Root Faction Ranking - All 8 of them

[@TheAtticus19]

I like to think that the corvids are underpowered in Root to compensate for the fact that they’re overpowered in Wingspan.

[@LordoftheBoard]

I love this assessment 😂

[@MiltiadesSpyrou]

They also do surprisingly well in 5 player games

[@Eckendenker]

I think the Vagabond is a great pick for the game owner. You can explain the game while playing it and keep the balance of the game.

[@shobooknight]

I definitely agree.

[@wilby31]

My personal ranking (in terms of enjoyment): 1) Birds - love growing and maintaining an epic sequence of actions 2) Lizards - love being under the radar and popping off while the rest of the table are dealing with each other 3) Cats - so tough, love the challenge 4) Duchy - so many different ways to play 5) Woodland Alliance - the explosive late game is so good its sinful 6) Vagabond - super strong, so many options - its hard to lose with these little loners 7) Riverfolk - have a hard time connecting with the salesperson behavior that makes this faction shine 8) Corvid - haven't had a chance to play yet (so this may very well change)

[@bat-orgilganzorig5825]

Where is rats and white and black stuff

[@wilby31]

@@bat-orgilganzorig5825 great question! I hadn’t played Marauder when I wrote this comment and only tried Keepers once since then. Still haven’t tried Lord of the Hundreds yet. Will try to remember to share my thoughts once I get a few reps in with each.

[@Kylosgrande]

hey what factions would you ude for a fun 4 and 6 player game?

[@dexter2392]

My favorite faction is the Duchy. In the right hands, they're a steamroller. They're the only faction that can convert revealing (not spending) cards into bonus actions, and for that reason, if you defend your buildings well and never lose ministers, you'll reach a growth rate higher than any other faction (except the Vagabond, fuck the Vagabond).

[@LordoftheBoard]

Good faction for sure :)

[@atmmachine11]

I have had Root since 2020 (I got it as a birthday gift that year) and finally played it for the first time last week and fell in love. I went ahead and already bought my first expansion, the underworld expansion. The art style and meeples are enough to make me want to collect them all.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Its just so good...

[@atmmachine11]

@@LordoftheBoard Everyone who I’ve let play with me is now also obsessed! It’s become a weekly thing for us.

[@astod7792]

When it comes to power rankings, I would modify your order slightly: 1. Moles -- untouchable defenders 2. Vagabond -- Runaway leaders 3. Otters -- Everyone wants to buy (as you said) 4. Alliance -- Good for the reasons you said 5. Eyrie -- Unpredictable 6. Marquise -- Not enough actions/turn 7. Corvid -- Bad for the reasons you said 8. Lizards -- No direct means of attack

[@drewbakka5265]

One thing I learned is that woodland is a hard counter to moles Dutchy, like irl moles need big hands and outrage can constantly take cards that would otherwise give you ministers and buildings

[@nitrorev]

Been waiting for more Root content from you! I feel the same way about the Vagabond as you. I enjoy playing them because those late game item puzzles can be really fun to solve (with the non-OP Vagabonds) but they don't really feel like an area control game. They simply don't have a stake in the board state like the rest of the factions do. I'm super curious as to where you'll rank the Marauder factions. Hope to catch you in the forest again soon!

[@LordoftheBoard]

The marauder factions are certainly in the mix here. I made a list with them included but felt I needed more time with them to make an educated decision

There's one rule I'd like to change for VB. I'd apply the discarding of over-capacity items rule before everything is repaired in the forest. This way other players have a chance to weaken the VB and VB has to negotiate with others a lot more. Right now VB can betray easily and the best that another player can do to get back at them is to force them to skip a turn, but at the cost of using up most of their turn themselves.

[@nitrorev]

@ I think that might be a little too punishing. It would be too easy for the table to take multiple swings at the VB and force them to damage everything including bags and then they'd be forced to discard potentially 6+ items. And the fact that items are component limited, they can possibly never recover from such a blow. Despot Infamy and the Quest Freshener are the only changes needed for the vagabond to be fun, viable and not overpowered in my opinion.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Good news! I just wrapped up filming a new updated ranking :) hope you enjoy!

[@AlluMan96]

The funny part is that, while you mention that the Marquise can be incredibly head-scratching for a starting player, I'd still say they kinda are the best beginner class regardless. At least, as far as the core box in concerned. Really, for a beginner, armies are generally gonna be better for the sake of getting to interact with more of the game, as Vagabond kinda plays his own game, ignoring large chunks of the rest of the game and the Alliance *really* favours having knowledge of game-states beforehand. That leaves the Eryie and Marquise and between them, I think the cats are sheerly more beginner-friendly for one reason; Room for error and freedom. When tackling with the mechanics of the game, the cats are allowed to go at their own pace, figure stuff out by doing them and if they make mistakes along the way, it's straightforward to carry on. The Eryie's decrees kinda guides your hand and can make you feel railed into decisions, when you aren't making them consciously and while mistakes among those decisions for cats generally means reconsider and rebuild, Eryie are happy to just let you freefall into a death-spiral, as the humiliations rack up and you gotta figure out how to pick up after your broken game-state without much room to breathe.

[@LordoftheBoard]

I agree! Not core box I would say it’s Corvids and Cats 🐈

[@annemion]

After year of owning the Root, I have finally managed to play one game for each faction and I got my list a bit different from yours. However thank you for the great insights into the inner workings of the different factions and your personal view. 1. vagabond - I love that you can win the game nonviolently if you choose to. No other faction has that. 2. lizard cult - great mix of big meeple numbers and sort of a similar strategy things as Woodland aliance. 3. marquis the cat - straig forward rules, easy to teach new players, great power in numbers. 4. underground dutchy - cute, great options in point scoring. You can choose to be either more defensive or offensive which for me gives a good variability. 5. eyrie dynasties - straight forward rules, power in numbers and the necesity to plan really far ahead... that is both nice and terrible at the same time. 6. riverfolk company - I love that they bring the water element in the game, however they are underpowered faction when playing on the lake map and the greatest weekness is that you are dependant on other players wanting to buy something from you. If they simply choose not to, you are completely lost and have a very little chance of winning. 7. corvid conspiracy - I still struggle with this one. The plots are really interesting mechanism, but you need to e subtle enough to keep others occupied between themselves and to overlook you. It worked better for me if there were more than 4 players in the game so it is easier to get lost among all the fuss on the board. 8. woodland alliance - the most confusing set of rules in the whole game, difficult to teach new players, very slow raise to power, probably the most difficult faction for me to win with and I really do not like that they have a very small nubers of possible soldiers to fight with so it is easy for other to smite them off the board.

[@usmansabir3897]

I really like playing with vagabond, it feels so much more like an RPG game all of a sudden.

[@EntropyGuardian]

I love the lizards and how they work. I just played the moles for the first time and was pleasantly surprised they worked fairly similarly.

[@LordoftheBoard]

The revealing mechanic is a nice similarity!

[@BossGaming-vg6zh]

Thanks for making this video! Personally, I think that the Erie are number 1 because their ability to lose points really does not hinder them that much, and they can get a TON of points really fast! Keep up the great vids!

[@morgski]

My enjoymentometer: 1) Corvids 2) Riverfolk 3) Lizards 4) Eyrie 5) Cats 6) Moles 7) WA 8) Vagabond (unless it's the Vagrant, then it's middle of the pack)

[@llainy]

Thank you for all the amazing content, including the Villainous videos as well! I’d love to see a ranking of all the different hirelings!

[@BakedGoods]

Great list Sam. You made a ton of really good points! The Otters will forever be #1 in my heart except my friends never buy from me so it doesn’t always work out 😭 I’m excited for the Marauder factions and how they will change the game!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Really stoked to get more plays of them in! ✊🏽thank you so much friend

[@mistercookboom1899]

This video made it clear which expansion I should get. with the overall good reviews and cheaper price, I know which to get.

[@LordoftheBoard]

So glad I could help out!

[@Urankeksbaecker]

Definitely agree with you on the power ranking, and can relate to your personal favorites mostly. My big discrepancy there is that I would swap the positions of WA and CC. I enjoy the Corvids a lot and that's probably due to playing Root mostly with beginners and intermediate players who tend to counter them poorly or ignore them until it's too late.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Well said!

[@Seryn88]

Nice rundown, as someone relatively new to the game was great to get a top down overview. Though I imagine relative power changes quite a bit based on experience and group dynamics.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Oh yeah rankings are a joke. That’s why I do a personal ranking. Because everybody has their own table with personal experiences.

[@LordoftheBoard]

I would say that these are generally where I would box them as difficulty in winning. Because some are just harder to play and be good at I would say. Its good framework but at the end of the day play who you are gonna play! :)

[@Seryn88]

@@LordoftheBoard That's a great way of framing it! I'm looking forward to exploring them all :)

[@bgt2701]

Super awesome and insightful list Sam!!!! This list definitely reflect high level plays, as factions with more strategic options become more consistent. Poor Corvid :( ... although we find them to be stronger with the starting plot token (ADSET) in lower reach lineups Otter also have a relatively hard time in our play group, they usually don't get much purchases early-mid game and some times get hit by eyrie/mole to make it even harder to put down trading posts I thought WA would definitely come higher on the list, u love them XD

[@LordoftheBoard]

I mean they are top of the list 🤩 but yeah I just see there weakness can be exploited easier than those higher in my opinion. However I absolutely love them and am good with them I have found. 💯

[@Reggie1408]

Would love to see more Root Digital playthroughs on your channel!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Okay! 🎉 thanks for that

[@listeningtomovies553]

Yes please!

[@BlueTorchWeddings]

Great list!! I only have the core set And the vagabond is my favourite so far 1. vagabond 2. Eyrie 3. Woodland Alliance 4. Cats I love them all though. Very interesting game and my favourite game at the moment

[@hugopascal9332]

Agrees with most of the list. Would crank up the Eyrie but appart from that you are spot on. love your vids man

[@LordoftheBoard]

Thank you :)

[@JesterOnCrack]

Vagabond is definitely the oddball faction and I'm glad Rats are around to also make use of items. I think there are ways to play around Vagabond such as holding off on crafting powerful items or using them as a punching bag for your battle decree as the Eyrie. Overall Vagabond is still so hard to interact with though - attacking them doesn't even net you any points so why waste the actions?

[@LordoftheBoard]

Exactly. the incentive to stop the VB isn't there. It would be cool if you got points for damaging any Slotted items like Coins / Bags or Root Tea

[@erwanmuro887]

Great list! I love all the factions but at the end of the day it really is a matter of strategy and luck, I do feel like they all have a good chance of winning :) That makes Root as awesome as it is!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Very true!

[@chardrive]

Vagabond is just so nutty so I can see why it’s so low on the fun tier list for you. In my experience it’s annoying at times Because it’s so strong and nobody knows how to stop them, and halfway through the game if everyone else was disrupting the other players with meeples because it LOOKED like they were winning, it’s already to late to stop vagabond. Woodlands alliance is my favorite faction personally. I’m really excited for the warlords too tho

[@chardrive]

@Młotkowy Kultysta I have a few friends that always attack me regardless of whether its smart or not because they'd rather have us both lose than have me win lmaoo. So my woodland alliance has a hard time winning if vagabond is in because none of the high reach factions bother attacking vagabond and I cant as easily. Then they get like 17 points in one turn and win. Its because theyve seen me also get that many points in the end and win lol, but I'll deadass tell people vag is gonna win when his turn starts if they attack me and still they attack the small creatures of the woodland smh

[@russellbyrd]

Thanks for the video! I hope you will add to it or make another one where Lord of the Hundreds and Keepers in Iron are in it too.

[@TimChuon]

REDEMPTION FOR MY NUMBER 2!! HAHAH! redemption as in this faction was ranked 15 for the meeple list 😂😂😂😂 dude this video was epic man! for sure, one of my most anticipated from you and was pleasantly surprised throughout!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Haha I thought you would appreciate that! 👍🏽 thanks brother

[@JustinDynamicD]

I think the power of Alliance is directly corelated to which deck you use. On the OG deck they are the undisputed kings of playing favor cards and as a result a VERY powerful faction. Removing favor cards affects them more than anyone else, as the woodland alliance is the only faction that can basically spend cards to spread sympathy in birdsong (and getting to ignore ruling making blocking them impossible) then craft with that sympathy in daylight to play favor cards and wipe clearings with regularity. Add in their own uprisings that also wipe clearings, and they can be VERY powerful.

[@SirNichosis]

Love that the first is last 😂 I really enjoy the vegabond and it's probably number two for me. I haven't played the expansions yet so I cant make a definitive list. Great video as always! Love to see more Root content.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Quite biblical isn’t it? The first shall be last, and the last shall be first? Thanks so much for watching! ❤️

[@oerthling]

I generally prefer games without the Vagabond. Atmosphere-wise it's a fun and interesting faction. But I dislike the limited interaction. Vagabond cares a lot about items that nobody else (before Lord of Hundred) really cared about.

[@Eidenhoek]

How to make corvids more fun: -Mandatory CACAW after every move. -Steal people's chips.

[@maxmustermann-zx9yq]

gotta love meta-game language for games, sounds pretty funny out of context: "smol mol or swol mol, that is the question here"

[@Joawwhn]

Love it! Will you be doing an updated one with the lords of hundreds and the badgers? Can't remember their actual name

[@jakebrill5990]

I finally got to play tinker vagabond last night and I completely agree with you. Vagabond can definitely contend with any faction, but I don't think I'm gonna want to play with them again. Too different from what everyone else is doing.

[@Telon1984]

I would really like this see this video including the marauders factions

[@dabonto8130]

Could we get an updated list with the marauder expansion? Love the content!!

[@LordoftheBoard]

That’s a smart idea!

[@christopherdunckel449]

Interesting commentary; wish I had the time (and people) to play as often to get a bigger sample size. Personal thoughts (and this is assuming always 4 player) Power: 1 VB (for everything you said) 2 Duchy (as you said, so many ways to win, and can really tank the game with their recruiting) 3 Eyrie (agree, but i also feel one of the factions most subject to the RNG of the card draw) 4 WA (even when attacked, gain strength) 5 Otter (too dependent on other players. If no one buys and the table ignores you, very hard to win) 6 Lizard (similar to otters; if others arent attacking you, you can be pigeon holed into just a few clearings that make it hard to win) 7 Cats (easiest to play, hardest to win IMO. everyone attacks you, you can rarely surge, and without bird cards, low action) 8 Corvid (for everything you said) Personal: 1 Otters (love being a game manager and telling other people what they can do, but at least with this faction it benefits me) 2 Eyrie (straightforward, and can really ruin other people's day) 3 Duchy (same as above, but more complicated) 4 Cats (IMO, a well played cat is necessary for a great game; someone's gotta take the bullet, but it's always fun trying to figure out the puzzle 5 Lizards (hit or miss) 6 Corvid (fun to play, but too many games end as an also-ran) 7 WA (I prefer dealing in soldiers than cardboard) 8 VB (as you said... feels like you're playing a different game)

[@LordoftheBoard]

Love yours lists! :) thanks for watching and sharing

[@tortture3519]

I think the cats require the most game sense. Calculating how quickly the Eyrie will get to your places, so you can set up the perfect chokepoints to hold them off. Preventing woodland alliance from getting a foothold at the crucial spots. Accounting for when and how the vagabond could fuck you up. The more factors they have to account for, the worse the cats are, because they usually lose crucial building spots to each of the other factions. Conversely, the WA is really weak in smaller games. Other players have more resources to spend on messing their game up early. The WA isn't strong in terms of raw power, so if one player in a three player game is steam rolling, it can be difficult for them to do anything about that.

[@GIVEPAUSEhobby]

Okay… Sam… *breathes deeply* I’m _finally_ getting to this video (sorry!) and I know you have the TW at the top but when you announced #8 I couldn’t help but let out a full on “what!?” I haven’t even listened to your reasoning yet, so I think this is gonna be a fun watch…

[@LordoftheBoard]

Haha what did you think ? :)

[@JedrekVRoscoe]

Very interesting. I’ve found the river folk to be the weakest and my least favorite because everyone I play with are so engrossed in their own rules, engine, and strategies that the river folk never get to trade anything. Not a single thing. Ever-with the exception when I felt bad for the river folk player once when I was the woodland alliance and gave them a couple of my tokens. Absolute worst faction to give up tokens since they only have 10 dudes. Needless to say neither of us won that game.

[@TheAntiSanta]

1. The Dragon 2. The Lizard Cult 3. Everyone else

[@LordoftheBoard]

I accept this

[@dcrbdh]

given how close this video was to the expansion and the availability of the print n play I'm surprised to not see the Rats and Badgers

[@LordoftheBoard]

The expansion was only on TTS and I just hadnt played them enough to rank them! but ill be doing another at some point!

[@birdistheword1472]

The despot leader for the eyrie is not a good late game leader because his loyal vizier is in the build decree. You would turmoil very quickly if you pick him up in the late game after turmoiling with another leader.

[@LordoftheBoard]

It just depends on your stage of the game. No turmoil Despot is a really popular strategy.

[@gornothdragnbone5898]

Amazing video man! I'm hoping you make a list including the newest expansion once you've got enough games in :)

[@amansparekh]

My favourite are the moles, and then the eyrie and then lizards

[@spitfire4209]

My rank 1. Moles 2. Vagabond 3. Cats 4. Woodland Alliance 5. Corvids 6. Lizards 7. Riverfolk 8. Birds

[@Leo-ww5lf]

Nice video! Looking forward when the Marauder expansion is released! Hireling ranking?

[@LordoftheBoard]

Oo for sure. I’ll be doing on! 3)

[@Doolin_Tablenauts]

The Vagabond is easily the most winner faction with my group. We ban Tinkerer because it just seems way too strong. I love all the factions too, and this was a great video as always Sam!! We need to play again sometime soon! :)

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yes are you back and available to play? Let’s get a game going! Discord me brother

[@patrickwall6316]

Great video, a Maria review sometime? I noticed it in the background and I had to grab a copy based on some glowing reviews 😁

[@LordoftheBoard]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGGqloijr5iEftk head to the chapter “I’m getting into Wargames” and you will find out my plans :)

[@patrickwall6316]

@@LordoftheBoard awesome thanks!

[@JS-dz1uy]

My favorite is Corvids- I know they’re weak, but the table talk and deception is my favorite part- Second is Vagabond, due to the RPG type play style.

[@ilikebricks]

Great video! I wonder how the rankings might change once: a) The Marauder expansion comes out? b) The Underworld Expansion characters are released on the app? I'm a big Duchy fan and I can't wait for them to make it to the app (he says, in hope....!)

[@SFuruli]

I will be playing Corvid a lot when they come out in Root Digital. 🐦❤️

[@LordoftheBoard]

We shall see! :)

[@goodhorsehymn]

Oh I hope the Underworld expansion comes to the app soon!

[@twisterstrudel4931]

Love the list! And is very well articulated as to how powerful each of these factions are! We actually have very similar tastes in faction preferences! Only I would probably move Eyrie down a bit and Corvid up a lot more!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Always love to when others can agree! :)

[@teohahs9464]

I only chose to play Root cause I loved the idea of the Vagabond character, but it definitely feels like it belongs to its own mini game

[@LordoftheBoard]

There are some tournament rules that make the character a more engaging choice!

[@Dule810]

Love the list, I adore asymmetric board games!

[@LordoftheBoard]

The best! :D

[@kringfish4078]

Warlord and Keepers gonna shake things up!

[@LordoftheBoard]

They already have. But I purposely didn’t include them. They make more Reach heavy factions more competitive.

[@jouglas6695]

A fellow lizard lover? Catch this sub. Great content as usual.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Thank you and welcome 🙌🏽

[@Thungon]

I've only *really* played Root with Adset and Marauder's factions in the pool, so I'd love to see it redone once the two new ones are seen/played a bit more :) Personal Ranking (Jan 2022): 1) Crows (Lost city is the buff they need!) 2) Badgers (Retinue > Decree all day every day. I also love card wealth) 3) Otters (Like I said, I like card wealth lol. Plus the options!) 4) Cats (I disagree that they are for beginners... you need to understand Root pacing... AND general RTS knowledge. After that, they're a blast) 5) Rats (It's fun to oppress the board) 6) Vagabond (The puzzles! I do like VB puzzles) 7) Eyrie (One of the strongest, but managing 10 cards in Move is a heavy pass lol) 8) Lizards (I do like 25 units, I greatly dislike zero moves/battles) 9) Moles (Not my theme, not my color, not my style) 10) Woodland alliance (I play Green in EVERY other game... but I just... Toast isn't in my heart)

[@SFuruli]

What's the lost city buff? 🐧

[@Thungon]

@@SFuruli it's a "landmark" in the marauders expansion that turns one clearing into a clearing "of all suits for any purposes".. Which means crows recruit there every recruit. :) In other words, it's 5 crows per recruit for 2 of the suits, and the standard 4 crows for the suit the landmark replaced.

[@SFuruli]

@@Thungon Oh yea, it's the name of that Landmark! Good point! Now I must have that in every game!

[@Thungon]

@@SFuruli every game... You play as crows ;D

[@LordoftheBoard]

Love this list! and yes - practically all the games i've seen them win involved the lost city. My only thing would be that its not a requirement in setup. So I am keen to see how they improve over all with buffs like a landmark! :)

[@argnyne]

Personal ranking: Yes yes, very good and fair. My regards to you, good sir. Power ranking: ...Are you okay? Do you need help? Blink twice if you're under duress

[@LordoftheBoard]

Look Crow Stan…

[@argnyne]

@@LordoftheBoard While I mourn the inevitable fate of my beloved dumpster darlings, the fear you hold for VB and Otters reveals the decadent pacifism of your table

[@henriwhitehead]

Great video!

[@LordoftheBoard]

Hey thanks Henri!

[@3MBG]

Prediction/my thoughts before watching the vid, based on the one's i've played only. 6. Lizards 5. Cat 4. Eyrie 3. Woodland 2.Otters 1.Vagabond

[@3MBG]

Yeah, fair points on Woodland, I can see them swapping places with the Eyrie based on your comments. Asides from that, looks like we are on the same page. Lol. That said, I don't enjoy playing the Eyrie very much at all. Id' also go Woodland and Lizards as my 2 favs to play, even though lizards kinda stink :)

[@LordoftheBoard]

Amazing guesses! We think very much the same on all this. Thank you so much for watching J. You gotta try the duchy and corvids now :)

[@3MBG]

@@LordoftheBoard I definitely will at some point, my review of Root was done with Sam MacDonald's copy, and since then, if we have caught up we've played other games instead. (Most recently the first South Kingdom game). Root is a game I have never actually owned myself.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Ahh. Makes sense. Do you attend to ever? Also Now that Ive played Coin and read a few rulebooks, I’m noticing that there really is barely any rules overlap between root and coin games. But there is quite a bit of Terminology Overlap. And I’m almost wondering if it’s more of a spiritual love letter to coin games. And Oath is a love letter to pax games in a way.

[@3MBG]

@@LordoftheBoard Rules wise, almost no overlap at all. Conceptually and thematically, an awful lot. They are both their own take on the idea of irregular conflict.

[@zors5188]

Me who doesn't play Root: yes. Still fun to listen to! :D

[@LordoftheBoard]

Haha this comment made my day 😂

[@lukassnakeman]

“The cat is the hardest faction to win the game with” Me: wins every time I play as the cat lol

[@LordoftheBoard]

That might be more due to your opponents and less to do with yourself! But that is cool. Traditional they are easy to stop by experienced players

[@StuffByBez]

Great overview! I'm curious to know your updated rankings with the 2 new factions added. :-) In terms of enjoyment, I like going for the ones I don't know so well (and I've only played 8/10 factions). I avoid the Eyrie because I've won so many times with them, but if I could only play one thing, it might be them. I love the tense puzzle. I also love the interaction that the Riverfolk bring to any game so they'd probably be my #2.

[@LordoftheBoard]

I love these thoughts! I love root because nowadays I go into a game and want a random faction. I’ll enjoy the puzzle of any situation given to me. Also new ranking is up! kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6a9fKx3jdhjpa8 hope you enjoy :)

[@huuphuctranmai9610]

Nice video ! I love playing the woodland alliance 🤟

[@ABoredGamer]

Love the StarCraft reference. I always play Zerg. 👍

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yessss. Getting that swarm vibe just makes me so happy

[@Tyler_Ruben05]

Great video today 👍

[@joaobarbosa576]

Hello, love your videos and beats! Keep going! One question, which classes you recommend for beginners? Thank you very much

[@aaabbb-zc7sx]

in my opinion,corvid conspiracy is meant to be a counter to factions that are heavily reliant on cards.they are not supposed to do well.they have a high skill floor,and an even higher skill celling

[@winstonschenck3749]

Great video, although I will say I was surprised that you ranked the otters so high. Personally I rank them middle of the pack as they are one of those factions that can be shut down very badly depending on the table. Otherwise my rankings matchup with vagabond 1st, Eyrie 2nd, Moles 3rd, Otters 4th, WA 5th (although Wa and otters are interchangeable depending on the factions in play), marquise 6th, lizards 7th, and corvids 8th. Maybe I just don't fully understand the Otterball strategy and how it works but even if you go the mafia boss route of forcing people to buy from you or else you'll attack them, it doesn't work against me unless I'm playing against the marquise or the corvids. I still rank them middle 4th as they have amazing potential for crafting but depending on the table, the otters can get shut down very easily and especially compared to the moles, who can turtle in 3-4 clearings and have 6 warriors spawning a turn, the otters feel a lot more vulnerable while factions like the eyrie and the moles can only be stopped by specific factions and vagabonds (such as the lizard cult/scoundrel). Anyways, if I'm missing something about the otters, please tell me as I would love to make them more prevalent at my table and love winning as factions players at my table consider "bad". Other than that, great video and I love it every time you post root content. Very excited for the rankings that include the marauder expansion which in my opinion will place on the higher end and I'm very excited to see the badgers as they will be very hard for newer players but have very high potential as with their relics alone they can already score more than 30 vp.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yeah I have watched so many games where they can just take it away. Mostly by just dropping trade posts at the clearing they are at. then moving all otters to a different clearing and repeat. Eventually you have a lot of warriors and trade posts on the map. Then you can craft like nobody's business. and if your opponents want to stop you from crafting they will have to pay 4 funds as you should have it costing that much. Either way its a win win.

[@winstonschenck3749]

@@LordoftheBoard Interesting, I could see how this could work. I'll try out the rampaging horde trick and see if it works. What would you say counters this strategy? What comes to mind is bomb abilities such as the corvids and the scoundrel but other than that I can't think of any off of the top of my head. Especially since it would be very hard to stop them from ruling a clearing as they can move along rivers.

[@summerstudios9881]

My opinion on most fun to oeast fun factions: 1. The riverfolk expansion 2. The Lizard cult 3. Corvid conspiracy 4. Eyrie dynasty 5. The woodland alliance 6. The underground dutchy 7. The french cats 8. Vagabond

[@LordoftheBoard]

Good list!

[@colinmallery50]

I personally absolutely hate playing the eerie. The only faction that can LOSE points. Me or any of my friends that have tried this game don’t even have fun playing them.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Dang! 😂 haha you gotta see them in action. Losing points means nothing when you have your engine properly running - so satisfying to have a planned turmoil.

[@faxanadu13]

My biggest complaint about vagabond is that when the time comes to stop the vagabond someone takes one for the team and doesn’t score any points for the damage. If a player has the option of attacking another player and scoring points or the vagabond for no points they will be reluctant to do so. This buys the vagabond so much time.

[@scottwhite512]

Not throwing shade, just so you know for the future, the "s" in Marquis is silent.

[@LordoftheBoard]

That is the pronunciation of the word marquis. But I am discussing the Marquise* de Cat. Which is the name of the faction in the game. And I pronounced it right :) common misconception

[@morgski]

Great work, thank you! Just out of interest, where would you put the Lord of the Hundreds and Keepers in Iron? Does AdSet change your ranking at all?

[@LordoftheBoard]

I am still working that out. Hence I didnt include just yet. But once i get more plays of each in I will do another. But im pretty sure Badger is in the 4th place area. and Rats are right below atm.

[@directassault1662]

Honestly, I think each Vagabond option needs to be ranked separately.

[@LordoftheBoard]

That would take a lot of time and the only ones I wouldnt rank at top tier would be Scoundrel / Vagrant and Adventurer. That’s why I personally didn’t do it.

[@Thungon]

@@LordoftheBoard Honestly, not a bad followup video idea...? :) Thief is my fav and top 2 VB to me.. I just can't say no to a starting tea lol

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

"If they can get even a few sales in the early game..." That's a big "if".

[@LordoftheBoard]

Even if they can’t. I see them win games due to just trade posting and Otterballing. But usually tables will buy at least once

[@SFuruli]

02:56 I don't understand why people keep calling the Lizard Cult a *religion* that worships a dragon *god*! :D There's no mention of religion or god on the faction board, within the Law, Learning to Play, or even design diary. There is however mention of a dragon *lord*. :) Cole says (in his design diary) that the Lizard Cult had religious inspiration, but ended up as a "politically motivated cult".

[@LordoftheBoard]

It’s a community joke. We all know their based heavily on Druidic religions. Also cults of course! Either way most cults worship something. So Mabye the community chose the dragon to be that something. I love root because there is no real set history on any of the factions. It’s all open ended. Whatever story you make could be the story.

[@SFuruli]

@@LordoftheBoard It's ok to make up the parts we don't know, but we know that they are not a religion, and only spread news of a dragon lord. That's as written. 😬 It's been a few years since I looked it up, so I became confused myself. I've never heard anyone lay it out as a joke. I've seen people talk about it as a fact and teach that to new players (like in this video), because that's what they were taught themselves. 😊 I also love that most of the lore in Root is left up to our imagination. When Starling Games began expanding on the lore in Everdell's universe it clashed with what I had imagined. Either way, thanks for taking the time to make us a video!

[@mitchw4374]

Nice video! I agree with the list for the most part. I am wondering how otters win in your games? For me, they don't seem that strong. You get 18 points from the TP, which means you need to find 12 points from attacking pieces or crafting cards, which IMO is not easy to do, and can be really dependent on the luck of the card draw. (I am assuming you don't go for dividends, since this seems like a dangerous and really bad strategy)

[@LordoftheBoard]

Mostly by just dropping trade posts at the clearing they are at. then moving all otters to a different clearing and repeat. Eventually you have a lot of warriors and trade posts on the map. Then you can craft like nobody's business. and if your opponents want to stop you from crafting they will have to pay 4 funds as you should have it costing that much. Either way its a win win.

[@mitchw4374]

@@LordoftheBoard I see, it just seems to take a while to get all the trade post out, and then you need the right cards to get enough points from crafting. If you get fed a ton of funds, it's doable, but if you don't it’s very hard to win with them IMO

[@LordoftheBoard]

@@mitchw4374 yeah. It seems like it would be. But I would certainly watch some tournament games if you get a chance. High level players we can see their strength.

[@LordoftheBoard]

@@mitchw4374 also everyone’s meta is different.

[@thenayancat8802]

Yeah, if you don't get fed you just die because you have to choose between actions and getting TPs out, then hope there's enough left to craft.

[@errata2412]

So where do you think the newer factions are???

[@ZeMidnightPepper]

I just started playing today, and frankly i mainly played the raccoon cause i like the animal (same reason why i would like to try the otters). i played as cats and birds and, oh boy, the birds seem to be the opposite of fun, very strict with the rules.. and losing all your points once the turmoil occurs makes it so punishing so i was wondering why everyone has the birds in such a high place

[@KitSixty322]

I think the main thing is the trade off. The fun is in getting the puzzle right. If you do, you have the potential for a larger action economy than anyone else on the board. It’s about treading that dangerous line, how far can you push your luck before getting too big for your boots?

[@LordoftheBoard]

They def can be tough being the only faction that loses points, however it is rewarding that they can have some amazing action economy and powerful leader capabilites!

[@marekcmonster1937]

I think the corvid needs another win condition

[@LordoftheBoard]

That would be cool! :)

[@finkelzo]

Great list/s, but where's the Root mug? Also, I wonder if you don't like the Corvid for similar reasons you don't like the Vagabond

[@LordoftheBoard]

Actually thats a really solid point. They can just move with no puzzle to solve there. That is a great point! I got the Root mug from Kyle Ferrins Threadless store. Just google that and you will find it :)

[@SFuruli]

00:59 Corvid's Exposure is a bit harder than guessing and spending a card though. :) First you need to have a piece in the clearing with the plot token you're guessing, then you need to show a *matching* card. If you don't have a card matching the clearing, you're not guessing. If your piece is on the opposite side of the board, you're not guessing. I agree with all the systemic issues that have been outlined for the Corvids on BGG though, but just like with Marquise I'm seeing Corvid players do some really inefficient builds. So, again like Marquise, I don't think all the judgements are fair. I still find the Lizard Cult to be a harder faction to win with.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yeah but that is only 1 of my issues with them. The other being the fact that it’s clearly signaled at any point of the game just how much they can score. And removing warriors ensures they can’t even flip plots if they wanted next turn. Also exposure sucks because it’s an option. I would prefer it not to exist really. It’s sad there’s a way to just remove them without going through warriors. But I get you! I’m seeing improvements with adset as well!

[@SFuruli]

@@LordoftheBoard I don't disagree with you. I don't like Exposure as it is either. But it was designed as an option for factions that can't easily perform battles. My wish would be that a wrong guess instantly flips the token and allows the Corvid to score.

[@LordoftheBoard]

@@SFuruli that would be a fun balancing act. :)

[@ElzariusUnity]

I personally don't play with vagabond in the game. They most of the times simply don't have a place in the game of diplomacy and tactics.

[@LordoftheBoard]

I appreciate that they are in the game. Just not for me. Also they do have a bit of Diplomacy and Tactics on a high level play. Watch some tournament games and it may change your mind. But def not who I like to play

[@nicholasrawlins7115]

Great video, thanks! BTW, it’s pronounced “markee” de cat, not mar-keese. That matters because the name is a play on words, mar-kee-de-cat, like kitty cat. 😅 Get it? It’s a silly pun, but a pun nonetheless.

[@LordoftheBoard]

Haha I get this all the time. But actually I am correct in its pronunciation. Marquis would be pronounced "Markee". But the faction is Marquise De Cat. Which is "Markeez" and is the female version of Marquis. Ive stood on this rock so many times its pretty funny but I studied french for bit so I think I got the right one! Thanks for watching! and take this knowledge to the world, somehow i'm in the minority.

[@nicholasrawlins7115]

@@LordoftheBoard Interesting 🤔. That destroys the pun… seems like an oversight to me.

[@apollo4294]

@@nicholasrawlins7115 it could be that they didnt want it to be an obvious pun?

[@l.denantes9450]

Otters in 2nd place??? Making them literally insignificant is however very easy: never overfeed them or - better and simpler - never ever buy from them (unless they sale for 1). Granted: lot of cats', reptiles' or birds' players often can't resist the temptation to, unfortunately; that's why otters are still played, I think... After 100s and 100s of games on Steam, I personally found that there is only one faction far ahead of all: the birds. In particular: if a despot maintains himself beyond mid game, the game is already over most of the time. Vagabond is indeed special. Though: sent back once or twice in the forest early game and/or still without tea past mid game, he's rather a poor pathetic wretch than an actual threat (with the possible exception of the arbiter).

[@LordoftheBoard]

If all my games were on steam I may agree with you. The lack of table talk on steam makes games very different balance wise. This list is representing my experience of live games, there is no communication so you can get birds just running with every game. That doesn’t happen as much in live games, and some digital. But mostly live or full faction combination TTS games. The tournaments as well.

[@nitrorev]

It's fine to buy from Otters every now and again. Never buying at all is not a great policy because A) their services could be very good and B) you might want them to be a bit beefy in the mid-game to help stop a runaway leader. They key is knowing how much buying is too much and balancing your purchases with hitting the otters occasionally so they don't get out of control. You don't even have to worry about getting ambushed because you see their hand. Don't forget that they also get 2 free warriors per turn so buying a very useful card for 2 or even 3 when their funds are empty is pretty safe because the profit margin is still pretty slim, but certainly buying something when they've already made a sale this turn is giving them a lot.

[@Duskull666]

Hi Great video! I've been meaning to get into Root for a while now and I wanted to ask you in what order do you recommend buying the expansions?

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yes I do! Rn Underworld Expansion is a great asset to the base game. But Marauder coming out this year will be my go to second expansion probably.

[@williammcneil2045]

how can you not love the little trash panda ?

[@LordoftheBoard]

I mean…. Pretty cute for sure 👀

[@thesidehustlehero]

Where are the rats? Aren't they paired with the Duchy?

[@gaberobison680]

The digital version is impossible to play the alliance in. The vagabond HATES you despite the optimal play being for him to help you as you are the weakest faction at game start. They will literally use their crossbow on my sympathy over a Cats unguarded Recruiting Station! That’s CRAZY

[@nandohenriques2975]

Every single time I've played, the Marquise have won, no way they're so weak.

[@tijnhollanders6932]

Where would you place the rats and badgers in these rankings?

[@drago939393]

Are the bots/clockwork just like "AI"? Also, updated list when? :D

[@LordoftheBoard]

Yea! They work very similar to how the standard factions operate! Haha I hope soon. Gotta play some more badgers and rats before I release it!

[@bayes7832]

love it! but poor corvids :(

[@LordoftheBoard]

I still love the corvids

[@michaelalmaraz3750]

Hey, is it worth it buying the OnLive version on steam? I have the board game but no one plays it with me, is there a lot of people matchmaking there?

[@LordoftheBoard]

I believe it is worth it! I can find a game almost anytime of the day :)

[@maazzzable]

I have a questiom what is the norm of playing advanced? Like is advance rule the one for more competitive play? And is for tournement do people play regular or advanced?

[@LordoftheBoard]

If you want a more competitive game and setup - play with the advanced rules. However the regular setup works fine and is still fun :) so it’s just preference

[@SFuruli]

Woodland Alliance is a faction I want to love. They have beautiful green pieces, and their theme is unique and fits so well on the board. It's just that their strategy feels the same every game. "Do A, then B, then C, then D". Spread sympathy, build a base, recruit warriors, move warriors, organize warriors. The faction presents no other route to take. And you're completely at the mercy of hoping opponents don't attack you, and hoping opponents keep each other down. And if that doesn't happen, you're stuck on trying to build a base the entire game, and you could tell who was going to win by round 3 because nobody did anything about it. And when you're left alone, "Do A, then B, then C, then D". :)

[@LordoftheBoard]

Obviously I disagree here. As they are my favorite and no one game has felt the same for me. 😂 but hey that’s why it’s great.

[@Janisurai]

In our games corvids have the highest win rate so far

[@LordoftheBoard]

Thats great! :)

[@malogibeaux4946]

I think you can't really rank the factions in root, it depends on how you play them

[@LordoftheBoard]

But I just did? 👀 haha jk. But yeah totally. Like I said in the beginning it’s opinion. And we can look at tournament stats and come to some conclusions that some factions are just easier to win with. Not necessarily better.

[@ZephyrHill]

will you do new video when maruarder comes out?

[@LordoftheBoard]

YES - at some point for sure!

[@zugabdu1]

I think the Riverfolk Company are dramatically weaker at a table with inexperienced players who don't know how to interact with them - they end up getting boycotted and ignored. Why help another faction if you don't understand how helping them helps you?

[@LordoftheBoard]

Definitely