How to worldbuild for a ttrpg system?
Originally wanted to post it on a worldbuilding sub but I think it's really more relevant here. I've been worldbuilding for years and I've realized the worlds I gravitate towards in fiction are usually focused on one or two core mechanics or concepts and all the ripple effects of those. Think bending in Avatar, drawing magic in Witch Hat Atelier etc. I've always seen this was a very "clean" way to manage the scope of a world and my own worlds felt pretty sloppy in comparison
But then I realized: I've built most of my lore for the campaign I was running at the time. And all the mechanics, themes and systems I've added were the ones created for specific player characters. I've realized many ttrpg systems often require a way different approach to worldbuilding. Lots of different concepts interwoven to accommodate different playstyles. Every class often has unique lore that doesn't have much to do with another class. Similarly to how in DnD each class has a different way of spellcasting. There are some connective elements, but still, it's way more vast and varied than what I would write for a book for example. Not to say worldbuilding in ttrpgs is bad, but it serves a very different purpose
Still, I often feel I've added too much. And I'm starting to plan rewriting the lore along with my own system to run sessions in the setting. And I was thinking- how do you make a unique fantasy setting for a rpg system, that both gives the players enough freedom to create different character types and at the same time doesn't feel like just another DnD clone with everything thrown into one pot? How do I find this balance of what I should add to accomodate different characters and what to limit to keep a unique feel of the setting?