98 World Building Prompts on Creating Plants and Animals

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.

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Plants

  1. What is the plant’s name?
  2. Is this plant based on an Earth analogue?
  3. If this plant is seedless, is it algae, a liverwort, a moss, or a fern?
  4. If the plant has seeds, is it a cycad, conifer, or flowering plant?
  5. If a flowering plant, is it a flower, shrub, vine, or a tree like the oak, maple, elm, aspen, or birch?
  6. Can this plant be used to create medicines?
  7. What kind of medicine and which part of the plant?
  8. Is this plant used for decoration?
  9. Do people eat this plant and if so, how is it prepared?
  10. What does this plant taste like?
  11. Is any part of this plant poisonous?
  12. Is this a delicacy?
  13. Is eating it forbidden to anyone?
  14. What other products result from this plant?
  15. Are there any stories about this plant and its uses?
  16. Is it difficult to harvest?
  17. Does the plant grow in only unusual or hard to reach places?
  18. How common is this plant?
  19. How valuable is this plant?
  20. What climate does this plant grow in?
  21. In what season is it planted and harvested?
  22. What does the plant smell like?
  23. If a flower, how many petals does it have?
  24. What color(s) are any petals?
  25. Are any birds, bees, or other animals especially attracted to this?
  26. If a tree, how tall does it grow?
  27. What color are its leaves?
  28. Does it grow at higher altitudes?
  29. How much shade or full sun does it require?
  30. What impression does the plant create?
  31. As its creator, what uses do you have for it?
  32. How often will you be able to use or mention it?
  33. How often will people of the world be able to use it?

Animals

  1. What is the animal’s name?
  2. Is this animal based on an Earth analogue?
  3. When is the animal active?
  4. Is this animal an invertebrate (worms, sea urchins, jellyfish, snails, arachnids, crustaceans, corals, or insects?
  5. Is this animal a vertebrate (amphibian, bird, fish, mammal, or reptile)?
  6. If a bird, does it migrate?
  7. If so, to and from where?
  8. Is it a flightless bird?
  9. What is its plumage?
  10. Can it be used to carry messages?
  11. Can the bird be used to hunt?
  12. If amphibious, is it [like] a frog, toad, or salamander?
  13. Can it breathe through its skin?
  14. How many appendages does it have and what are they?
  15. What does it look like?
  16. Does it have hair? Where on its body? What color(s)?
  17. Can this animal be used to create medicines? What kind and which part of the animal?
  18. Is this animal used for decoration?
  19. Do people eat this animal and if so, which parts and how is it prepared?
  20. What does this animal taste like?
  21. Is any part of this animal poisonous?
  22. Is it venomous?
  23. What is the antidote?
  24. Is this a delicacy?
  25. Is eating it forbidden to anyone?
  26. Can this animal be used for entertainment (such as horse racing)?
  27. Does this animal make a good guard?
  28. Is this animal kept as a pet?
  29. Is this animal ridden?
  30. Can this animal be used to pull wagons, etc.?
  31. What products result from this animal?
  32. Can part of this animal be used as a weapon?
  33. Are there any stories about this animal and its uses?
  34. How common is it?
  35. How valuable is it?
  36. What climates does this animal prefer?
  37. What terrains does it prefer?
  38. What are some specific places it is found?
  39. What does the animal smell like?
  40. Is it a solitary or pack animal (and how large is a pack)?
  41. Can it be domesticated?
  42. Is it tamable?
  43. Is it trainable and to what degree?
  44. Is it a carnivore, omnivore, or herbivore?
  45. Does it eat people? On purpose or by accident?
  46. Under what circumstances will it attack someone?
  47. How does it attack?
  48. How likely is a fatal attack?
  49. Does it lay eggs or do live birth?
  50. How many offspring are born at once?
  51. How frequently does it give birth?
  52. How long is pregnancy?
  53. How long does the mother raise the young?
  54. What does this animal prey on?
  55. What animals prey on this animal?
  56. Do people prey on this animal?
  57. Do people make trophies from it?
  58. Is this animal’s name used as a nickname for people?
  59. What is valuable about this animal’s body parts, and which ones?
  60. Do people make clothing from it (like furs)?
  61. Do people make tools from it?
  62. Is it feared?
  63. As its creator, what uses do you have for it?
  64. How often will you be able to use or mention it?
  65. How often will people of the world be able to use it?
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