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Thematic illustration for Root
StrategyWargame

Root

Lead a woodland faction with its own actions, strengths and scoring system.

Players2–4 best with 4
Play time60–90 min
Complexity3.8/5 · Hard
Learn & set up40 min

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At the table

Woodland factions compete under very different rules. Building an economy, recruiting forces and choosing battles all depend on your faction's own turn structure.

Play style
Competitive
Suggested age
10+
Time to teach
About 30 min
Time to set up
About 10 min
Player elimination
No

How it plays

Asymmetric powersArea control

Rules at a glance

Base game with four factions. Remove all dominance cards in a two-player game, as instructed by the Law of Root.

Your goal

Reach 30 victory points immediately, or win through an activated dominance card’s alternative condition.

The flow of play

  1. Follow your faction’s birdsong, daylight and evening phases in order

  2. Use the actions your faction permits to move, battle, craft and develop its scoring engine

  3. Score faction objectives and shared scoring opportunities, checking for immediate victory

A quick introduction to the base game. Use your edition’s rulebook for full setup, card effects and exceptions.

Official rules ↗

A feel for the game

heavyasymmetriccute but violent
Suggested age
10+
Interaction
High
Reading
High
Conflict
Heavy
Luck or skill
Skill
Table space
Large
Downtime
Medium

Playing times and difficulty are catalog estimates and may vary by group and edition. Consult the official rulebook for complete rules.

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