The table is the space where a group of players gathers to play an RPG. In games played face-to-face, it may be a literal table that players sit around, but in online play it may be whatever program or software is used to facilitate communication.
A tabletop is where game aids are used, including character sheets, dice, miniatures, and maps. For online play, these may be presented on a virtual tabletop.
The term table is most often used colloquially as part of other common phrases, e.g.:
- table chatter is non-gaming conversation during a session
- decisions may be made at the table (i.e. during a session) or away from the table (usually the period between sessions)
- players may step away from the table when they have a break
Other meanings of table[]
- Some rules may be presented in tables (that is, grids of data), including random tables from which an item is picked by, e.g., rolling dice.