Guide to Low-Tier Characters

Fri Jan 24, 2014 6:51 am

Low-Tier Characters

Credit:CPKallday

GENERAL IDEA

Overview: This guide will hold information about how to make Low-Tier characters, how to progress with Low-Tier characters, as well as the pros and cons of making a Low-Tier Character. This guide will be directed at those that are new to RPing and those that are new to certain races, as well as those that just want to make a Low-Tier character for whatever reason they may have. Making it easier for them to produce applications for characters, while in return giving them a nice clear path to mold their character to their hearts content while still adhering to the minuet character recommendations.

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DETAILS

Information:

Alright, so, for those of you who are new to the site and have been directed to, or found, this guide welcome to Bleach Platinum Hearts, I am CPKallday and I will be your guide for this tour. I have been RPing for a little bit over 7 years, at this current date and I, personally, have a certain affinity for characters that are at a Low-Tier. Though, I may have created a lot of higher tier characters and still do they are simply for plot reasons and so that I have a bigger role in the forum while I develop my own low-tier character. I see Low-Tier characters as being the character that a person should "main", so to say, as with Low-Tier characters you are able to shape them and mold them to your liking over time rather than slapping everything together in one shot. Through progression you are able to make your characters much better than they are at creation, and you are able to shape, mend, and mold their personality, abilities, and their place within the forum. Yes, you are able to do this with most any character, but at the same time Low-Tier characters have more of a clean slate, giving you more time to think about things that have affected them in the past, things that they will strive for in the future, and abilities they can obtain in the future. There is more to it than that, those are just a few examples. Not only that, but how nice is to say a year from now, like you have heard from many others on the site Xat, say, "Yeah, he's a 0-3 now, but he started off as a 5-1." Or something to that extent at least, I think the idea of being able to say that makes you sound like a boss.

Alright, so here are the Pros and the Cons of making a low-tier character:

Pros:

Quick Application
Easily Moldable
Not as common or as wanted by most on the site
You'll gain a deeper feeling with your posts as you begin to shape their personality to your liking, making your posts more entertaining to read.
You have plenty of time to think about what has happened in their past
You have plenty of time to think about what path they will take as they begin their journey
You have plenty of time for them to obtain a personality that better suits your writing style
You have plenty of time to develop abilities that they will obtain in the future
You'll get to say "F*** you" to those characters that you fought when they were a low tier and then curbstomp them once you've reached a tier higher than their own.
You can still participate in events, just you might endure some serious injury, but that's just character development

Cons:

It can sometimes be hard to find someone to RP with, but if you can't PM me!

Soooo, for the guide I am going to just create a character out of the blue. It might be a bit of a joke character, but it's just an example. The actual guiding tips will be in italics like so.

Shinigami Template

-Insert Header Image Here-

Basic Information

- Name: Shini Gami

Take some time and actually think about this. As this is the one thing that will stick with them unless they experience some kind of memory loss and forget their name. I actually think that this part of the application is the hardest, but that's because I'm not too fond of the names I just come up with in my head. However, if you try to bounce ideas off the heads of others within the Xat I'm sure we can come up with something that fits your taste.

However, when it comes to naming my character I think of their origins of where they grew up and figure out if it's going to be a Japanese name, American, German, Italian, etc. Not all characters have to have a Japanese name just because Bleach is a Japanese Manga, if anything creating something that isn't Japanese would only make your character stand out a bit. Aside from that, I like to use words that describe my character, but that is just me. I recommend you stay away from names like Bon Qui Qui, etc, unless your character is a gag character. In which case it won't be taken seriously.
- Titles: The New Ensued

This one can be difficult when it comes to a character like this, as you might not be able to think of something that fits your character as of right now. If you can't do that then it is totally fine for you to go ahead and put N/A for the time being and have them earn their Title. Doing that will give the title more meaning anyway.

When it comes to actually thinking of one, though I like to take a simple adjective or something from the abilities that I'm thinking about using. Take Eliah, for example, I gave her the title of "The Lackadaisical Snowflake" because she was an extremely lazy person when I had first created her and her abilities that I had in mind were ice affiliated.
- Gender: Male

Do you role play better as a Male or as a Female? Just because you're a guy doesn't mean that you have to role play as a Male, the same goes if you're a girl. I personally role play as females better, but for the sake of the guide I'll just put male. Shini sounds like a guys name to me, I don't know.

This is really important, as if you lose interest in the character because it's a male or female then the whole thought of creating him/her is all for none. Seriously choose whether it will be a male or female, because this is also something that you can't change! Or that I would at least hope you didn't want to... >.>
- Appearance Age: 24

Meh, not that big of a deal it sort of just goes with the FC that you choose if you do choose any.
- Age: 111

This does matter a bit, but it's not crucial as a lot can happen within one year. This also doesn't really effect tier at all so if you're aiming to get at least low 4 tier, they don't care about the age it's more of a personal preference. It's about what they've experienced in their life.
- Affiliation/Rank: Gotei 13

For Shinigami it kind of sucks, because once you get out of the academy you're typically stuck into the Gotei 13. So unless some weird shit went down then you probably will be in the Gotei 13 for a Shinigami. However, that's not a bad thing because then you can rp your way out of the Gotei 13 if that is what you choose to do.

However, choose what you would like as that will make you want to RP as the character. In the left side panel you'll see all the organizations, but if you feel like not joining any just yet choose Rogue.

- Appearance Description:

I'm not going to do this, but pretty much just write from their head down in order to get a good bit of information. If you're using a FC just describe the picture you are going to use, or you can just skip this entirely and just use the picture. That's what I do at least, since a picture can speak a thousand words and the recommended amount for this section is only 1-2 paragraphs...

- Appearance Picture:

Choose an FC that has a lot of pictures! So that you can have templates made! Do ettttt, unless you don't care then just choose what you like, but a combination of both is a good thing too.
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Personality

- Personality:
Heroic

Comical

Puerile

I'm not going into full detail here, but what I do is I choose a few adjectives to describe how I want my character to act. I have affinity for playing characters with a younger mindset, but adult-like actions. That fits my writing style, though. So choose some things that you are comfortable writing about. Once you start writing them it should come easy to you if it's the right choice.

You can even go as easy as choose three very simple words and then using a thesaurus to find better words... I don't do that though. >.>
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Background History

- History:

Alright, don't go too in depth, unless you want to. I like to high light certain key points, but the more tragic things I would typically like to RP in the past board. Then I can just link it to my app in the future.

When doing this you want to highlight things like birth, home life, death, soul life, etc. When doing so you just simply use the 5 Ws "Who, what, when, where, and why" how is included as well, but yeah. Answer these questions as you start to think of things that have happened in his mind. Ask people if they'd like to be in your background, someone might bite. If not someone in the future will probably do so, so don't stress it.

If you keep things rather basic here, it will allow you to add in things very easily as your character progresses. Just a thought, not something that you have to do.

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Background History
- Reiatsu Color: (Does your character have any sort of default reiatsu color?)

Whatever.

- Zanpakutô Spirit Name: (What is the name of your Zanpukto Spirit)

Keep this blank.
- Zanpakutô Spirit Appearance: (What does your characters Zanpukto Spirit look like in their inner world? Please write at least 1 paragraph for this.)

Keep this blank.
- Inner World: (What is your Zanpukto's inner world like?)

Keep this blank.
- Sealed Zanpakutô Apperance : (What does the sword look like when its not released?)

This is pretty much up to you, I can't tell you how your sword should look like, so yeah. Just be creative, don't rip a canon's Zanpakutō... Please.
- Sealed Zanpakutô Abilities: (Over the years, Shinigami have evovled to the point where they now have special powers even when sealed. As such, does your character have special ability or power when not released? Try not to go overboard. If you do not have one, just erase this section)

Uhhhh... You can if you want, but I'd recommend you don't. If you don't have Shikai I don't think you should have this. It's up to you though.
- Release: (What you have to say in order to release into Shikai. Try to be original please!)

- Shikai Description: (Your character or your sword's new appearance. The appearance is totally up to you.)

- Shikai Abilities: (What are the abilities your Shikai has? Do not overpower your shikai.)

- Bankai Description: (You may fill out your Bankai Description, but unless you get staff permission, you may not use your Bankai right off the bat. There are expectations, however.)

- Bankai Abilities: (You may fill out your Bankai Powers, but unless you get staff permission, you may not use your Bankai right off the bat. There are expectations, however.)

If you do choose to fill any of this out, just for ideas for the future just remember that it can be changed. It's not a bad idea to fill it out for future use so that ideas stay fresh in your mind, but I'd rather just build it over time in a WIP in the upgrades thread. That's just me, though.
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Skill Sheet

General Skills

Durability: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
General Speed: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
Strength: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
Weapon Skill: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner

Racial Skills

Hoho: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
Kidō: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
Zanjutsu: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner
Hakuda: Master/Advanced/Adept/Beginner

Once you've created your character and it's accepted don't be depressed if it got a little bit lower than you expected tier wise. Tier doesn't have a say in you making some kind of miraculous feat in defeating someone that is a higher tier than you. So don't worry about that. Just worry about making this character into someone that you will enjoy roleplaying. The whole point of this is to have a practically clean slate so that you can use others characters and rps that you are in, in order to create an awesome character through threads alone.

How to Progress with a Low-Tier Character

Well the answer to that question is simple: Role play. That's what you're here to do anyway? Find threads with others or even plan out events in order to obtain the results you see to be good for your character, or even bad for your character. A good way to view this is having a permanent WIP where you are rping one part of the characters history at a time, as well as developing their personality in doing so, and having them gain in strength through different feats.

In order to up the tier of your character you will need to either complete training threads or just RP in threads. Random events, happenings, and feats that occur in your characters life will allow for you to complete an upgrade form when you feel it is time for them to receive an upgrade.

For more information on upgrades go here for the ways to do so, and here for guidelines to training threads.

In doing all of this there is no doubt that you will also gain a better insight of yourself as a writer and you will learn your own style of writing if you haven't already done so. Not only that, but you'll have a high tiered character that you are more intune with and more inclined to post with increasing your activity on the forum overall. Not only that, but it will make newer members yearn to rp with your character after you've completed a revamp on your character's sheet.

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NOTES

Extra: Nah, just letting everyone know that having a Low-Tier isn't a bad thing.