The Ludarium Academy · Masterclass · Free

Four Factions, One Forest

An unofficial Root course

Learn Root and teach it in one sitting, master each base faction, then climb to battle odds, dominance, the faction draft, and your first Root tournament.

Free, one short lesson at a time. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy

An abstract Root setup on the Autumn map: twelve clearings linked by simplified paths. The Marquise keep and a sawmill sit in the top-left corner, with a workshop and a recruiter in the clearings next to it and one Marquise warrior in every clearing except the bottom-right corner. The Eyrie roost and six warriors hold the bottom-right corner, and the Vagabond pawn stands in a forest. A side panel lists the scores at 0, the 12-item supply, three cards for each player, the Alliance's three supporters, the Vagabond's three quests, and the four ruins.Free printable teach sheetSetup, a turn, scoring, and three tips on one page.

Six levels, 21 lessons

Start with lesson one

  1. Level 0 · Learn to play

    Sapling

    After this level: Set up, teach, and finish a four-faction game with the shared rules right and nobody lost on their own faction board.

    1. 01How to Play Root
    2. 02How to Teach Root
    3. 03Root Rules New Players Get Wrong

  2. Level 1 · Beginner

    Forager

    After this level: Play each of the four base factions with a plan: how it scores, what it fears, and what its first turns should do.

    1. 04Root Marquise de Cat Strategy: Wood, Workshops, and Rule
    2. 05Root Eyrie Dynasties Strategy: Build a Decree That Holds
    3. 06Root Woodland Alliance Strategy: Sympathy, Outrage, and Revolt
    4. 07Root Vagabond Strategy: Items, Aid, Quests, and Hostility

  3. Level 2 · Intermediate

    Pathfinder

    After this level: Pick fights with known odds, craft with purpose, read who is leading, and set up fair games at two and three players.

    1. 08Root Battle Odds: What the Dice Really Do
    2. 09Root Cards and Crafting: What to Make and What to Hold
    3. 10Root Table Talk: Reading Threat, Making Deals, and Kingmaking
    4. 11Root at Two and Three Players: Faction Mixes That Work

  4. Level 3 · Advanced

    Warden

    After this level: Time a dominance card, track ambushes and hands, count every faction's race to 30, and build balanced games with expansion factions.

    1. 12Root Dominance Cards: When to Switch, and How to Stop It
    2. 13Root Card Tracking: Ambushes, Hands, and the Discard Pile
    3. 14The Root Endgame: Counting the Race to 30
    4. 15Root Expansion Factions: Building a Fair Mix

  5. Level 4 · Tournament ready

    Contender

    After this level: Draft factions under Advanced Setup, play any map with its landmarks, and know the Exiles and Partisans deck that events use.

    1. 16Root Advanced Setup: The Faction Draft
    2. 17Root Maps and Landmarks: Winter, Lake, Mountain, and More
    3. 18The Root Exiles and Partisans Deck: What Changes

  6. Level 5 · The championship path

    Champion

    After this level: Find a Root tournament, practice online with purpose, and follow a six-week plan into your first competitive event.

    1. 19Competitive Root: Tournaments, WBC, and Where to Play
    2. 20Practicing Root Online: Digital Play and Bots
    3. 21A Six-Week Practice Plan for Tournament Root

Every lesson is free to read here, any time. Sign up and they also arrive by email, one at a time, so the course keeps you learning between game nights.

Who it is for

  • New players who want the shared rules clear before they pick a faction.
  • Hosts who teach Root and want the whole table playing by the second round.
  • Players who keep losing with one faction and want to know why.
  • Groups ready for expansion factions, tournaments, or online play.
Players
2 to 4
Play time
60 to 90 minutes
Ages
Ages 14 and up
Rules as of
The Law of Root (October 13, 2025) and the Learning to Play guide (Leder Games)

Questions

How many players does Root need?

The base game plays 2 to 4. The Learning to Play guide drops the Vagabond for three players, and also the Woodland Alliance for two, which leaves the Marquise de Cat against the Eyrie Dynasties. The expansions add factions and pieces for up to six.

What is the difference between the Law of Root and the Learning to Play guide?

The Learning to Play guide teaches the game in a friendly voice with many examples. The Law of Root is the complete, numbered reference. If they disagree, follow the Law, and if a card disagrees with the Law, follow the card.

How do you win Root?

The first player to reach 30 victory points wins immediately, even in the middle of a turn. A player with at least 10 points can instead activate a dominance card and win by meeting its goal, such as ruling three clearings of its suit, at the start of their Birdsong.

What does it mean to rule a clearing in Root?

You rule a clearing when you have more warriors and buildings there than any other player. Tokens and the Vagabond pawn do not count. On a tie nobody rules, except that the Eyrie rule clearings where they are tied for the most.

Can you play Root with two players?

Yes. The guide recommends the Marquise against the Eyrie, with the four dominance cards removed. It also suggests playing two games, swapping factions in between, and adding both scores to find the winner.

Teach sheet · PDF · Rules as described in the The Law of Root (October 13, 2025) and the Learning to Play guide (Leder Games); official rules.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or authorized by Leder Games. Root is a trademark of Leder Games.