These world building prompts come from 3000 World Building Prompts, which you can get at Amazon. This section is focused on creating plants and animals.
Plants
- What is the plant’s name?
- Is this plant based on an Earth analogue?
- If this plant is seedless, is it algae, a liverwort, a moss, or a fern?
- If the plant has seeds, is it a cycad, conifer, or flowering plant?
- If a flowering plant, is it a flower, shrub, vine, or a tree like the oak, maple, elm, aspen, or birch?
- Can this plant be used to create medicines?
- What kind of medicine and which part of the plant?
- Is this plant used for decoration?
- Do people eat this plant and if so, how is it prepared?
- What does this plant taste like?
- Is any part of this plant poisonous?
- Is this a delicacy?
- Is eating it forbidden to anyone?
- What other products result from this plant?
- Are there any stories about this plant and its uses?
- Is it difficult to harvest?
- Does the plant grow in only unusual or hard to reach places?
- How common is this plant?
- How valuable is this plant?
- What climate does this plant grow in?
- In what season is it planted and harvested?
- What does the plant smell like?
- If a flower, how many petals does it have?
- What color(s) are any petals?
- Are any birds, bees, or other animals especially attracted to this?
- If a tree, how tall does it grow?
- What color are its leaves?
- Does it grow at higher altitudes?
- How much shade or full sun does it require?
- What impression does the plant create?
- As its creator, what uses do you have for it?
- How often will you be able to use or mention it?
- How often will people of the world be able to use it?
Animals
- What is the animal’s name?
- Is this animal based on an Earth analogue?
- When is the animal active?
- Is this animal an invertebrate (worms, sea urchins, jellyfish, snails, arachnids, crustaceans, corals, or insects?
- Is this animal a vertebrate (amphibian, bird, fish, mammal, or reptile)?
- If a bird, does it migrate?
- If so, to and from where?
- Is it a flightless bird?
- What is its plumage?
- Can it be used to carry messages?
- Can the bird be used to hunt?
- If amphibious, is it [like] a frog, toad, or salamander?
- Can it breathe through its skin?
- How many appendages does it have and what are they?
- What does it look like?
- Does it have hair? Where on its body? What color(s)?
- Can this animal be used to create medicines? What kind and which part of the animal?
- Is this animal used for decoration?
- Do people eat this animal and if so, which parts and how is it prepared?
- What does this animal taste like?
- Is any part of this animal poisonous?
- Is it venomous?
- What is the antidote?
- Is this a delicacy?
- Is eating it forbidden to anyone?
- Can this animal be used for entertainment (such as horse racing)?
- Does this animal make a good guard?
- Is this animal kept as a pet?
- Is this animal ridden?
- Can this animal be used to pull wagons, etc.?
- What products result from this animal?
- Can part of this animal be used as a weapon?
- Are there any stories about this animal and its uses?
- How common is it?
- How valuable is it?
- What climates does this animal prefer?
- What terrains does it prefer?
- What are some specific places it is found?
- What does the animal smell like?
- Is it a solitary or pack animal (and how large is a pack)?
- Can it be domesticated?
- Is it tamable?
- Is it trainable and to what degree?
- Is it a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore?
- Does it eat people? On purpose or by accident?
- Under what circumstances will it attack someone?
- How does it attack?
- How likely is a fatal attack?
- Does it lay eggs or do live birth?
- How many offspring are born at once?
- How frequently does it give birth?
- How long is pregnancy?
- How long does the mother raise the young?
- What does this animal prey on?
- What animals prey on this animal?
- Do people prey on this animal?
- Do people make trophies from it?
- Is this animal’s name used as a nickname for people?
- What is valuable about this animal’s body parts, and which ones?
- Do people make clothing from it (like furs)?
- Do people make tools from it?
- Is it feared?
- As its creator, what uses do you have for it?
- How often will you be able to use or mention it?
- How often will people of the world be able to use it?