Berserk Games released Tabletop Simulator in 2015 as a physics sandbox rather than a game, and that distinction explains everything about how it works. It ships 15 classics including chess, poker, dominoes, mahjong and jigsaw puzzles, seats up to 10 players in one room, and hands you the same building tools its DLC teams use. Almost everything people actually play comes off the Steam Workshop, and only the host needs to own a paid DLC for the whole table to use it.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board games | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Card games | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Tabletop RPG sessions | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Miniature wargames | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Party and social deduction games | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Tabletop Simulator tier list.
A-Tier: Board games
Board games is a top-performing option in Tabletop Simulator.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Gizmo Tool | Moves, rotates and scales objects along fixed axes, and it works on locked objects and zones that a normal drag cannot touch. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Physics driven objects | Every card, die and figurine is a rigid body, so pieces slide, stack, topple and fall off the edge like physical objects would. |
How to Play Board games
Board games focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Gizmo Tool does the damage and Physics driven objects keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Card games
Card games is a strong option in Tabletop Simulator.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Flick Tool | Click an object, drag backwards, and release to apply force along the indicated line. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Steam Workshop mods | The Workshop holds community recreations of thousands of board games, plus tables, backgrounds and RPG tilesets. |
How to Play Card games
Card games focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Flick Tool with Steam Workshop mods and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Tabletop RPG sessions
Tabletop RPG sessions is a strong option in Tabletop Simulator.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Line Tool | Draws lines on the table that double as a ruler for measuring distance between points. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Hidden zones and hands | Hand zones hold cards only their owner can read, and Hidden Zones conceal anything placed inside them from other seats. |
How to Play Tabletop RPG sessions
Tabletop RPG sessions focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Hidden zones and hands covers the gap Line Tool leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Miniature wargames
Miniature wargames is a specialized option in Tabletop Simulator.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Joint Tool | Connects two objects with a physical joint, producing spinners, wheels, dials and hinged pieces. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Lua scripting | Objects and the global table can run Lua, which powers automated setup, dealing routines, score counters and turn order. |
How to Play Miniature wargames
Miniature wargames focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Lua scripting rather than raw numbers, and Joint Tool is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Party and social deduction games
Party and social deduction games is a specialized option in Tabletop Simulator.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Hidden Zone Tool | Creates a region where objects are concealed from every player except the zone's owner and the black GM seat. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Custom object importing | Custom Deck, Custom Model, Custom Token and Custom Board objects take a URL to an image or model and build the piece in game. |
How to Play Party and social deduction games
Party and social deduction games focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Hidden Zone Tool and Custom object importing pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Card games: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Board games once you understand core mechanics and have access to Gizmo Tool
- Keep a Tabletop RPG sessions setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Party and social deduction games for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Only the host needs to own the DLC. If one person in your group owns an official pack like Scythe or Cosmic Encounter, everyone seated at that table can play it, which makes it worth deciding as a group who buys what.
- Lock the board before anyone joins. Right click and choose Lock, otherwise a stray drag slides the entire map across the table and undoing it never quite puts the components back where they were.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Tabletop Simulator Guides
- Tabletop Simulator Tabletop Simulator Overview
- Tabletop Simulator Tier List
- Tabletop Simulator Walkthrough
- Tabletop Simulator Beginner's Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Tips & Tricks
- Tabletop Simulator Weapons Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Combat Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Boss Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Maps & Locations
- Tabletop Simulator Crafting Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Tabletop Simulator, check out these related guides:
- Terraria Builds: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- VRChat Builds: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- Garry's Mod Builds: sandbox game with similar mechanics
