Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion*
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a standalone adventure game that serves as a prequel to the highly acclaimed Gloomhaven. It's designed to be more accessible to a broader audience, with streamlined rules and an integrated tutorial.
Gameplay Overview
- Standalone Experience: Can be played independently of the original Gloomhaven game.
- New Characters: Introduces four unique characters, each with distinct abilities and playstyles.
- Valrath Red Guard (Tank, Crowd Control)
- Inox Hatchet (Ranged Damage)
- Human Voidwarden (Support, Mind-Control)
- Quatryl Demolitionist (Melee Damage, Obstacle Manipulation)
- Compatibility: New characters can also be used in the original Gloomhaven game.
- Monster Variety: Features 16 monster types, including new standard monsters and bosses.
- Campaign and Scenarios: Includes a 25-scenario campaign where players investigate mysterious disappearances in the city.
- Simplified Setup: Replaces traditional map tiles with a scenario book that players play on directly, featuring unique artwork for each scenario.
- Ease of Learning: Aimed at a more casual audience with a simplified rule set and a five-scenario tutorial for new players.
Conclusion
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion offers a perfect entry point for those new to the Gloomhaven series or tactical adventure games in general. It retains the depth and richness of the original while making the game more approachable through simplified mechanics and an engaging tutorial. The innovative use of a scenario book for map layouts streamlines setup and enhances the gaming experience. This game is ideal for players who enjoy cooperative strategy, character development, and immersive storytelling in a fantasy setting.
Nominated for 13 awards and won 5.
- 👥 1 - 4 Players
- ⏱️ 30 - 120 Minutes
- 🧒 14+ years old
- 🧩 Hard to learn
We like Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion so much that we recommend it in the following board game recommendation lists 2026
- Position 9 in All "Deutscher Spielepreis🇩🇪 2021" game award winners & nominees in comparison
- Position 14 in Our predictions for the Winners of the Spiel des Jahres🇩🇪 2021 Award
- Position 62 in All games aus der Top100-"Hunter & Cron Award 2022"-Liste 🇩🇪
- Position 52 in Best games released at SPIEL 2020 in Essen
- Position 12 in Best games where you build your deck before the game
- Position 21 in Best games with once-per-game abilities
- Position 19 in The best Board Games for Hardcore Gamers
- Position 24 in The best Dungeon Crawler games
- Position 14 in The Best Games from Feuerland Spiele 🇩🇪🏢
- Position 12 in The best games where you can construct your deck of cards before the game starts
- Position 21 in The best games where you can perform an ability once per game
- Position 15 in The best games where you can retrieve actions
- Position 18 in The best games which are campaign or battle card driven
- Position 24 in The best games with action queue
- Position 10 in The best games with units with limited vision / line of sight
- Position 9 in The best "Goblin Magnifico🇮🇹" winners and nominees
- Position 21 in The Best Resilience Games Train Consideration
- Position 26 in The favorite games of Better Board Games 2020
- Position 22 in The favorite games of Better Board Games 2021
- Position 24 in The Top ${items.length} games🥇 on Boardgamegeek (BGG)
- Position 61 in The top 100 highest-rated board games
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