How to Design a Demon OC

This is part of our design series on how to make an OC! – The ultimate guide to character building.

Looking to design a demon OC for your next project? We’re here to help you out! No matter the kind of demon you’re designing, we have some tips to help you get started.

Demons are a popular type of character, often seen in religious settings, as well as media like anime and manga. So how do you go about designing a devious demon? Let’s talk about it!

Decide On Your Demon’s Character

First off, you want to decide how you’ll characterize your OC. Demons are the epitome of evil, and so a villainous personality would be perfect for them. However, it’s also important to demonstrate their goals through their character! Unique goals will help the OC feel more nuanced and complex. If you need some ideas for how personality might impact a demon design, here’s some to think about:

• A demon with broken armor and tattered wings for a vengeful OC
• A demon with angel wings and a white robe for a cunning OC
• A demon with flashy jewelry and a large crown for a prideful OC
• A demon with red eyes and pointed horns for a hot-headed OC

If you need help figuring out how to develop your OC, be sure to take a look at our article with five big questions for helping develop characters.

Demon Details: Horns, Tails, and More

Next up, it’s time to consider adding some special details to the demon design. Demon OCs are often known for features like horns or tails, but those aren’t the only options! It’s also a good idea to think about what each feature means to the character. It might be a symbol of power, or it could represent an aspect of the OC’s abilities. Some demon OC ideas:

• A demon with tall horns and dark hooves for a powerful OC
• A demon with fiery wings and a flame-tipped tail for an OC with fire powers
• A demon with deer antlers and bone armor for a dangerous warrior OC
• A demon with scales covering their body and snake eyes for a trickster OC

Evil Abilities and Limitations

Another thing to consider while designing a demon OC is the powers they might have. A demon might have dangerous abilities that they use for nefarious purposes. They might have powers that could affect other creatures, or abilities that could cause mass destruction. That being said, their powers also need limits! Limitations to their abilities can keep them from being too strong in a story. The powers could also be shown through their design! If you need some ideas, here’s some to get you thinking:

• A demon with a dark ombre on their hands and horns for an OC with shadow abilities
• A demon with a long, sharp tail and horns that turn to flames when using explosive powers
• A demon with hooves and antlers whose limbs wither as they use disease magic
• A demon with tattered wings and dragon eyes for an OC with with shape-shifting abilities

Infernal Realms: Hierarchy and Rankings

Hierarchy and ranks are another thing to think about while designing a demon OC. A demon might have a different design depending on their placement in the hierarchy of their world. You’ll want to think about if they have a high rank, a low rank, or a specific role. One demon might serve as a guardian of their realm, while another might have the job of conquering other realms. If you need some ideas for how rank might affect a demon design, you could consider:

• A demon with skull armor and a bone blade for an OC with a warrior role
• A demon with a spiked crown and large shadow wings for a high rank OC
• A demon with small horns and hooves for a low rank OC
• A demon with a magic staff and glowing eyes for an enchanter OC

Creating Cursed Bonds

You can also consider the bonds of the character while designing them. A demon could have different relationships in the story, with both angels and mortals. It’s important to think about how they might interact with others. A demon might be rivals with an angel character, or they might befriend an unknowing human. Here’s some demon OC ideas to get your creativity flowing:

• A demon with a more humanoid appearance for one who's trying to trick a human
• A demon with towering horns and large bat wings for one whose rivals with an angel
• A demon with a halo and bird wings for one trying to blend in with angels
• A demon who has matching armor and skull masks with another demon who their close with

Where They Fit Into the Story

Lastly, it's time to think about where the demon OC fits into the story. There’s plenty of different roles a demon could have in a story. A demon might serve as a trickster or a main antagonist for a story. They also could play the role of a twist villain if they are disguised for the course of the story. The role the OC has in the story could impact their design, similar to how bonds can. If you need some ideas for how the role of a demon might impact their design, here’s a few to think about:

• An antagonist demon with a red color scheme and dark antlers
• A humanoid demon with a friendlier appearance for a comic-relief character
• A twist-villain demon with a light color palette and glowing features
• A battle-hardened anti-hero demon with tattered wings and broken horns

If you need ideas on how to write a villain OC, check out our article on how to write memorable hero and villain characters.

Share Your Demon on Unvale

There’s plenty of options when it comes to creating a demon character for a story. By utilizing details, abilities, setting, and more, you can design a devilish OC that fits right into your story.

Once you're finished designing your angel, come share them with us on Unvale. We’d love to see what you’ve come up with!