Root Scoring & Victory: 30 VP, Faction Points and Dominance
Root normally ends immediately when a player reaches 30 Victory Points. Every faction has its own scoring engine, while all factions can also score by removing enemy cardboard and crafting items.
Current-law guide. Checked September 20, 2026 against Leder Games’ October 2025 Law of Root resources.
First to 30 VP wins immediately
There is no equal-turn final round. As soon as a player reaches 30 VP, they win unless they have activated a Dominance card instead.
If multiple players reach 30 simultaneously, the current Law gives the win to the tied player closest in clockwise order to the current player, including the current player.
Universal scoring: remove cardboard
Whenever you remove an enemy building or token, score 1 VP. Removing warriors does not award this universal cardboard point.
Universal scoring: craft items
When you craft an item, score the VP printed on the card and take the item if available. Persistent cards without item VP follow their own effect text.
Base factions have unique scoring engines
- Marquise de Cat: primarily scores by constructing buildings, plus universal VP sources.
- Eyrie Dynasties: scores from the roost track during Evening, plus universal sources.
- Woodland Alliance: scores as Sympathy spreads, plus universal sources and faction effects.
- Vagabond: scores through Aid, quests, hostile combat and other Vagabond rules, plus crafting.
Dominance replaces the VP race
During Daylight, a player with at least 10 VP can activate a Dominance card. Remove the score marker from the VP track; that player can no longer win by reaching 30.
- Fox/Rabbit/Mouse Dominance: win if you rule three clearings of the matching suit at the start of your Birdsong.
- Bird Dominance: win if you rule two clearings in opposite corners at the start of your Birdsong.
Vagabond coalition rules create an additional special use of Dominance cards; follow the current Law for that faction-specific case.
Continue learning
Source: Leder Games: current Law of Root and learning resources. Checked September 20, 2026.