Root mostly gives you more control over your phone in different ways. With a program like Titanium Backup [Tibu] you can do things like: 1) back up all user data 2) back different versions of applications and 3) freeze/stop the operation apps. You can modify any file including the important configuration file 'features.xml. Also many apps you put on your phone have more features when you have root rights. You need root to unlock the bootloader (see below). You may be able to make your phone faster with root control but the overall point of root access is to have more control and enable more features of your phone and the applications running on it.
Unlocking the bootloader which goes along with installing a new recovery program like CWM or TWRP allows you to: 1) install a custom ROM to replace the stock one, 2) make a change to the stock ROM, 3) make more changes to a custom ROM, or 4) replace or modify the Android operating system kernal. You should normally install/flash custom ROMs, mods, or kernals from CWM or TWRP.
You need root to unlock the bootloader and getting root access (and going back to VRALJB) is the first step in Adam Outler's (actually Adam & Raledev's) jailbreak for both pre and post OTA phones. His second step is to unlock the bootloader and install TWRP. (There is a stock recovery already on the phone you can get to by powering off then holding Volume up+Home+Power at the same time. Just looking around be sure to only press the power button on 'reboot system now' to exit. That software is replaced by TWRP so you can flash custom ROMs).
I'm not positive on the best way to get just root without unlocking the bootloader for VRALL4. I got root when the stock ROM was still VRALB. But it looks like if you just did step 1 of Adam's method then you would have root and the bootloader would remain unlocked. If you want to go ahead and unlock your bootloader perform the second step of Adam's method. Even then you don't have to flash a custom ROM or any other mod if you don't want to. However unlocking the boot loader is typically more risky than just getting root. Keep in mind that for warranty purposes I've seen Verizon Note 2 rooting and custom ROMs undone, but I yet to read where the bootloader was relocked. But from what I've read it's hard for the Verizon store to know that a bootloader is unlocked if the stock ROM has been restored and root is undone.
Here's the url for Adam's method: Jailbreak(bootloader unlock) / Root / TWRP Recovery -- Even after update [26JAN13] - xda-developers
You'll see in the post how Adam refers to flashing two different files: 'BAV Baseline' and 'Back Atcha Verizon Bootloader'. If you just want root with stock ROM, stock recovery and a still have a locked bootloader you would stop after flashing the BAV Basline in Odin. You'll be back on stock VRALJB. Whether or not you stop after step 1 or step 2, I would immediately install Tibu and freeze SDM 1.0 so that you don't get any Verizon OTA. I would also install the Exynos Abuse exploit by Chainfire to patch the security problem with VRALJB. The exploit can root VRALJB, which you would already would have at that point, but the exploit also can patch the security issue with VRALJB.
Fyi: Odin is a tool used to flash stock ROMs. It should only be used to flash stock rooted or unrooted ROMs. Adam shows where to pick up Odin. The YouTube video 'Verizon Galaxy Note 2 VRALL4 OTA ROOT, Bootloader Unlock, Recovery Guide' by DroidModderX in Adam's post demonstrates how to flash Adam's files using Odin. (You can get to Odin download mode on the phone to see what it looks like by powering off then simultaneously holding Volume down+Home+Power. After you get the warning screen hit Volume up. Exit by holding the power key. Since you won't have Odin on your PC running with a file loaded you can't hurt anything.).
Let us know how it goes. Enjoy your phone whatever you chose!
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