Here's a MWE that produces the oddly distributed colum= ns:

\setupl= ayout[backspace=3D0.5in,width= =3D4.5in,topspace=3D0.5in,top= =3D0in,topdistance=3D0in,
= =C2=A0 header=3D0in,headerdistance=3D0in,bottom=3D0.25in,bottomdistance=3D0.125in,
=C2= =A0 footer=3D0.25in,footerdistance=3D0.25in,height=3D7.75in]
\setuppagenumbering[location=3D{footer,middle}]
\setupwhitespace[quarterline]
\setupbodyfont[pagella,9pt]
\= definepapersize[digest][width= =3D5.5in,height=3D8.5in]
\s= etuppapersize[digest]
\starttext
\startplacetable[location=3Dforce,title=3D{Stun Levels}]
\definecolor[back-3][r=3D.8,g=3D= .8,b=3D.8]
\setupTABLE[background=3Dcolor,frame=3Doff,framecolor=3Dwhite]
\setupTABLE[row][odd][backgroundc= olor=3Dback-3]
\setupTABLE[row][1][topframe=3Don,bottomframe=3Don,framecolor=3Dblack,rulethickness=3D0.75pt]
\setupTABLE[row][4][bottomframe=3D= on,framecolor=3Dblack,rulethickness=3D0.75pt]
\bTABLE[width=3Dbroad]
\bTR\bTD {\bf Damage >\\Soak by:}\ =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0\eTD\bTD {\bf Stun\\Level}\eTD\bTD {\bf Stun\\Effects} = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 \eTD\eTR
\bTR\bTD 0 or less\eTD\bTD Unharmed =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 \eTD\bTD= None. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 \eTD\eTR
\bTR\bTD 1 to 8 =C2=A0 \eTD\bTD Stunned =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2= =A0\eTD\bTD -1D on all actions for 2D rounds. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 = =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 \eTD\eTR
\bTR\bTD 9+ =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 \eTD\bTD Severely\\Stunne= d\eTD\bTD The character is knocked unconscious for 2D minutes.\eTD\eTR
<= /span>\eTABLE
\stopplacetable<= br>
\stoptext<= /div>

Naively, I expected the third column, which= has the longest text, to absorb more of the width, rather than the three c= olumns getting about the same width.

I added t= he following two lines before the \bTABLE:

\setupTABLE[column][1][width=3D6em]
\setupTABLE[column][2][width=3D6em]

Thinking about it a little more, the first result makes sen= se: there is probably no way for ConTeXt to figure out that the third colum= n should be wider unless it is given some constraints.

Interestingly= , groff's tbl has a Column Specifier, x or X, that, after computing all= the widths of columns without an x specifier, uses the remaining line widt= h for the columns with an x, distributing them equally across the columns w= ith x specifiers. =C2=A0(I often use groff for quick-and-dirty documents, o= r where ConTeXt is not installed; I use ConTeXt for documents that are more= complex, or ones that need their appearance customized.) =C2=A0This is par= ticularly useful when one column has paragraph length text contents, and th= e other columns don't.

I don't suppose there is a bTABLE equ= ivalent?=C2=A0 Or an equivalent in one of ConTeXt's other table types?= =C2=A0