well, i've been worrying about this for a while and it's one of the biggest anger points for many rpers everywhere, taking a canon character from a book, movie, game, etc. I think that you should be required to make your own char. i'm not naming names, but i've seen a few possible rips. i think it should be a rule to have to make up your own char.

*looks at Eliel's character*



*notices a few similarities between it and a certain fictional drow*



As long as the characters go off and lead a completely seperate life, why not let them be based off a preexisting character? Eventually they branch off from the original character and take on lives of their own. They become so different as to be a seperate identity, but it takes time. Not everyone wants to start out as Jimmy the Thatcher, but instead want to grab some of the awesomeness of the characters they read about.

I say let em base their characters off another. At the very least it'll keep some of the newer players going untill they find exactly what they want to be most.

I do agree with Eliel. Though I am fine with someone basing their char off of a well known character (I mean I have kinda done that with a few of my characters), but I don't like names being stolen from books, games, movies, ect.

aye, i have no problems with basing aspects off canon chars, i've based eliel on a couple. But to go the whole way, name, race, age, all of it, that's what i have a problem with.

Well even if a person does make a rip-off from a cannon figure from a movie or something they will allways just like Melmoth said a moment ago evolve into there own chars. I myself have done rip-offs some times and it works very well.
I see no reason why It would be a written rule not to have anything that is not taken.
One thing is that when I do not know a name to use then I simply pick one of my books and take out a random name by opening it somewhere, it works very well and I really suggest you to do so. :P A very good way to find names you never would think about.