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Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion box image

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a cooperative dungeon-crawler board game for 1-4 players. Players take on the roles of adventurers exploring a dark and dangerous world, battling monsters and completing quests to gain experience and loot.

8.45 / 10
BGG Rating
14+
age
2020
published year
1 - 4
player count
1 - 4
Recommended player count
30 - 120 mins
play time

How Complex is Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion?

3.64 / 5

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion has a moderate learning curve due to its extensive rules and mechanics, but becomes easier with experience and familiarity.

How much Luck is involved in the gameplay of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion?

2.5 / 5

Luck plays a moderate role in the game through card draws and monster behavior, but strategic planning and decision-making have a greater impact on success.

How much Player Interaction does Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offer?

3.5 / 5

Players must work together to complete objectives and defeat monsters, but individual player choices and actions have limited impact on other players' turns.

How much Replayability does Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offer?

4.5 / 5

The game offers a high level of replayability with multiple character classes, branching story paths, and randomized dungeon layouts. Only limited by the number of available scenarios.

Why you should play Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Engaging Gameplay

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offers a deep and engaging gameplay experience that will keep players coming back for more. The game features a unique card-driven combat system that requires players to carefully manage their resources and make strategic decisions.

Immersive Storyline

The game features a rich and immersive storyline that will keep players engaged throughout the game. The story is told through a series of scenarios that players must complete in order to progress through the game.

High Replayability

With over 25 scenarios to play through, Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offers a high level of replayability. Each scenario is unique and offers different challenges and rewards, ensuring that players will never get bored.

Easy to Learn

While Gloomhaven is known for its complex rules and mechanics, Jaws of the Lion is designed to be more accessible to new players. The game features a tutorial scenario that teaches players the basics of the game, making it easy to learn and get started.

Beautiful Artwork

The game features stunning artwork that brings the world of Gloomhaven to life. The game board, cards, and miniatures are all beautifully designed and add to the overall immersive experience.

Cooperative Gameplay

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a cooperative game, meaning that players must work together to complete the scenarios. This makes the game a great option for groups of friends or families who want to play together.

Miniature Collecting

The game comes with a set of high-quality miniatures that players can collect and use in their games. This adds an extra level of excitement and fun to the game, as players can customize their characters and make them their own.

Why you should avoid Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Time-Consuming

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a game that requires a significant time commitment. Each scenario can take several hours to complete, and the game as a whole can take dozens of hours to finish. This may not be ideal for players who are looking for a quick and easy game to play.

Complexity

While Jaws of the Lion is designed to be more accessible than the original Gloomhaven, it is still a complex game with many rules and mechanics to learn. This may be overwhelming for some players, especially those who are new to board games.

Cost

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a relatively expensive game, with a price tag that may be prohibitive for some players. Additionally, the game requires players to purchase additional accessories, such as sleeves for the cards and storage solutions for the miniatures, which can add to the overall cost.

Limited Player Count

The game is designed for 1-4 players, which may not be ideal for larger groups of friends or families who want to play together.

Heavy on Combat

While the game does have a rich storyline, it is primarily focused on combat. Players who are looking for a game with more varied gameplay mechanics may not enjoy Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion as much as other games.

Where to find the Rules of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

You can find the community-driven rules summary, player aid, etc., in the Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion files section on the BoardGameGeek website. You need an account on BGG to download files.

Beginner Strategies for Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

These strategies are for players who have either not played or played one or two games of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion.

Read the rulebook carefully

Before starting the game, make sure you read the rulebook carefully. This will help you understand the game mechanics and how to play the game.

Choose your character wisely

Each character in the game has unique abilities and strengths. Choose a character that suits your playstyle and complements the rest of your team.

Plan your moves

Gloomhaven is a tactical game, so it's important to plan your moves carefully. Think about the best way to use your character's abilities and position yourself on the board to avoid damage.

Work together

Gloomhaven is a cooperative game, so it's important to work together with your team. Coordinate your actions and communicate with each other to achieve your objectives.

Manage your resources

Gloomhaven is a game of resource management. Make sure you use your abilities and items wisely, and don't waste them on unnecessary actions.

Focus on the objectives

Each scenario in Gloomhaven has specific objectives that you need to achieve. Focus on these objectives and don't get distracted by other things on the board.

Learn from your mistakes

Gloomhaven can be a challenging game, so don't get discouraged if you fail a scenario. Learn from your mistakes and try again.

I hope these tips help you get started with Gloomhaven

Jaws of the Lion!

Advanced Strategies for Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Experiment with different characters

After playing the game a few times, you may want to try out different characters to see how they play. This will help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each character and how they can complement each other.

Focus on leveling up

As you play the game, focus on leveling up your characters. This will give you access to new abilities and make your characters more powerful.

Use your items wisely

As you play the game more, you'll have access to more items. Make sure you use them wisely and don't waste them on unnecessary actions.

Plan your turns in advance

Gloomhaven is a game of tactical planning, so it's important to plan your turns in advance. Think about the best way to use your abilities and position yourself on the board to achieve your objectives.

Pay attention to enemy abilities

As you play the game more, you'll encounter different types of enemies with unique abilities. Pay attention to these abilities and plan your actions accordingly.

Don't be afraid to retreat

Sometimes, it's better to retreat and regroup than to continue fighting a losing battle. Don't be afraid to retreat if you need to.

Communicate with your team

Communication is key in Gloomhaven. Make sure you communicate with your team and coordinate your actions to achieve your objectives.

I hope these strategies help you improve your gameplay in Gloomhaven

Jaws of the Lion!

Mechanics

Variable Player Powers
Campaign / Battle Card Driven
Simultaneous Action Selection
Cooperative Game
Hexagon Grid
Hand Management
Grid Movement
Action Queue
Solo / Solitaire Game
Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game
Legacy Game
Action Retrieval
Once-Per-Game Abilities
Critical Hits and Failures
Communication Limits
Line of Sight
Deck Construction
Multi-Use Cards

Categories

Fantasy
Exploration
Adventure
Fighting
Miniatures