Following up with the “Starter Set Races” the Efflorah, or Treefolk, are stoic ent(cough cough)ities made from the magic of Earth (Yellow) and Water (Green). Their dice are consistent and, where the Emypera are a scalpel sliding into a terrain to deal a lethal blow, the Efflorah are a hammer and shield. They can control the speed of combat with their Rapid Growth Racial Ability, and Replant after a grueling attack to access new tactical options for sprouting up in other terrains.

To end confusion before it starts let us look at the Treefolk Racials before the dice.

Racial Abilities

Rapid Growth: While in a terrain with Earth (Yellow) Treefolk units may re-roll non-SAI results once, ignoring the previous result, when counter-maneuvering. Any units you wish to re-roll muse be re-rolled at the same time. This will help the trees remain a planted and stoic wall for their opponents to crash against in a feeble attempt to maneuver to a better range.

Replanting: When at a terrain with Water (Green) killed Treefolk may make a special roll on an ID result the unit is sent to reserves rather than the DUA. That’s right! Efflorah have a Lesser Open Grave as a racial when in green terrain. This ability will help when in a brawl with an opposing army, more times than not it will have saves at least two or three units.

Accelerated Growth: (Treefolk: Green 3 Magic C/R)
Target your DUA. When a 2 or greater health treefolk unit would be sent to the DUA you may instead exchange that unit with a 1 health treefolk unit from your DUA. This effect lasts until the beginning of your turn.

Thoughts: this is another page from the book of the dead, adding the possibility of “Stepped Damage.” If you don’t have access to Replanting then this will be a wonderful consolidation.

Wall of Thorns: (Treefolk: Yellow 5 Magic)
Target any Terrain not at its eighth face. Any army that successfully maneuvers that terrain takes 6 (stacking) damage. The army (then) makes a Melee roll, reduce the damage by the amount of Melee results generated. This effect lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

Thoughts: This is a reflex wall. You try to maneuver through it but then have to cut through the foliage to keep the army together. This will see play every game if mages are involved. It can hold back a face 7 to 8 transition and even then hurt the marching army for trying.

Unit overview: lets take a look at what the Efflorah have to offer.

Heavy Melee


Oaklord: (Rare: 3 Melee, 3 Smite, 3 Smite, 3 Melee, 4 Save)

Oak: (Uncommon: 2 Melee, 2 Melee, 2 Melee, 2 Melee, 4 Save)

Oakling: (Common: 1 Melee, 1 Melee, 1 Melee, 1 Melee, 2 Save)

Thoughts: The Heavy Melee for the Efflorah can be summed up in one word, Brutal. They hit incredibly hard with each face being like an ID result for Melee. On defense if their save face comes up it is usually double (save for the oaklord) their ID value.


Light Melee


Noble Willow: (Rare: 4 Melee, 4 Wild Growth, 2 Maneuver, 2 Melee, 4 Save)

Willow: (Uncommon: 3 Save, 2 Maneuver, 2 Save, 3 Melee)

Willowing (Common: 1 Maneuver, 1 Save, 1 Save, 1 Maneuver, 1 Melee)

Thoughts: The willows twist with force and dance with the wind. They are your best source for saves and speed. They will usually be the army that takes terrain. Give them a mix from either Missile Cavalry, or Heavy Melee and watch your opponent sweat. Another option is to sprinkle these units into your mages for saves and momentum for your race for the Eighth.

Missile


Pine Prince: (Rare: 2 Missile, 4 Volly, 4 Missile, 2 missile, 2 save)

Pine: (Uncommon: 2 Maneuver, 3 Missile, 2 Missile, 2 Maneuver, 3 Save)

Pineling: (Common: 1 Save, 1 Missile, 1 Missile, 1 Maneuver, 2 Missile)

Thoughts: These guys shoot needles like an actual pine sheds needles in Georgia. They are EVERYWHERE! Seriously thought, if you run even a small missile force of 5 to 6 health you will see returns given the terrain.

Cavalry


Lady Nerid: (Rare: 4 Maneuver, 4 Counter, 2 Melee, 2 Maneuver, 4 Save)

Naiad: (Uncommon: 2 Melee, 3 Maneuver, 2 Maneuver, 2 Melee, 3 Save)

Nymph: (Common: 1 Save, 1 Melee, 1 Melee, 1 Maneuver, 2 Maneuver)

Paired with light melee these units can bring havoc to a battlefield. They have a balance of speed and strength. It rivals that of the Heavy or Light Melee units.

Magic


Eldar Dryad: (Rare: 2 Magic, 4 Cantrip, 3 Magic, 4 Magic, 3 Save)

Dryad: (Uncommon: 2 Magic, 2 Melee, 3 Magic, 2 Magic, 2 Save)

Hamadryad: (Common: 1 Save, 1 Magic, 1 Magic, 1 Melee, 2 Magic)

The Efflorah have consistent magic all around. They can easily cast high and low cost spells and should be part of a Force of any size, usually 8 to 12 health-worth in my opinion.

Monsters


Darktree (Save, Surprise, Melee, Smother, Melee, Save, Surprise, Save, Smother)
The dark tree is a melee powerhouse that will 20% of the time save your melee unites from the horror of counter-attacks. It has a decent save chance and will also have the ability to snipe units with smother.

Redwood: (Save, Maneuver, Melee, Trample, Melee, Save, Melee, Save, Trample)
A fast combat machine, the Redwood, belongs with either cavalry or light melee to do its best.

Satyr: (Sleep, Volley, Maneuver, Magic, Volley, Confuse, Missile, Sleep, Magic)
The Satyr is a control unit. It’s problem is it has too much deviation in its faces to give it a dedicated range of efficacy. If you are looking for the Frost Ogre of the Efflorah then you’ve found it.

Stranglevine: (Melee, Double Strike, Maneuver, Choke, Choke, Smother, Wild Growth, Rend, Maneuver)
This thing is a force of nature all on its own. It should be respected by all and feared by non-Efflorah. It hits hard, can Wild Growth, and can Double Strike into it. This is a near auto-include choice.

Unicorn: (Trample, Save, Teleport, Dispel Magic, Dispel Magic, Counter, Trample, Teleport, Save)
The Unicorn is a rare sight indeed, but not for the Efflorah. It is a monster that is based heavily on saves and denial. When on the attack or counter-attack the unicorn will nearly coin-flip for contribution. The only drawback to this monster is that there aren’t many basic action icons for Rapid Growth.

Terrains

Terrain choice is one of the most important choices that a player can make in Dragon Dice. For the Efflorah They are at their best in Swamplands. They have a good set of varied faces ending with 3 faces of melee. Minor terrains should be bridges due to their focus on maneuverability. Remember, you want to get to an eighth face or melee face for your 1-2 punch to have the best effect.

Tactics


The Efflorah are an exercise in controlling your specialties. Unlike most other armies I suggest taking 2 fronts, as usual, but using a combination of units for each main armies. As sated earlier Light Melee goes well with any other unit type, as does Cavalry. Bringing in a few (say 6 to 8 health-worth) of mages backed by save heavy Light Melee can get to an eighth face fast and then keep the opposition at bay. On the other hand, by using Cavalry and Heavy Melee you have a big damage army that can destroy nearly any army in the course of a turn or two so long as the range stays in Melee. This grouping should also have enough cavalry to out pace an opposing army so they can get into melee range to smash in the first place.

Don’t be afraid to use Watery Double or Stone Skin. You have precious few save faces and only a 50% chance of saving with Light Melee. Static Saves that last till the Beginning of your next turn at really good when stacked four or 5 times.

Join us next time when we delve into the world of the Swamp stalkers!