Custom Suikoden Characters

We realize that the opening of custom-based characters, is a very interesting and controversial matter. However, we feel that if handled and maintained well, it has the potential to bring more members to the board and create more opportunity for people in the role-play or story itself. This will also hopefully help to keep members from getting as frustrated as has happened in the past, when they are stuck in one post or scenario with one particular character for a long amount of time waiting for someone else to post.

We realize that there will likely be issues that come up as a result of this. We also realize that everyone may not agree with the decision to grant one member this many accounts on the site with which to role. However, dual and tri-accounts are still going to be carefully considered before being granted. They will remain that way, even after this comes off the ground.

Before starting down the road of creating your own character, we encourage you to read these Guidelines thoroughly so that you understand them well and can comply with them fully during the creation process. Those who do not comply, will not be accepted as characters into the role-play.

As of 28/10/2008:
The restriction on custom characters being secondary accounts has been lifted, New Members are now allowed to apply with a custom character though the character must be deemed suitable for the suikoden world.
This of course means that they will need to fit into the scenario and not be a say a random Super Human Monk Super Saiyan thing or other such characters which would be rather out of place or just too powerful. If you have any questions please do contact the staff so we can see what can be done.

1. You must use the existing canon-based character template when creating your custom-based character on the board. You can find a link to the registration template you must use here:

Registration Template

2. Age limits: Your character may not be under the age of 14 years old or older than the age of 65 years old without staff permission prior to submission of the registration.

3. Star: You are free to choose one as you see fit. However, please study the canon-based correlation of each star in comparison to the kind or class of character you are trying to construct before making your decision. If you're having difficulty deciding on what star most fits your character, please contact a member of the staff for assistance.

4. Runes: Like a canon-character, you may only begin the RP with one rune for the left or right hand. With the canon-based rules still in place, no True Runes will be accepted or created for your canon-character without site staff approval or input. This does not mean that you still can't create a custom rune for your custom character.

5. Class and MP: When considering what limits of prowess you wish for your character to have, please consider the impact it will have in the role-play with others. You will not be allowed to create a character which is oriented towards both heavy levels of melee-based fighting (Such as with axes, swords, spears, etc) and the skill level of Mage or Spell Caster with runic energies.

If you need help in deciding what Runic Tier your character would most likely fall into by way of profile or description, please speak with a member of the staff for assistance, or leave the Tier empty, and a staff member will place you into a Tier upon accepting your profile.

6. Character Description: Same as Canon-based rules state. At least one full paragraph in length. If possible, you should also must provide a linked image to your character supported by your own image account. Such as Photobucket, or Imageshack. We would prefer you have at least an avatar image for your character. If not, then a more fully completed description will be mandatory.

7. No inappropriate names will be allowed for custom-characters.

8. You, like a canon-based member, will start on the site with the privilege to create one (1) free NPC character. However, as a custom-based member, you will not be allowed more than one (1) NPC’s total at any one time unless approval is granted by the staff.

9. If you decide to apply for a dual-character account at some point in time on the site, and your first character is a custom character, then your second character must be a canon-based role.

10. You may not drop an existing canon-based main account in exchange for creating a custom-based character without staff permission. This is because for the most part, we need canon-based characters to help keep the current plot consistent and in working order.

11. If a custom character is at all involved with an already existing character, then it must be cleared with the staff and if said character is in the RP, then that person as well. (IE: A younger brother of Viki for example. This type of relation must be cleared with staff, and then if there is a member in the role of someone such as Viki, that member as well.)

12. You may have no more than a total of three (3) accounts on the site at any one time. No more than two (2) of these accounts can be canon-based characters, no more than two (1) can be based around custom-characters.

13. Tri-character accounts, for those who wish to have that many characters to write with, will be granted solely upon request and approval of the staff prior to registration or profile approval by way of using the Dual Account Application system already in place.

14. Your custom character may not be a direct transplant of any canon character from any series on any medium (Movie, TV, Videogame, Anime, Manga, Books, Comics, there are no exceptions whatsoever). Simply put, you may not take a character such as Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII or Wolverine from the X-Men and place them in the world of Suikoden. While your custom character can draw inspiration from these kinds of characters, directly copying names or other personal information is forbidden (This isn't to say that no one could not have a character named Cloud, but if it's obvious you are modeling him too closely to Cloud Strife it's a problem). It defeats the purpose of it being a custom character if all you are doing is copying the work of someone else.

15. With regards to using images for descriptions of custom characters, you are allowed to use images of characters from other mediums, however they are not allowed to be "Iconic" characters. Iconic characters are ones that many people instantly recognize and are very familiar with. An example of a few iconic characters would be Cloud Strife, Solid Snake, Wolverine, and Link. Feel free to PM a staff member or ask in the C-Box if using a certain character's likeness for your character description is ok.

This all being taken into consideration, we look forward to seeing what kinds of doors this will open up for everyone.