Who wouldn’t want to have their own fantasy world where they can go to (escape) when the real one seems a bit too rough? It’s even better if you can do it with your friends, so then together you can imagine different things, situations, and characters.
If this is something that you find interesting, then we have some good news for you. In the past couple of years, one of the most popular games of this kind, called D&D (short for Dungeons and Dragons) has had a resurgence.
What are the rules? How many people can play this game? There isn’t any limit on the number of people, however, it’s advisable to have not to have too many because it can lead to confusing and messy situations.
When it comes to duration, one session can last anywhere between a couple of hours to an entire day. If all this information seems appealing to you, but you’re not sure how to create this world, then take a look at some of the tips we are about to give below.
How To Build It? – Focus on Aesthetic
One of the most important steps towards making your own, imaginary world is to think about how you want it to look like. You want to build something that is different than the one that already exists.
You already know that you’re supposed to create a place where you are continuously surrounded by magic and where there are numerous interesting characters. This description reminds us of Faerun (a fantasy realm) but it would be good if you could spice things up by designing something that’s a bit different from it.
Think of the style that is missing from this realm, add the things it doesn’t have, and remove those that you do not like. It would be good to analyze other existing settings, such as Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Ravnica, Greyhawk, Spelljammer, Eberron, Ravenloft, and Dark Sun. Find the things you like about them, and incorporate them into your own world.
SRD (System Reference Document)
What does this represent? It is a document that comes with the basic rules of this game and that’s something anyone should have if they want to get themselves familiar with every single aspect of D&D.
Basically, it wouldn’t be advisable to start playing it if you do not have this necessary tool. It will tell you all about the weapons, race, classes, abilities, spells, and many other things. This document can give you some ideas concerning creating your world.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you are obligated to use any of it, but the examples found in the document will surely help you once you start building your own world. Keep in mind that there are some rules that must be followed.
They refer to various creatures, races, monsters, equipment, etc. All these aspects of the game are actually templates that are going to help you make the world you want. You do not have to be too strict with every part of these rules, however, but when it comes to equipment and armor they have the stats that must be implemented.
Many players think that this system reference document can be intimidating at times. However, you can come across a fantastic world building guide for dungeons and dragons online. Resources like these can help you easily figure things out. With their help, you can create your world in no time.
A Problem That Must Be Solved
Each game has a dungeon master that has to create different, interesting challenges and obstacles in this world. On the other hand, other players must design a story of the adventurer’s journeys through that world.
It would be good if you can come up with stories and challenges that would be appealing and engaging enough to stimulate the players to give their best to overcome them. Therefore, it’s crucial to carefully think about the ways you can create a certain problem without helping others solve them. They need to do this on their own. Why is this important? Well, it’s because if you do this, you will create a game that is very interesting and dynamic. You want it to be fun not boring. That’s why so many people love this game because it allows them to think of unimaginable things and solutions that you cannot find in other games. They get the feeling like they are literally in another world where every single decision they make is of great relevance. They want to feel like they are important. That’s why, you as a DM mustn’t provide them with the solution to the problem, but rather spice things up with interesting setbacks and barriers.
Trust us, they will appreciate this strategy much more. Some dungeon masters have a tendency to impose their own ideas, which can be stressful for other players because they want to have the freedom to come up with their own. If you want the world to function, each person must have their freedom of choice.
Scope and Scale
Before you start building the world, you should think about the scope and the scale of the game. Both of these things are pretty relevant to your world and the game in general. Scale refers to the size of the area your game is going to take place in.
When it comes to sizes, what’s good about D&D is that it can take place in different sizes of areas. You can create one city only, or you can even have an entire continent. Furthermore, the scale is here to help you create maps and also tells you what things you should be focusing on while you are creating your world.
On the other hand, scope revolves around the levels that the players are going to be able to work on and how all of them impact the world. You need to have a certain idea in your head regarding this because only then you will be able to focus on designing your setting.
That’s the whole point of this amazing game. All these suggestions can be useful once you decide to create your world, but the most important thing is to be inventive and let your imagination fly. That is how the true power of Dungeons & Dragons can be unleashed.
DnD Is Back—What You Need To Know About 5E Restrained Condition | Retromash
Jun 8, 2021 -
[…] excellent aspect of the game to keep in mind as a dungeon master; you could even keep them in mind while worldbuilding. Understanding that conditions are available to slow those playing your dungeon or give them a hand […]
Trace L. Garrison
Sep 29, 2024 -
Keep up the fantastic work and continue to inspire us all!