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How to play
Grounded in Root's rulebook — cite-checked answers, not guesses.
Get a straight answer with the exact rulebook passage to back it up.
The easy-to-forget bits, straight from the rulebook.
Starting cards
Each player is dealt three cards from the shared deck at the start of the game.
Game end
The game ends when one player reaches 30 VP at the end of their Evening phase, or immediately if a Dominance card is played and its victory condition is met.
Score start
All player scoring markers are placed at 0 on the score track at the start of the game.
Hand limit example
The Vagabond example shows a hand limit of 5 cards, requiring a discard if holding six cards.
To set up the game, follow these steps: * **Adjust for Player Count:** If playing with three players, remove the Vagabond faction. If playing with two players, also remove the Alliance faction. * **Choose and Assemble Map:** Choose either the Lake map or the Mountain map and follow its assembly rules to set up the board [1.1][1.3]. * **Choose Factions:** Each player chooses a different faction board and takes all of that faction's pieces [1.2][3.1]. * **Set Scores:** Place the score marker for each faction on "0" on the score track [1.7][3.2]. * **Deal Cards:** Shuffle the shared deck of 54 cards and deal three cards to each player [1.4][3.3]. * **Place Ruins:** Place the four ruin markers on the slots marked with "R" on the map [3.4]. * **Make Item Supply:** Gather the 12 item markers and place them on their matching spaces near the top of the map [1.6][3.5]. * **Gather Other Pieces:** Hand out the 16 faction overview cards and place the two custom dice near the map [3.6]. * **Set Up Factions:** Players set up their specific factions as described in the "Setup" section on the back of their faction board, in the following order: Marquise, Eyrie, Alliance, Vagabond [1.5][3.7]. * **Birdsong Deck:** Shuffle the Birdsong cards and place them face down [1.8]. * **Determine First Player:** Choose a first player. The player whose faction board has the highest victory points ([VP]) token goes first [1.9].
On your turn, you proceed through three phases in order: Birdsong, Daylight, and Evening. Here's a general overview of each phase: * **Birdsong** You perform actions specific to your faction at the start of your turn. * **Daylight** This is when you perform your main actions, which might involve spending [MOVE], [BATTLE], [RECRUIT], or other action tokens. Unless otherwise noted, you can usually take actions listed in the same phase in any order, and may take a given action multiple times. * For example, as the **Marquise de Cat**, in Daylight you can craft cards, then take up to three actions from: Battle, March (up to two moves), Recruit (place one warrior at each recruiter, once per turn), Build (place one building in a ruled clearing with an open slot by spending [WOOD] tokens and score victory points), or Overwork (spend a card to place one [WOOD] token). You can also take extra actions by spending bird cards. * As the **Eyrie Dynasties**, in Daylight you can craft cards, then resolve your Decree by taking actions like Recruit (place a warrior), Move (at least one warrior), Battle (initiate a battle), or Build (place a roost) in clearings matching the suit of the cards in the Decree. * **Evening** You score points, draw cards, and perform any end-of-turn actions. After completing these phases, your turn ends and the player to your left begins their turn.
Rules summaries are AI-generated from the official rulebook and may contain mistakes — check the manual for anything critical.
You can win the game in one of two ways: * Score 30 victory points. * Play and complete a dominance card. To play a dominance card, you must have at least 10 victory points during your Daylight phase. Once activated, you remove your score marker from the score track, and for the rest of the game, you can only win by meeting the victory condition listed on that specific dominance card. Dominance cards cannot be played early in the game. Each of the four factions scores victory points in its own way, for example: * The Marquise de Cat scores by constructing [BUILDINGS]. * The Eyrie Dynasties score each turn by building and protecting roosts. * The Woodland Alliance scores by spreading sympathy. * The Vagabond scores by completing quests and by aiding or harming other factions. Any faction can also score victory points by crafting cards.
Scoring in Root works as follows: * **Winning the Game:** You can win in two ways: 1. Score 30 victory points. 2. Play and complete a dominance card. Dominance cards can be activated during your Daylight if you have at least 10 victory points, removing your score marker and changing your win condition to that listed on the card. * **Factions Score Differently:** Each of the four factions scores victory points in its own way: * **Marquise de Cat:** Scores by constructing buildings in the Woodland. Specifically, when you build a building, you score the points shown under that building on your faction board. For example, building a sawmill can score one point. * **Eyrie Dynasties:** Scores each turn by building and protecting roosts in the Woodland. During the Evening phase, they score the victory points shown on the rightmost empty space of their Roosts track. * **Woodland Alliance:** Scores by spreading sympathy for their cause across the Woodland. * **Vagabond:** Scores by completing quests for the creatures of the Woodland and by aiding and harming other factions. * **Points are not Lost:** If a game piece ever goes back to your faction board, you do not lose any points you have already scored.
The game can end in one of two ways: * **Reaching 30 Victory Points:** The game ends when one player reaches 30 victory points at the end of their Evening phase. * **Dominance Card:** The game also ends immediately if a Dominance card is played and its victory condition is met. * You can play a dominance card during your Daylight phase if you have at least 10 victory points. * Once played, you remove your score marker from the score track, and for the rest of the game, you can only win by meeting the victory condition listed on that activated dominance card.