Fantasy Worldbuilding Checklist: From Geography to Government

Creating a compelling fantasy world isn't just about naming kingdoms or adding dragons, it's about designing a setting that feels immersive, internally consistent, and alive. Whether you're writing a novel, developing a game, or crafting a tabletop campaign, effective worldbuilding is key to transporting your audience.

This comprehensive checklist will walk you through essential components of fantasy worldbuilding, from sweeping landscapes to complex political systems.

Why Worldbuilding Matters

Strong worldbuilding gives depth and realism to your story. It helps readers or players believe in the world, care about its conflicts, and understand the stakes. It also serves as a foundation for character motivations, plot development, and thematic richness.

Worldbuilding doesn’t have to be exhaustive, not everything needs to be on the page. But having a solid internal logic and knowing the details yourself helps avoid inconsistencies and enriches your narrative.

1. Geography and Climate

Key Questions:

1. What is the shape of the world (flat, round, magical construct)?
2. Are there continents, oceans, deserts, mountain ranges, forests, or unique features (floating islands, crystal lakes)?
3. What climates exist, and how do they affect cultures and lifestyles?

Tips:

• Use geography to inform your world’s diversity. Harsh desert climates may produce nomadic cultures, while isolated mountain valleys might breed secrecy or resilience.
• Consider how geography affects travel, trade, and warfare.

2. Ecosystems and Wildlife

Key Questions:

1. What flora and fauna are native to different regions?
2. Are there magical creatures or sentient beasts?
3. Do certain species have symbolic, religious, or political significance?

Tips:

• Unique creatures can create narrative opportunities (e.g., dragon bones as a fuel source).
• Avoid over-cluttering your world with random creatures; each should have a place in the ecosystem.

3. Races and Species

Key Questions:

1. What intelligent races or species inhabit the world?
2. What are their lifespans, abilities, and societal structures?
3. Are there tensions, alliances, or shared histories between them?

Tips:

• Subvert tropes. Not all elves need to be ethereal forest-dwellers.
• Consider how mixed-race characters are treated socially or legally in your world.

4. Culture and Society

Key Questions:

1. What are the dominant customs, taboos, holidays, and rituals?
2. How do people dress, eat, marry, and mourn?
3. What are the major religions or spiritual beliefs?

Tips:

• Create variations between regions, classes, or species to add realism.
• Religion can unify or divide: consider how faith influences politics and daily life.

5. Language and Communication

Key Questions:

1. Are there different languages, dialects, or sign systems?
2. How is knowledge recorded and passed on (oral tradition, magical glyphs, printing presses)?
3. Do names carry specific meanings?

Tips:

• You don’t need a full conlang (constructed language), but consistent naming conventions add believability.
• Use linguistic differences to show power dynamics (e.g., nobles speaking one language, commoners another).

6. Magic System

Key Questions:

1. Is magic common or rare? Natural or divine? Learned or innate?
2. What are the rules and limitations?
3. Who can use it, and how is it perceived (feared, revered, outlawed)?

Tips:

• Clearly define costs and boundaries to avoid deus ex machina.
• Integrate magic into daily life (magical plumbing, enchanted farming) or limit it to elite castes.

7. Technology and Economy

Key Questions:

1. What level of technology exists (medieval, steampunk, post-magic collapse)?
2. How do people trade, travel, and manufacture goods?
3. What resources are valuable? Are there monopolies?

Tips:

• Magic and technology often evolve in tandem or in opposition.
• Consider economic inequality and who controls wealth (guilds, empires, dragons?).

8. Government and Politics

Key Questions:

1. What are the dominant forms of government (monarchy, republic, tribal council)?
2. Are there power struggles, succession crises, or underground rebellions?
3. What laws exist, and how are they enforced?

Tips:

• Don’t limit yourself to monarchies — fantasy worlds can have anything from anarcho-collectivist communes to technocratic mageocracies.
• Consider how laws vary across regions or for different classes/races.

9. Conflict and History

Key Questions:

1. What wars, revolutions, or disasters shaped the world?
2. Who writes the history, and who gets erased?
3. Are there ancient ruins, lost kingdoms, or unresolved feuds?

Tips:

• Conflict adds tension and motivation.
• Create myths or folktales based on real historical events for layered storytelling.

10. Religion and Mythology

Key Questions:

1. What gods, spirits, or cosmic forces are worshipped or feared?
2. Are religious leaders political powers?
3. What origin myths exist?

Tips:

• Religions can splinter over centuries — include heresies or divergent sects.
• Consider the role of prophecy, sacred texts, or divine artifacts.

11. Social Hierarchies and Class

Key Questions:

1. Is society structured by birth, wealth, merit, or magic?
2. What privileges or restrictions come with different classes?
3. How do people move up (or down) the social ladder?

Tips:

• A rigid caste system can produce unique story tension (secret nobles, revolutionary leaders).
• Class often intersects with race, gender, or magic ability in meaningful ways.

12. Daily Life and Occupations

Key Questions:

1. What do ordinary people do all day?
2. What kinds of jobs exist (especially if magic or strange beasts are involved)?
3. How do people relax, learn, or fall in love?

Tips:

• Ground your world with relatable details (bakers using fire runes, magical pets, moonlight festivals).
• These small touches can make even a dark, high-concept world feel emotionally real.

Build with Purpose

Fantasy worldbuilding is about making a world that feels alive, one where every stone, law, and god has a reason for existing. You don’t have to answer every question on this checklist right away. Start with what’s most important for your story, then expand as needed. Let your characters interact with the world organically, revealing its layers through their choices and consequences.

And remember: consistency beats complexity. A coherent, thoughtfully built world will always resonate more than one overloaded with random details.