Better Bot Project v4

What is this?
The “Better Bot Project” aims to provide playable
bots for all factions and modes (competitive,
cooperative, solo) in Root. Bots that take quick
and simple turns while simulating the behaviour
and impact of the various factions.
This is the rulebook and reference for the bots.
PS: Thanks to Leder Games for the amazing game!

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Game Modes
Competitive
When playing with other players you can freely add any number of bots to replace unused
factions. There are no changes to the gameplay.

Cooperative
Select one or more bots to battle. If any of the bots reaches 30 points before all players, the
bots win. When facing off against multiple bots they don’t consider each other hostile and
therefore only attack the human players.
Dominance cards aren’t used in this mode.

Solo
You can play both competitive against multiple bots that will attack each other, as well as
face of against a single bot, or even multiple bots (if you dare). Multiple bots that don’t
consider each other as hostile are very challenging if not impossible to beat.
Dominance cards aren’t used in this mode.

Setup
How to setup
The setup is identical to the standard game of Root in all aspects. Select your faction(s) and
the faction(s) for the bots. Follow the setup instructions and orders on the player boards.
Each bot has a dedicated player board with step by step instructions for individual setup.
The Spy cards from the Solo Mode (Riverfolk expansion) have no effect and are not used.
The Dominance cards have no effect in Solo and Coop Mode. In competitive mode with at
least 2 players they can be used, but the bots will not utilize them. They can be left in the
deck and utilized for their suit only for convenience.

Difficulty settings
Each bot comes with 4 Upgrade cards that can be used to increase difficulty. For your first
games do not use the upgrade cards. You can freely add any number of upgrades to increase
the difficulty. For cooperative play it is recommended to add at least 1 card per player, e.g. if
2 players take on the Mechanical Marquise 2.0 they select 2 upgrades to make it more
challenging.
Each bot also comes with 2 Downgrade cards that can be used to decrease difficulty. They
can also be combined with upgrade cards to create different challenges.

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Variants
Ambush Cards (reduced difficulty)
Ignore the “Hates Surprises” ability bots have. You may play Ambush cards against bots
when attacked. This will reduce the difficulty in solo and coop games.
The bots will still not use Ambush cards.

Spy Cards (reduced difficulty)

At the beginning of your turn you play a Spy card and select a bot. At the end of your turn
you return the card to your hand. You will gain additional information about what actions
the bot will take on his turn to help you plan your turn. You may also discard the spy card
to prevent a bot from crafting an item on a matching card.
o Mechanical Marquise 2.0: Reveal the top card of the deck as order card for the bot
and place it onto its playerboard. The bot will skip the Reveal step on its next turn
and use the revealed order card instead.
o Automated Alliance: Reveal the top card of the deck as order card for the bot and
place it onto its playerboard. The bot will skip the Reveal step on its next turn and
use the revealed order card instead.
o Robot Raccoon: Reveal the top card of the deck as order card for the bot and place
it onto its playerboard. The bot will skip the Reveal step on its next turn and use the
revealed order card instead.
o Electric Eyrie: Reveal all 4 cards that would be placed into the decree as part of the
pledge step. The bot will skip the Pledge step on its next turn and use the revealed
cards instead.
o Clockwork Cult: Turn the Outcasts pile face up and keep it visible until the bot’s
turn.

Dominance Cards (increases difficulty)

Whenever a Dominance Card enters the discard pile place it next to the board instead.
Players cannot interact with the Domination Cards. If a bot ever fulfils the victory condition
of any of the Dominance Cards the bot immediately wins the game and all players lose the
game.

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Playing against the Mechanical Marquise 2.0
Overview
The MM2.0 works similar to the official version. Each turn a single order card is drawn
that decides which clearings the MM2.0 acts in. If a bird card is drawn then each action is
slightly modified.
The key differences to the official Mechanical Marquise are:
❖ The bot doesn’t start with items for sale but crafts them during the game.
❖ No scoring points every turn based on the player count and clearings with 3+
warriors.
❖ Instead it will place buildings and score points based on how many buildings are
already on the map.
❖ There is no Schedule of Orders (row of 5 cards).
❖ When pushed back too much the Escalate action will kick in and provide double
turns making it difficult to keep the MM2.0 down.

Abilities
❖ Poor Manual Dexterity (unchanged)
It has no hand of cards. It cannot discard cards. If a player is prompted to take a card
from the it, they draw a card instead. If prompted to give a card, discard the card and
scores +1 VP.
❖ Hates Surprises (unchanged)
Ambush cards cannot be played against bots.
❖ The Keep (unchanged)
Only you can place pieces into the clearing with the keep token.

New Elements
The MM2.0 board shows a track for all building tokens. This is to store the building tokens
and to easily calculate how much the MM2.0 scores at the end of the turn.

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Gameplay

~Birdsong~
Reveal – As first step reveal the top card of the deck. This is now the “order card” that will
define the actions MM2.0 will take during Daylight based on the suit.
Craft – If the order card shows an available item that can be crafted, then add the item to
the “Items for Sale” box and score exactly 1 VP for MM2.0, disregarding whatever VP
value is shown on the actual card. The instructions on the card are ignored.

~Daylight~
Battle – The MM2.0 initiates one battle in each clearing matching the suit of the order
card. A bird card will trigger a battle in every clearing. If the order matters, go by initiative
(1 first, 12 last) based on the clearing map provided. If there are multiple players present in
the clearing pick most pieces, then highest score, then setup order (e.g. B before D).
Recruit – Place 4 warriors equally spread across ruled clearings matching order card. If the
order card shows a bunny suit and the MM2.0 rules 3 bunny clearings, then add 1 warrior
into each clearing and the clearing with the highest priority receives the second one. If
there’s only 1 clearing then all 4 warriors go into this clearing. If there’s no ruled matching
clearing then no warriors are recruited.
However, if the order card shows the bird suit the MM2.0 takes a different recruit action.
Instead it places 2 warriors into the 2 ruled clearings with the lowest priority. In the first
turn this would most likely be clearing 11 and 12.
In both cases the MM2.0 scores +1 VP for every 2 warriors that could not be placed. So, if
it runs out of warriors in the supply it will score +2 VP a turn because it can’t recruit 4
warriors until some are removed from the map and returned to the supply.
Build – Place a building matching the order card onto the map. For example, if the order
card shows a mouse suit then place a recruiter. In case the order card shows a bird place the
building with the most tokens already placed on the map. In case of a tie go top to bottom
(fox, then bunny, then mouse).
Place the building token into the ruled clearing with the most (cat) warriors and a free
building slot. In case of a tie select the highest priority clearing.
Move – Next move all warriors in excess of 3 to an adjacent region from clearings
matching order card. For example, if there are 4 warriors in a clearing move 1 into an
adjacent clearing. The destination is the clearing with the most hostile pieces adding
multiple players together if needed. In case of a tie go with highest clearing priority.
If the order card shows the bird suit, then also initiate a battle in all regions moved into. If
there are multiple players present in the region pick most pieces, then highest score, then
setup order (e.g. A before B).
In case the order of movement matters, resolve the clearings in order of priority.

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Escalate – If no building was placed during the “Build” step because there were no free
building slots and there are 3 or less buildings of that type on the board, then discard the
current order card and draw a new order card, then repeat “Daylight”. Only do this only
once per turn.
Example: There is no ruled clearing with a free slot to build. After the movement step draw
a new order card discarding the old one. Go through all steps in Daylight again: Battle,
Recruit, Build, Move. If no building could be placed again proceed to evening.

~Evening~
Score – Score +1 VP for each building on the board matching the current order card. The
building track shows VP at the bottom for quick reference. If the suit is bird then score the
building type with the most pieces.

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Playing against the Automated Alliance
Overview
The AA will force opponents to destroy its sympathy tokens and bases as it will become
unstoppable once enough board presence has been established. There’s a range of changes
to the faction and the descriptions should be read in great detail. Outrage, Guerrilla War,
Martial Law, and Removing Bases have all been modified.

Abilities
❖ Poor Manual Dexterity (unchanged)
It has no hand of cards. It cannot discard cards. If a player is prompted to take a card
from the it, they draw a card instead. If prompted to give a card, discard the card and
scores +1 VP.
❖ Hates Surprises (unchanged)
Ambush cards cannot be played against bots.
❖ Automated Ambush (replaces: Guerrilla War)
In battle as defender, deal +1 Extra Hit.
❖ Automated Outrage (replaced: Outrage)
When a player removes sympathy or moves any warriors into a sympathetic
clearing, that player must discard a matching card from his hand. Gain 1 VP if they
can't.
Note: If another bot triggers outrage nothing happens!

New Elements
None.

Gameplay

~Birdsong~
Reveal – As first step reveal the top card of the deck. This is now the “order card” that will
define the actions AA will take during Daylight based on its suit.
Craft – If the order card shows an available item that can be crafted, then add the item to
the “Items for Sale” box and score exactly 1 VP for AA, disregarding whatever VP value is
shown on the actual card. The instructions on the card are ignored.
Revolt – If there is a clearing matching the suit of the order card with a sympathy token
revolt by removing all enemy pieces and placing a base into the clearing. If the matching
base is already in play or there is no matching sympathetic clearing, instead Spread

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Sympathy twice if there are 4 or less sympathy on the board, or once if there is already 5 or
more sympathy on the board.
Spread Sympathy is the Daylight action (see below). If 1 or 2 sympathy tokens are placed is
also indicated on the sympathy track.
If there are multiple clearings to place a base, pick most enemy pieces first, then in order of
clearing priority.
If the suit of the order card is a bird, delay this action to the end of Daylight.

~Daylight~
Spread Sympathy – Place the left-most token from the sympathy track into an
unsympathic clearing adjacent to a sympathetic clearing.
Remember to place sympathy adjacent to clearings with sympathy tokens. Clearing priority
is first clearings with less than 3 warriors of another player (Fear of Authority), then
matching order card, then clearing priority order (1 first, 12 last).
If you cannot place a sympathy token the AA gains 5 VP.
If the suit of the order card is a bird, then priority order is first clearings with less than 3
warriors of another player, then lowest clearing priority order (12 first, 1 last).
Example: There is no sympathy on the map (e.g. first round). AA has 3 supporters. A fox order card
is drawn. The first sympathy can be placed anywhere so the highest priority fox clearing is selected:
Clearing 1. The next sympathy has to be placed adjacent. There’s no adjacent fox clearing, so highest
priority is clearing 5. Same goes for third and final sympathy: It would end up in clearing 2.

~Evening~
Organise – If there are 3 or more warriors in the clearing, remove all warriors, and then
immediately Spread Sympathy (see Daylight).
Recruit – Place 1 warrior into each clearing with a base.
Note: Special Abilities like Sanctify from The Lizard Cult / Clockwork Cult can lead to not enough
warriors in the supply to place on the board. If this happens and you can’t place a warrior, then
remove all AA warriors from the board that aren’t in a clearing with a base before you recruit.
Discard – Discard the current order card ending the turn.

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Crackdown
If a base is destroyed, all sympathy is returned from matching clearings.
For example, if you destroy the bunny base, then all sympathy on bunny clearings is
returned to the sympathy track. As they aren’t removed, this scores no points.

Fear of Authority
The Sympathy track has Martial Law replaced. It now reads: “Fear of Authority. Reduce
VP gained by 1 when placing sympathy into a region with 3 or more warrior of another
player.”
Spread Sympathy avoid placing sympathy into clearings with 3 or more warriors of another
player. But if it happens it scores 1 less VP for AA.

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Playing against the Electric Eyrie
Overview
The EE follows the actions of a human player very close. However, instead of Turmoil
being a major setback it becomes many very small setbacks. Each round 4 random cards
being added to the decree. If an action cannot be used in full the card is discarded. If any
roost is destroyed the EE loses 1 VP, has to discard a bird card from the decree, and has to
switch to the next leader.
Note that EE has a unique way of selection clearings. It often prioritizes clearings adjacent
to most enemy pieces.

Abilities
❖ Poor Manual Dexterity (unchanged)
It has no hand of cards. It cannot discard cards. If a player is prompted to take a card
from the it, they draw a card instead. If prompted to give a card, discard the card and
scores +1 VP.
❖ Hates Surprises (unchanged)
Ambush cards cannot be played against bots.
❖ Lords of the Forest (unchanged)
You rule any clearings where you are tied for presence.

New Elements
None.

~Birdsong~
Outpost – If you have no roosts, place a roost and 3 warriors into the highest priority
clearing with the fewest of your warriors.

~Daylight~
Pledge – Draw the top 4 cards from the deck and place them to the decree. One card into
each column: Recruit, Move, Battle, Build. Make sure to tuck them behind the existing cards
as the cards will be resolved in order of oldest to newest.
Purge – If any of your warriors are in clearings without a roost but with defenceless
buildings, then remove them. For example, if one of your warriors is in a clearing without a
roost, but a with a garden, a sawmill and a cat warrior you remove the defenceless garden
but not the sawmill as it isn’t defenceless.
Resolve – Resolve the decree from left column to right, taking one action per card in order
of oldest to newest. First all recruit actions, then all move actions, etc.

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If a card’s action can't be taken in full discard it (Viziers can't be discarded). For example, if
it needs to recruit a warrior in a fox clearing and there’s roosts in fox clearings then discard
the individual card and continue with the next card.
❖ Recruit – Place 1 warriors in a matching clearing. Priority order is most enemy
pieces, then adjacent to most enemy pieces, then highest priority.
❖ Move – Move all warriors from a ruled clearing that are not needed to rule the
clearing, but leave a minimum of 2 warriors behind. This means if the EE doesn’t
rule the clearing it leaves all warriors behind, and if EE rules the clearing then it
leaves enough warriors behind to tie the next player for rule.
Move from clearing adjacent to most enemy pieces, and then highest priority order.
Move to clearing with most enemy pieces, and then highest priority order.
o Example A: There are 4 warriors in a matching clearing without enemy
pieces. Move 2 warriors to an adjacent clearing with the most enemy pieces.
o Example B: There are 4 warriors in a matching clearing with 3 hostile
warriors. Move 1 warrior to an adjacent clearing with the most enemy pieces.
o Example C: There are 4 warriors in a matching clearing with 6 hostile
warriors. No pieces are moved, the clearing cannot be selected for the Move
action.
Note #1: The EE will frequently move a big army through multiple clearings leaving a few
warriors behind each time.
Note #2: The Lizard Cult rules any clearings with gardens. For this purpose, “needed to
rule the clearing” simply counts all warriors and buildings. For example, 3 lizard warriors
and 2 gardens mean that the EE will leave 5 warriors behind.
❖ Battle in matching clearing with most enemy pieces and then highest priority order.
Priority order for selecting a target player is most enemy pieces, then highest score,
then highest priority setup.
❖ Build a roost in matching clearing. Priority order is highest priority.
Escalate – Escalate means repeating all steps in Daylight (beside Escalate), if one of two
conditions is met. The first one is that there are 4 or less cards in the decree. The second
one that there is only 1 roost in play. If either one of them is true then repeat the steps
Pledge, Purge, and Resolve.

~Evening~
Score – Score +1 VP for each roost on the board. The roost track shows VP at the bottom
for quick reference.

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Turmoil
When a roost is destroyed the following happens:
❖ EE loses 1 VP.
❖ The leftmost bird card in the decree is discarded.
❖ The current leader is flipped face down and a new one drawn randomly.
Note: If you run out of leaders shuffle the flipped leaders.
❖ Reassign Viziers.

Leaders
EE uses a set of modified leaders. The Charismatic leader is always the starting leader.
❖ Charismatic: Place 2 warriors (not 1) each time it recruits. (Move/Build)
❖ Commander: As attacker in battle it deals 1 extra hit. (Move/Battle)
❖ Builder: Any card discarded from the decree that shows an available item is crafted for +1
VP (Recruit/Move)
❖ Despot: Whenever it removes at least 1 enemy token in battle it scores +1 VP.
(Recruit/Build)

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Playing against the Robot Raccoon
Overview
Each turn the RR draws an order card that dictates what actions it will try to complete on
its turn based on the suit. If it can't complete an action in full it will skip it and move to the
next action.
The items exhausted for the actions are all wildcard meaning there is no difference between
the various items. This includes that the RR doesn't need swords for rolled hits. Instead it
has a short combat track for it.
Also, the bot doesn't bother with relationships. Robot Raccoon don't care. Each aid given
grants a point and each piece removed in battle grants a point. However, it will relentlessly
attack the player with the most victory points making it a balancing force in competitive
games.

Abilities
❖ Poor Manual Dexterity (unchanged)
It has no hand of cards. It cannot discard cards. If a player is prompted to take a card
from the it, they draw a card instead. If prompted to give a card, discard the card and
scores +1 VP.
❖ Hates Surprises (unchanged)
Ambush cards cannot be played against bots.
❖ Nimble (unchanged)
You can move regardless of who rules your clearing.
❖ Lone Wanderer (unchanged)
Your pawn is not a warrior and cannot be removed from the map.

New Elements
❖ Path of actions: This shows what actions the RR will try to complete based on the
suit of the order card.
❖ Combat Track: The maximum amount of rolled hits is limited by the combat track.
When the 6th, 9th, and 12th item is gained place it onto the combat track. The 6th and
9th item increase the rolled hits to 2 and 3. The 12th item adds +1 Extra Hit when
attacking. This reflects the strength of a fully equipped Vagabond.
The items on the combat track cannot be damaged or exhausted.

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Gameplay

~Birdsong~
Reveal – As first step reveal the top card of the deck. This is now the “order card” that will
define the actions RR will take during Daylight based on its suit.
Craft – If the order card shows an available item that can be crafted, then exhaust 1 item to
add the new item to the Satchel and score exactly 1 VP for RR, disregarding whatever VP
value is shown on the actual card. The instructions on the card are ignored.
Slip – Move into an adjacent forest if it has 2 or less undamaged items. If so, skip all
Daylight actions. Forest priority is based on lowest priority clearing adjacent to the forest.
Example: RR is at clearing 10 and the options are the Forests connections 1-5-10, 9-10-12,
and 10-11-12. 10-11-12 is the forest destination has the forest are tied for 12 but 11 is next
lowest priority.

~Daylight~
Follow a path of actions based on the order card until you run out of items. Skip actions you
can't afford in full.
The possible actions are:
❖ Explore by moving to the closest ruins exhausting 1 item per move and 1 item to
explore the ruins. Remember that the action is skipped if RR can’t move and explore
the ruins. Priority order is highest priority.
❖ Quest. Move to closest clearing matching the active quest card exhausting 1 item
per move and 2 items to complete the quest for +2 VP. Reveal a new active quest
card. Priority order is highest priority.
❖ Aid. Exhaust 1 item per item for sale available in your clearing. For each item taken
gain +1 VP while the other player draws a card. Priority is player with lowest score,
then lowest setup priority.
If there are no available items but the player with the lowest score has a piece in
your clearing exhaust 1 items to gain +1 VP and (s)he draws a card.
❖ Battle. Move to closest clearing with pieces of the player with the highest score,
exhausting 1 item per move. Then exhaust 1 item to attack. Repeat this action
exhausting 2 items for each additional attack. Priority is clearing with most tokens,
then least warriors!
Score +1 VP for each hostile piece removed in battle.
o Even if there are other players that are closer the RR will chase after the
player with the highest score. Clearings are prioritized by most tokens – if
there is an equal amount of tokens, then least hostile warriors takes priority,
then highest clearing priority.
o After the first attack each further attack requires to exhaust 2 items.
Meaning that the RR has to exhaust 5 items to attack 3 items, disregarding
any movement that might be needed in addition.

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 o Keep in mind that this action is repeated as long as RR can afford it.
❖ Repair. Exhaust 1 item to repair 1 damaged item. This does not repeat.
❖ Special. See character card for instruction.

~Evening~
Rest – Refresh 6 items flipping them face up. Repair 1 item, or if in the forest repair all
items.
Discard order card.

Assigning damage
Any damage taken is first assigned to exhausted items, then to refreshed items. Which
items doesn’t matter as they are all the same for the RR. The items on the combat track
cannot be damaged or exhausted.

Playing with a second Vagabond

You can play with a second Vagabond, with two bot or a bot and a player. Each bot will
draw its own active quest card and not interact with the 3 face-up quests for the player.
Please note that the RR does not care about the type of items beneath the ruins and will gladly loot
both hammers and all 8 items if the player does not hurry to retrieve his 4 items.

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Playing against the Clockwork Cult
Overview
The CC recruits anywhere on the board, gets in the way of things, and then uses his
removed warriors to get revenge. During Birdsong the Cult focusses on targeting the
player with the highest score, balancing the game. During Daylight the Cult pushes his own
points by recruiting warriors and placing gardens.
It has a slightly different dependence on discarded cards, maintaining an Outcasts pile. If
there is room in the Outcast pile, discarded cards go into the pile until there is no more
room. The cards in the Outcast pile are kept in order, discarding the oldest cards first when
needed. Players will need to manipulate the Outcasts as much as possible to reduce the
number useful actions the CC can take.

Abilities
❖ Poor Manual Dexterity (unchanged)
It has no hand of cards. It cannot discard cards. If a player is prompted to take a card
from the it, they draw a card instead. If prompted to give a card, discard the card and
scores +1 VP.
❖ Hates Surprises (unchanged)
Ambush cards cannot be played against bots.
❖ Pilgrims (unchanged)
You rule any clearings in which you have gardens.
❖ Revenge (unchanged; moved to Acolytes box)
Your removed defending warriors become Acolytes.

New Elements
The Lost Souls pile has been replaced by an Outcasts pile of up to 5 cards. If there are less than 5
cards in the Outcasts pile, then discarded cards are added to the top of the Outcasts pile. The
Outcasts pile is face-down and sorted by oldest card at the bottom and newest card at the top. The
order of the cards cannot be changed!

Gameplay

~Birdsong~
Perform Conspiracies – Each turn the CC will try to complete the same conspiracies in the
same order. If there aren’t enough acolytes or the conspiracy wouldn’t have an effect, it is
skipped.
Sanctify (once)

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Spend 3 acolytes and replace a building of the player with the most victory points, in the
clearing where the player has the least warriors. Tiebreaker is highest clearing priority.
Crusade (once)
Spend 1 Acolyte to attack the clearing with one or more enemy buildings, in which you have
the most warriors.
Defender is the player with most pieces, then victory points, then highest priority setup.
Convert (as many times as possible)
Spend 2 Acolytes to replace a warrior from the player with the most victory points in the
clearing with the most warriors. Tiebreaker is highest clearing priority.

~Daylight~
Perform Rituals – Flip the Outcast pile face up. Then in order of oldest to newest card in
the Outcast pile take the following action:
If the suit is Fox, Bunny, or Mouse: Place a warrior into the matching clearing. Clearings
with a free building slot take priority, then most enemy buildings, then clearing priority. If
you rule the clearing, also place a matching garden in the clearing (if possible).
Then place this card back face-down onto the Outcast pile.
If the suit is Bird: Move 1 of your warrior from the clearing with the most warriors to the
Acolytes box. Then discard this card.

~Evening~
Score – Score points equal to the number of Gardens of the suit with the most Gardens on
the board and the suit with the least Gardens on the board. For example, if there are 3 Fox,
2 Bunny, and 1 Mouse garden in play score 3 (most/Fox) plus 1 (least/Mouse) points.
Then discard the oldest card matching the suit with the most Gardens on the board from
the Outcasts pile. If it shows an available item craft it for 1 VP. For example, if you the most
Gardens were Fox, then discard the oldest Fox card in the Outcasts pile.
Remember to not change the order of cards in the Outcast pile.

Gardens
When a Garden is removed from play, also discard the oldest card in the Outcast pile. This
will be the bottom card of the face-down pile.

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