Root / Similar games

18 games like Root

The best games like Root are War of the Ring, Chaos in the Old World and The Battle of Five Armies — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. War of the Ring shares fantasy, wargame, area majority / influence with Root.

Every alternative below links to its own Root-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s animals / fantasy shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Root’s 3.7 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

1. 

   1. War of the Ring (2004)

   2–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-heavy · See War of the Ring alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 6 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~45 min longer · +0.2 heavier

   Check price for War of the Ring →
2. 

   2. Chaos in the Old World (2009)

   3–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium · See Chaos in the Old World alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 6 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 3–4 players · ~15 min longer · 0.5 lighter

   Check price for Chaos in the Old World →
3. 

   3. The Battle of Five Armies (2014)

   2 players · 90–240 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium-heavy

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 6 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Root: both play at 2 · ~90 min longer · same complexity

   Check price for The Battle of Five Armies →
4. 

   4. Star Wars Rebellion (2016)

   2–4 players · 180–240 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-heavy · See Star Wars Rebellion alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~135 min longer · same complexity
5. 

   5. A Game of Thrones The Board Game (Second Edition) (2011)

   3–6 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy · See A Game of Thrones The Board Game (Second Edition) alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 6 · ~105 min longer · same complexity
6. 

   6. Rising Sun (2018)

   3–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium · See Rising Sun alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement · 4 shared tags · 2 of Root’s 6 mechanics (33%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 3–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.4 lighter
7. 

   7. Spirit Island (2017)

   1–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium-heavy · See Spirit Island alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Fantasy, Action Retrieval, Area Majority / Influence, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min longer · +0.3 heavier
8. 

   8. Forbidden Stars (2015)

   2–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-heavy · See Forbidden Stars alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

   vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · ~75 min longer · same complexity
9. 

   9. Twilight Struggle (2005)

   2 players · 120–180 min · ★ 8.3 · Medium-heavy · See Twilight Struggle alternatives →

   Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

   vs Root: both play at 2 · ~75 min longer · same complexity
10. 

    10. Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy (2020)

    2–6 players · 60–200 min · ★ 8.8 · Medium-heavy · See Eclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy alternatives →

    Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 6 · ~55 min longer · 0.2 lighter
11. 

    11. Gloomhaven (2017)

    1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.8 · Medium-heavy · See Gloomhaven alternatives →

    Shares with Root: Fantasy, Action Queue, Action Retrieval · 3 shared tags · 2 of Root’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min longer · +0.2 heavier
12. 

    12. Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon (2019)

    1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.3 · Medium · See Tainted Grail The Fall of Avalon alternatives →

    Shares with Root: Fantasy, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min longer · 0.4 lighter
13. 

    13. Triumph & Tragedy European Balance of Power 1936-1945 (2015)

    2–3 players · 240–360 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium

    Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–3 players · ~225 min longer · 0.4 lighter
14. 

    14. Black Rose Wars (2019)

    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 8.1 · Medium

    Shares with Root: Fantasy, Action Queue, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Hand Management · 5 shared tags · 4 of Root’s 6 mechanics (67%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · ~15 min longer · 0.2 lighter
15. 

    15. Mythic Battles Pantheon (2017)

    2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium

    Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Movement, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.7 lighter
16. 

    16. Tail Feathers (2015)

    2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.1 · Medium

    Shares with Root: Animals, Fantasy, Wargame, Action Queue, Dice Rolling · 5 shared tags · 2 of Root’s 6 mechanics (33%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · about the same length · 0.6 lighter
17. 

    17. Kemet (2012)

    2–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium · See Kemet alternatives →

    Shares with Root: Wargame, Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.7 lighter
18. 

    18. Dwellings of Eldervale (2020)

    1–5 players · 60–150 min · ★ 8.4 · Medium

    Shares with Root: Fantasy, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling, Hand Management · 4 shared tags · 3 of Root’s 6 mechanics (50%)

    vs Root: overlaps at 2–4 players · plays solo · scales to 5 · ~30 min longer · 0.5 lighter

Looking for the original? See the full Root fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.