Harry Potter Mary Sue Test

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This is a test to determine whether a custom character is a Mary Sue. I have based this on my own observations, as well as those of friends and family. I have also looked at other Mary Sue tests and seen what they consider traits of a Mary Sue. This test is, of course, largely opinion, but should give you a good idea of where your character stands.

A Mary Sue (or Gary Stu) is a character often written into fanfic, although they can be in original stories, too. I had tons of them when I was younger. Mary Sue and Gary Stu (male version) are characters written into a story that are projections of the author, or what the author wants to be. Some are annoying as heck, but some are decent, fun characters. it all depends on how they're written. For a more extensive page on what a Mary Sue is, go here:

Mary Sues

This particular site is based on ThunderCats characters, but it still has good, general information; it also has links to other good sites. Even if you don't write fanfiction, it's an interesting read.

Repeat, not all Mary Sues are bad! Mary Sue has a bad reputation, but there are good ones, trust me. Mary Sue just means that there is a whole lot of you in the character, or a whole lot of wishful thinking. Or both. And that's not always bad. The above sites also have some good tips on making your Mary Sue an enjoyable character.

All right, now down to the test. There is a point value after each question. For each one answered "yes", you gain the amount of points listed. Total them all up and use the chart below to see how your character fares. I say "he" in the questions, but obviously this test is for both male and female characters.

Note: If some questions are N/A (like the “does everyone go into mourning over your character." one If the character does not die, this is an N/A answer) assume it to be a “no” answer.

Note 2: If a specific set of characters is mentioned in a question, it is because they seem to be the most popular characters, and the ones that people become infatuated with.

Note 3: Some questions will call for taking points away. Some questions could either indicate a Mary sue, or just the opposite, depending on how they are written.

Note 4: If there are different point values for a question, it is multiple choice; you pick the one that applies. But there are some that say "choose all that apply", and in that case, they can add up.

1: Character Basics: Name, Age, Appearance

Is your character named after you in any way?
10 points if he has your first name
7 if his name is an internet name of yours, your middle name, or any other name that's used in a secondary manner
2 if it's a name that you would choose for yourself, but it not yours at the moment

Is he named for someone you know or admire?
2 points

Would (or have you) you give a pet or child this name?
2 points for a pet, 5 for a child.

Is the name unusual?
(Go on a case by case basis, depending on the character's race or species. Would such a person conceivably have a name like that?)
1 point

Is the name the same or suspiciously like that of a canon character?
(Example: Sirris, Harris, Lupar, Severin)
3 points

Is his name in the title of the story?
5 points

How long did you spend choosing your character's name?
1 point per entire day deciding.
(a full day meaning 12 hours or more.)

Is this character basis for others?
(In other words, does this character have children, or otherwise solely responsible for the creation of other custom characters?)
1 point

Is he the same gender as you?
1 point

Is he a Muggle or a Squib?
1 point

Is he a mix of two different species?
1 point for two non humans
3 for human and non human
(Note: Take one point away if he's a total mutt, and has diminished advantages because of this.)

Is your character a magical beast or being that is not mentioned in canon?
1 point

Is he a teen or in his early twenties?
1 point

Is he another age but looks like a teen, or someone in his early twenties?
2 points

Is he your age or the age you want to be?
1 point

Is he very handsome, cute, or pretty?
2 points

Does he have unusual eyes, or hair, or markings?
(Scars, birthmarks, and tattoos on humans; uncommon markings on creatures like centaurs.)
1 point per trait

Is he from a country other than England?
1 point if he is from the United Kingdom
2 if he is from elsewhere in Europe
3 if he is from a completely different continent

2: Details: Background, Duties, Personality

Did the character have a traumatic past? (Include all that apply.)
3 points for physical abuse
2 for psychological abuse
1 point for abandonment
1 point for being poor or low-caste
2 points for neglect
3 for slavery
3 for sexual abuse
2 for surviving some disaster like a fire or some kind of battle.

NOTE: These are not necessarily ranked by how bad they are, though that is part of it. These are ranked according to what many Mary Sue characters tend to have. For example, many Mary Sue characters tend to have slavery or sexual abuse in their backgrounds; those who do tend to be more of a Mary-Sue type of character.

Is he a relative of a canon character?
1 point for a distant relative
2 for cousin, aunt/uncle, or grandparent
3 for sibling, parent, or child.
1 additional point if the character you're related to is on the following list:
Harry or his parents
Dumbledore
Voldemort
Malfoy (either of the males)
Snape
Lupin
Sirius

NOTE: Again, these characters are the ones I personally see the most Mary Sues connected with.

Is your character a descendant of Merlin, or King Arthur, or another equable personage? (Fictional or real)
3 points

Is your character adopted, or live with people not his parents?
1 point

Is he the last surviving member of his family line?
2 points

Did he have an important or unusual birth?
2 points

Does your character live at Hogwarts, 12 Grimmauld Place, or any other significant place in HP canon?
2 points

Was he banished from his town, family, species, etc.?
2 points if he deserved it
3 if he was innocent

Is he nobility of any kind?
2 points
3 if he is not initially aware of it
5 if he rules an entire country

Is your character a mentor, nanny, or guardian to any of the major canon characters?
1 point

Is he one of twins or other multiple births?
1 point for fraternal twins
2 points for identical twins
1 additional if he doesn't initially know about the other(s)
1 more additional if it's triplets or more

Does he have a terrible guilt about something in the past? (choose all that apply)
1 point for the guilt
1 point if it's over something not really the character's fault
1 point if canon characters work to help your character past the guilt
1 if your character still agonizes over it, even with help

Is he a spy or a double-agent?
1 point

Are his moral/religious/cultural beliefs and traditions very similar or the same as yours?
1 point

Does he do the same things as you for fun?
1 point

Does he do the same work as you?
1 point

Does he have a psychosis, personality trait, major quirk or habit that is the same as you?
1 point

3: Powers and Abilities

Does your character sing, draw, dance, act, or play an instrument well?
1 point for each that applies

Is your character trickier than the twins, wiser than Dumbledore, or more evil than Voldemort? (And so on)
3 points

Can he do magic without a wand?
2 points

Is he psychic? (Twin-type telepathy and Legilimency count.)
1 point

Is he an animagus or a metamorphmagus? (all that apply)
2 points for animagus
4 for metamorphmagus (they're very rare)

Is he a non-human who uses a wand and magic?
1 if he does it despite it not being legal
3 if the Ministry makes an exception and allows him to

Is he a Seer? (all that apply)
3 points for precognition (seeing into the future)
1 point for clairvoyance (seeing things happening at the moment)

Is he an Auror or a Death Eater?
1 point

Is he a natural leader?
1 point

Are animals unusually attracted to him?
1 point
(0 points if the animals are creepy-crawlies. 0 also if your character is a villain, and cute, cuddly animals like him. :grin: 1 point if you're evil and the creepy-crawlies like him.)

Does your character have immunity to things that would affect normal members of his species?
(Such as being immune to spells, or being a merperson who can speak English above water, etc.)
3 points

Does he know magic beyond what he normally should, such as spells beyond his age/grade level, or spells that citizens don't normally learn, or things that a good guy would not use often?
1 point

Does he attend Hogwarts (or any wizarding secondary school) before or after the normal age?
2 points

Does he teach at Hogwarts?
1 point

Does he have an ability not mentioned in canon? (all that apply)
(If the power is in another questions (such as clairvoyance), no additional points.)
1 point for minor powers (first, second, or third year level)
3 points for more advanced or powerful ones (fourth through seventh year level)
5 for very powerful ones (things as powerful as what Dumbledore and other powerful wizards can do)
7 if the power is greater than any canon character is capable of.

4: The Plot Thickens

NOTE: For any child/minor characters, substitute sex and lover-related things with family and adoption-like things.

Do any of the canon characters find your character attractive?
1 point
2 points if another canon character sees this as a threat

Does your character end up being popular?
1 point

Does your character fall in love with or have sex with Harry or his parents, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Malfoy (either of the males), Snape, Lupin, Hermione, Ron, or Sirius?
3 points

Does your character fall in love with or have sex with other fairly prevalent characters like Neville, Hagrid, McGonagall, Lockhart, etc.?
2 points

Does your character fall in love with or have sex with a very minor character like Avery, Theodore Nott, Parvati Patil, Professor Sinistra, Filch, or the giant squid?
1 point, and if the answer was Filch or the giant squid, then that's just sick!

Does your story end with or revolve around your character's wedding to said canon character?
1 point for ending with
2 points for revolving around

Is the story primarily about your character?
4 points

If not, then is he introduced on the first page?
2 points

Does your character meet the main canon characters of the plot and become friends with them after a bit of tension and suspense?
2 points

Does he befriend a villain, despite the fact that he's a good guy? Or befriend a good guy despite being a villain?
4 points if the villain is Voldemort, or the hero is Dumbledore or Harry
2 points for anyone else
2 points if he gets along equally with Slytherins and Gryffindors (Dark wizards and good guys, for adult characters.) and neither side makes a huge deal about it.

Does the character that you befriend change sides because of your character?
2 points

Does your character change sides instead?
1 point

Does your character save the day or someone's life?
4 points
6 points if your character dies to do so
5 points if he almost dies

If he dies, does everyone go into mourning?
2 points

If he dies, is he resurrected by the end of the story?
4 points
7 points if a major canon character sacrifices himself to bring yours back
6 points if a minor canon character sacrifices himself
5 if another canon character does

Does he have a rare, unusual, important, or very powerful artifact? (Wands count.)
3 points
4 points if it was given to him because he's the only one who can use it

Does his wand share the same components as Harry's or Voldemort's?
1 point for either magical item or wood
2 for both

5: You and Your Shadow: Stuff About Your World

NOTE: As before, with child characters, substitute things like sex and marriage for adoption and family-type love.

Do you start your character off in the same town or neighborhood where you live?
2 points

Do you bring the canon characters into your town or neighborhood?
5 points

Do you get to meet your custom character and/or the canon characters?
6 points
8 points if you join them and live in their world, or if they get stuck in yours
10 points if they leave their world willingly for yours

Did you write or have you written a sequel about your character?
1 point
5 points if it revolves around resurrecting your dead character

Do you truly wish you were a wizard?
1 point

Is your character someone you would be friends with in real life?
1 point

Do you think that people who read your story should like your character?
1 point

If people do not like your character, do you take it personally?
2 points

Is this a character you would like a sexual, matrimonial, or family relationship with?
2 points

Do you ever pretend that you are your character, along with all his abilities, powers, and other circumstances?
2 points
3 points if you use him in an RPG
6 points if you do it in a public manner (other than RPGs)

Do you have a roleplaying game based on this character?
4 points

Have you ever made or planned to make a drawing, figurine or action figure of your character?
2 points for each one
3 points for each one if you have paid another to do it for you.

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POINTS AVAILABLE: 243

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Breakdown:
0 - 27: Your character is likely not a Mary Sue.

28 - 38: Borderline Mary Sue.

39 - 65: Mary Sue level

67 and up:
A character with this many points is way into the MS realm...most often a character at this level is going to be very difficult to sell to your audience as a believable or likable character. You might consider re-designing the character and/or plot. A character at this level can be a workable subject for successful fanfiction, but it's not common.

Here are my custom HP characters as run through this quiz. Note that Cody and some others are in more than one continuum. Anything above the line is the version that is in my fanfiction, Hidden Heritage. There is not a whole lot of difference, but I thought I'd say so, anyway.

(Their answers are on this page, for those interested.)

Cody DeDannan - 44
Samantha DeDannan - 17
Kathy Skinner - 8
Kyle Tiller - 9
Dustin Tiller - 9
Tony Barado - 10
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Nyoka Bronwen - 15
Kender Creevey - 18

And once again, this is not meant to insult anyone, or indicate that you have a lousy character. It's just a fun quiz and a possible tool for developing your original fanfiction character!

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