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Riverfolk Company

The mercantile otters selling services and establishing trade dominance

Intermediate
Riverfolk
Economic Engine
Service Provider
River Control
Complexity
3/5
🎯 Win Condition

Score 30 points by placing trade posts (VP on faction board) and Dividends (1 VP per 2 funds in Birdsong)

⚙️ Crafting Method

Craft during Daylight by committing funds to empty spaces on Trade Posts tracks matching card suits

🎲 Starting Position

4 warriors in any clearings touching the river, 3 warriors in Payments box

Overview

The Riverfolk Company is a mercantile faction that profits by selling services to other factions. They establish trade posts along rivers to gain permanent presence and score points. Their unique economy allows them to score from both trade posts and accumulated funds.

Faction Board

Faction Board
Official player board reference from Root Wiki • Hover over phase sections for details
Riverfolk Company faction board
Hover to learn about each phase

🎓 Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Riverfolk Company Walkthrough

Setup & Early Sales

Maximize early fund generation and establish card economy. Start in river clearing you can craft from. Draft your hand publicly and negotiate with opponents about which cards they want to buy. Make as many early sales as possible and hold Warriors in funds box for passive policing.
•Price cards at 3 if hand is strong
•Strong hand = unspoken threat
•Negotiate during setup - your hand is public

Card Draw & Crafting Engine

Build the best card economy in the game. Use daylight actions to draw cards consistently and craft as many items as possible. Keep hand full of craftables and ambushes. Place trading posts ONE AT A TIME using own funds, only when you need it to craft something you drew.
•Mill the deck in first few turns (important post-Advanced Setup)
•Best crafting faction in the game
•Trading post garrisons become your death ball

Stingy vs. Friendly Approach

Choose your fund management strategy. Stingy Otters (recommended for competitive play) keep starting funds forever for guaranteed access and better agency. Hold funds as long as possible - each fund's value decreases over time. Avoid spending foreign funds early. Use passive policing by holding enemy warriors.
•Holding funds = better agency
•Stingy approach avoids prisoner's dilemma
•Spending funds = giving up other options

Service Pricing Strategy

Optimize which services to sell. Cards are #1 priority - people always care about cards. Riverboats rarely bought (only for escaping or winning). Mercenaries are risky but can shine in end game. Price mercenaries at 4 and leave it. Use mercenaries for end game policing by sitting on target without battling.
•Make concrete suggestions with measurable benefits
•Avoid 'Cat Tax' strategy - creates enemies
•Announce hand and prices each turn

Death Ball & End Game

Accumulate garrison warriors from trading posts into death ball. Reach 18-20 points using minimal funds, then dump all foreign funds for unblockable trading posts to reach 30 VP. Avoid being forced into policing for the table. Trading posts are VP opponents can't stop.
•Goal: 30 points via mass trading post placement
•Use death ball for rule and battle when needed
•End game fund dump is your victory condition

💡 Tip: Hover over highlighted game terms to see detailed explanations and related mechanics.

Mechanics & Strategy

Unique Mechanics
Special abilities and rules that define this faction

Riverfolk Services

Offer three services buyers purchase at start of their Birdsong: Hand Card (take any card from Riverfolk hand), Riverboats (treat rivers as paths this turn), Mercenaries (treat Riverfolk warriors as yours for rule/battle). Buyers pay by placing their warriors in your Payments box.

Law of Root 11.2.6-11.2.7

Funds

Warriors in Funds box used to commit/spend for actions. Commit = move to Committed box. Spend = return to owner's supply. Score Dividends: 1 VP per 2 funds if trade posts on map (Birdsong).

Law of Root 11.2.4

Trade Posts

Score VP when placed. To establish: spend 2 funds of the player who rules target clearing, place trade post + 1 warrior. Trade Disruption: when removed, lose half funds (rounded up), trade post removed permanently.

Law of Root 11.2.5

Swimmers

Treat rivers as paths. May move along rivers ignoring rule requirements (can still use normal paths).

Law of Root 11.2.2

Public Hand

Hand placed face up above faction board. If random card taken, flip down, shuffle, draw, flip up. Opponents see your cards when buying Hand Card service.

Law of Root 11.2.3

Turn Order
Actions available in each phase

Early Game

  • Establish 2-3 trade posts
  • Set competitive service prices
  • Build fund reserve
  • Control key river clearings

Mid Game

  • Maximize trade post count (4-5 total)
  • Generate consistent fund income
  • Score from Export action
  • Control major rivers

Late Game

  • Score 3-4 VP per turn from trade posts
  • Export consistently for VP
  • Craft remaining items
  • Maintain fund generation

Strengths & Weaknesses

💪 Strengths
  • +Can profit from opponent actions
  • +Flexible action economy with funds
  • +Strong river mobility
  • +Multiple paths to victory
  • +Trade posts hard to remove
  • +Can craft without clearing control
⚠️ Weaknesses
  • -Dependent on opponent purchases
  • -Limited to river clearings for trade posts
  • -Must balance funds vs spending
  • -Vulnerable if opponents boycott services
  • -Commitment means can't retreat easily
  • -Slow if services underpriced
🤝 Synergies
  • • Benefits from military-heavy games
  • • Strong when opponents need cards
  • • Profits from others' strategies
🛡️ Hard Counters
  • • Service boycotts by all players
  • • Heavy pressure on trade posts
  • • Eyrie (can dominate rivers)

🎬 Video Guides

Watch & Learn (2 videos)
Expert tutorials to master Riverfolk Company