Allies for Hire, Loyalty for Sale
Root is already one of the most celebrated asymmetric strategy games ever made, and the Riverfolk Hirelings Pack is one of the smartest ways to make it even better. Published by Leder Games, this compact expansion introduces six mercenary units — otters, lizards, and bandits — who wander the Woodland offering their services to whoever is willing to pay. They fight for the faction in the lead, but as the conflict wears on and fortunes shift, their allegiance shifts right along with it. That unpredictability alone is worth the price of admission.
Whether you're working around a smaller group or looking to inject more chaos and texture into a full table, the Riverfolk Hirelings Pack slots cleanly into any Root setup. It's a lean addition — no new rulebook to wrestle with — but the strategic ripple effects it creates are anything but small.
Six Hirelings, Countless Shifting Loyalties
The pack introduces three pairs of hirelings, each with two modes of play depending on the situation at the table. At lower player counts, hirelings place new wooden pieces directly onto the map, adding pressure, blocking routes, and turning otherwise quiet clearings into contested ground. This is where the pack really shines — two-player Root in particular benefits enormously, as the hirelings fill the Woodland with the kind of friction that multiple factions would normally provide.
At higher player counts, select hireling cards flip to their promoted side and offer special abilities that players can claim and leverage — fire a cannon barrage with the Riverfolk Flotilla, slip through clearings with the Otter Divers, terrorize paths with the Highway Bandits, or call on the Warm Sun Prophets to bring enemies into unexpected confrontations. The Lizard Envoys and Bandit Gangs round out the roster, each with their own tactical wrinkle. No two sessions play out the same way, because the hirelings never quite behave the way anyone expects.
Specifications
| Publisher | Leder Games |
| Designers | Nick Brachmann, Patrick Leder, Cole Wehrle, Joshua Yearsley |
| Expansion For | Root (base game required) |
| Player Count | 2–4 players |
| Recommended Age | 10+ |
| Hirelings Included | Riverfolk Flotilla, Otter Divers, Warm Sun Prophets, Lizard Envoys, Highway Bandits, Bandit Gangs |
| Components | 9 wooden meeples, 3 hireling cards (double-sided), 1 die, 12 control markers, 3 hireling markers |
| Standalone | No — requires a copy of Root to play |
A Small Box with a Big Impact
One of the best things about the hireling packs is how naturally they layer onto Root without demanding anything of you. No lengthy setup changes, no steep learning curve — just more pieces on the board, more decisions to make, and more stories to tell after the game is over. If your group plays Root regularly and you've been eyeing ways to freshen up your sessions, this pack is exactly that kind of low-effort, high-reward addition.
Boreal Gaming carries the full Root lineup in Fonthill, and we're always happy to help you figure out which expansions make sense for your table. Order online and we'll ship anywhere in Canada, or swing by the store and talk strategy with us in person.
