# Gloomhaven ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2017 - **BGG Rating**: 8.5 - **BGG Rank**: #4 - **Players**: 1-4 (Best with: 3) - **Duration**: 60-120 min - **Weight**: 3.92 / 5 - **Designers**: Isaac Childres - **Artists**: Alexandr Elichev, Alvaro Nebot, Josh T. McDowell, Lucile Mathieu - **Publishers**: Cephalofair Games, Albi, Albi Polska, Arclight Games, Feuerland Spiele, Galápagos Jogos - **Categories**: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures - **Mechanics**: Action Queue, Action Retrieval, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Card Play Conflict Resolution, Communication Limits, Cooperative Game, Critical Hits and Failures, Deck Construction, Grid Movement, Hand Management, Hexagon Grid, Legacy Game, Line of Sight, Modular Board, Multi-Use Cards, Narrative Choice / Paragraph, Once-Per-Game Abilities, Role Playing, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Simultaneous Action Selection, Solo / Solitaire Game, Storytelling, Tags, Variable Player Powers ## Verdict If you're looking for a deep, evolving fantasy adventure with friends, Gloomhaven offers an unparalleled tactical experience where your choices truly matter. It's a living, breathing world that unfolds with every session. Deep, evolving narrative campaign Innovative tactical card combat Persistent world shaped by player choices Rich character progression and customization Significant time commitment required High complexity learning curve HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description Gloomhaven plunges you into a persistent fantasy world where every decision shapes the future. You and your friends take on the roles of adventurers with unique skills and personal motivations, exploring forgotten ruins and menacing dungeons. Cooperation is essential to overcome challenges, as you enhance your abilities, collect treasures, and unravel a branching narrative based on your choices. It's like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book brought to life on the tabletop, with a world that evolves with each game session. The heart of Gloomhaven's tactical combat is an innovative card system. Each round, you choose two cards from your hand. The initiative number on the top card determines your turn order, and each card has two distinct powers—one top and one bottom. On your turn, you decide which top power to use from one card and which bottom power to use from the other. This mechanic requires careful planning, as used cards are temporarily, and sometimes permanently, lost. If you take too long to clear a dungeon, you might end up exhausted and forced to retreat, adding a layer of tension and strategy to your adventure. Get ready for a game that rewards strategy and adaptability at every turn! ## How to Play Game Objective In Gloomhaven, players take on the roles of mercenaries in a tactical combat experience. The primary goal is to complete specific scenario objectives. A scenario is considered successful if the scenario objective is completed and at least one character is not Exhausted. Setup Follow these steps to prepare your game: Scenario Selection: Choose a scenario and a play mode (Campaign or Casual). Ensure the scenario is unlocked and any required Global Achievements or Party Achievements are met for Campaign Mode. Map and Monsters: Layout all map tiles, but only examine the starting room. Place overlay tiles and monsters in the starting room. Monster count and ranks (Normal or Elite) are defined by the player count. Monster Setup: Place Monster Stat Cards in sleeves at the chosen scenario level. Shuffle the Monster Ability decks for each monster type and the shared Monster Attack Modifier Deck. Player Preparation: Each player secretly chooses one of two Battle Goal cards. Equip Items (Max: one Head, one Body, one Leg; max one 2-handed or two 1-Handed; Small Items limit is ½ character level rounded up). Build your Hand from your Active Card Pool based on the Hand size on your Character Mat. Shuffle your Attack Modifier Deck (base 20 cards, adjusted by Perks, Bless cards, and Items). Global Setup: Place 6 Element tokens on the "Inert" column of the Elemental Infusion Table. Split Curse cards into two 10-card decks (one for monsters, one for characters). Game Flow The game progresses through a series of rounds. Each round follows this structure: Start of Round Action Declaration: Each player must declare either a Long Rest or Two Actions. To do Two Actions, you must have at least 2 cards in Hand. You secretly choose two Ability Cards and pick one as the Leading Card to determine your Initiative. To do a Long Rest, you must have at least 2 cards in the Discard Pile. Monster Activity: Draw one Monster Ability Card for each monster type on the board. This card defines the Initiative for all monsters of that type. Turn Order: Reveal player cards. Turn order is determined by ascending Initiative. In case of ties: Between monster types: players decide. Between a player and a monster: the player goes first. Between players: decided by the Non-Leading Card; if still tied, players decide. Long Rest players act on Initiative 99. The Round Figures perform their turns in Initiative order. If a monster is Spawned during the round, it is placed on the map and its turn is integrated into the Initiative order based on when it appeared. End of Round Once all figures have acted: Shuffle Attack Modifier Decks if a 2x or Null card was drawn. Shuffle Monster Ability decks if a shuffle symbol was drawn or the deck is empty. Remove Round Bonus cards. Move Elemental Infusions one step to the left on the Elemental Infusion Table. Players may perform a Short Rest if they have at least 2 cards in the Discard Pile. Actions and How to Play Player Turn At the start of the turn, resolve beginning-of-turn effects (like Wound). Then, perform one of the following: Two Actions: Pick one top action and one bottom action from your two chosen Ability Cards. You may use the top as Attack 2 and/or the bottom as Move 2, ignoring other symbols. Perform actions one card at a time. Move X: Move up to X hexes. Difficult Terrain costs 2. Jump and Flying ignore figures and traps. Moving into a Trap or Hazardous Terrain triggers damage. Attack X: Designate a target in Line of Sight (LOS). Melee Attack: Range 1. Ranged Attack: Within Y hexes. Ranged attacks on adjacent enemies suffer Disadvantage. Area Effect (AoE): Affects a cluster of hexes based on the card diagram. Draw from the Attack Modifier Deck to adjust damage. Apply Shield X or Pierce Y adjustments. Long Rest: Act on Initiative 99. Lose one Discard Pile card, return the rest to your Hand, and you may Heal 2 Self and refresh Spent items. Monster Turn Monsters first attempt to Focus on the closest enemy. They then perform the abilities on their Monster Ability Card in order. If Stunned, they skip their action but still perform the end-of-turn cleanup. Special Mechanics Active Bonus: Cards placed in the Active Area that provide persistent or round-based effects. Conditions: Poison, Wound, Immobilize, Disarm, Stun, and Muddle (negative) or Invisible, Strengthen, and Bless (positive). Elemental Infusion: Elements are infused at the end of a turn and can be consumed via Elemental Augment for extra effects. End of Game and Scoring Scenario End The scenario ends immediately when the scenario objective is completed. Finish the current round before concluding. Victory and Defeat Victory: The scenario objective is complete and at least one character is not Exhausted. Defeat: All characters become Exhausted. Post-Scenario Rewards XP: Players gain XP earned during the scenario plus a bonus: 4 (Lx2), where L is the scenario level. Gold: Gain gold from Money Tokens looted during the scenario. Battle Goals: If successful, players gain Checkmarks for completed Battle Goals (3 Checkmarks = 1 Perk). Campaign Rewards: If in Campaign Mode, mark the scenario as completed on the map and claim designated rewards (Items, Item Designs, or new scenarios). Tips for Winning Manage Your Hand: Be careful not to run out of cards; if you cannot perform Two Actions or a Long Rest, your character becomes Exhausted and is removed from the map. Positioning: Use Line of Sight (LOS) and range carefully. Remember that Ranged Attacks performed on adjacent enemies suffer Disadvantage. Coordinate Initiative: Discuss plans with your party to determine the turn order, as the Leading Card determines who acts first. ## FAQ ### How many players can play Gloomhaven? Gloomhaven is designed for 1 to 4 players. It truly shines with a consistent group, but the solo experience is also highly praised! ### What is the average playtime for a game of Gloomhaven? Prepare for longer sessions! Each scenario can last from 60 to 120 minutes, but remember it's a campaign game, so the 'game' is the sum of many sessions. ### Is Gloomhaven a complex game? Yes, it has significant complexity (BGG weight of 3.92/5). The rules are robust, and the card system demands a lot of strategic planning, but the payoff is huge! ### Do I need a lot of space to play Gloomhaven? Absolutely! Gloomhaven takes up a lot of table space. There are many cards, modular map components, and miniatures, so prepare a generous surface for your adventure. ### Who is Gloomhaven recommended for? It's ideal for experienced players who love campaign games, tactical combat, exploration, and a narrative that unfolds with their choices. If you're looking for an immersive, long-term experience, you've found your game! ### What comes in the Gloomhaven box? The box is massive and packed! It includes detailed miniatures, hundreds of cards, modular map tiles, monster standees, a scenario book, a world map, and many other components for your epic journey. ## Price Comparison ### Best Offers in Brazil - **R$ 51,83**: R$ 51,83 (https://www.comparajogos.com.br/api/redirect?to=256953) - **R$ 78,12**: R$ 78,12 (https://www.comparajogos.com.br/api/redirect?to=391690) - **R$ 173,11**: R$ 173,11 (https://www.comparajogos.com.br/api/redirect?to=332294) - **R$ 300,73**: R$ 300,73 (https://www.comparajogos.com.br/api/redirect?to=285294) - **R$ 408,00**: R$ 408,00 (https://www.comparajogos.com.br/api/redirect?to=392053) - See all on Compara Jogos: https://www.comparajogos.com.br/item/gloomhaven ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 182.86 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=988434&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/19450/gloomhaven-1st-edition?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com