Root · Board game rules
Does Recruiting in a clearing with a sympathy token require paying a card?
Quick answer
Yes, recruiting in a clearing with a sympathy token requires paying a matching card to the Alliance’s Supporters stack.
Details
When a player places warriors (via Recruit or other actions) into a clearing with a sympathy token, they must add a card from their hand matching the clearing’s suit to the Woodland Alliance’s Supporters stack [p.14 — Supporters, Sympathy, and Outrage]. If they lack a matching card, the Alliance draws one from the deck and adds it to their stack. This applies to all factions, not just the Alliance.
Watch out: This rule applies even if the recruiting player is the Alliance themselves. For example, if the Alliance uses the Recruit action in their own sympathetic clearing, they still must pay a card to their own Supporters stack.