Power Balancing

"Super powerful, infallible characters are boring. Their weaknesses balance out the power and make them realistic and interesting."
--sagiri


"If you're unsure as to whether your character is overpowered, then either ask the RPM about it, or rethink what you've done so far and maybe try to think of a downside to add to your character. You could also just scale it back. Overpowered characters tend to take the fun out of it for others so keep that in mind as well."
--LadyTwi


"If you are going to make a powerful character stay in touch with the RPM and be prepared to edit posts. Powerful characters can done, but are a little harder to do."
--xenolion


"Ask yourself questions! Are you specific enough in your character layout? What are your weaknesses? Your character flaws? Your power limits? How long before you run out of your magic/ability/energy? When is your character most powerful?

And, of course, when in doubt--ask your RPM!"
--Leah7


"I'm still trying to get a handle on it, myself, so I guess it would be best to ask yourself questions about different scenarios. If they can come out of everything you throw at them unscathed...something's wrong. XD"
--EphPhoenix


"Consider flaws in both personality AND strength. You can't compensate for an overpowered character just by making them a jerk. Beyond that, a good exercise is to imagine the character fighting, say, between five and ten bad guys at once. If they can get out of that fine, something is wrong."
--Red


"Don't just think of balancing a character as compensating for their power. Think of it as another factor contributing to their personality. Different concentrations of power and limits are part of how characters carries themselves; it can effect how others perceive them, and how they perceive themselves."
--Lythian


"The story gives the ultimatum. If you are going against plot and story with your power instead of just causing conflicts and challenges for the characters, then you are tearing apart what the original poster of the RP set into motion. Along this line of thought, this also can disrupt fellow RPer's suspension of disbelief. So even attempting to only cause conflicts and challenges for the characters can be a problem if this suspension is broken. Then no one can enjoy the story or their character's involvement in it, and so then what are we here RPing for?
It' a spinning backhand back to reality I'll tell you that!"
--treomatos