What Is TTRPG Table Etiquette?

Sam
Jul 30
2 min read

Etiquette doesn’t mean "stuffy rules." It means “don’t be a jerk” with a bit of sparkle. Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Be Present – Phone down (unless you use it to focus). Eyes up. Give the game (and your fellow players) your focus. My neurospicy brain likes to doodle while I focus, do what works for you!
Don’t Hog the Spotlight – You’re cool, but let other characters shine too. Even better: set them up for a fun moment!
Yes, And... – Build on ideas. Collaboration is sexier than competition.
Respect the Party’s Time – Show up on time, have your character ready, and maybe read your spells. (yes, the whole spell card!)
Keep Meta to a Minimum – Jokes are great. Rules lawyering in the middle of a death scene? Not so much. Leave it up to the DM/GM/Storyteller to make a judgment call, or privately message them. Don’t disrupt the scene!

Enter the Safety Tools

Games can go from goofy to gut-wrenching real fast. That’s where safety tools come in: they’re not about limiting fun — they guarantee it stays fun for everyone.

The X-Card

This is a literal card (or button or emoji) that anyone can tap to “nope out” of uncomfortable content. No explanations needed. Just tap the card, rewind, and pivot. No card? Make an X with your arms crossed. Remember to Green Light too! When roleplaying a difficult scene like characters who are upset with each other, a Green Light/Circle Card lets the table know you’re okay and into acting out the emotional scene.

Lines and Veils

Before the game, you and your group set:

Lines = Hard NOs (e.g., no sexual violence, no child harm)
Veils = Fade-to-black moments (e.g., romance is fine, but not the full scene)

It’s like choosing your movie rating. Some tables want PG; others go R. Both are valid — what matters is consent.

Other Tools You Might Like:

Stars & Wishes (for positive feedback and future hopes)
Open Door Policy (players can step away (or turn your discord off) anytime without explanation)
Script Change tools (like “pause,” “rewind,” or “fast forward”)

TL;DR – We’re All Here to Have a Good Time

Your game should be epic — not stressful. Good etiquette and clear safety tools make it easier to tell cool stories, respect each other’s boundaries, and make space for everyone at the table.

So whether you're playing a flirty bard, a haunted warlock, or a tired gay wizard (hi, it’s me), remember: The real magic is making the table feel like home.

You can read more about the x-card at http://tinyurl.com/x-card-rpg John Stavropoulos developed the x-card.

You can learn more about them at: https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/30906/what-do-the-terms-lines-and-veils-mean

Tayler Stokes created the Consent Flower and more information about it can be found at: http://www.gamestogather.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/SupportFlower-A5-PrintJ.pdf

Script Change was designed by Beau Jager Sheldon and more information about it can be found at http://tinyurl.com/nphed7m