# Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2020
- **BGG Rating**: 8.4
- **BGG Rank**: #12
- **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 2)
- **Duration**: 30-120 min
- **Weight**: 3.64 / 5
- **Designers**: Isaac Childres
- **Artists**: Alexandr Elichev, David Demaret, Francesca Baerald
- **Publishers**: Cephalofair Games, Albi, Albi Polska, Arclight Games, CoolPlay, Feuerland Spiele
- **Categories**: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures
- **Mechanics**: Action Queue, Action Retrieval, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Communication Limits, Cooperative Game, Critical Hits and Failures

## Verdict
If you've been curious about Gloomhaven but intimidated by its size, Jaws of the Lion is your perfect entry point! It brilliantly distills the core experience into a more accessible package without sacrificing depth.
Streamlined entry into the Gloomhaven universe
Engaging tactical combat with unique characters
Excellent value for a rich campaign
Seamless integration with original Gloomhaven
Still a significant time commitment
Requires dedicated table space
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is the perfect gateway into the acclaimed Gloomhaven universe, serving as a standalone game set before the events of the original title. It was designed with those in mind who want to dive into this world without the initial complexity of its older sibling. Here, you'll find four charismatic new characters, each with unique abilities: the Valrath Red Guard, a tank who excels at crowd control; the Inox Hatchet, a master of ranged damage; the Human Voidwarden, a support who manipulates minds; and the Quatryl Demolitionist, specializing in melee combat and manipulating the environment. And the best part? These heroes can be integrated into the original Gloomhaven, further expanding your possibilities!

## How to Play
Game Objective
Consult the manual for details about this section.

Preparation (Setup)
To get your game ready, follow these steps:

    Scenario Introduction: Read the introduction and note any special rules.
    Monster Setup: Place monster stat cards in sleeves, ensuring the stats level matches the scenario level. Shuffle the monster ability decks for the monster types present in the room and shuffle the monster attack modifier deck (shared by all monsters).
    Player Setup: 
        
            Each player secretly chooses one of two battle goal cards and discards the other.
            Equip owned items below the character mat.
            Shuffle your individual attack modifier deck.
            Build your hand from your active card pool based on the hand size listed on your character mat.
        
    
    General Components: 
        
            Place 6 element tokens on the “Inert” column of the elemental infusion table.
            Split curse cards into two decks of 10 cards each (one for monsters, one for characters).
        
    
    Start: Place characters in the 1st room positions and begin the 1st round.


Game Flow
The game progresses through rounds, structured as follows:
Start of Round
Each player must declare one of the following:

    Two actions: This requires having at least 2 cards in hand.
    Long rest: This requires having at least 2 cards in the discard pile (you may move cards from the active area to the discard pile to meet this requirement).

Note: If a character cannot perform either two actions or a long rest, they are exhausted and removed from the game.

End of Round
Once all actions are resolved, perform these steps in order:

    Shuffle: If a shuffle symbol was revealed in any attack modifier deck or monster ability deck, reassemble and shuffle that deck.
    Elements: Move all elemental infusion tokens one space toward "Inert".
    Card Maintenance: Move active ability cards that expire into the discard or lost pile.
    Short Rest: Players may take a short rest if desired.
    Round Tracker: Move the round tracker forward one number if the scenario requires it.


Actions and How to Play
Player Actions
Players manage their turns through card usage and specific rest mechanics:

    Long Rest: The player takes their turn on Initiative 99. They may use items, must choose and lose 1 card from their discard pile (cards without the “lost” symbol can be moved from the active area to the discard pile to facilitate this), and then return the rest of the discard pile to their hand. Additionally, they may “heal 2 self” and refresh all spent item cards (not consumed).
    Short Rest: Available if there are ≥ 2 cards in the discard pile. The player moves one random discard pile card to the lost pile (or may keep that card, take 1 HP of damage, and lose a different random card once per rest). The remaining cards in the discard pile return to the hand.
    Negating Damage: When taking damage, a player must choose ONE of these options:
        
            Take HP damage on the damage dial.
            Lose 1 card from the hand (cannot pick un-played two action cards).
            Lose 2 cards from the discard pile.
        
    


Special Rules and Restrictions

    Items: You can equip one head, body, and foot item, two hand items, and a number of small items equal to half your character level (rounded up). You cannot equip two of the same item. Items found during a scenario can be equipped immediately, even if you exceed the slot cap.
    Elements: These are infused at the end of your turn. You cannot create and consume an element on the same turn, but you can consume an existing element and then re-infuse it.
    Stunned Condition: You cannot activate items. You must still play two cards but ignore their effects. However, you can still perform a long rest.


End of Game and Scoring
Scenario Conclusion
If the scenario is completed successfully, the following occurs:

    Read the scenario conclusion text.
    Remove attack modifier cards created by items or scenario effects.
    Gold: Calculate gold from loot and record it in the “Gold Notes” section of the character sheet.
    Experience (XP): Add XP from the XP dial and scenario completion. Scenario completion XP is calculated as: 4 + (2 x Scenario Level). Record this in the “XP Notes” section.
    Battle Goals: Mark a checkmark for successfully completed battle goal cards. Completing a set of three checkmarks allows you to choose a new perk.
    City Phase: Reveal a city event card and purchase items from the shop.


Leveling Up
When leveling up, you may:

    Choose 1 ability card (level ≤ character level) to add to the active card pool.
    Mark 1 new perk on the character sheet.
    Increase HP on the damage dial.


Tips for Winning

    Manage your Discard Pile: Remember that you can move cards from your active area to your discard pile at any time (as long as they don't have the “lost” symbol) to ensure you have the 2 cards required to perform a long rest.
    Initiative Ties: In the event of an initiative tie between a player and a monster, the player always goes first. If two players tie, the second card breaks the tie.
    Monster Awareness: Be mindful that Elites act before normal monsters of the same type, regardless of their standee number, and all monsters of the same type benefit when a monster consumes an element.

## FAQ
### What is the average playtime for Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion?
A game can vary quite a bit, but generally ranges from 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the scenario and the number of players. Get ready for immersion!

### How many players can participate?
The game is designed for 1 to 4 players, making it super versatile for solo play or with your group.

### Is it difficult to learn?
No! It was made to be more beginner-friendly than the original Gloomhaven. It features a simplified rule set and a five-scenario tutorial that guides you step-by-step. Perfect for newcomers!

### Do I need the original Gloomhaven to play Jaws of the Lion?
No, it's a completely standalone game! But if you do have the original, the Jaws of the Lion characters can be used there, which is a cool bonus.

### What are the main components of the game?
Unlike the original Gloomhaven, it uses a scenario book as the board, eliminating map tiles. It comes with miniatures for the characters, standees for monsters, action cards, and much more for your adventure.

### Who is this game recommended for?
It's ideal for those who enjoy cooperative, adventure, and exploration games with a touch of RPG and tactical combat. If you like engaging campaigns and stories, you'll love it!

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