Tabletop Skills

Some or all of the players take on roles; to communicate information or simply to enjoy being someone else for a while.

Players control part of the board or map in order to win or keep points. Most common in wargames.

Each player's condition or circumstances are different at the start of the game. They may have different abilities, different resources, or different actions.

Players compete to assign a value to an item, action, or option. This includes auctions.

Players can make a claim, or a series of claims, that cannot be easily verified by the other players until a future part of the game.

The primary (or sole) components of the game are playing cards that are bought and collected by individual players over time.

Rather than playing against each other to determine a sole winner, players work together toward a common goal, or to defeat an in-game condition.

Players begin with identical decks of cards, but slowly draft cards to build unique decks using an in-game resource.

Players must engage in a real-world physical challenge requiring skill, balance, or a steady hand. This may or may not require interacting with game components.

Players roll one or more dice to move their components, generate resources, score points, or achieve another game goal.

As the game progresses, the players gain control of cards, dice, figures, or other resources. These components change the play of the game for each player.

The players draw, sculpt, or otherwise create pictures to communicate, score points, record information, or simply create something beautiful.

The players use a limited pool of starting resources to build a feedback loop, generating more and more resources toward a goal.

Players work to carefully control which cards are available in their hand. This could mean adding cards, emptying their hand, creating patterns, and more.

Players compete to collect cards where some cards or categories are worth more than others; this may include a "trump" or supreme suit.

Legacy games change permanently over time, allowing players to add or remove components, write on the board, and even destroy pieces.

Players collect information, then use deductive reasoning and creativity to reach a predetermined solution. Also includes physical puzzles.

Players must memorize and recall actions or information in order to score points or to collect resources.

Players haggle, argue, and compete in order to trade resources or to establish their common value in the game.

Rather than taking turns, all players take actions simultaneously. This may or may not require keeping pace with each other.

One player takes on a unique role as a hero or villain, and all of the other players must compete against them together.

Players look at or draw a seemingly random collection of shapes, colors, or other information and must create or discover a pattern.

Players must run, jump, sing, balance, or otherwise perform acts of strength or balance, alone or together.

Players must move to a component on the board, then move to a destination, via the fastest, shortest, or most efficient path.

Players are removed from the game one by one, until only one remains and is declared the winner.

Each of the players operates using a slightly different set of mechanics or actions, carefully balanced against the others.

The game has a wide variety of options for earning points, offering many alternative paths to victory.

Players decide how far to push their turns, bids, or other resources, with increasing risks corresponding to increasing rewards.

The board, map, or other components are constructed randomly each time to maximize replayability.

Actions in-game correspond directly to time in the real world, with seconds and minutes equaling actual seconds and minutes.

Players must carefully manage a finite amount of in-game resources in order to score or retain points.

Each action or choice in a game beats, and is beaten by, other specific actions in the game.

Players take on a particular character and play using that character's personality, skills, goals, and abilities.

A simple mechanic where dice or cards determine how far a player's marker moves around the board.

Players must make their way from one point on the map or board to another, attempting to make the most efficient or effective path.

Players attempt to collect cards, dice, or other valued components corresponding to a specific pattern or grouping.

Players must use evidence, information, hints, and behavior to reach conclusions about the other players or their role in-game; this may include a secret traitor.

The game may be played by one person without any competitors.

Players, individually or collectively, work to tell a story. This may be multiple different threads, or a single unified narrative.

Players compete against each other by direct confrontation and attacks, often taking resources and points from each other.

Players put down tiles in order to make shapes, create a path, complete a pattern, control an area, or achieve another in-game goal.

Players must act quickly and steadily until a sudden end reached by the expiration of a timer.

The game has a timer (usually a sandglass) that restricts their actions.

A number of different factions or teams collectively attack a central point. Players may play the central point, the factions, or both.

Players exchange various resources and components either at predetermined rates or as they negotiate.

Each player contributes a single card from their hand, and the player with the highest-value card retains them all.

Players earn points or resources by showing mastery of random collections of knowledge, often organized into categories.

Game is playable only by two players in a versus format; no more, and there is no solo mode available.

The game's difficulty can be adjusted by adding, removing, or changing components, without changing the play style of the players.

Each of the players receives a vote in selecting who receives points or other resources throughout the game.

A game driven by puns, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and other wordplay.

Players use components (usually "meeples") to claim specific areas of the board representing particular actions, resources, or options each round.