# Gloomhaven

Gloomhaven is a board game for 1–4 players. It plays in 60–120 minutes and is meant for ages 14 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 3. It is rated 7.9 out of 10 by 174 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $199.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 1–4 (best with 3)
- **Playing time:** 60–120 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 14+
- **Complexity:** 3.9 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2017
- **Categories:** Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures, Adventure, Exploration
- **Mechanics:** Grid Movement, Solo / Solitaire Game, Cooperative Game, Narrative Choice / Paragraph, Multi-Use Cards, Role Playing, Card Play Conflict Resolution, Once-Per-Game Abilities, Movement Points, Variable Player Powers, Action Queue, Hand Management, Storytelling, Hexagon Grid, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Deck Construction, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Action Retrieval, Tags, Modular Board, Line of Sight, Simultaneous Action Selection, Legacy Game, Critical Hits and Failures, Communication Limits, Player Elimination, Multiple Maps
- **Ludoya rating:** 7.9 out of 10, from 174 reviews
- **Owned by:** 437 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 4,932
- **Unique players:** 681

**Designers:** Isaac Childres

**Artists:** Alexandr Elichev, Josh T. McDowell, Alvaro Nebot, Lucile Mathieu

**Publishers:** Cephalofair Games

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| World of Board Games | 575 kr | https://www.worldofboardgames.com/warhammer-40k-rpg-wrath-och-glory-rulebook |
| Alphaspel | 949 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/356700-gloomhaven-1st-edition |
| Good Games | 215 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/gloomhaven |
| Ludifolie | 143.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/4929-gloomhaven-aventures-a-havrenuit.html |
| Spielezar | 179.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/brettspiele/gloomhaven |
| Nexus | 29995 kr | https://nexus.is/vara/gloomhaven-2nd-ed/ |

## Expansions

- [Gloomhaven: Forgotten Circles](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-forgotten-circles)
- [Gloomhaven: Solo Scenarios](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-solo-scenarios)
- [Gloomhaven: Removable Sticker Set](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-removable-sticker-set)
- [Gloomhaven: Envelope X Reward](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-envelope-x-reward)
- [The Crimson Scales](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-crimson-scales)
- [The Crimson Scales: Trail of Ashes](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-crimson-scales-trail-of-ashes)
- [Gloomhaven: The End of the World (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-the-end-of-the-world-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Forgotten Circles – Removable Sticker Set](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-forgotten-circles-removable-sticker-set)
- [The Crimson Scales: Class Pack Add-on](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-crimson-scales-class-pack-add-on)
- [Gloomhaven: 2025 ConQuests](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-2025-conquests)
- [Gloomhaven: The Tower of Misfortune (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-the-tower-of-misfortune-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Secrets of the Lost Cabal (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-secrets-of-the-lost-cabal-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Return of the Lost Cabal (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-return-of-the-lost-cabal-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: The Catacombs of Chaos (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-the-catacombs-of-chaos-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Assault on the Morning Star (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-assault-on-the-morning-star-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Twilight of the Lost Cabal (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-twilight-of-the-lost-cabal-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Beyond the End of the World (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-beyond-the-end-of-the-world-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: The Lucky Meeple (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-the-lucky-meeple-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Memories of Gloomhaven (Promo Scenario)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-memories-of-gloomhaven-promo-scenario)
- [Gloomhaven: Warriors from Lands Beyond](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-warriors-from-lands-beyond)

## Similar games

- [Gloomhaven (Second Edition)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-second-edition)
- [Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven-jaws-of-the-lion)
- [Frosthaven](https://www.ludoya.com/games/frosthaven)
- [Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread](https://www.ludoya.com/games/arydia-the-paths-we-dare-tread)
- [Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood](https://www.ludoya.com/games/oathsworn-into-the-deepwood)
- [Bardsung](https://www.ludoya.com/games/bardsung)
- [Arkham Horror: The Card Game](https://www.ludoya.com/games/arkham-horror-the-card-game-2)
- [Tainted Grail: Kings of Ruin](https://www.ludoya.com/games/tainted-grail-kings-of-ruin)
- [Arkham Horror: The Card Game (Revised Core Set)](https://www.ludoya.com/games/arkham-horror-the-card-game-revised-edition)
- [Kingdoms Forlorn: Dragons, Devils and Kings](https://www.ludoya.com/games/kingdoms-forlorn-dragons-devils-and-kings)
- [Mage Knight Board Game](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mage-knight-board-game)
- [Maladum: Dungeons of Enveron](https://www.ludoya.com/games/maladum-dungeons-of-enveron)

## Rules questions

### What makes my character become exhausted (and removed from the scenario)?

A character becomes exhausted if their hit points ever drop below 1 or if, at the start of a round, they cannot play two cards (they have one or zero cards in hand) and also cannot rest (they have one or zero cards in their discard). When exhausted all ability cards are placed in the lost pile and the figure is removed from the map (page 28).

### How are initiative ties resolved, and does the leading card force which action I must take first?

The leading card only sets initiative — ties between players are broken by comparing each player's non-leading card, and if still tied the players decide; a tie between a player and a monster favors the player (page 18). After initiative is determined you may perform the top action of either card and the bottom of the other in whichever order you choose; the leading-card designation no longer forces order (page 18).

### Can I move through allies, enemies, or special terrain? What do Jump and Flying do?

Figures can move through allies but cannot move through enemies or obstacles and cannot end on an occupied hex; traps and terrain are resolved when entered (page 19). Jump ignores figures and terrain during movement but must obey normal rules for the final hex, while Flying ignores figures and terrain for the entire move (including the final hex) but must still end in an empty hex (page 19).

### How do monsters choose which character to target and where to move?

Each monster focuses on the enemy it can perform its current attack against using the least movement (shortest path to get in range and line-of-sight); ties are broken by proximity in hexes and then by initiative order (summons are chosen before their summoner) (pages 29–30). Monsters then move the minimum needed to best attack that focus (or move toward it if they have no attack) following the rules on page 30 (pages 29–30).

### When do summoned figures act and how are they controlled?

A summon acts on its own turn immediately before the character who summoned it (and never the round it is summoned); summons are automated and follow the monster automation rules (they use the summoner’s attack modifier deck and obey the printed summon stats) (page 26).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/gloomhaven)
- [Gloomhaven in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/gloomhaven)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/174430)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._