Welcome to Gaia! ::

Alright, so most of those last ones where about you showing your character as a person, instead of a few words, now its time for some angles on other areas, starting with powers:

Racial Traits: When talking about your character's racial traits, please make them make sense. First, if you're not a made-up race (for example, a vampire) don't make up your own additions unless derived from something. Second, if other people are the same race, confer with them before making up another new trait that applies to the whole race, each character can have unique powers, but those are more limited. And third, don't make up new traits just to beat other characters, this means, don't just have a character become invincible to fire just because someone else is using fire. Also, please avoid just coming up with racial traits out of mid air and applying them in the middle of the roleplay.

Here's an example: Vragen is a demonic vampire, so he needs to have some common traits of a vampire, dark vision, vulnerability to blessed items, stuff like that, he can't add new abilities that are said to apply to all demonic vampires, because Kioko is also a demonic vampire, and, he can't say he's immune to fire just because Jet is using fire attacks on him.

Cooperation with traits: This is very odd to word, but basically, I mean: so long as it doesn't take away something from your character, try and work with all the given traits of other characters. What I mean by this is, since Vragen has a sword no one but him can wield skillfully, I can't have Zenith say he's strong and just pick up the sword and swing it around.
Also, don't claim traits about your race that take away from other races! Again, I could say no one has something like Zenith's aura stone, and that would work because Zenith's race is the only one that can use aura, but I couldn't say no other race has something like his hammer, that is lightweight, but very powerful, and nearly unbreakable, because that would take away from other races.

Sensibility with traits: Don't have some racial traits that are completely unfounded. If you're a psychic race, you probably won't be super strong, if you're a strength based race, you probably won't have super intelligence. If you're a human, you won't have any outstanding traits. Probably the most annoying race for this rule is vampires, because every single ethnicity and several religions have different mythologies about vampires. Still, just try and keep all of your traits into one general grouping-strength, magic, intelligence, technology (not always the same as intelligence.), stuff like that.

Powers: Alright, first, I already stated something like this in the profiles: Have limits to what your powers can do, and drawbacks to how they work. Now, beyond that, if you want a character's powers to change or grow dramatically stronger, please include a reason for it, in fact, you should probably have the character disappear if they increase their powers by training or studying. Take for example Shadan, he had his powers increase very dramatically, so he had his character disappear for quite some time. However, Vragen increased his power due to his demon, so he lost control and attacked the other characters for a time. Then, there's a case like Zenith, where he had the powers the whole time, he just didn't know about them. Those are good general groupings for character power-up actions.

Interaction with other powers: Next is your characters interaction with other character's powers, this includes knowing the powers, vulnerability to them, and the ability to counter them. You can't claim that your character already knows another character's powers unless there is reason for it, and given that each character is unique, just reading up on the race would not be very valid. You also need the interaction of vulnerability, how do the powers effect them, if you have valid reason for it, certain powers may not effect a character at all, others may have more power over them, try and balance this, for every one ability they are invulnerable to, make one that really effects them. Finally, the ability to counter them, which you should consider when making you powers, every harmful power needs to be able to be countered, but how you can depends on your character, some can absorb powers, some can project barriers, some can redirect attacks.

Hidden Effects: I understand that some attacks develop into more powerful attacks, and that other have some hidden ability that can still take effect even if it doesn't hit, but whenever you do this, be sure that it is clearly stated what will happen! I have seen it before, if you character performs some slight of hand trick, or some kind of ability while someone else is distracted with another attack, you must state what your are doing! Don't just automatically assume it takes effect, even if it shouldn't easily be dodged or prevented.

Weaknesses: You character needs to have weaknesses that can be used and exploited by other characters. They also need to apply to areas other than just hanging around, they need to have a weakness based on battle. For example, Zenith doesn't have full control of his aura power, and beyond that all he has are physical attacks.

Knowing weaknesses: Yes, you can know someone's weakness, but only if you have a valid reason. If they told you, or you have seen them exposed to it, that works, but you cannot say that your character is a trained warrior and knows the weakness of every race ever. Also, reading up on other races cannot provide you with exact information, it can maybe give you a general guess, but not a definite answer. For example, when fighting Vragen, Arllien can guess, since he's studied other races, that holy object would have an effect on him, being that he's a demon and a vampire. But, if your character guesses, don't have them conveniently come up with the right answer, in the example, Arllien may also guess that Vragen is weak to sunlight, which, due to his demonic heritage, would be wrong, but he wouldn't know that until he tests it. Please factor this in when battling other characters.

Recoil: This is a general term to apply to a wide variety of different effects involved with your powers. Recoil is simply the backlash to using a very powerful move, weapon, or other ability. Basically, when you have an ability with extremely massive effects, ones that may even stand just on the border of the rules, then your character should be physically harmed or fatigued by this. You can also, of course, change or lessen this by making your character have to charge or do some other time-consuming and distracting activities before using the ability, but, even then, it is best to couple these effects with physical fatigue and a massive drain on energy.

Weapons: I know that if a character is combat-oriented and mainly uses weapons, I understand that you cannot post all of the weapons in your profile or when going into battle, but in your profile I want you to post the weapons your character most commonly uses. Also, every character has a limit to what they can carry and still battle normally, that usually falls at about half, or equal to, that character's weight. A 150 lb character will not be able to carry a rocket launcher, two swords, two daggers, 50 grenades, a shot gun, and a machine gun! Make sure you don't just have them pulling weapons out of no where, another thing to consider is storage space for the weapons, just think about it.

Perhaps something else to take into account:

Out of Character: This is to cover all subjects out of character, such as interaction between characters, powers, and knowledge and how to separate this in character and out of character. Basically, as a general rule of thumb, try and keep most thing out of character out of character, and things in character in character.

Metagame vs. In Game Knowledge: First, to define this, Metagame knowledge is what you know as the player, what you know out of character. This includes anything listed in a character's profile, their real name, their past, their powers, motives, and their weaknesses, as well as simply anything they state that they keep hidden. Metagame knowledge is something you absolutely cannot know unless you are told in the roleplay, or can somehow justifiably deduce it using hints and clues in the roleplay.
In Game Knowledge is what your character knows, what they have been told or are able to deduce by themselves. This would include anything that is obvious, such as a character's fighting style, weapons they use, what language they speak, color of their skin, and other general, and usually not too helpful stuff like that. Be sure that you are keeping both Metagame and In Game knowledge separate, unless you have a valid, and I do mean valid, explanation for it.

Characterized Personalities: This means that you should create a personality for a character, and try to actually make one set personality and stick with it. Metagame Knowledge should not influence a character's personality or actions. In fact, a character should even believe or think certain things that may not be exactly what you, as a person, believe or think. Basically, what I'm saying is, when playing a character, become your character, don't make them become you.

Arguments: One thing about arguments also is, try not to argue something in character out of character, unless it is overly offensive to you as a person. If someone insults your character, intentionally or not, like, say, calling your male character a female, correct this in character, do not argue it out of character, as it may have been a misconception, or an intentional insult, from said character.

Personal Rivalries: What I mean here is that you should not let troubles between you and another person out of character effect any actions of your character. If you have a problem with someone, don't take it out on the RP, and don't attack them in character because of it. If you've really got a problem with someone, take it up with them, personally and in private, don't drag the whole guild in on your arguments.

Offensive/Touchy Subjects: In this roleplay, in character, the subject of religion, race, or other subjects that may be touchy out of character will likely come up. Please, do not worry about your personal beliefs, just stick to what your character believes. I do not want anyone insulting another person's beliefs or racial background out of character, its best just to keep real life an gaia separate at all times.