Grass
Grass Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Goal of the Game
Grass is a strategy game: not only must you be the first to earn $250,000 in profit, but you must also prevent your competitors from making money. This might take one or more rounds, depending upon the level of your competition. At the end of each round, each player's profits are added up. Once a player reaches or exceeds $250,000 at the end of a round, the game ends and that player is declared the winner, the Baron(ess) of the Deal. If several players exceed this sum in the same round, the richest player wins.
Setup
The Dealer gives 6 cards to each player. The Dealer is determined at random - the last one to have rolled a joint, one with the longest hair, best stoner story, etcetera. The rest of the cards are placed as a pile (face down) at the center of the table - this is called the GRASS STACK; next to it, you will put the discarded cards (face up) on the WASTED PILE. Each player makes space in front of them where they will soon have their HASSLE PILE and their MARKETPLACE. The player to the Dealer's left starts, with play moving clockwise after that. Play in any subsequent round is counter-clockwise, and so on alternating, with the winner of the previous round becoming Dealer.
How to Play
When your turn comes, you must Take A Card and Play A Card, then optionally, Do A Deal.
1. Take a Card
Take the top card from the GRASS STACK. You now have 7 cards in your hand, until you discard one. If you want, you can make a deal now or after you play a card.
2. Play a Card
Here are your 4 options of where to play a card and its effects:
A) On your HASSLE PILE. You've gotta play a Market Open here in order to open your MARKETPLACE and peddle dope. This is also the place to take the Heat Off or even end the round by playing a Market Close card.
B) On your MARKETPLACE. If it's open, put peddle money down and later protect it.
C) On an opponent's HASSLE PILE. Hassle others by putting the Heat On to freeze their MARKETPLACE.
D) On the WASTED PILE. Can be a card you don't want or a card from the Nirvana or Paranoia categories – which may get you high, or be a downer for everyone else.
3. Do a Deal
After you take a card and (before or after) you play one, you may also Do One Deal. It's not required, but it is good for business! A Deal is a Trade or a Switch:
- TRADE. Negotiate to exchange a card of yours for one in another player's hand. Others can trade with you, but not each other.
- SWITCH. Whether they like it or not, you can exchange a visible, unprotected Peddle on your MARKETPLACE for one that's visible and unprotected on another player's. When all that's done, it's the next player's turn. And so on 'til the round ends.
The Game Is Played in Rounds
In each round, each player will open their own MARKETPLACE and try to get rich(er). Each round ends either when a player plays a Market Close card, or when the GRASS STACK is used up. The player taking the last GRASS STACK card plays their turn normally, and ends the round. Then, it's time to score – 'cuz scoring's good for biz!
Keep Score After Each Round
On your MARKETPLACE, add up the Peddles that are protected (protected profit) and unprotected (at-risk profit). If you've got the Banker card, skim $5,000 from the other players' at-risk profit except those who've got none. Then show the others your remaining cards and subtract penalties for being paranoid (Sold Out – $25,000, Doublecrossed – $50,000, Utterly Wiped Out – $100,000) as well as the value of the highest Peddle left in your hand, giving you your net profit.
At this point, it's time to compare the situations of all players. The one with the largest net profit gets a $25,000 bonus. So, you know how much the round earned you and whether you won the game. Get a notepad – and if there is anyone you still trust, let them keep score.
Make a scorecard like this for each round.
| ROUND #: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protected profit | ||
| + At-risk profit | ||
| - Banker's skim / + bonus | ||
| - Highest Peddle in hand | ||
| - "Paranoia" penalties | ||
| = Net profit | ||
| + Bonus for winner of round | ||
| = Total |
Winning the Game
Once any player's end-of-round total reaches $250,000 or more (or the agreed amount), the game ends and the winner who has the highest total is crowned Baron/Baroness of the Deal.
If no one has $250,000, collect all the cards for another round. Scores carry over from the previous round. Shuffle the cards and deal them again. Yes, that's right: ALL the cards, including Market Open and others on the table. It's tough, but that's the law of the market. At the end of further rounds, each player's totals are combined until someone reaches $250,000.
Gone broke? If your end-of-round total is less than zero, you can round it up to 0. If you're in profit in a first round, but negative in the next, your total goes down accordingly. At the start of each round, broke accounts are generously rounded up to 0. Even sleepy stoners get a break sometimes.
Example of Play
① John's busy peddling and has 3 cards on his MARKETPLACE, including the elusive Dr. Feelgood. He picks a card and decides to slow Janis down by playing Heat On: Felony on her HASSLE PILE. It's not worth him trading any of his Peddle cards. He ends his turn.
② Janis is blocked and cannot play any cards or SWITCHES in her MARKETPLACE because of the Heat On: Felony card. She picks a card and plays Sold Out on the WASTED PILE. With her Peddles all protected, she needn't discard one. For the Sold Out, each player gives an undisclosed card to the player to their left (Janis takes this chance to slip Bob the Utterly Wiped Out card and chuckles inwardly).
③ Bob's not peddling, just treading water and, tough luck, the card he takes still isn't Market Open. He asks if anyone wants to TRADE a Market Open card for his "Panama" Peddle ($50,000). Amy accepts. He plays the Market Open right away on his HASSLE PILE. He can begin to peddle on his next turn.
④ Amy takes from the STACK and plays the "Panama" Peddle she just received from Bob on her MARKETPLACE. She SWITCHES her "Home Grown" Peddle card for John's Dr. Feelgood card. John sings "No, no, no!" to Amy but can't stop the loss, so he prays the next card he takes will be good.
⑤ John has no Market Close card, or else he could have played it before Janis took his Dr. Feelgood. He picks from the GRASS STACK and, being cautious this time, decides to protect his Panama pot by playing a Protected card.
⑥ Janis skips a turn for playing Sold Out last time (she may not Take, Play or Deal).
⑦ Bob picks the very Heat Off: Felony that Amy needs – he offers her a Trade; she offers a "Jamaican" (Peddle worth $25,000) – and the deal is done. Bob plays the Peddle. Bob is happy – for now.
⑧ Amy also clearly has no heart: after taking her GRASS STACK card, she switches her "Home Grown" Peddle card with Bob's newly played "Jamaican". Then, she plays her Market Close card, ending the round with the idea of collecting the $25,000 bonus.
Now it's time to count up the profits from the round. Their Score Card:
| ROUND 1: | AMY | BOB | JANIS | JOHN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protected profit | 0 | 0 | 30,000 | 75,000 |
| + At-risk profit | 175,000 | 5,000 | 0 | 5,000 |
| - Banker's skim / + bonus | - 5,000 | - 5,000 | 20,000 | - 5,000 |
| - Highest Peddle in hand | - 5,000 | - 25,000 | - 5,000 | 0 |
| - "Paranoia" penalties | - 50,000 | - 100,000 | 0 | 0 |
| = Net profit | 115,000 | - 125,000 | 45,000 | 75,000 |
| + Bonus for winner of round | 25,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| = Total | 140,000 | 0 | 45,000 | 75,000 |
John had a protected profit of $75,000, Janis $30,000 and the others had nothing. John had an at-risk profit of $5,000, Bob had $5,000, Amy had $175,000 and Janis has no exposed Peddle.
In a dramatic turn of events, Janis had the Banker card. Therefore, she skimmed $5,000 from the at-risk profits of the other players: $5,000 from John, Bob and Amy. Janis also got a Banker bonus of $5,000 – so she was then up $20,000.
Looking at the Peddle or penalty cards in each hand: we see John had none, so no change to his score; Janis had three $5,000 Peddle cards, but only one got deducted, so she lost $5,000. Bob still had a $25,000 Peddle card as well as that Utterly Wiped Out card ($100,000 penalty), so he slipped down $125,000. Luckily, it is only the first round, so he remains at $0. Phew! If he had been rich in a previous round, the $125,000 would have been deducted from his earlier profits. Amy still had a $5,000 Peddle card in her hand, along with a Doublecrossed card ($50,000 penalty) she never dared to play, so she was docked $55,000 and slumped to $115,000.
With that interim score, Amy took the round and so got the $25,000 bonus, giving her a total for the round of $140,000. She is sitting pretty but, since she doesn't yet have $250,000 in profits, all players record their scores, shuffle all the cards and deal the next round.
The Cards
Here is the name, quantity and a brief description of the 104 cards in Grass. The deck also includes 4 replacement cards, which can be customized if any cards go astray.
Market Cards
Each player needs a Market Open card to start peddling and protecting their Peddles.
Market Open (10) The key to starting peddling. It's played face up in front of you and is always the first card on the HASSLE PILE (but watch out, others can hassle your market activity!) Until you open it, you can't play any Peddle cards on your MARKETPLACE. If you get impatient, you can try to TRADE for a Market Open card in someone else's hand (ask them). With no open MARKETPLACE, you cannot discard Paranoia cards (Sold Out, Doublecrossed or Utterly Wiped Out) onto the WASTED PILE.
Market Close (5) Can only be played if your MARKETPLACE is open and your HASSLE PILE is not showing Heat On. Playing a Market Close card immediately ends the current round. Can be handy to collect the $25,000 bonus, if you think you have the highest profit in the round.
Peddle (28) Values range from $5,000 to $100,000. And, no, selling homegrown grass from your balcony will not earn as much as the famous Dr. Feelgood herb! You can only play a Peddle card on your MARKETPLACE if you've already played a Market Open card and it is visible (no hassles on top of it). There is no limit to the number of Peddle cards you can have on your MARKETPLACE, but exposing your money is risky. Then again, so is keeping it in your hand. This business is a risky business.
Protected (6) Use to make your Peddles safe. The flesh is weak and the spirit is wry so, on your MARKETPLACE, try to protect your Peddles by covering them with Protected cards – up to $50,000 – nope, you can never protect the ever-free Dr. Feelgood card. As you have to play your Peddles before your Protected cards, there is always a moment when your money is at risk! A Protected card can protect more than 1 Peddle card, but the total coverage of the Protected cards must be equal to or greater than the Peddle card value. Also, you cannot slide additional Peddles under a Protected card – so, it's a bit dumb to protect a $5,000 Peddle with a $50,000 "Lust Conquers All" – unless you're paranoid, that is.
Hassle Cards
It's a hassle when cops put the Heat On, which, strangely enough, freezes your assets, that is until you get the Heat Off again, and then … get even.
Heat On: (3 x 4 types) There are 4 ways to turn the Heat On for others and temporarily close their MARKETPLACE. On your turn, playing Search & Seizure, Detained, Bust or Felony on an opponent's HASSLE PILE is your chance to secure a monopoly, get revenge or just bother the blissful. If they have a Market Open card face up in front of them, you play your Heat On card on top it. While it's in place, that player cannot SWITCH or play Peddles or Protected cards until a Heat Off card (see below) resolves their inconveniences. Note: a Heat On card cannot be played on top of another – one hassle at a time is enough!
Heat Off: (5 x 4 types) Along with Pay Fine/Heat Off and Stonehigh, Heat Off is one of 3 card types that neutralize Heat On. The deck contains 5 of each specific Heat Off card, corresponding to each kind of Heat On (i.e. the reason on the Heat Off has to match the reason on the Heat On card it's played over). If you don't have the right Heat Off card, you can try to TRADE for it. Once the heat is off, you can reveal the Market Open card and you're backpeddling again. Phew!
Pay Fine/Heat Off (4) Played the same way as a Heat Off card but counts for any of the 4 types of Heat On, though you also need to discard a Peddle played on your MARKETPLACE (if it's Protected, that's history too). The discards all go onto the WASTED PILE.
Nirvana Cards
Everyone wants a bit of nirvana. It sets you free and it lines your pockets.
Stonehigh (5) Stonehigh is a hybrid card: it's both Nirvana and it gets the Heat Off you. Play it on the WASTED PILE to liberate your HASSLE PILE from any Heat On. To celebrate, each player gives you the lowest unprotected Peddle from their MARKETPLACE, and puts it into your MARKETPLACE. If they've got no Unprotected Peddle for you, no worries, it's still party time 'cuz you are getting an extra turn. Go ahead, do it! Do the nirvana dance!
Euphoria (1) Played just like Stonehigh, except the unprotected Peddle you get from each player must be the highest unprotected Peddle. This is a good time to go fully bananas – that's what Euphoria is all about!
Paranoia Cards
Most people are paranoid about getting stuck with these cards at the end of a round. Is one's fear, another's opportunity?
Sold Out (4) Getting sold out is never good, and neither is getting this card. When you play it on the WASTED PILE, you must also throw away the lowest unprotected Peddle on your MARKETPLACE. You'll also miss your next turn. Each player (you too) then gives an undisclosed card from their hand to the player ahead of them in the rotation. Of course, given the mindset, you're unlikely to get a great card yourself. Careful: getting left with a Sold Out in your hand when the round ends gets you docked a $25,000 penalty!
Doublecrossed (3) Getting Doublecrossed heightens the tension. When you play this card on the WASTED PILE, you also have to throw away your highest unprotected Peddle. Plus, you skip two turns. And, if that weren't enough, each player (including you) gives an undisclosed card from their hand to the player ahead of you in the rotation (hmmm what to get rid of? Important! If you get stuck with a Doublecrossed card in your hand at the end the round you'll be hit with a $50,000 penalty. Perhaps better to play it after all!
Utterly Wiped Out (1) A real bad-news card! If you play it on the WASTED PILE, you'll also be kissing goodbye your entire HASSLE PILE and MARKETPLACE (including your Market Open card, Peddles and all Protected cover) – everything is tossed onto the WASTED PILE. Not enough honeylamb? Afraid you'll also have to skip your next two turns before you start over again with a new Market Open card. Of course, you could give this card to a neighbor, if you want an enemy for life – it's either that or forfeiting a $100,000 penalty for having it in your hand at the end of a round. Heavy decisions, dude, hea-vy.
Skim Cards
Everybody wants to get in on your action. Better stock up where you can.
Steal Your Neighbor's Pot (4) The grass is always greener on the other side – so go help yourself! If your MARKETPLACE is open and hassle-free, you can play this card on the WASTED PILE and take one unprotected Peddle from anyone who also has a hassle-free open MARKETPLACE. That's right, the Peddle goes straight from theirs into yours. Though you may not steal from anyone who has existing hassles… There is a code, even among dealers.
The Banker (1) Hold onto this card, if you can. It's only valid if you have it in your hand at the end of a round – when it is time to keep score. The holder skims an extra $5,000 from every player with unprotected Peddles. Plus, it also gives them an extra $5,000 – why? Well, because. Who said life was fair?
Game Variations
Here are some variations for injecting new life into the game by changing the rules a bit.
Give Me Five
Balance the initial round by holding a draft. During set-up, each player gets 6 cards; they set aside 1 they want to keep, giving the other 5 to the player to their left. Similarly, each sets aside 1 of those 5 received cards and passes the other 4 on, etc. until the 6th and last card is reached. The direction of the draft reverses in alternate rounds.
Hidden Deals
Jack up the treachery, tension and bluffing around the table! Remember, players make all the TRADES they want during their turn. In this variation, two players TRADE an undisclosed card, face down, between their hands. Thus, a player can say they will exchange a Market Open card but actually give a Doublecrossed card. Warning: what goes around comes around. If you have been ripped off, you can say so out loud, or not; you can even say you've been ripped off when you haven't been, but you can't show the undisclosed card you received to the other players. If you do, mayhem may ensue.
Lucky or Not
This variation adds a bit of chaos, unfairness and anarchy – but no mayhem. When a Sold Out, Doublecrossed or Utterly Wiped Out card is played, instead of giving a card to the player to their left, each player (starting with the one playing the card and continuing clockwise) takes a card at random from the hand of the player to their right.
Cool the Heat
Can't take The Heat? If you want to make things easier for one, or all players, let ANY Heat Off card, cancel out ANY Heat On card. This keeps you in the game more often. Think of it just like doing any other business, but in a very relaxed state.