Grass Roots is a series of three Strangers and Freaks side-missions in Grand Theft Auto V. Michael, Trevor and Franklin each have a side-mission bearing this name. Completing Franklin's segment contributes toward 100% Completion.
Description[]
Barry, a marijuana legalization advocate, is attempting to drum up support for the legalization process by lobbying the people directly - and giving out free samples of his home-grown weed.
Mission Walkthrough[]
Michael[]
Mission Prerequisites[]
Before this Stranger will appear on the map for Michael, the player must complete:
- "Complications"; and
- "Pulling Favors"
Mission Objectives[]
To complete this mission, the player must:
- Speak with Barry at his table in Legion Square.
- Defeat all of the aliens.
Mission Details[]
Michael can meet Barry at a makeshift table he's set up in Legion Square. Barry will start in with a pseudo-political sermon on the benefits of marijuana legalization (and his theories about why it's illegal) before offering Michael a joint and temping him to smoke it. At first Michael refuses saying that he is "not a drug guy", but eventually he capitulates and has a few drags on the joint.
After Michael takes a few hits, Barry begins to mention something about 'monsters' and not letting them 'get too near'.
Michael's vision and hearing become blurred and the world around him appears to be in a purplish haze. He is suddenly hefting a minigun as aliens begin to appear all around him. Michael must defeat the aliens without dying himself.
Be mindful of any aliens that get close and hold Michael in the green energy field that you have to wiggle the left stick to get out of. If the alien is allowed to complete the process, Michael will be abducted. He will fly very high into the air and crash into the pavement, causing death.
When the last alien is dead, Michael returns to 'reality' and Barry is still droning on about the wonders of pot legalization. Michael, fed up with what just happened, tells Barry to stay away from him.
Gold Medal Objectives[]
- ● Unmarked - Complete with minimal damage to health and armor
- ● Kill Chain - Kill 7 aliens in 00:10
Mission Failure[]
The mission will fail if the player:
- Allows the aliens to abduct and vaporize Michael.
- Leaves the immediate area.
- Is wasted.
Aftermath[]
Lifeinvader Posts[]
- Jimmy De Santa - "Are you sure you aren't completing losing your mind? I saw you staggering around Legion Square earlier yelling shit about aliens? It's textbook midlife crisis, Dad, get a grip."
Trevor[]
Mission Prerequisites[]
Before this Stranger will appear on the map for Trevor, the player must complete:
Mission Objectives[]
To complete this mission, the player must:
- Speak with Barry at his table in Legion Square.
- Defeat all of the clowns and the vehicles in which they arrive.
Mission Details[]
Trevor can meet Barry at a makeshift table he's set up in Legion Square. When Barry attempts to appeal to him about legalization of marijuana, Trevor bristles. Trevor explains that he makes a ton of money selling smoke and has no interest in legalization because it will harm his business.
Barry invites him to smoke anyway, and Trevor refuses saying it "interferes with the speed". Trevor's protest, however, is short-lived and he takes a drag from Barry's joint anyway.
Trevor's vision and hearing begin to blur and the world around him appears to be in a purplish haze. He notices a group of clowns nearby and an Assault Shotgun appears in his hands. Eventually clown vans show up that must be destroyed or they will continually generate clowns.
Once the clowns are dead, Trevor returns to 'reality' and angrily storms off.
Gold Medal Objectives[]
- ● Pre-Emptive Strike - Kill 4 clown vans before they can generate clowns
- A total of 5 vans will spawn, starting with one in the southern part of legion square, two in the center, and two more in the north, in that order. Ignore all clowns until Trevor is in position and get ready for the van to spawn once Trevor has finished the wave.
- Don't kill every clown in sight before reloading. Instead, reload when there's one clown left. This way, Trevor can respond faster once he finished the lone clown.
- ● Greatest Dancer - Kill 6 clowns while they are dancing
- Clowns dance on two occasions, seldom when they spawn, and when they reload. So by drawing out the shootout, the clowns will have to dance eventually. Kill them then.
- When there's one clown left in each wave, wait for the clown to dance and kill then.
Mission Failure[]
The mission will fail if the player:
- Leaves the immediate area.
- Is wasted.
Franklin[]
Mission Prerequisites[]
Before this Stranger will appear on the map for Franklin, the player must complete:
Mission Objectives[]
To complete this mission, the player must:
- Meet Barry at a storefront in Textile City.
- Leave the area or lose the wanted level received if he lingers long enough near Barry.
- Wait for a text revealing the locations of the stash vehicles.
Mission Details[]
Franklin approaches Barry in front of a Ranch outlet on Sinner Street in Textile City and Barry hits him with the marijuana legalization sales pitch. Franklin likes the idea of smoking weed, but thinks all of Barry's political rhetoric sounds 'kind of bullshit'.
Barry offers him a drag on a joint and Franklin takes him up without hesitation. However, because Franklin is already a habitual pot smoker, he does not have vivid hallucinations like the ones Michael and Trevor have. In fact, Franklin tells Barry that the weed is garbage before crushing the joint beneath his shoe.
Barry then finagles Franklin into searching the city for vehicles containing weed stashes that need to be delivered to Barry's apartment to supply the 'Smoke-in' Barry has arranged at City Hall. Franklin then leaves, although if he waits around near Barry long enough, a one-star wanted level will be received and Officer Jernigan and another female officer will arrive on the scene in a Police Cruiser.
After Franklin leaves, he'll receive a text message from Barry that reveals the locations of the stash vehicles. The areas in which the vehicles can be located will show as large light green circles on the world map and mini-map.
The mission can't be replayed afterwards, due to it being just a cutscene and having no objectives or medal challenges.
There are two vehicles to procure and each has its own mission segment and corresponding gold requirements (note that the vehicles can be found in any order):
Grass Roots - The Pickup[]
Mission Segment Prerequisites[]
Before this vehicle will appear on the map for Franklin, the player must complete:
Mission Segment Objectives[]
- Go to the lumber yard in Murrieta Heights.
- Locate the stash vehicle.
- Drive the vehicle to Barry's apartment in Vespucci.
- Lose any police wanted level if one has been acquired.
- Leave the vehicle at Barry's apartment.
Mission Segment Details[]
Go to the lumberyard on El Rancho Boulevard in Murrieta Heights in East Los Santos, designated on the map by a light green circle. Locate the truck and Franklin will call Barry who will ask Franklin to deliver it to his apartment.
Lose any wanted level and drive the truck to Barry's apartment in Vespucci. It then must be dropped off in the alleyway behind the apartment complex.
Gold Medal Objectives[]
- ● Mission Time - Complete within 02:45
- It is better to use the freeway to get to the objective, regardless of what the GPS says, taking the Del Perro exit.
- Despite the fact that the on-screen timer stops when the truck is delivered, the general timer for the mission does not. Therefore, it is recommended to start running as soon as the truck is delivered in order to leave the area. Barry's calls may also be hung up.
- ● Unwanted Outcome - Complete without gaining a wanted level
- As soon as the truck goes out the main front gates of the lumberyard, Franklin will get a two-star wanted level. Going out the back of the lumberyard avoids this.
Mission Segment Failure[]
The mission will fail if player:
- Destroys the stash vehicle.
- Runs out of time.
- Is busted.
- Is wasted.
Grass Roots - The Drag[]
Mission Segment Prerequisites[]
Before this vehicle will appear on the map for Franklin, the player must complete:
Mission Segment Objectives[]
- Go to the scrapyard in La Puerta.
- Locate the stash vehicle.
- Find a way to move the non-operational vehicle.
- Tow the vehicle to Barry's apartment in Vespucci.
- Leave the vehicle at Barry's apartment.
Mission Segment Details[]
Go to Rogers Salvage & Scrap yard just off Alta Street in La Puerta on the west side of Los Santos, designated on the map by a light green circle. Locate the car and start it up.
Franklin discovers that the car is a "hoopty" and after attempting to get it started without success, Franklin will call Barry. Franklin will suggest that they give up on the vehicle, but Barry protests and insists the vehicle is needed. He tasks Franklin with finding a way to move it.
Near the entrance to the scrapyard is a tow truck. Use the tow truck to hitch the car and drive it to Barry's apartment. Alternatively, the player can use a Cargobob to hook the car. Again, the vehicle must be left in the alleyway behind the apartment complex.
Gold Medal Objectives[]
- ● Mission Time - Complete within 01:30
- Despite what the objective asks for, it is advised to avoid getting in the Emperor. Franklin will automatically try to start the engine and after a while he will be able to exit. This loses precious seconds. Entering the tow truck as soon as the mission starts will skip that part completely and allow Franklin to begin the towing part.
- Get a tow truck of your own and start the mission by reversing your tow truck to enter the scapyard and hook the car as fast as possible.
- The tow truck needs to slow down when turning, otherwise the towed car can smash into people or objects and either get a wanted level or get detached. Therefore, it would be a good option to take the route with the least turns.
- As soon as the car is towed to the alleyway, it can be unhooked, even while still on the move. This allows for a quick drop off, as the timer keeps running until Franklin leaves the area.
- If the player has access to a Cargobob, this will allow for an even quicker way to finish. Nevertheless, this is unavailable while replaying the mission, as Franklin will appear inside the scrapyard and the timer for the mission will already have started.
- It is possible to complete the mission in around 15 seconds:
- First run towards the tow truck and pick up the car, then exit the tow truck and destroy it using either a grenade or a sticky bomb. After restarting the mission, the tow truck will spawn with the vehicle hooked to it, but the timer will be frozen. Now just drive towards the delivery spot.
- Despite what the objective asks for, it is advised to avoid getting in the Emperor. Franklin will automatically try to start the engine and after a while he will be able to exit. This loses precious seconds. Entering the tow truck as soon as the mission starts will skip that part completely and allow Franklin to begin the towing part.
- ● Hooked - Keep the stash car hooked until delivery
- Avoid slamming on the brakes or hitting anything while driving the tow truck.
- Although Franklin's special ability can reduce the time objective, the tow truck's sharp turns can easily hook off the car losing both Time and Hooked objectives.
Mission Segment Failure[]
The mission will fail if player:
- Destroys the stash vehicle.
- Runs out of time.
- Is busted.
- Is wasted.
Mission Epilogue[]
Once the player has delivered both stash vehicles, one final segment will open up:
Grass Roots - The Smoke-in[]
Mission Segment Prerequisites[]
Before this marker will appear on the map for Franklin, the player must complete:
Mission Segment Objective[]
- Go to City Hall.
- Call Barry (Automatic).
Mission Segment Details[]
Barry will send a message to invite Franklin to the City Hall for the smoke-in after 15-20 in-game hours pass after completion of the two required stash missions. After 8:00 in-game time, the mission prompt will appear.
Go to City Hall on Occupation Avenue and stand on the footpath. It won't take long to discover that there is or was no smoke-in.
Franklin calls Barry. Barry seems very sketchy and it becomes clear that after Franklin dropped off the stash, Barry and his cohorts got so high they forgot about the smoke-in.
Leave the area to complete the mission epilogue.
The mission can't be replayed afterwards, due to it being just a phone call and having no objectives or medal challenges.
Soundtracks[]
Main article: Grass Roots/Soundtracks
Trivia[]
- The vivid and horrible psychological trips Michael and Trevor experience reflect their personalities and past history.
- Michael sees aliens (which he has hallucinated about before) and screams that he is "going to die"; the aliens are a staple in both GTA cinematography and real life cinematography, which Michael is very fond of, and Michael's extreme fear of death has its own roots in him having "too much to lose".
- Trevor, on the other hand, experiences clowns; during the mission, Trevor implies that he has both a fear of clowns and psychosis. Trevor's fear of clown is referenced when having Trevor hangout with Franklin and Lamar. It's almost certain that Trevor has some form of psychosis, and/or a bad experience with clowns as a child.
- Franklin does not appear to hallucinate, but also experiences one of his most commonly-expressed fears: putting in a lot of effort only to be stiffed on his reward.
- Since Michael's hallucination symbolizes his fear of his future and Trevor's hallucination symbolizes his fear of his past, the fact that Franklin experiences no hallucinogenic trip probably symbolizes his fear of his present.
- In reality, marijuana does not have hallucinogenic effects unless a very large amount is taken in a short amount of time. It is possible that Barry's marijuana is laced with a hallucinogen such as DMT, though Franklin does not experience hallucinations. Ironically, given that Barry is an advocate for legalization, concerns about illegal cannabis being spiked with other chemicals and drugs is one of the arguments often given for legalization. Also, paranoia is a common side-effect noted of smoking weed; Barry exhibits some of this, but it is primarily shown in exaggerated form by Trevor who, a few times during the mission, states outright that the cannabis had pushed him over the edge.
- The music playing during Michael's hallucination sequence is a remix of the song titled "V-I-S-I-T-O-R-S" by the progressive rock band, Visitors.
- The music playing during Trevor's hallucination sequence is titled "Clown Dream" composed by Danny Elfman from the soundtrack to the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure.
- Jimmy references Michael's part of Grass Roots when he mentions on Michael's Lifeinvader page that he saw him "stumbling around Legion Square shouting something about aliens".
- The aliens, purple color, and overall over-the-top situation of Michael's hallucination might be a nod to Saints Row IV.
- Trevor's hallucination sequence is the only mission in which the Clown Van can be seen. It is, however, unobtainable during this mission.
- In Liberty City, there is a store called Grass Roots.
- Both Michael and Trevor will be seen to have lost health because of getting shot by aliens and clowns respectively even after the hallucination is over, proving their physical health can get depleted because of the trauma from the hallucination.
- If the player equipped either Michael or Trevor with full Body Armor before their respective missions and manages only to lose part of their body armor without harming their health, not only either Michael's or Trevor's health will be intact, but also once the missions are done, their body armor can be regained (or found intact) exactly the way it was beforehand, proving the trauma of the hallucination impacts only their health, unless they are protected by body armor.
- Michael and Trevor cannot use their special abilities during the shootouts.
Video Walkthrough[]
