FAQ - Characters

[plungeintofire]

What types of characters are considered "playable characters"?
We've had a large number of questions and disputes about what constitutes a playable character, so here are the guidelines that the mods are looking at:

-Canon must have been released for at least one week before they are playable. This includes canon updates to current points in series.
-Character must have sufficient lines or interactions to indicate a clear personality and identifiable characteristics.
-If the character is from an ongoing series, you must put spoiler warnings on each post for at least a month after the last day of the given spoiler.
- If the character is a fandom OC, you must have the approval of all current cast members to join.
-CRAU (also known as "game imports") must be from an existing DW/IJ/LJ game. You cannot take CRAU from PSLs, museboxes, memes, or dressing rooms.

If your character does not meet these requirements, please do not add them to the game. If you aren't sure, please ask a mod before commenting the taken list. We have also updated the taken list to allow for you to identify your characters as fandom OCs, CRAUs, or AUs more clearly.

What characters am I not allowed to play here?
-You can't play a character from a hentai/porn source, no matter how good or interesting that character is. (If the series happens to have sex in it, that's fine, but it should not be straight up porn.)
-Fandom OCs that have anything to do with the actual characters from the fandom. Fandom OCs cannot be related to any existing characters nor can they have secretly been involved in the plot all along. Additionally, we ask that if you are bringing a fandom OC into an established cast that you ask permission from the players of those cast members first.
-AU versions of characters that are not presented in-canon. So if you wanted to play vampire!Willow (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), that's acceptable, or Exposed!Future Gabriel from Costa Verde (Heroes) that's also fine. But if you want to play AU!Magneto who runs a bar and just wants to get girls, that would be considered OOC and would not be allowed.

Are duplicate characters allowed?
Yes and no. There cannot be three main storyline Zachary Quinto Spocks from Star Trek (2009). However, if there is a canon-AU and a canon-main storyline within a series, such as in the Star Trek (2009) films, both of the characters would be available to play. In this example, Leonard Nimoy old!Spock and Zachary Quinto young!Spock would be considered both playable in Genessia. The same would be for a character like Willow Rosenberg from Buffy the Vampire Slayer- vampire!Willow from The Wish can exist as a character and so can Willow from the main storyline. We are only accepting one AU version of a character at a time for now. Duplicates from different series are allowed. So if someone wanted to play Tidus from FFX and Tidus from KH, both would be allowed in the game because they are considered separate characters.

What if a person's CR from one game conflicts with a person's CR from a different game?
This issue can be a tricky one. Ultimately, all players with characters affected in this manner should be in agreement as to what CR is or is not retained. This is similar to fourth-walling, and should be treated as such. Don't do it without the other player's permission. If you do not have that permission, the character will just mysteriously forget about it.

I want to play two characters from the same series. Is this allowed?
Yes, provided that the characters would not ICly need to interact. If you wanted to play both Brennan and Angela from the TV series Bones, that would not be allowed. However, if you wanted to play Brennan and Avalon (Angela's psychic who Brennan doesn't care for and barely interacts with unless unavoidable), you could probably get away with it. If you are still uncertain, ask a mod.

Are there any age limit restrictions for characters?
Not in particular, but they should be capable of forming sentences and be of an age where they can transport themselves independently. Sorry, but you can't play a baby. Kids are allowed though.

What is the policy for characters with "split personalities"?
If the two personalities are considered different actual people (like Dark and Daisuke from D.N.Angel or Yugi and Yami from Yu-Gi-Oh) then they would be considered two different characters and would need to be applied for separately, as they can interact with each other. However, if the personalities are the same person effectively (like Nikki and Jessica from Heroes or Akito and Agito from Air Gear) then they are considered one singular character. If you are unsure, please ask a moderator.

Do you power-nerf here?
A general no, though omniscience and omnipotence would be the only exceptions. Your character would still be able to have some of their power in that case, but please discuss it with a moderator. (Obviously your character can't walk in and just know the entire plot of the game and solve it bc, hey, omnipotentscience.) Otherwise, just respect all the other game info and you're good.

Can I change my character's journal?
Sure, just make sure to reply to the taken list with the updated information from your original journal to let us know.

Can I use an open ID account to RP here?
We ask that our game members use a Dreamwidth account.

Comments

[inquisitor_lavellan]

My question references this:

> I want to play two characters from the same series. Is this allowed?
> Yes, provided that the characters would not ICly need to interact. If you wanted to play both Brennan and Angela from the TV series Bones, that would not be allowed. However, if you wanted to play Brennan and Avalon (Angela's psychic who Brennan doesn't care for and barely interacts with unless unavoidable), you could probably get away with it. If you are still uncertain, ask a mod.

I kind of want to play Cole and my question is whether it would be allowed at all? Or how it could be allowed? He's from the same canon as Alleyana and is, in fact, pretty close to her as one of the Inquisitor's Inner Circle. They would have no reason to avoid each other, and in fact lived together before she vanished for the first time when Cole did as well. They teamed up on an event with Attleton's cursed broken down amusement park and earned charms. That was with someone else piloting Cole, of course, whereas if I app him in I'd be controlling both him and his boss. I'd be up to the challenge of playing him this time, the challenge being that I'm not dropping Alley.

And to be clear, several of my characters have interactions but they're just off-camera. That would be most of the case with Alley and Cole unless there was a good CR reason to include them in a scene with someone. If big bookoo combat badness came in from an event or something like that, the issue of me playing two powerful DA characters in one fight could be alleviated simply by Alley ordering him away. If it was even an issue to begin with.

I've had a good Cole voice for longer than the player we had for him briefly ever did, though theirs was pretty good, and I think that if I'm careful I could drag a whole lot of cr out of a whole lot of people.

By the way, I admit I'm drugged af right now so I don't know if I'm making much sense. Feel free to ask for corrections/clarifications/etc.

[plungeintofire]

While two characters can be aware of each other, they should not have substantial relationships with each other if they are written by the same player.

I'll give an example from my own play of two characters that are playable by one person: I play both Weiss and Emerald from RWBY, and while they do have overlapping CR, the two do not interact. The only thread they've even crossed over in involved one of them being unconscious, brought by another character to ask for help. They recognize that each other exist and may occasionally reference each other in threads, but otherwise they have no need for interaction.

As per the game's Rules:

No Playercest/Muncest. You should never be playing with yourself in the game. Your characters may be aware of each others' existence, but should not need to interact with each other. This applies to both characters from the same series and any characters that a player might play. For playable characters, players may play up to three characters from the same series, but those characters should have minimal on-screen contact with no romances/ships and the characters should not be heavily dependent on each others' backgrounds, past or present.

Cole and Alleyana have a substantial relationship in canon and therefore are not playable by the same person. Additionally, please keep in mind that your current characters should not be interacting off screen in a meaningful way beyond passing each other on the streets.

[megabond]

I'm thinking of pulling a Pokemon USUM game protagonist based on my playthrough into Genessia and I already got a Pokemon character in here (but didn't interact or related to the protagonist), but I don't know if it's possible. I mean, does the male Ultra Sun protagonist counts as a Fandom OC or what?

[plungeintofire]

Pokemon game protagonists don't have enough specific dialogue to be considered playable characters. Sorry.

[phoenixstrut]

Hi! Newbie here, thinking about bringing in my strongest Muse. :)
Are 100% original OCs allowed? Like original cannon and everything?

Also desperate question, but sort of relevant: if a character is mentioned in a canon/game but never revealed aside from ‘she existed once’, would that be considered a fandom OC or a canon character? Most of the history/information would be headcanon

Sorry if I missed he answers someplace! It’s been a wild day. Haha

[plungeintofire]

Yes, of course!

If a character exists in a canon but there is not any information about their personality, they are not considered a playable character.

[childsized]

I think I know the answer to this one, but I wanted to make sure rather than assuming.

-You must apply from an established and published source. This excludes games available only via download and a majority of webcomics. If you can hold the product in your hand (a book, DVD, game, etc.), it's allowable.

This character is from a webcomic, but Book 1 of said comic is available for purchase online. Since it has a hard copy that you can buy and hold, characters from that section of the webcomic should be playable, right?

[plungeintofire]

That would be fine!

[meikyuubutterfly]

Can CRAU be from the middle of a game's canon fourth wall event? Route used to have those twice a year for anyone to visit there and for any characters with powers to get their powers back for the duration of it. Though characters who were part of the game would wake up after it and not really remember what happened as if it was just a dream.

Which brings us to my other question; what's your opinion on magical girl's sidekicks/fairies/animals? Utau has two (or actually she has had three) magical fairy-like little friends called Shugo Chara, who give magical girl powers to her. Technically they have little amounts of their own personalities and they also have some lines in canon even if it's not nearly as much as humans get... So in theory someone could play either one of them while I play Utau, but they're also part of Utau's personality and born from the feelings of how she wants to be and seeing them played by anyone is extremely rare. As in so rare, that maybe I see one in a decade... So could those two come here with her and be played by me along with her? I mean, I think they were allowed earlier when I look at previous Shugo Charas here but rules can change and it's been a long while.

Last but not least: Utau and Ren have some of their pokemon from Route with them, are they limited to 4 moves like pokemon event pokemon are too? Route 29 didn't limit the move sets at all which is why some of them have egg moves, HMs and move tutored stuff along with full move sets... I'm fine with any way you want to go for any of this, just checking everything before we do anything.

[plungeintofire]

That's fine as long as it is considered a part of game canon (and not a non-canon meme or like a Test Drive Meme situation.) While she would be from that point and have her powers back for Genessia, it would still be rather dream-like in terms of memory, though.

Because Shugo Chara's sidekicks are technically a part of her and not separate characters, you can play them as side-NPCs rather than as separate characters same as before.

In-game it would be set to 4 moves since that would be essentially "canon" rules and in-game abilities/rules from other games are not granted (and in this case, that would mean no bypassing the move limit.)

[notadragon]

Hello!

I'm wanting to bring in Theodora from Tales of Berseria, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. She's an established character... kind of. All they know about her is that she was a wind seraph, 'Theodora of the Spring Breeze', and that she was one of the main character's girlfriend who was forced to turn dragon.

....and that's... pretty much it. She's only ever SHOWN in-game as a dragon, but there's enough said about her personality that I've been able to play her well other places.

so... would she come in as a canon character? Or a fandom OC, since I'd be 'building' a lot of her history pre-Berseria?

[plungeintofire]

We're sorry, Theodora wouldn't be considered playable in this game. She needs to have actual onscreen time as well as show the personality that she is said to have.

[spoiledbugboy]

So, I gotta ask this, because I'm not sure if that would be allowed here, so before I dive in head first, gotta make sure!

Pipimi from Pop Team Epic fits the requirements for being apped, and by looking into the "not allowed" list, she doesn't seem to fit any of the criteria, but because she's from a gag manga with no real plot, would she be appable? (that's a word now) I mean, she does have enough personality to be played, she just doesn't have a very complex backstory lol

[plungeintofire]

Gag manga with no plot are fine, as long as the character meets the listed requirements! :)

[innercactus]

I know we have warriors of light, so player mc following mc path is okay

Can my GW2 OC be someone other than the Commander of the Pact (what the game's story has you as)

in detail, the game personal story starts you in 1325 AE, and I've set this plant as starting his life on Tyria in 1327 AE - he isn't around for the forming of the pact and all the business with Zhaitan, but is around and effected by the Heart of Thorns\Path of Fire story and the story mini-expansions in between.

[plungeintofire]

Yes, this is fine! Fandom OCs are allowed as long as they don't change the story/have relationships with established characters.

[alwaysallies]

I've checked all the sections I think would cover this and didn't see anything so asking before I go ahead with this one!

If a character is a robot whose 'brain' is stored elsewhere, would they be appable and how would that work if so? With Luna here, she's a form of robot with a very advanced AI but her 'life' is part of a centralised computer system rather than anything contained within her (in game there are instances of her being shut down remotely or being aware of things her body shouldn't have been around for). Would she be able to arrive with her knowledge and memories intact? (but without the same scope she has in her home game, just enough to allow her to function)

(If you need anything more: her wiki page and the <a href="http://zeroescape.wikia.com/wiki/GAULEM>GAULEM page</a> should cover it)

[plungeintofire]

Hello! The character would be given basically a "pocket" version of the CPU that she could carry with her so that she would still have access to everything she normally would have. The pocket version is not connected to the internet or anything outside of the regular network.

[advancing]

Hi mods! I have a small question for you about a potential character I wanna bring in to the game.

Regarding Guardians in Destiny, would it be okay for them to still retain their powers, despite the Traveler not being in Genessia? Or since the Traveler doesn't exist in Genessia, they wouldn't have any of their abilities? Also, would you allow multiple player Guardians like how there's Warriors of Light, etc?

Additionally, if you guys rule in favor of their abilities still remaining, how would you like their Ghosts to function? Obviously, they can't revive them from death here since that would be gamebreaking, but would they still be able to to heal their Guardian, scan the areas they're in, etc?

[plungeintofire]

Hi there! Sorry for the delay. Would you mind explaining what the Guardians / Traveler are so we can make an effective decision? The mods are unfortunately not canon familiar with this game.

[krispa]

Hi there. For fandom OCs, what form of cast approval does this need to take? Do I just say I talked to everybody, provide screencaps, ask them to comment when I put in for a character, etc?

[plungeintofire]

Just ask. Basically we are taking it on good faith that if you say you did, you did. If there is a problem then we will deal with it then, so please keep record if you are worried there might be. :)

[fashionably_strong]

Question for CRAU! Is a character allowed to have CRAU from more than one game and simply remember the instances as vivid and weird dreams? I played Bulla for a significant amount of time in two different games.

[plungeintofire]

It depends. If the character went from one game to another with the CRAU then you are allowed to apply for both right off the bat. But if it was just two separate games that didn't have a transfer then it would be a case of only one then apply for the other in the future under the correct page.

Memories wise she would remember what occurred no matter which method you use.

[song_princess]

I am probably blind and just not seeing it but I have a question! I am not sure if I am going to do this or not but is it possible to do a canon reset? IE basically reset the character completely without any memories and take them from an earlier point from their canon?

[livingfully]

Is there a rule for playing three characters from the same canon? None of which would interact at all. I want to bring in Theo Nelson from Daredevil.

[plungeintofire]

Hello! This is answered in the third section of game rules under No Player/Muncest. It has all the details there!

[Now in the right section...]

[dollwhisperer]

Hi Mods, I'm sorry I forgot to ask these before apping, and they won't impact my enjoyment of playing Anju greatly. (My brain ahs been swiss-cheese lately.)

Firstly, Anju (and vampires in her world) can control bats as familiars. These bats don't seem to be 'natural' bats but do seem to be able to be mistaken for a normal/natural bat. They seem to be created also, not 'naturally' occurring. (Seems like they're made of shadows+energy, it's never gone into properly in the manga).

Would Anju have this ability in Gen?

Second--Anju has an 'alleged' habit of putting the spirits of beings (like serial killers) in dolls. Which talk to her, and she talks back. Mostly she is never or rarely seen without BGE-kun--a rag-doll with a knife in his hand, who's often more direct, snarky, and a bit more crude and open than she is. He's not quite a full separate character, but I wanted to check on this anyways.

Would she have BGE-kun?

[plungeintofire]

Abilities are not nerfed in Genessia unless they are world-breaking (so no like, cross-world travel or destroying the planet for funsies basically).

If the character could be considered a playable character (has a clear personality and dialogue) then no, she would not have BGE.

[goldeyes]

Hello.

I'm a bit uncertain if Garako would be appable here because of the second bit on the list of what is considered appable characters: Character must have sufficient lines to have a clear personality and identifiable characteristics.

When they're in cat form they generally pretend to be a normal (albeit creepy) cat- except they have a tendency to laugh and have a very pointy cheshire grin. Sometimes they talk to mess with people or just because they feel like it, but they are most often silent (except the normal cats sounds and the creepy laugh) around normal humans. This since people generally don't know about the supernatural and a talking cat would be weird. They do have a human form that they can take whenever they choose, and would in a setting where supernatural beings are more prevalent and normal not have any issue either taking humanoid form or talk while still a cat. Basically, they have a personality, but they don't speak often.

[plungeintofire]

Sorry for the extremely late reply, but to answer the question it should be okay to bring them in.

[worldbottle]

Hello. Are characters with several bodies appable? Fil here has one single mind and through alchemy has five bodies that are all connected. Would she be appable here with all her bodies, or would she only come with one body?

[plungeintofire]

They are appable, but only with one body.

[daimonion]

I noticed that non-canon AUs aren't technically allowed, but would a non-canon AU that got accepted to another game be able to come in as a CRAU from that game?

[plungeintofire]

No, this isn't something that would be allowed.

[deathnglitter]

Question concerning Ghosts— If the character is originally a ghost is it possible to bring them here and give them a body? Or is that not allowed?

[plungeintofire]

If the character is a ghost in the traditional sense, who used to have a body then died, then you could choose to have them be alive again in that sense. Optionally, they're still a ghost, but people are able to see and interact with them.

[phobophage]

Hey, wanted to verify before I post an IC intro. Is it okay for me to give a character with no physical body a physical body (probably one made out of solidified dreamstuff or some such nonsense)? For context, in her setting she only exists in the Dream World, which is a completely mental world formed of the collective unconsciousness of humanity.

Alternatively, I can play with her as a visible but intangible being if the physical body solution isn't acceptable.

[plungeintofire]

Yes, either of these options would be acceptable, but you'd have to pick just one and stick to it. No flip-flopping! Hope that helps!