Guide:How NOT to Make an Alien Species

A series of tips and bad examples to not follow when making a canon-friendly alien species; if I come off as a bit tetched, it's because I am. Feel free to add anything you feel is missing.Jochannon 20:19, May 23, 2011 (UTC)

Throughout this article, I shall refer to various effects; if you are not fmiliar with them, then refer to the article 'Three rules for How-tos.'

Eldar Tech
This is perhaps the most egregious, annoying, and most common canon-infringement I hve seen. SO let's get this clear right now: THE ELDAR DO NOT SHARE THEIR TECHNOLOGY WITH ANYBODY Never. Not. No. Forget about it.

Interstellar Drive
PLease, please, PLEASE for the love of God do NOT make up your own interstellar drive: it's annoying, presses the bounds of canon(where it doesn't cross them), and comes off as shallow posing.

Super Warriors
Feel like making a species of alien super-killers? Want to create creatures that can kill a dozen Space Marines in seconds? Well here's a tip: don't. Apart from canon issues and the Hive Fleet Effect, they're boring: there's no story, no drama, no back-and-forth.

Comparing Them to Canon Races
I strongly advise you to not do this: describe your species on their own terms.

If you do so, then avoid key here is understatement.

The Nice Effect
The Nice Effect describes the tendency of some people to make their species into nice people, who accept others for what they are, who are not superstitious about technology, and are friendly to people of other races because they know that they are all alike on the inside.

If their is any place for these races, it is not in Warhammer 40,000: this is a place for bloody-minded fanatics out for blood. If you want to make a species composed of nice people, then write a Star Trek fanfic.

Empire
If they have an interstellar empire, your species will have a small one. That's it. The Imperium rules the galaxy: all other empires are filling in the gaps. Admittedly, some of these gps are pretty big, but no canon-friendly species will be written to be rivals of The Imperium.