Root is a board game from Leder Games where you take control of a faction of Woodland creatures and aspire to either maintain your iron grip ruling over the mice/bunnies/foxes - or wrest power for yourself. It is one of my favorite board games because it is
completely asymmetric
. That means every player has completely different actions and methods of scoring. Some factions exert control over large swathes of the board, while others bide their time scoring paltry amounts until suddenly it's too late to stop them from turning into a juggernaut. I've been playing a lot on Tabletop Simulator, and hopefully some other people here either already enjoy the game or would be interested in learning.So who are the factions?
The Marquise de Cat
The Marquise de Cat occupies the Woodland and wants to turn it into an industrial and military powerhouse. Each time the Marquise builds one of her buildings—a workshop, sawmill, or recruiter—she scores victory points. The more of the same building she has on the map, the more points she scores. However, to fuel ongoing construction, the Marquise must maintain and protect a strong, interconnected economy of wood.
The Eyrie Dynasties
The Eyrie Dynasties wish to restore their once- dignified kind to their former glory in the Woodland by retaking control of the forest clearings. During their Evening, the Eyrie score victory points based on the number of roosts on the map. The greater their presence in the Woodland, the greater their gains. However, the Eyrie are bound by their Decree, an ever-increasing set of mandated actions promised by their leader. Each turn, they must take all of the actions on their Decree, or else fall into turmoil.
The Woodland Alliance
The Woodland Alliance works to gain the sympathy of the various creatures of the Woodland who are dissatisfied with their present condition. Each time the Alliance places a sympathy token, they may score victory points. The more sympathy on the map they have, the more victory points they score. Gaining the sympathy of the people requires supporters. These supporters can also be put toward violent ends, inciting outright rebellion across the forest. When a revolt erupts, the Alliance will establish a base. Bases allow the Alliance to train officers, increasing their military flexibility.
The Vagabond
The Vagabond plays all sides of the conflict while going on quests to increase his renown throughout the wood. Each time the Vagabond improves his relationship with another faction, or removes a warrior belonging to a faction hostile toward him, he scores victory points. He can also complete quests to score victory points. To move and act effectively the Vagabond must manage his pack of items, expanding his selection by exploring the forest ruins and providing aid to other factions.
The Lizard Cult
Catering to the discarded creatures of the Woodland, the Lizard Cult seeks to overwhelm its foes through sheer force of will. Wherever the Cult rules clearings, it can build gardens, using word of mouth and beak to spread its gospel to the animals living there. The firmer its hold over the hearts of its followers, the more victory points the Cult can score by completing the proper rituals. While other factions spend cards to achieve their aims, the Cult acts chiefly by revealing cards and gradually gathering a set of ideal followers. These revealed cards are returned to the Cult's hand in Evening, unless discarded to score victory points. However, this gentler approach makes movement and battle difficult-the Cult can only take these actions with its radicalized acolytes, gained as the Cult's warriors are slaughtered while defending in battle.
The Riverfolk Company
When news arrived that the Woodland on the shore of the great lake was descending into all-out war, the Riverfolk Company quickly dispatched its officers to set up shop. As other factions purchase their services, the Riverfolk can further entrench their commercial interested by building trade posts along the river, scoring victory points. So too can they score points by raw accumulation of funds, but a big treasury makes for an easy target, so the Riverfolk must take care in expanding their operations across the dangerous forest.
The Underground Duchy
The Underground Duchy wants to show the foreign creatures of the Woodland that they would be better off as subjects. As they set up frontier outposts to show their power in the Woodland, the Duchy can sway ministers to the cause, scoring victory points and diverting more of the Duchy's resources. But be careful-a reversal of fortune could spell public humiliation, leading ministers to abandon the task.
The Corvid Conspiracy
The Corvid Conspiracy seeks to strong-arm the Woodland into submission by completing criminal plots, scoring victory points each time they flip one. The more revealed plots on the map, the more they score. Misdirection is critical-if their plans are too obvious, the Corvids risk exposure. To avoid this, they must recruit carefully and look for any opportunities for subterfuge and extortion.
*****
So anyway, because each faction interacts differently with the others, no two games feel the same. It's a lot of fun and if you have Tabletop Simulator you should definitely consider trying it out.
dibs of Corvid Consp!
