How to Play Root: Turns, Four Base Factions & Victory
Root is asymmetric: everyone shares the same woodland map and core movement/battle rules, but each faction has its own action economy and scoring system. Learn the shared rules first, then follow the faction board from Birdsong through Daylight and Evening.
Researched base-game guide. Checked September 20, 2026 against Leder Games’ current Law of Root (October 2025 resources) and Learning to Play materials. This covers Marquise de Cat, Eyrie Dynasties, Woodland Alliance and Vagabond.
Your faction board is your turn sequence
On your turn, resolve Birdsong, Daylight and Evening in the exact order printed for your faction. Do not assume another faction has the same number or type of actions.
Rule determines movement and several faction effects
A faction rules a clearing when it has more warriors plus buildings there than every other faction. Ties mean nobody rules. Tokens normally do not contribute to rule unless a specific rule says otherwise.
To move, you must rule either the clearing you leave or the clearing you enter, unless your faction/effect changes that rule. Move any number of your warriors along one path.
Battle uses two dice and piece priority
Choose an enemy faction in your clearing. Roll the two combat dice: the attacker normally uses the higher result and defender the lower, with hits capped by each side’s warriors. Remove warriors first; once no warriors remain, further hits remove buildings or tokens chosen by the owner.
Removing an enemy building or token normally scores 1 VP per cardboard piece removed. Ambushes and faction abilities can change the normal sequence.
Crafting depends on suit and faction pieces
Cards show crafting costs using clearing suits. Each faction activates different pieces to craft. If you craft an item, take the matching item from the supply if available and score the printed VP; persistent effects remain in your play area as directed.
The four base factions work differently
- Marquise de Cat: maintains buildings and a wood economy, then spends actions to recruit, march, battle and build.
- Eyrie Dynasties: add cards to a mandatory Decree and must complete its Recruit, Move, Battle and Build columns or fall into Turmoil.
- Woodland Alliance: spreads Sympathy, gains Supporters, Revolts to create bases and trains Officers for military operations.
- Vagabond: controls one pawn, exhausts and damages items, explores ruins, aids factions and can become Hostile through combat.
Victory is normally immediate at 30 VP
When a player reaches 30 Victory Points, they win immediately unless their victory condition has been replaced by a Dominance card. There is no equal-turn final round.
Dominance cards replace the normal VP race with the printed map-control condition. Use the current Law of Root for exact timing and eligibility; they are not simply bonus points.
Continue learning Root
Sources and scope
Checked September 20, 2026. Expansion factions and bots require additional rules.