User blog comment:The Candlekeeper/Making Magic Happen/@comment-27161581-20170907050507

So....

I talked with 2nd a little bit a while back about this same kind of topic. The most important thing for me, is to choose characters who are fun to RP, have characters who can grow within the story, and find value within it, just as I find value in this story. Therefore I need to have a beginning, who this character is, what they want, and how they plan to get there. Each of these stages, particularly the middle and idealized endgame should involve the Power Ponies, or other main characters of the RP, else they wouldn't be in the story, cause they would be doing other stuff.

I do a ton of research before I make a character. I generally have an overarching idea for what purpose I want the character to fulfill. Do I want them to be good or evil, whimsical or serious. Then I think of what powers that character would have. A serious straight laced character is not generally going to have the ability to make party balloons or confetti, while a practical joker isn't going to be an expert lyer. Certain personality traits go hand and hand with powers so that's what I plan around.

However there is a cavort to the above. Since we already have a bunch of characters, it is a good idea to make sure an active character on one side, doesn't have the same powers and/or personality as a character who preexists and is active, unless there is enough difference between to warrant having another character.

So that's everything I consider before I even choose what I'm going to do, but it sets up some very good guidelines for how my character should act, and progress. I just throw them into the story and see what happens.

Now onto the powers thing, since this is the easiest place for people to go wrong. A powerful protagonist is generally bad, since it overshadows the actions of other protagonists, which makes it more difficult for people running the arc to make the arc engaging to every player, since they have to find implausible ways to weaken strong characters, but make weak characters relevant. Having consistent and easily understandable powers really helps others plan arcs, and create compelling, but not overbearing challenges for your characters.

Keeping all this in mind, without even looking at how to include the characters. I am very much in favor with DarePony/Maredevil. The character has clear strengths in the physical domain with acrobatics and strength. I think adding something along the lines of enhanced smell and hearing, possibly short ranged tremorsense, would give the character some utility when not in a fight. It would be really cool to add some nuance with the strong willpower, such has having the character be more susceptible to illusions due to being extra reliant on fewer senses, but be very resistant to mind control. It's a fairly simple concept that's solid and flexible to execute.

Captain Marvel is much more gimmicky, since he has phenomenal power, but only has it for an hour. The problem with this power is that it is hard to define, since the wisdom of ages is a pretty hard thing to conceive. He does a ton of stuff, super strength, speed, flying. It's really hard to think of something Captain Marvel cannot do. Now the worst part is how he only has powers for one hour a day. In the RP, days can take a real world month. Is it going to be enjoyable to play as a superhero without super powers for 3-4 weeks at a time? Captain Marvel is going to be a hard character to RP since he's so overbearing at times, and then entirely useless at others.

I think Captain Marvel isn't going to be a good addition to the RP due to how binary he is. Maredevil though is a fairly blank slate, so you can give her all kinds of different personalities and still have them mesh well. Having a personality of choice makes it easier to RP her as well.

Just my two bits.