In a Grove
In a Grove Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Includes
- Suspect card: 8 pieces (one blank white card, plus cards numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
- Discoverer marker: 1 piece
- Unseen marker: 1 piece
- Tamper marker: 1 piece
- Accusation chip: 5 pieces of each color (blue, red, green, yellow; each chip has a "Liar" back)
- Instruction booklet (You are reading it now)
Overview
- Set up the crime scene
- Check alibis
- Make an accusation
- Reveal the truth
- The judgement
Crime solved!
Story
In a grove
A murder case
Three suspects
Some witnesses
Who is the Murderer? : Three Rules
Who is the murderer out of the three suspects?
The crime scene shows the victim and, beside the victim, the three suspects.
Rule 1 — The largest number is the murderer.
Example: with 3, 6 and 8, the 8 is the murderer. With 2, 3 and 4, the 4 is the murderer.
Rule 2 — If there is a '5', then the smallest number is the murderer.
Example: with 3, 5 and 6, the 3 is the murderer. With 5, 6 and 8, the 5 is the murderer.
Rule 3 — A white card can never be the murderer.
White hands!
1. Set Up the Crime Scene
How many players?
- 4 players: use all the Suspect cards.
- 3 players: rule out the '2'.
- 2 players: rule out the '2' and the '8'.
Deal five Accusation chips of the same color to each player.
Give the Discoverer marker to the youngest player.
Shuffle the Suspect cards and deal one to each player. Set out the crime scene as shown in the picture using the remaining four cards: one card is the victim, and the three cards next to it are the suspects. The card dealt to each player is that player's alibi.
2. Check Alibis
- Check the number of the card you are dealt.
2 players: Go to the next phase.
3 or 4 players: read below.
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Pass the card to the player on your right.
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Check the number of the card you were passed.
You have now seen two numbers.
3. Make an Accusation
Play the game clockwise from the discoverer.
Discoverer
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Choose any two Suspect cards, check their numbers and put them back. Place the Unseen marker above the unchecked Suspect card.
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If the discoverer chooses to, he/she can swap one of the Suspect cards with the victim. However, the discoverer can't check the victim's number. Place the Tamper marker above the new Suspect card.
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Place the Accusation chip below the murderer.
Other (Non Discoverer) Players
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The next player checks two cards. However, the card with only the previous player's Accusation chip can't be touched.
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Place the Accusation chip below the murderer. If the player chooses the same suspect, place the Accusation chip on top of the other player's chips. (It is possible for all players to choose the same suspect.)
Go to the next phase after all the players have finished placing the Accusation chips.
- You can also place the Accusation chip below the card you haven't checked.
- Sometimes it's better to bluff.
4. Reveal the Truth
Turn over the Suspect cards to reveal who is the murderer. (See "Who is the Murderer? : Three Rules".)
The chips placed below the murderer: Return the Accusation chips back to the players.
The chips placed below the non-murderers: The player who owns the Accusation chip on top must collect all the chips. All Accusation chips collected must be turned over to become the Liar chip.
Go to the Judgement phase.
What's a Liar chip?
This is your penalty for false accusations. You can't use these chips to make further Accusations.
5. The Judgement
How to decide who is the loser. Follow the steps below.
Step 1 — The player with eight or more Accusation or Liar chips combined is the loser.
If there is more than one player with eight or more chips, then the person who played the Accusation chip first is the loser.
Step 2 — If a loser can't be chosen from the previous step, then the player who has lost all their Accusation chips loses.
If there is more than one player who has lost all their Accusation chips, then the person who played the Accusation first is the loser.
Step 3 — If nobody loses, then the discoverer passes the Discoverer marker to the player on his/her right. Make a new crime scene again.
Continue playing.
How to Rank All Players (optional)
It's okay to finish the game with one loser, however, if you want to rank each player, then the player with the least amount of Accusation and Liar chips combined is the winner. (And so on.) If there is more than one person with the same amount of chips, then the player who played the Accusation chip first is the winner.
Credits
In a Grove
Author: Jun Sasaki
Published by: oink games inc.