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Description
I find these pretty fun to write so it's time for another one. Last time I mostly covered scenes involving OCs or writing scenes in general, so this time I want to focus on character design for RWBY OCs. I try to collect good RWBY OCs in my favourites because there's few that really leap out. Most of them are just fine or not particularly interesting but there's a huge collection of bad ones i've collected since being a part of RWBY, so i'll be calling on specific examples as well as using Paige again.

Disclaimer: If your OC is one of the ones I feature as a bad example and you are upset about that, this is only a form of constructive criticism and is not personal against you or any of the creators. Please understand there's no ill intentions here besides helping people improve their writing.

Also, an additional note after this has been published, I kinda forgot that mentioning someone else's deviations lets them know you've been pinged, so sorry about that! Again, no ill will meant.

So yeah, with a disclaimer like that, you know i'm gonna be upsetting some apple carts with this one. So lets start with one of the most crucial aspects of character design.

"OCs with extremely dark or tragic backstories."

This is a cliche where an OC has a backstory full of personal pain, suffering, dark themes such as torture, murder, abuse or even further things such as scientific experimentation or being born into families of assassins or being raised as a mercenary.

Example:
"So where did you grow up, Paige?" Ruby asked her as the two were sitting on a bench together. Paige sighed heavily and looked up toward the sky.
"I was born in Mistral. My parents were both assassinated when I was three years old and I was kidnapped by the murderer. I was inducted into a secret society of assassins and raised all my life to kill people, it's all I know." she continued. "Eventually I killed the man who raised me and then killed everybody else there in a bloodbath. I ran away and lived in the wild for a few years, before I somehow got accepted into Beacon. They just couldn't pass someone like me off, I guess..." She sighed again as Ruby just stared at her in disbelief.

Team 'K'MSN: The Masochist"Knowing that one small slip-up could kill us is so damn thrilling, wouldn't you agree?"

- Karmein Teumessi_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Overview

Karmein Teumessi is a student of Beacon Academy and is the leader of Team KMSN(Crimson), consisting of himself, Maria Phynecia, Lynae and Nichandre Scharyll. His weapon of choice is a semi-auto pistol/dual blades named Venati Litatio.

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Characteristics

Nickname(s):

Dark backstories often come off as melodramatic and ridiculous as is and it's not a problem exclusive to RWBY. Most of the time it comes across as edgy and try hardy and is an endless excuse for your OC to brood, reject people or act in a sociopathic manner so it can be explained away by having a bad childhood. There's nothing inherently wrong with having a dark backstory, but it's like unstable explosives, you have to be careful how you handle it.

Now a dark backstory is particularly bad in a show like RWBY. Why? The Grimm. They are attracted to negative emotions by nature. So if you have an OC who is constantly brooding or reflecting on their tragic past, they might as well be ringing a Grimm dinner bell wherever they go, putting not only themselves in danger, but those around them too. I feel like most writers for RWBY stuff don't realise this. And if they do, they usually explain it away by their OC killing the Grimm with ease. This is still bad writing, Grimm are the dominant species of Remnant, you should not be trying to attract them even if your OC can handle them. It is true as well the show plays a little fast and loose with this concept, but bandits are a tangible example.

A better way to handle a dark backstory is twofold. One, either use a single tragic event or a sad part of their past to colour their history, a single parent dying, perhaps breaking a limb or going through one horrible ordeal. Not enough to totally break them as a human being but enough that they may approach things differently than other characters. Or you could simply make a different kind of tragedy happen besides the trite dead parents, orphan warrior or abuse, sometimes simple home problems like controlling parents, bad friends or single Grimm encounters can be enough.

The second method is to use the dark backstory to show how much your OC has grown since then, or what they have learned from those horrible events. Sometimes a tragic past can be used to empower the character and make them strive to improve and put their past behind them, to not brood over it all the time and actually try to be a decent human being. Dark backstories can also sort of work for developing your character, but again, it needs to be handled with care.

The key point of this bit of writing is, is your OC defined by their past or are they defined by who they are. Because if it's the former, they're likely a bad character.

Example:
"So where did you grow up, Paige?" Ruby asked her as the two were sitting on a bench together.
"I grew up in Mistral. Both my parents were hunters so, they kinda wanted me to follow on, you know? Family legacy and all... but I was soft as a kid, I didn't like fighting, hitting people or weapons." she drummed her fingers on her leg as she spoke. "But then one day, there was a breach in our town and a bunch of Grimm got in. I saw my parents work and... how horrible they are. The Grimm, hurting people, attacking people... ever since that day, I realised I had to pitch in and help out." She smiled at Ruby. "Because it's for the good of everyone."

Next up is a problem almost exclusive to RWBY OCs.

"A RWBY OC who does not have a transforming weapon, or simply carries separate melee and ranged weapons."

This is a cliche were an OC in the RWBY universe does not wield a transforming weapon or they just have two separate weapons, for instance a sword and pistol.

Example:
Paige rushed into battle, ready to fight the Grimm in the forest. She pulled out her weapon, which she had named 'Blotter' which was a large semi automatic rifle with a scope on top, pristine and white. She was also ready to draw 'Stencil' her curved dagger from her waistband if she needed to.

A lot of the time, this is simply due to lazy designing where people simply can't be bothered to put the effort in to make a fitting weapon so they just use whatever they want. Sure in a lot of shows weapons are important but in RWBY they are even more significant since their design gives combat a unique rhythm and often tells something about their wielders. A lot of work and effort goes into characters making their weapons and if you just don't want to do the work, don't make a RWBY OC, put them in something else.

The transforming weapons stuff is very important too. It's a core aspect of the world of RWBY and most of the cast who aren't background characters utilise a weapon with a firearm and melee state or property. Using two singular ones is not only lazy but against the very ethos of the world of RWBY. All this does is make your character stick out in a bad way against others who do put the effort in. Hell even just giving a melee weapon a dust using function would be enough to make them fit in better.

Now, it is true there are exceptions to this cliche and it can work. There are characters in the show who just use a melee weapon or just a ranged weapon, though these are mainly simple bandits, mercenaries, White Fang grunts and the like. So if you're making one of these characters, it's fine. But otherwise, it's not that excusable unless you can write up a good reason for it. When terrorists, kids and adults are using these weapons, just bite the bullet and make it fitting. It's also worth noting that melee or gun only characters tend to lose easily in RWBY, such as Jaune, Sage, Yatsuhashi and Nadir.

I do realise it can be hard to come up with fitting RWBY weapons and designs considering their very nature, so if you are struggling i'd recommend asking for help or getting a commission to help. Ultimately it doesn't matter too much in writing since you won't be expected to list the very complex ways your buster sword becomes a chain gun or something like that. And honestly, just have fun with the concept. So far, shoes, walking sticks, a cattle prod, a parasol, a thermos AND a trumpet have all been viable weapons in the show. So there's plenty of room to experiment.

Example:
Paige saw the Grimm advancing and she was ready to take them on. She drew her weapon, what seemed like an ordinary assault rifle she'd named 'Paper Trimmer' and fired on the Grimm. When a Beowolf got too close, she pulled back on the handle and a blade slid out of the underside, turning it into a one sided machete sword, which she slashed down upon the Grimm's neck, slicing through.
"Now that's what I call a paper cut!" She laughed.

This next one is pretty simple to understand.

"OCs with overpowered semblances or semblances that are the main focus of their combat style."

This is when an OC has a semblance that is particularly powerful, often with highly offensive capabilities or being so good they can take out enemies with just one use of it.

Example:
Paige was facing down a whole hoard of Grimm now, and she knew just how to deal with her enemy. She crouched down and let out a scream and all around her, an all destroying field of energy began to expand and consumed all the Grimm around her, vaporizing them at a touch. Usually this ability would be fatal to people too, but luckily she was alone and so could destroy them all at her leisure.

RWBY OC - Gormaine Gealai"Just to be clear for everyone: I'm not your friend nor your parent. I'm your huntsman educator and I will pass my knowledge to those who want to receive it. I have no interest in educating children who are full of themselves just because they unlocked their aura, wield powerful semblances or possess things others don't. I educate and train the huntsmen and huntresses who will protect this peace tomorrow.Those who think they are in the wrong class can take their leave."
- Gormàine's introduction to his new class.

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A lot of this comes back to the issues of OCs simply being too powerful to be interesting or to be challenged properly. That makes them less relatable and less interesting to read about when they get into problems or potentially life threatening situations. But specifically in RWBY, Semblances are formed around personality and they are there to augment someone's existing fighting style, not to become their fighting style entirely.

This can be used for character development if done right, someone learning not to rely on their semblance akin to Yang, but there's only so many ways you can do that particular line and it won't work for every character. Strong semblances can be fine for villains too but again, don't go hog wild with it. Here's a list of some overpowered semblances I've come across:
- Semblance copying and storing with no limits
- Grimm absorption and shape shifting into Grimm
- Blood control
- Super strength where using about 30% of its power would kill someone
- Turning someone into a bomb
- Time control

I'd also make a note about avoiding 'do all' semblances. Specifically, semblances that are vague enough they are applicable to a lot of situations or just act as a general power boost. Semblances are not superhero powers, you don't just get super strength, speed and endurance just by having one. Semblances should ideally be specific. My advice would be to make your character's weapons first and have an understanding of their personality before you choose semblance. Do some searching around for a good idea and use superpower wikis if you want to.

Example:
With the hoard facing her down, Paige decided she'd have to make use of her semblance to stop them. She cast her hand out as her aura glowed and in front of her, a small space of anti gravity appeared, lifting a few Grimm into the air. She leapt atop them and used their bodies as a platform to take shots at the other Grimm below them!

That'll do for this edition of RWBY cliches. I look forward to writing more of them!