Board Games 🇺🇸United States21st century

Gloomhaven

Cooperative dungeon-crawler campaign board game. Designed 2017 Isaac Childres. Cephalofair Games. 1-4 players, 60-120 min per scenario, 95+ scenarios in 200-hour campaign. #1 BoardGameGeek ranked game for years (2017-2021). Kickstarted for $4M+ (record at time). Includes 17 unlockable character classes + retiring characters + world map + legacy elements.

📐hex-tile dungeon board⏱~90 min🌤indoor

What is Gloomhaven?

Gloomhaven is 2017 COOPERATIVE DUNGEON-CRAWLER CAMPAIGN BOARD GAME designed by ISAAC CHILDRES + published by CEPHALOFAIR GAMES (Indiana, USA). 1-4 players in DARK FANTASY WORLD explore, fight monsters, unlock character classes across 95+ SCENARIOS (200+ HOURS campaign). Kickstarted 2015 ($400K) + 2017 SECOND PRINT for $4M+ (record at time). #1 BOARDGAMEGEEK RANKED GAME for years (2017-2021, surpassed by Brass Birmingham + Twilight Imperium 4). GAMEPLAY: each scenario = TACTICAL COMBAT on hex tiles vs AI-controlled enemies driven by CARD DECKS. Players use CHARACTER-SPECIFIC ACTION CARDS in unique 2-action-per-turn mechanic (play 2 cards, each has TOP + BOTTOM action; choose one from each). MANAGE FATIGUE (discard/lose cards) — run out of cards = EXHAUSTED. CHARACTER PROGRESSION: gain XP + gold + loot + reputation between scenarios. RETIRE character when personal quest complete → unlock NEW CLASS from sealed boxes (17 total). LEGACY ELEMENTS: stickers on map, sealed envelopes opened at plot triggers. Considered PINNACLE of hobby cooperative gaming. SEQUELS: JAWS OF THE LION (2020) — smaller intro version. FROSTHAVEN (2021) — full sequel, $12M Kickstarter. Digital version (Gloomhaven Digital) on Steam.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Complete scenarios cooperatively; progress characters; unlock story + classes; achieve personal quests.

Rules

Basic rules

Each turn: play 2 action cards
Each card has TOP + BOTTOM action; choose one from each card. Initiative = card number sum ÷ 2.
Card management is fatigue system
Discarded cards recovered on 'rest'; lost cards gone until scenario end.
Exhausted when out of cards or 0 HP
Removed from scenario; teammates continue.
Monsters driven by ability decks
No dice — deterministic monster AI.
Retire character when personal quest complete
Unlock new class from sealed box.
Between scenarios: city events + shop + level up
Non-combat narrative + progression.

Scoring

Scenario success/failure. Character XP + gold + reputation. Personal quest completion (retirement).

Action	Points
Scenario win	XP + gold + loot + city prosperity
Character level up	New perks + higher-level cards
Personal quest complete	Retire character + unlock new class
Prosperity (city)	Unlocks new items + shop options

Win condition · No single winner — cooperative campaign; goal = advance narrative + complete personal + party achievements.

Playing area

Called

hex-tile dungeon board

Dimensions

modular hex-tile scenarios (small to large)

Modular hex tiles per scenario; monsters + treasure + doors placed per scenario setup.

Equipment

Massive box (10kg + 22 lbs)
€120-150 base game; 1500+ components
17 character classes (in sealed boxes)
6 starter + 11 unlockable
500+ monster tokens + minis (optional upgrade)
50+ monster types
Modular hex tile map pieces
Interlocking scenario boards
1600+ character/attack cards
Character-specific action decks
World map + campaign tracker
Progression across Gloomhaven city
Scenario book (95+ scenarios)
600+ pages of narrative + setup
Sealed envelopes + story tokens
Legacy plot reveals

Strategies

Discuss but don't reveal specifics
Rules limit precise card sharing — communicate general intent.
Rest strategically
Rest recovers all discards but loses 1 card + 2 HP; time carefully.
Character synergies matter
Some parties strong; some struggle. Consider class combinations.
Manage loss cards carefully
Powerful actions with 'lose' cost — each loss shortens scenario.

Terminology

Scenario: Single dungeon/mission; 60-120 min.
Personal quest: Individual character goal; completing retires character.
Retire: Complete personal quest; unlock new class from sealed box.
Prosperity: City-level advancement unlocking new items/shops.
Exhausted: Character out of cards or HP; removed from scenario.
Element: Air/Earth/Fire/Ice/Light/Dark; consumed for card effects.
Rest (short/long): Recover discards at cost of card loss.

Major competitions

Not competitive — cooperative campaign game
n/a · worldwide
BGG #1 for years (2017-2021)
ongoing · worldwide · since 2017

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Cephalofair Games (publisher)
Founded 2013 · USA (Indiana)
BoardGameGeek (community)
Founded 2000 · USA

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Isaac Childres (USA, b. 1985) — Designer + Cephalofair founder
Alexandr Elichev (Russia) — Cover artist

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Buy Jaws of the Lion ($40) — designed as intro
Same system, streamlined; 25 scenarios; ~50 hours.
2
Or watch tutorial videos + jump into Gloomhaven main
First scenario 2+ hours; subsequent 60-90 min.
3
Try 2 players (recommended for first campaign)
Easier coordination; less analysis time.

intermediate

1
Play through 20-30 scenarios of main campaign
Retire first character; unlock new class.
2
Add Forgotten Circles expansion
3 new characters + 20 scenarios.

advanced

1
Play Frosthaven ($200+) — full sequel
Larger, deeper, more complex; ~150 scenarios.
2
Solo Guildmaster campaign mode
Play multiple characters solo.

Frequently asked

What is Gloomhaven?+

COOPERATIVE DUNGEON-CRAWLER CAMPAIGN BOARD GAME (2017) designed by ISAAC CHILDRES. 1-4 players explore dark fantasy world across 95+ SCENARIOS (200-500+ hours campaign). Combat via unique CARD-BASED SYSTEM (each turn play 2 cards, each with top + bottom actions; managing fatigue). Character progression + 17 unlockable classes + retirement mechanic + legacy elements. #1 BoardGameGeek ranked game 2017-2021. Kickstarter record ($4M+ for reprint). Considered PINNACLE of hobby cooperative gaming. Sequels: Jaws of the Lion (2020 intro), Frosthaven (2021 full sequel).

How long does a Gloomhaven campaign take?+

200-500+ HOURS to complete main campaign. FACTORS: 95+ SCENARIOS at 60-120 min each = 100-190 hours combat + 100-300 hours downtime (character retirement, city events, class unlocks, personal quests, replayed scenarios). Most groups take 1-3 YEARS of weekly sessions. Some groups play forever without finishing. JAWS OF THE LION (intro): 25 scenarios, ~50 hours. FROSTHAVEN: 150+ scenarios, 400-1000 hours.

Is Gloomhaven worth $150+?+

For DEDICATED hobby gamers with STABLE PLAYGROUP: YES. Cost-per-hour is ~$0.50-1 across full campaign — cheapest entertainment. HOWEVER: (1) MASSIVE BOX (22 lbs) — storage issue. (2) SETUP TIME 20-30 min per scenario. (3) RULES-HEAVY — 1-2 hour first-scenario learning. (4) NEEDS COMMITTED PLAYERS — starting alone risky if group falls apart. START WITH JAWS OF THE LION ($40) — same system, 25 scenarios, faster setup — determine if you love it before Gloomhaven commitment. If uncertain, try DIGITAL VERSION ($25 Steam) which auto-manages setup.

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-25.verified