turn the raptor attempts to respond in the same measure.

Mysteriousness is something Azhan has a habit for showing and it results in no one truly knowing what he is thinking. He can be rather standoffish due to him not having much moral support and anyone trustworthy to converse with. Azhan is unpredictable in his actions and words and is quiet almost by default, making it hard to discern his intentions or if he feels anything outside his usual emotions. He is known for being malicious if he is disappointed in any fashion and does not hold back in showing it to anyone. Azhan can be rebellious to the point of being on the extremist side, sometimes for no apparent reason.

Reina Lycus - Gentle and patient, Reina is a demi-human who just wants to get along with everyone she encounters. She is introspective, creative and relentless in whatever she puts her mind to on and off the battlefield. Reina is caring and altruistic and loves to shower others with affection just like the giant puppy she can be. Imaginative and adaptive, she uses this when it comes to fighting or bending environments to her advantage. She is empathetic and will go out of her way in sharing pain with anyone experiencing it. Reina shows to have quite the revolutionary side and is known to be quite wise for her age.

Often times, Reina has moments where she can be credulous to the point of coming off as rather naïve. She is feeble-willed and is not one for having much confidence in herself and can be quite skeptical. It is made even worse by how overindulgent Reina is with others to the point her health is endangered from it. She is overly optimistic and believes others can do what she can if they do their best at them. Reina is sensitive and tends to isolate herself when she screws up and can be too cynical with her approach to life. None of this is helped by her rawness or habit of taking risks without considering outcomes.

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My OCs are characters first, and therefor are designed to serve a purpose in my story. My general way of generating characters is a hierarchy, first I determine the role they are going to play in my story, then I decide their occupation, name, Talent, and special skills (typically in that order). One thing I am very careful of is to never make my OCs too unique in ability, a lot of people fall into the trap of giving their OCs a bunch of speshul abilities that clash with the setting. And let's be honest, a bog standard MLP unicorn is capable of a lot just based on what can be inferred from the show.

For example, my first two OCs are supporting characters in both versions of my story (The Twilight Prince), they are Twilight Sparkle's guards and are a pair of twin unicorns named Shadow and Umbra. Their Talent is in shadow magic which they have used to become battlemages and stealth specialists (using the aforementioned shadow magic). Shadow is the more irreverent of the sisters while Umbra is the more serious, although neither is the most socially capable.

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Cool characters. May I ask how you came up with the names Ekon and Nyoka

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I took some research on African names after asking the Writers Group about zebra names suggestions

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Ah. That's really cool.

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Well the first OC was Kaiyo and he was made in purpose for a power to control atoms. I eventually expanded on how one would act with this power and came to the conclusion that life wouldn't be a challenge, so Kaiyo would likely be someone that would be more creative on his approach in life. After that, I view him as basically the incarnation of creativity.

Truffles was intended to be a misjudged detective as she's incredibly observant but was very drowsy and often fell asleep out of nowhere. The sleepy part was too difficult to make her efficient, so I made her very bland and an enigma. I now see her as someone who can see the flaws and solves the puzzle before anyone else can, but she keeps the revelation to herself until the big moment as constantly bringing everyone up to speed would tire herself out.

Truffles is very similar to my years of being 11-14 years old as I was always on guard amongst my classmates as they were bullies who took me as an idiot, but at the age of 10, Sol was pretty much who I was then. Sol is a guy who sees life as basically living in hell, going through life without any hope and desires to bring an end to his own, but is too afraid to go through with it. He clings onto anything that'll keep him busy, so he's very focused on about one goal at a time. He's no-nonsense and sees the worst in everything. That doesn't sound like the kind of guy people would want to read about, which is why he's the antagonist in his story, an anti-villain who persuades you into taking your own life.