tips on making OC's for those not familiar

Creating A Character

READ BEFORE ROLEPLAYING.
[These mostly apply to Original Characters who are new to the forum, or character creation.]
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Now that you've registered, its time to create a character! This is probably the most fun part of the registering process, seeing as you can let your mind and imagination soar.
However, since we're roleplaying with a larger group, there are some things you should take into consideration when filling out the character sheet.

ONE: POWERS Since this is an action RPG, its important to think about the powers you give your character before you put them down into your sheet. Granted, you can edit your sheet, but its better to really think about it beforehand, to avoid all of that.
First off, Dont make your character too powerful. Dont create a character who has control over all things ______ or can do everything or is impervious to everything ever. Give them weaknesses. And by weaknesses I dont just mean tiny ones like "He's immortal except when you cut off his left kneecap with a silver knife". The weakness needs to be obvious enough so that when you RP with other characters and they attack you, the character fighting you can stand a chance against you.
If you're going to give your character supernatural powers, give them limitations
Its no fun if you're RPing with a character who has infinite _____ or can do just about anything.
For instance, if I had a character who could control the weather, I would give him limits. Say he can create thunderstorms only a few times, and one major blizzard before he passes out and needs to recover. Also, he could be vulnerable when creating these storms, since the chant takes a long time to complete, and he goes into a trance like state, leaving him open to attack. Canon characters for the most part, have incredible abilities, especially Alucard, so try and give them some weaknesses to counteract them. For instance, Rip van Winkle has her 'magic bullets' that slice up planes, people and virtually everything else that she wants them too. However, she becomes terrified when Alucard starts to nose dive at the ship, and loses focus. THAT IS A WEAKNESS. It leaves her vulnerable. While not the best example, it is one. Dont compare your characters power to a canons power, like saying "Shes just as strong as Alucard and faster than Anderson." Thats not original. Go into detail and take the time to make your character ORIGINAL.
Add detail. Add limits. Add interesting and new things.

TWO: PERSONALITY No one likes someone who plays their character extremely...OUT of character. When creating a character, give them a personality that IS NOT YOUR OWN Self inserted characters are by far the most BORING and ANNOYING characters to roleplay. Make your character walk, talk, sit, stand and think differently than you do. There's no fun in playing yourself, because you know how you act. Creating a character should not be creating YOU, its creating someone else.
When playing a canon character, despite your personal opinions of them or their habits, try your best to stay in character. If you play Jan Valentine and have him break down and cry in front of Walter instead of swearing his pants off, thats out of character.
The same goes for pairings. There are canon pairings, like Seras and Pip, Alucard and Integra and Heinkel and Yumie, that you may not agree with. But if you play Pip and Seras decides to make a move on you; and your response is to slap her across the face because you personally dislike Seras and support PxI...thats out of character.
And most chances are, if the entire forum acknowledges a pairing to be canon and Solid&Etc has art with that pairing in it...its canon.
KEEP YOUR OWN PERSONALITY TO YOURSELF. IF YOUR CHARACTER HAS AN ACCENT, TYPE WITH IT. IT ADDS PERSONALITY. IF YOUR CHARACTER HAS A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, TYPE LIKE IT. IF YOUR CHARACTER HAS HORRID POSTURE, MAKE THAT KNOWN. IF YOUR CHARACTER HAS A MENTAL PROBLEM, MAKE THAT KNOWN and DO SOME RESEARCH ON IT BEFORE YOU TYPE IT.. KEEP YOUR OWN OPINIONS ON PAIRINGS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OUT OF YOUR POSTS.

THREE: BACKGROUND. Giving your character an interesting background is incredibly fun, but can be a lot of work. You can think of almost any background that would fit into the Hellsing timeline, and have your character have a past with Hellsing, Millennium or Iscariot. Just be sure to go into detail. Especially on traumatic bits. If your character was raped, molested, abused, abandoned, etc etc, make sure that affects them in some way. A bland character isn't so fun to RP with, whereas one with layers, is.
If your character has had a recent tragic past with her ex boyfriend who raped her, its completely unrealistic that she throws herself at the first male who eyes her, isn't it?
GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS SOME DEPTH A TOO tragic past is really generic for original characters, as well. Put some thought and detail into the past, and think about how it would/will affect their present and future lives.
If your character has a relationship to a canon character, clear it with the person who plays that character first. Do some research on the time and place in which your character lived/lives.
It may be a lot of work, but its worth it!