How to Play Root: Riverfolk Company

Welcome to Root! This guide will walk you through playing the Riverfolk Company. We'll cover the objective, setup, game flow, actions, and how to win. Let's get started!

Game Objective

The Riverfolk Company arrives in the Woodland amidst war, aiming to establish profitable commercial interests. They achieve this by offering services to other factions and building trade posts across the forest. Victory points are earned through the construction of these trade posts and from the dividends gained from their accumulated wealth.

Setup

Consult the manual for detailed setup instructions.

Game Flow

Root is played over a series of turns, with each player taking their turn in order. The Riverfolk Company's turn is structured into three phases:

Birdsong

• If your Payments box is empty, place two warriors in it.
• If you have any trade posts on the map, score one victory point per two funds (warriors in the Funds box).
• Move all warriors on your faction board to the Funds box.

Daylight

During Daylight, you can take actions by spending and committing funds (warriors in your Funds box). When you spend a fund, return the warrior to its owner's supply. When you commit a fund, move the warrior to the Commitments box.

• Move: Commit a fund to take a move.
• Battle: Commit a fund to initiate a battle.
• Craft: Commit funds to craft a card from your hand. Instead of moving these warriors to the Commitments box, you must place them on empty spaces of the Trade Posts tracks matching the suits of the crafting cost.
• Draw: Commit a fund to draw a card.
• Recruit: Spend a fund to place a warrior in any clearing with a river.
• Establish Trade Post with Garrison: Spend two funds to place a trade post and a warrior in a clearing. You must spend funds of the faction who rules the chosen clearing. Each clearing may have only one trade post.

Evening

• If you have more than five cards in your hand, discard down to five.
• You may set the costs for your three services by moving the service markers on your Services tracks.

Note on Services: Any other player, at the start of their Birdsong, may buy one Riverfolk service plus another per clearing with a trade post and any of their pieces. The buyer pays for services by taking warriors from their own supply and placing them in the Riverfolk’s Payments box.

• Hand Card: The buyer takes a card from the Riverfolk’s hand and adds it to their hand.
• Riverboats: The buyer treats rivers as paths until the end of their turn.
• Mercenaries: During Daylight and Evening of this turn, the buyer treats Riverfolk warriors as their own for rule and battle.

Actions and How to Play

The Riverfolk Company's actions are primarily driven by spending and committing funds during Daylight. They also have unique abilities related to rivers and offering services.

River Movement

The Riverfolk are excellent Swimmers, so they treat rivers as paths, and they can move between clearings connected by a river regardless of who rules the origin or destination.

Services

The Riverfolk Company is a commercial faction that offers services to other players. They set the costs of their services during their Evening. Other players can purchase these services during their Birdsong.

Exporting

Instead of gaining a card’s listed crafting effect, you may discard the card and place a warrior in your Payments box.

Trade Disruption

Whenever a trade post is removed, remove half of your funds and return that trade post to the box. It cannot be rebuilt!

End of Game and Scoring

Consult the manual for details on the end of game trigger and scoring.

Tips for Winning

• The Riverfolk Company excels at establishing a presence across the map due to their ability to treat rivers as paths. Utilize this to expand your reach and build trade posts in strategic locations.
• Offering valuable services can generate income (warriors in your Payments box) and encourage other players to interact with you, potentially leading to beneficial trade-offs.
• Be mindful of Trade Disruption. Losing trade posts can significantly impact your funds and scoring potential, so protect them where possible.