Overview

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a fully cooperative tactical combat campaign game for 1-4 players. Players control mercenary characters exploring scenarios in and around the city of Gloomhaven, fighting monsters, completing objectives, and progressing through a branching story campaign of 25 scenarios. Each scenario is played on hex maps printed in the Scenario Book. Players use ability cards to move, attack, heal, and perform special actions, with a unique card-management system where playing cards depletes your stamina over time. The game features four characters: Demolitionist, Hatchet, Red Guard, and Voidwarden.

Components

• 1 Scenario Book (with hex maps printed inside)
• 1 Supplemental Scenario Book
• 1 City Map Board with stickers
• 4 character boxes containing: character mat, figure, ability card decks (level A through 9), attack modifier decks, character sheets, initiative order tokens
• Monster zip bags with: standees, stat cards, ability decks, initiative order tokens
• 6-section stat sleeves (for monster stat cards)
• Plastic stands (white for normal, gold for elite monsters)
• Token tray with: damage tokens, money tokens, condition tokens (Immobilize, Stun, Muddle, Strengthen, Poison, Wound, Disarm, Curse, Bless), destruction tiles, trap tiles, treasure tiles, door tiles, obstacle tiles
• 4 hit point dials
• Attack modifier cards (character decks + monster deck “M” + Curse/Bless cards)
• Battle goal cards
• Event cards
• Item cards
• Element board with element tokens
• Sticker sheets

Setup

1. Each player chooses a character and takes: character mat, figure, level “A” ability cards (6 cards), attack modifier deck, hit point dial, initiative order token.
2. Set hit point dial to the red number below the “1” (level 1 health) on the character mat.
3. Open Scenario Book to the current scenario. Place character figures on starting hex icons.
4. Retrieve required monster zip bags. Set up monster stat cards in stat sleeves at the appropriate level. Place monster standees on map hexes per player count (black icon = no monster, white = normal, gold = elite).
5. Place monster attack modifier deck (“M”) and initiative order tokens near the Scenario Book.
6. Place token tray nearby. Shuffle all attack modifier decks.
7. Read scenario introduction and special rules.

Turn Structure

Gameplay proceeds in rounds. Each round:

1. Card Selection

Each player simultaneously and secretly selects 2 ability cards from their hand. One is designated as the initiative card (determines turn order via its initiative value). Players may discuss strategy generally but cannot reveal specific numbers or card names.

2. Ordering of Initiative

Reveal all initiative cards. Compare initiative values of characters and monsters (from monster ability cards or special rules). Arrange initiative order tokens from lowest (first) to highest. Ties: characters go before monsters; between characters, compare second card’s initiative.

3. Character and Monster Turns

In initiative order, each figure takes a turn:

Character Turn: Perform the top action of one card and the bottom action of the other (in either order). Actions are composed of abilities separated by ability lines. Any ability or entire action may be skipped. Used cards go to the discard pile.

Monster Turn: All monsters of one type act on the same initiative. Elites act first (by standee number), then normals (by standee number). Each monster focuses on the closest character and executes its abilities.

4. End of Round

• Remove end-of-round conditions.
• Characters may perform a short rest (shuffle discard, randomly lose one card permanently to hand; may pay 1 HP to lose a different card instead).
• Shuffle attack modifier decks if a x2 or null card was drawn.
• Advance elements on the element board (if used).

Actions

Move

“Move X” allows a figure to move up to X hexes. Cannot move through enemies, obstacles, or walls. Can move through allies. Cannot end on an occupied hex. Jump allows moving through enemies and obstacles.

Attack

“Attack X” causes one target enemy to suffer X base damage (modified by attack modifier card).

• Melee: Targets adjacent enemies (no Range specified).
• Ranged: “Range X” under attack. Targets enemy within X hexes. Ranged attacks on adjacent enemies gain Disadvantage.
• Target X: Attack up to X different enemies within range (separate modifier card for each).

Attack Modifier Cards

Every attack flips one card from the attacker’s modifier deck:

• Numerical modifier: Add/subtract from attack value
• x2 card: Double the attack value
• Null card: Attack does 0 damage
• Both x2 and null trigger deck shuffle at end of round

Starting deck (20 cards): six +0, five -1, five +1, one -2, one +2, one x2, one null.

Advantage and Disadvantage

• Advantage: Draw 2 modifier cards, use the better one.
• Disadvantage: Draw 2, use the worse one.
• Cannot stack; Advantage and Disadvantage cancel each other.
• Ranged attacks on adjacent targets always have Disadvantage.

Conditions

• Immobilize: Cannot perform Move abilities.
• Stun: Cannot perform any abilities.
• Muddle: All attacks gain Disadvantage.
• Disarm: Cannot perform Attack abilities.
• Poison: All healing has no effect; add +1 to all attack damage suffered.
• Wound: Suffer 1 damage at start of each turn.
• Strengthen: All attacks gain Advantage.
• Curse: Add curse cards (-null) to attack modifier deck.
• Bless: Add bless cards (x2) to attack modifier deck.

Negative conditions (first 6) last until end of target’s next full turn. Curse/Bless cards are removed when drawn.

Heal

“Heal X” restores X hit points to one ally within range or self. Cannot exceed max HP. Does not work on Poisoned figures (Poison must be removed first or simultaneously).

Suffer Damage

Some abilities cause unmodified damage without an attack. Not affected by modifier cards or line-of-sight.

Lost Actions

Cards with a lost icon are removed from the game (placed in lost pile) after use. Powerful but permanently reduces your hand. Can also negate damage: lose 1 card from hand or 2 from discard to negate all damage from one source.

Line-of-Sight

Required for targeting. Draw a line from any corner of attacker’s hex to any corner of target’s hex. Only walls block LOS (not obstacles or figures).

Elements (from Scenario 4+)

Some abilities generate elements (fire, ice, air, earth, light, dark). On subsequent turns, other abilities may consume available elements for enhanced effects. Elements wane at end of round.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Win a Scenario: Achieve the scenario’s goal (usually kill all enemies, sometimes destroy objectives or survive a number of rounds). All surviving characters gain scenario rewards (gold, experience, items, new scenarios unlocked).

Lose a Scenario: All characters become exhausted (run out of cards or HP). The scenario can be replayed with no penalty.

Campaign Progression:

• Complete scenarios to unlock new ones (place stickers on city map).
• Earn gold to buy items at the city shop.
• Gain experience to level up characters (gain new ability cards, increase HP, earn perks to improve attack modifier deck).
• Perks: Earned by completing battle goals and leveling up. Each perk modifies your attack modifier deck (add better cards, remove worse ones).

Special Rules & Edge Cases

Character Exhaustion

A character is exhausted (eliminated for the scenario) when:

• Their HP reaches 0 and they cannot negate the damage by losing cards, OR
• They have no cards in hand at the start of a round and fewer than 2 cards in their discard pile (cannot select 2 cards to play).

Short Rest vs. Long Rest

• Short Rest (end of round): Shuffle discard, randomly lose 1 card to lost pile, draw rest back to hand. May pay 1 HP to lose a different random card instead.
• Long Rest (replaces card selection): Initiative 99. Heal 2 HP. Recover items. Shuffle discard, choose 1 card to lose, draw rest back to hand.

Monster Focus

Monsters focus on the closest character they can reach and attack. “Closest” = fewest hexes of movement needed. Ties broken by: proximity (fewer hexes away), then lower initiative value.

Monster Movement

Monsters move to get within range of their focus target using the fewest hexes possible. They will not move if they cannot get closer to attacking their focus.

Difficulty / Scenario Level

Scenario level = average character level / 2 (rounded up). Determines monster stats and gold/XP rewards. Can be adjusted +/- 1 for easier or harder play.

Items

Purchased in city between scenarios. Three usage types:

• Consumed: One use per scenario (flipped facedown).
• Spent: Used once, recovered during long rest.
• Free: No cost to use, always available.

The Four Characters

| Character | Role | Key Mechanics | |———–|——|—————| | Demolitionist | Melee damage, obstacle destruction | Destroys obstacles, area damage | | Hatchet | Ranged damage, looting | Thrown attacks, retrieval mechanics | | Red Guard | Protection, monster manipulation | Shield, positioning control | | Voidwarden | Healing, support | Grants actions to allies/enemies, healing |

Solo Play

Control 2 characters. More complex but fully supported.

Player Reference

Round Structure:

1. Card Selection (2 cards, 1 is initiative)
2. Initiative Order (low to high)
3. Character/Monster Turns (top of one card + bottom of other)
4. End of Round (conditions, short rest, shuffle if needed)

Key Numbers: | Item | Value | |——|——-| | Starting ability cards | 6 (level A) | | Starting modifier deck | 20 cards | | Setup hand for items | Up to 8 cost | | Short rest HP cost | 1 (to reroll lost card) | | Long rest initiative | 99 | | Long rest heal | 2 HP | | Scenarios in campaign | 25 |

Damage Negation:

• Lose 1 card from hand, OR
• Lose 2 cards from discard pile
• Negates ALL damage from one source