above the table

When playing a tabletop role-playing game the fictional reality is represented by things on the table, whereas the real people playing the game are considered to be above the table.

above the table

1. (roleplaying games) Outside the fictional reality of the game; in real life.
   • 2022 February 16, Kat Bloodgood, “Hyper RPG Set To Launch New KOLLOK Series On FearHQ [Interview]”, in That Hashtag Show‎^[1], archived from the original on 17 June 2025:

     And our original 1991 cast, we were playing off the meta quite a bit, in that the show itself is very, it’s self-aware, but we never allow our players to be self-aware. The way that we roleplay, we’re always asking our players to be completely in character, and never meta game above the table. We try to hold the in-world as much as possible through audio, visual, and acting.

   • 2023 October 4, Tara McCauley, “Adventure Zone's Funniest Moments, Ranked”, in Comic Book Resources‎^[2], archived from the original on 8 October 2024:

     The McElroys make tabletop gaming a family affair in The Adventure Zone, peppering their signature brand of humor into the long-running TTRPG actual-play podcast. From theme park heists like the current Steeplechase campaign to one-shot romps like Just Us and Dadlands, The Adventure Zone has kept fans laughing with both above the table family banter and in-universe antics from the podcast's ever-growing collection of distinct universes.

   • 2025 July 17, Panda, “Dimension 20: Blithe, Baffled, And Bewildered By Brennan And A Bus”, in The Fandomentals‎^[3], archived from the original on 25 July 2025:

     Jasmin Bhullar as Little Army Man, the powerhouse of the group, using rage on and above the table.