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DM: Worldbuilding 101

Worldbuilding is difficult. It is great for the imagination but depending on the complexity it can be hard on the head. The intent with this post is to share a few items that may make your worldbuilding experience a bit easier in the event of trying to build an open-world concept in DND 5E.

1. Create a Map. If its colored, even better. If its labelled with numbers or city/village names that is even more beneficial for the players.

2. Create a thought web. This is similar to when you are writing a story or wanting to hit certain main plot points, get that out first and then fill in the blanks between.

3. Involve the players. Figure out what makes their story archs tick. Get them to give you something that you can use, whether that is a tragic backstory, what makes them tick or even where they are from. Let the players fill your environment and help develop it.

4. Take some time to develop your story. It doesnt all happen overnight. If it does, congrats but from what I have seen in the past and based on suggestion 3, players make their own plot and develop the story around what you initially had planned.

5. Dont try to plan for everything. Sometimes you simply have to wing it because that vital NPC that is supposed to get them to do stuff two sessions from now is now dead, DND happens. Just roll with it.

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