by Pandion Games
Version 1.0
_03/31/2023 Note: The game behind the Grove System is undergoing an full overhaul. After that is complete, we expect to release a version 2.0 of The Grove System._
# What is this? | Grove System
This system reference document is for creating your own games using the rules and mechanics that power [Banda’s Grove: The Quantum Convergence of Campgrounds](https://bandasgrove.com/). A system designed for discovering and exploring communities collaboratively.
# License | Grove System
The Grove System SRD is released under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY 4.0.
That means you are free to use the contents of this SRD for your own game, provided you give proper credit. To do so, copy the text below in your game, and things should be good to go.
_This work is based on The Grove System, product of Pandion Games (), developed and authored by Andrew Boyd, and licensed for our use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/))_
You may use the Grove System logo to indicate compatibility with The Grove System. You may recolor the logo, but the logo should otherwise not be altered.
## Is making a Grove Game hard?
Not at all! In the document, we provide copy and paste wording for you to drop all the parts into place, and flesh out and tweak however you choose - write detailed settings, or a rolling table, or even simple prompts for players to build out details themselves. If there’s a mechanic you don’t want to use, you can simply ignore it.
## Features
- **GM-Lite** - A facilitator helps organize the table and play by default and uses a special facilitator playbook for their character, but encourages players to take up the reigns from narrating NPCs, to creating and running adventures.
- Three phases of play - **Adventure, Macro, Update**
- Collaborative **episodic adventures**
- Built in worldbuilding
- Two level map drawing (Overview & Detail)
- **Tokens!**
- A macro phase zooms out for players to **influence the larger community** directly.
- **Facilities** - places that provide **unique moves and bonuses.**
- **Idea mechanic** - reward players by welcoming new members to a community by presenting them with **new Ideas used to solve big problems.**
# GM Lite | Grove System
GM-Lite is a balance between traditional Game Mastered games and GMLess games. One player plays with a special facilitator playbook. The facilitator’s playbook has special actions that replicate GM-like actions (see The Playbook example). By default, they narrate scenes, runs NPCs and Adventure, ask leading questions, and make sure everyone gets a chance in the spotlight.
**However,** everyone is responsible for all aspects of play and collaboration in Grove games. The facilitator should encourage others to narrate scenes, act on behalf of NPCs, and run an adventure when they’re comfortable doing so.
Because of this, the goal is for the facilitator to transition to being just another character in the story as everyone becomes comfortable running Grove games together.
# Phases of Play | Grove System
There are three Phases of Play. Playing through all three is a **Loop** and is a unit of game time used to measure how long projects take to complete.
## Adventure Phase
A small, encapsulated adventure. Think a 90s television episode. Normally, 45-60 minutes long. During this phase, players are solving a problem and only have access to their playbook Actions and inventory to complete their tasks.
See _Adventures_ for how Adventures are written and structured.
## Update Phase
A pause in play for all players to update the map, character sheets, or take notes. Also, a good place to stop for the night.
## Macro Phase
A time for players to take care of and interact with the larger community. From building new buildings, crafting new items, hosting special events, or having roleplay scenes with NPCs.
Each player takes 5 actions during the Macro Phase. If an action involves another player, it only counts against the initiating player. Once all actions are taken, a new Adventure Phase starts and the loop begins again.
**_Design Note:_** The Macro phase is meant to zoom out from individuals for players to take wider actions or just have a respite from adventure. Consider different ways that can be integrated into your game.
# Tracking Projects | Grove System
Use a d6 to track projects in length of required **loops**to complete, such as building a facility or planning an event. Reduce the tracking die during each Update Phase by 1. Once the die rolls over from 1, the project is complete.
# Tokens | Grove System
Tokens are the main currency to use Actions or accomplish tasks, instead of dice. Players start with 4 tokens and earn more in several ways.
- Have a specific roleplay moment (“quiet”, “cozy”, etc.)
- Help others, or need help
- Be a friend, or show character depth
**_Design Note:_** We recommend giving a list of options. Above are three broad categories to start. These token-earning actions should reinforce your game’s themes and help define what players should be doing through the game.
# Actions | Grove System
Actions are special moves or abilities that cost 1-10 tokens to perform. Three Playbook Actions are given to characters by their playbooks. Unique Macro Actions are available during the Macro Phase. Characters can add to their Playbook Actions by using the Learn a Skill Macro Action. Finally, building Facilities adds new Macro Actions with special benefits.
**_Design Note:_** In other systems, players might have access to numerous Moves or Actions as part of their playbook. However, in The Grove System characters purposefully start with fewer (about 3), but are provided opportunities to increase their available playbook actions by learning skills, and add larger Macro actions by building facilities. Overall, between Playbooks, Skills, Facilities and Macro actions, players have a wide range of choices available to them that continue to grow as they play.
# Failing, Complications, & Assisting | Grove System
When attempting something risky or performing a task or Action, players can decide if their character fails at the task in exchange for earning a Token. When a player fails, others may assist them to succeed by giving something up – such as a memory, a macro phase action, an item, or anything else they can think of, though they are not obligated to help.
Players who give something up for others to succeed, and those who choose to fail, both gain a Token for those choices. How this works depends on whether you are performing an Action or not when you decide to fail.
## Not Enough Tokens to perform an Action
A player may still attempt to succeed at an Action they do not have enough tokens for by spending all their remaining Tokens and describing how they fail. During that description, other players can describe how they give something up to help, each **assistance**contributes a single token towards success.
**For example,** if you want to perform an action that costs 4 Tokens, and you only have 2. You can spend the 2 tokens, describe your struggling and imminent failure, and two other players may come to your aid and describe what they give up and how they help. You then succeed in your action.
You gain 1 Token for choosing to fail. They gain 1 Token for giving something up to help you succeed.
## Failing while not performing an Action
The player takes a Token and describes how they fail at what they’re doing. Others may help them succeed, but there is no token cost to achieve success.
**_Design Note: _**This is the game’s complication system. Since we don’t roll dice, we don’t have probabilities of failure for Actions, we give the power to the players to decide when to add friction or complications into the story, instead.
# Drawing and Mapping | Grove System
The world the players have access to is represented by an overview map. Each region on this map then has a detailed view, which zooms into each overview region for players to define details, from individual trails and buildings of a campground, or discovered planets, moons, and derelicts in the star system’s quadrant.
**Overview Map:** A hex grid map, such as a 19-hex flower. This is where players detail large landmarks of a campground, a city, a landmass, a continent, a biome, a world or even a star system.
**Detail Map:** A hex grid map. One exists for each hex of the Overview map and allows players to zoom in and detail that individual hex. From trails and cabins at the campground, to planetary bodies in the star system.
**_Design Note: _**The Detail Maps replace what would normally be adventure locations in a traditional Hex Crawl. Instead, The Grove System uses blank hex detail maps as a collaborative drawing exercise as details are uncovered at locations. You decide on the default size of each map and its layout. We recommend starting with a 19-hex grid for Overview and a 7 Hex grid for detail maps. Or start with a blank sheet of paper to be more free form.
# Locations & Creating the Map | Design Note Section | Grove System
At the start of the game, players collaboratively build the opening world, creating the first known locations and game world.
Players should have guidance how to create the following at the start of the game:
- At least one known location on the Overview Map.
- Several buildings or unique locations on those hexes.
- A minimum of 3 NPCs already known.
- An opening Adventure to start them out.
## Unique Hexes
There should be at least 5 unique hex types - different types of rooms, biomes, planets, space sectors, etc. And each should have a d6 to d66 list of unique features for that hex - something interesting to spur curiosity, add flavor, define rooms, or adventure hooks that the players can roll for.
## Problem Hexes
One unique hex type can be a Problem Hex. These blanket other hexes and make them, and anything on those hexes, unavailable until the players resolve the problem. Either by using special items, or by making and completing an adventure to resolve the problem.
Decide if Problem Hexes should apply at the Overview or Detail level, are they economic problems of a sector? Strange phenomena in a basement? Invading forces? Or a problematic customer appearing at the coffee shop that moves room to room each loop?
# Ideas | Design Note Section
Ideas are ways for players to quickly correct Problem Hexes to make the community a better place for everyone. Spend an Action, token, and the Idea during the Macro Phase and explain how the problem is resolved. New Ideas are difficult to get. To collect a new Idea, characters need to welcome Strangers into the community.
**_Design Note: _**Ideas can be represented by a physical object or just increased consciousness, knowledge, etc. Consider the Strangers and Problem Hexes in your game. For example, in Banda’s Grove, Strangers are Spirits that live in the Quantum Woods. They give the players Quantum Shards when welcomed to the Grove as campers, which in turn can fix quantum instabilities called Blips.
# Strangers | Design Note Section
Strangers are non-playable characters that are, for whatever reason, not part of the community, and exist on the fringes. Players can define, understand, and welcome Strangers - which is the process of making a place for them in the community.
Define a Stranger on a notecard:
- Where are they from?
- How did they become a Stranger? **Or** why are they not part of the community?
- What is it they want/need, but don’t have?
- Are they angry or weary? Why? What happened? How angry or weary (between 1-10 tokens)?
### Understand a Stranger
When a Stranger is angry or weary, or unknown, players can spend one or more tokens and describe interacting with them to welcome them and earn their trust. After the required number of tokens is spent, the stranger now trusts the players, and players can work to get them what they want/need to make them whole, befriend and welcome them to the community.
### Welcome a Stranger
After a Stranger trusts the players, players work together to create an adventure that helps the stranger get what they want or need. If the adventure succeeds, the Stranger joins the community. Update their Stranger Card to an NPC card. The Stranger rewards the players with a new Idea.
**_Design Note: _**Be thoughtful in how you represent Strangers in your game. There are many reasons a character may feel outcast, unwelcome, forgotten, or excluded from a community, and the Grove System looks to identify those reasons for your specific theme and setting and allow players to work at improving the community and world by finding ways to include them.
**_Design Note’s Note_**: Do not create games where players welcome fascists, bigots, and racists into the community by providing them what they want. Acceptance of intolerance has no place in a Grove game.
# NPCs | Design Note Section
Non-Playable Characters represent any character in the game that is not a Stranger or a Player’s Character. Players create NPCs together by filling out an NPC Notecard with the following information:
- Name
- Pronouns
- Origin
- A Quirk
- A Hobby
Afterwards, any player can pick up the NPC’s card to act and speak on their behalf.
# Macro Phase Actions | Design Note Section
During the Macro Phase, players have access to unique, community-level actions. Each player can perform 5 actions during this phase, in whatever order they see fit. Each Action has a token cost associated with it. Players must have the actions and Tokens available. They can also spend an action to perform token earning behavior.
- Have a Scene - 0 Tokens
- Learn a Skill - 2 Tokens
- Gather Ingredients - 1 Token
- Craft - 1 Token
- Understand a Stranger - 1-10 Tokens
- Perform Location Actions
- Build a Facility - 1 Token
- Plan an Event - 1 Token
- Define a new NPC or Stranger - 1 Token
- Add a major detail about the location - 1 Token
- Use a Facility’s Action - 1-10 Tokens (defined by the Facility)
**_Design Note:_** We provide an example token cost for each skill, but you are welcome to change them to fit your game, difficulty, or balance. You can also add additional Actions here. For instance, Banda’s Grove has an additional “Nature Watching” action tied to a d100 table to discover new creatures.
## Learn a Skill
Learning a skill is the way characters add to their Actions beyond what is provided by their playbook. After a number of learning sessions, they get access to a new playbook action they can use during Adventures or a passive bonus.
**[Skill Name]** (# of learning sessions to earn) – [Cost to Use] – Description
**_Design Note: _**Learning Skills is the main progression system for characters in the game. We recommend making it thematically relevant to your game. In Banda’s Grove, characters earned badges and describe relevant scenes. In a sci-fi game, perhaps they practice in flight simulators to earn certifications.
## Gather Ingredients
During the game, player characters can gather diverse ingredients which they can later use to craft special items. To gather 2 ingredients, a player needs to spend 1 Action and 1 Token. Ingredients are broken down into 4 main categories: Flora, Fauna, Earthen, Special (magical, high-tech, etc.).
What they gather specifically (honey, sticks, granite, silicon, memory boards) is up to the player to decide and is purely narrative, but influences what the end product looks like.
During the gathering actions, players states two specific things they are trying to collect, then describe how they gather those items – by collecting, finding, bartering, or any other way of obtaining that specific ingredient.
## Crafting
After gathering the required ingredients with the Gather Ingredients action, players can spend an action and token to craft the final item. However, they need the proper crafting facility built. Crafting is split into 5 categories and their associated facility. Each facility has an NPC that operates it. The number of categories can be contracted or expanded to fit your game.
1. Physical Goods - Workshop
2. Edible - Diner / Kitchen
3. Textiles - Tailor
4. Artisanal - Artisan’s Shop
5. Specialty (Magic / Quantum / Electronic, etc.) - Lab / Observatory
**\[Name\] -** \[Category**(Physical, Edible, Artisan, Textile, Quantum)**\]\*\*\*\*- (Required ingredients (Flora, Fauna, Earthen, Specialty))
Description **\[Any Special Benefits\]**
### Crafting Recipe Examples
Below is an example crafting recipe. Remember that this is not an exhaustive list, and you can create your own recipes at the table. The more ingredients required, the more special the item.
**Fragmental Uncertainty Arranger - 4 Earthen, 2 Flora, 6 Special**
Rearrange Hexes in Banda’s Grove! Using quantum uncertainty states, this tool allows you to move 1 hex to another location per use. | 1 Token
**_Design Note:_**While it may be wise to include a sampling of crafting recipes, usually 5-10 per category, encourage players to create crafting recipes together at the table as well.
## Special Events
Special Events are unique roleplaying experiences that players can plan and attend during the Macro Phase and gives them larger boons or bonuses along with tasks to complete. When spending an Action and token to plan the event, set a project tracking die to the required number of loops to plan the event.
**\[Special Event Name\]** (time it takes place (season, am/pm, etc.)
Number of Loops to Plan | (Any requirements to plan it)
\[Description of the Event\]
**A benefit of participating in the Special Event.**
1. Things that happen at the Event or task list.\*\*\*\*
### Example Special Event
**The Quantum Potluck** (Fall)
2 Loops to Plan | Unlocked with Upgraded Community Campfire
Hosted by Banda, The Quantum Potluck is a time of hearty soups, stews, and gathering around the Community Campfire to cook everything together while making friends and laughing. All defined Strangers from the Quantum Woods also attend!
**Remove a Problem Hex if it exists and gain 2 Specialty Ingredients for attending the Festival. The required number of Tokens needed to calm an upset Spirit is halved if attempting to calm them while at the Quantum Potluck.**
During the Quantum Potluck:
- Define a new NPC and Stranger. What food are they making?
- What cooking complications are there?
- How are they resolved?
# Facilities | Design Note Section
Facilities are special buildings or locations characters can build that grant a benefit, unlock crafting, or provide a special Action and take x-loops to build. They are built on detail or overview maps hexes.
**\[Name of Facility\]** \[Loops to Build\]
(What the facility adds mechanically)
Description. **\[Player Tasks\]**
## Example Facility
**Observatory | 4 Weeks**
**Unlocks Quantum Crafting. Define a Scientist NPC!**
Add Macro Action: **Watch the Realm | 4 Tokens**
A place to discover the marvels of Banda’s Quantum Realm. While watching the outer reaches of Banda’s Realm, you discover something odd happening. **What is it? Define an Adventure about the mysterious sight you see.** You can ask for your new Adventure to be run during a future Adventure Phase (it doesn’t have to be run immediately).
**_Design Note: _** Consider limiting the number of facilities per hex, if needed, to create scarcity and encourage exploring. While most of The Grove System supports players coming up with their own details, Facilities are one of the few items in the game we recommend having fully fleshed out, or at the very least, providing numerous examples of.
# Playbooks | Design Note Section
Playbooks are how players construct their character. One of the playbooks is dedicated to the player acting as the facilitator. The playbook dedicated to the facilitator can be used by other players, but it should be discussed beforehand. Characters should answer the following:
**What is your Name?**Say it out loud. How does it feel? Does it fit? It’s okay to pick another at any time if it doesn’t.
**Do you have or use Pronouns?**If so, which ones? If you find they don’t fit, try another!
## Playbook Outline
**\[Name of Class/Job\]**
(Intro Description)
**Choose two things you’re good at and two you aren’t.**
\[List of 6 items\]
**Choose or come up with a quirk**
\[List of 4 items\]
**Choose or come up with your most precious item**
\[List of 6 items\]
**Decide your Interest**
**Decide your Secret**
**Playbook Actions**
Free Action
1 Token Action
2 Token Action
**Questions to Ask Yourself**
- Question 1
- Question 2
- Question 3
## Interests and Secrets
When a character takes interest in another character’s **Interest**, by talking to them about it or asking to join in, the initiating player gains a Token.
When a character shares their **secret**or lets it control their actions, they gain a Token.
**_Design Note: _** Playbooks can represent a kind of class or job players hold and give them unique Actions. We have provided an example playbook below, and it is also the facilitator’s playbook. Both are structured the same way, but the facilitator’s actions revolve around gm-like support. How these actions are structured depend on the kind of game you are making. Consider what three actions are important for a GM to perform in your game.
The way we have worded the **Name**and **Pronoun**sections are important - this codifies into the rules that players can choose any name or pronoun they wish, **_but also change them at any time if they don’t feel right without the need to ask permission of anyone_.** If you want to change the wording of those sections, we just ask that you keep the purpose of the words.
## Playbook Example: Grove Ranger
The Grove Ranger assists Ranger Murie and helps keep the operations of the Grove functioning. A centerpiece of the community, you are helpful, kind, welcoming, and always know how to break the tension with a well-placed pun. Your Actions revolve around being in the right place to assist others.
### **Choose two things you’re good at and two you aren’t.**
- First aid
- Search and rescue
- Trail maintenance
- Settling arguments with a metaphor
- Telling excellent bad jokes
- Inspiring others to follow their dreams
### **Choose or come up with a quirk**
- One pant leg is always stuffed into a boot.
- You’re always jogging everywhere. _Everywhere_.
- You sometimes just stop, mid-sentence, to appreciate the view.
- You walk around with a towel draped on your shoulders.
### **Choose or come up with your most precious tool.**
- Compass
- Field Journal
- Grove Ranger’s Badge
- Adze
- First Aid Kit
- Bandana
### **Decide your Hobby**
Whenever someone talks to you about your Hobby, they gain a Token.
### **Decide your Secret**
Whenever you talk about your secret with someone, gain a Token.
### **Grove Ranger Actions**
**I sense I’m needed! -** You appear right where you’re needed. Walking down the trail, from behind a tree, or stepping out of the latrine.
**Wilderness First Responder –** Fix an injury! | 2 Tokens
**A Kind Soul** - Help someone succeed if they are struggling or about to fail. They succeed instead and gain +1 Token. | 1 Token
### **Questions to Ask Yourself**
1. Why did you want to become a Grove Ranger?
2. What secret did Murie share with you after joining?
3. What is a bizarre, quantum thing do you deal with as a common issue every day?
# Adventures | Design Note Section
Adventures are small, episodic quests. These are things that happen that to the players that they need to respond to. Normally, these are shorter in scope (45-60 minutes of play time) but several can be created to make longer arcs. Optionally, complications can be kept secret from the other players and only known or created by the one running the adventure.
Adventures could describe someone getting into trouble, a group of teenagers sneaking off at night and trying to discover what glows in the woods, or can even set longer goals to accomplish over the coming weeks.
Adventures are great times for players to gain tokens by helping others, using their strengths to solve problems, or giving something up for others to succeed.
The facilitator and players create Adventures as they see fit, or as it suits the narrative. If a player wants to see a dear NPC who may be in trouble, they might request for that to happen and build an Adventure with others around the table.
**\[Adventure Name\]**
**Introduction Text**
List of Goals to Accomplish
**Complications**
Two or more complications that arise
**Outcomes**
Two or more outcomes with penalties and/or boons, and how those outcomes are triggered. Outcomes don’t have to just be positive/negative, but any combination of positive, negative, neutral.
**_Design Note: _**This adventure outline was created so players can create adventures together at the table. At minimum, we do suggest creating an opening adventure to help introduce the players to the setting and get them started. You can also provide tools, such as rolling tables, or a series of questions to answer, to help generate new adventures quickly.
## Example Adventure
## Quantum Woods Shenanigans
### **Introduction**
**A large group of Quantum Camper visitors have arrived and children have overrun the park!** The Lake is full of swimmers, hikers are everywhere, and everyone needs to help out. After the gathering at the campfire that night, people head to sleep.
Or so you hoped. There’s rustling and giggling at night. The next morning, Ranger Murie tells everyone that Fimbaaat, one of the children, has gone missing, and you must figure out where they went.
1. Discover if anyone knows anything about Fimbaaat
2. Find and Rescue Fimbaaat
### **Complications**
1. The children at the Grove are embarrassed and fear getting in trouble. They are tight-lipped that they were playing in the Quantum Woods.
2. The Quantum Woods are hiding Fimbaaat and teasing the rescuers with glimpses.
3. The Quantum Woods are upset. A Spirit tells the players because the children were breaking branches of its trees to make a fire that still smolders. **Add Goal:** Find the fire and put it out to release Fimbaaat.
**Outcomes**
1. **Fimbaaat is rescued!** - Everyone gains 2 Tokens. Remove a complication from the next Event.
2. **Fimbaaat stumbles out** – The Quantum Woods finally releases Fimbaaat, but they are hungry and upset. Each player needs to spend an Action in the next Macro Phase to comfort, feed, and return Fimbaaat to their family.
# Credits
The Grove System would not exist without the designers, writers, editors and backers who made Banda’s Grove a reality. Thanks to everyone who provided their feedback, design consultancy, and stayed up late in the night with me discussing the finer details of token economies, and collaborative storytelling.
**Writers**
Armanda Haller - @armandah17
Misha Panarin - @panarin_misha
Dana Pena - @danapenav
Sasha "stargazersasha" Winter - @stargazersasha
Matt Kimmel - @orpheuspress
Matt Shipps - @orpheuspress
Michael Low - @LuckLegends
Philippa Mort - @MortPhilippa
**Editing**
Michael Low - @LuckLegends
**Design Consultants**
Michael Low - @LuckLegends
Orpheus Press - @orpheuspress
Armanda Haller - @armandah17
René-Pier Deshaies - @RPDeshaies
Cassandra - @ZeugmaticPlayer