Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

(2020)

Game poster

Details

Year published
2020
Designer
Isaac Childres
Artists
Francesca Baerald
David Demaret
Alexandr Elichev
Player count
1 - 4
Publisher
Cephalofair Games
Albi
Albi Polska
Asmodee
Asmodee China
Asmodee Italia
Feuerland Spiele
Hobby World
Korea Boardgames Co., Ltd.
Meanbook Games
Siam Board Games
Mechanics
Action Queue
Action Retrieval
Campaign / Battle Card Driven
Communication Limits
Cooperative Game
Critical Hits and Failures
Deck Construction
Grid Movement
Hand Management
Hexagon Grid
Legacy Game
Line of Sight
Once-Per-Game Abilities
Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game
Simultaneous Action Selection
Solo / Solitaire Game
Variable Player Powers

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a standalone game that takes place before the events of Gloomhaven. The game includes four new characters — Valrath Red Guard (tank, crowd control), Inox Hatchet (ranged damage), Human Voidwarden (support, mind-control), and Quatryl Demolitionist (melee damage, obstacle manipulation) — that can also be used in the original Gloomhaven game. The game also includes 16 monster types (including seven new standard monsters and three new bosses) and a new campaign with 25 scenarios that invites the heroes to investigate a case of mysterious disappearances within the city. Is it the work of Vermlings, or is something far more sinister going on? Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is aimed at a more casual audience to get people into the gameplay more quickly. All of the hard-to-organize cardboard map tiles have been removed, and instead players will play on the scenario book itself, which features new artwork unique to each scenario. The last barrier to entry — i.e., learning the game — has also been lowered through a simplified rule set and a five-scenario tutorial that will ease new players into the experience.