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.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gizmo Tool | S | Precise board alignment, resizing imported models, and adjusting zones after they are locked. | Moves, rotates and scales objects along fixed axes, and it works on locked objects and zones that a normal drag cannot touch. |
| Flick Tool | A | Pool, shuffleboard, crokinole and any dexterity game where flicking is the point. | Click an object, drag backwards, and release to apply force along the indicated line. |
| Line Tool | A | Wargame movement and range checks, and marking temporary boundaries during play. | Draws lines on the table that double as a ruler for measuring distance between points. |
| Joint Tool | B | Mod makers building spinners, dials and any component that has to pivot. | Connects two objects with a physical joint, producing spinners, wheels, dials and hinged pieces. |
| Hidden Zone Tool | B | Role playing sessions, hidden movement games, and any setup where the GM prepares ahead. | Creates a region where objects are concealed from every player except the zone's owner and the black GM seat. |
S-Tier: Gizmo Tool
Moves, rotates and scales objects along fixed axes, and it works on locked objects and zones that a normal drag cannot touch. Ctrl clicking multiple objects transforms them together.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Precise board alignment, resizing imported models, and adjusting zones after they are locked. |
| Key Mechanic | Physics driven objects |
| Recommended Build | Board games |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Gizmo Tool: Pairs naturally with Board games thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Flick Tool
Click an object, drag backwards, and release to apply force along the indicated line. It turns the physics engine into an actual game mechanic rather than a side effect.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Pool, shuffleboard, crokinole and any dexterity game where flicking is the point. |
| Key Mechanic | Steam Workshop mods |
| Recommended Build | Card games |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Flick Tool: Pairs naturally with Card games thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Line Tool
Draws lines on the table that double as a ruler for measuring distance between points. Lines persist for other players to see, which makes it useful for marking zones of control.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Wargame movement and range checks, and marking temporary boundaries during play. |
| Key Mechanic | Hidden zones and hands |
| Recommended Build | Tabletop RPG sessions |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Line Tool: Pairs naturally with Tabletop RPG sessions thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Joint Tool
Connects two objects with a physical joint, producing spinners, wheels, dials and hinged pieces. It is how community mods build working spinner boards and rotating trackers.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Mod makers building spinners, dials and any component that has to pivot. |
| Key Mechanic | Lua scripting |
| Recommended Build | Miniature wargames |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Joint Tool: Pairs naturally with Miniature wargames thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Hidden Zone Tool
Creates a region where objects are concealed from every player except the zone's owner and the black GM seat. Unlike a hand zone it hides whole components, not just cards.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Role playing sessions, hidden movement games, and any setup where the GM prepares ahead. |
| Key Mechanic | Custom object importing |
| Recommended Build | Party and social deduction games |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Hidden Zone Tool: Pairs naturally with Party and social deduction games thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Poker Table
- Flick Tool → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Line Tool → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Gizmo Tool → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying. One strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- 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.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Tabletop Simulator Guides
- Tabletop Simulator Tabletop Simulator Overview
- Tabletop Simulator Best Builds
- Tabletop Simulator Tier List
- Tabletop Simulator Walkthrough
- Tabletop Simulator Beginner's Guide
- Tabletop Simulator Tips & Tricks
- 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 Weapons Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- VRChat Weapons Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
- Garry's Mod Weapons Guide: sandbox game with similar mechanics
