This article is part of the Instant World Builder series.

Get pumped

Creating a rich D&D world and campaign setting is a daunting task. Is it even possible to complete such a task? Probably not. But it is possible to create worlds big enough and rich enough for one party of adventurers.

Since world building can be an intimidating activity to undertake, I thought I’d share my top 10 ways to get pumped up about world building.

Top 12 ways to get inspired for world building

1. Watch a movie. You will find cool settings and environments in most movies. Not just fantasy epics. I recently watched Pan’s Labyrinth which is a great grown-up fable. I seem to remember Where dreams may come’s world had a, er, dreamy feel to it.
2. Read books. Actually you don’t even need to read old books. Just read pages or chapters of books you’ve already read and steal ideas.
3. Sit down and write. Stop procrastinating! Just sit down. World creation is fun. You’ll have a blast.
4. Get with the players and create characters. There’s nothing wrong with holding a first game before you plan anything.
5. Read the Dungeon Master Guide. The DMG has 10 great pages (in chapter 5) of crunchy world-building details. It could get the ideas flowing.
6. Borrow from fluffy RPGs. I haven’t played that many different RPGs - if you count all of White Wolf’s stuff as one. But other RPG setting like the World of Darkness, or Warhammer have some great ideas and concepts waiting to be borrowed.
7. Remember your trips and travels - especially useful if you plan on running a tolkienesque travel odyssey. Sometimes there are details we can add to a game because we have seen them with our own eyes. And details definitely add to a world’s overall badassness (new word!).
8. Ask your friends for ideas - maybe from their traveling experiences in foreign and exotic places.
9. Watch the Travel Network. I think you get the whole traveling idea.
10. Ask your players what kind of game they want to play. That might help you choose some of the features of the newborn world.
11. Ask for ideas on forums. I’m not the only one with enough free time to talk about D&D! I discuss on Wizards’ official D&D forums.
12. Draw a map or add to your existing map. I was reading Orson Scott Card’s How to write science fiction and fantasy and I was pleasantly surprised to read that he doodles maps and if the map intrigues him he makes a story around the map. If it’s a good technique for the author of Ender’s Game, it’s good enough for you too!