Root
October 2, 2020 | ≈ 456 words | Root
Thoughts on Root
Ok so basically root is possibly one of the most frustrating games for me to deal with. it’s a game that is inherently competitive, with each vastly different faction displaying its point generation as clearly as they display their actions which are themselves simple to grok at a glance; but even with this description, root at its core is a chaotic and unfair game. it’s a game that is grossly unbalanced and the balance is determined by players. there is no game of root that would allow all players to simply sit and generate points and compare sheets after an hour of silently concentrating. it is a game wholly satisfied with forcing players to hit each other while showing its hand as if it say that it never actually told you to do so. my problem with root is that it forced me to get over it. it forced me to get over myself and stop hating the chaos. instead of looking at the game and expecting a determined set of actions with a determined winner, i learned to enjoy each passing action which affects the next, like seeing the first falling flower petal cause ripples in a shallow pond
almost every competitive game has a winner and the winner is almost always the best player. chess has a winner, poker has a winner, and by all accounts root also has a winner; but the winner in root will not always make sense. it will be unfair. it will be frustrating. it will come out of nowhere, but it will be the person to come out on top, a lot like a person who jumps into a brawl last to take the least of the brunt. but the cleverness of the game is that the mechanics of the game do not exhibit such underhanded play. every action is so direct in its meaning. Use one action to move twice. Assign 2 cards to increase your tempo by 2 actions for the rest of the game until turmoil. Attack your ally to turn them hostile for extra points for casualties. They do exactly what they say on their own. The cleverness comes from the fact that in the context of the game, each player contributes their effort into making the game impossible to predict. 2 movements become a rapid retreat instead of a full frontal attack giving the birds breathing room to Add 2 recruit actions to double bird production, which stirs the raccoon to trim the fat, moving to attack their ally which gives the rebellious mice and foxes a reason to finally explode into a militarized force. such simple, clear actions causing massive ripples in what was once a clear pond.