Root Underworld expansion adds the Underground Duchy and the Corvid Conspiracy, both of which expand the design space significantly. The Duchy plays through a court mechanic with noble ranking and political advancement. The Corvids play through deception and information manipulation. Both feel qualitatively different from base game factions.

The Corvids in particular require sophisticated table management because their mechanic — placing plot tokens face-down and revealing them when triggered — requires trust from other players. In groups with high trust and game sophistication, they are extraordinarily fun. In groups with less experience or where politics create real tension, they can cause problems.

The River Folk expansion adds a merchant faction and a lizard cult that have their own distinctive playstyles. River Folk creates a service economy — you sell services to other factions for points. The Lizard Cult scores through converting clearing tokens via rituals. Both reward understanding other factions' needs.