Playing A Campaign

Hey there! So, after every scenario—yep, even if things didn’t go as planned—I’ve got some options for you. You can either head back to Gloomhaven or dive right into another scenario. It’s totally up to you!

But here’s the thing: if you decide to jump into a new scenario right away, there’s a little something you need to take care of first—a road event. Now, there are a couple of exceptions to this rule. You don’t need to worry about road events if you’re playing the same scenario you just finished, if the new scenario is directly linked to the previous one, or if you’re playing in casual mode. In the Scenario Book, you’ll see those linked scenarios listed on the upper right side of the page.

When scenarios are linked, you can bypass the road event and start the new scenario right away—no interruptions necessary! Pretty handy, huh?

If you come back to Gloomhaven after you’re done in town, you still have to go to a new scenario and do a road event, unless the new scenario is connected to Gloomhaven or you’re playing casually. This information is also listed in the scenario book under each scenario.

For example: After finishing the Black Barrow scenario, you unlock the Barrow Lair scenario. Since these two scenarios are connected, you can go to the Barrow Lair without doing a road event. But if you decide to go back to Gloomhaven and then travel to the Barrow Lair, you’ll have to do a road event because the Barrow Lair isn’t linked to Gloomhaven.

Doing Road Events

So, here’s how this road event thing works. First, I draw a card from the road event deck and read what it says on the front. It gives me two options to choose from. But here’s the catch – we all have to agree on one choice before we turn the card over and see what happens next.

Now, depending on who we are and what we’ve done, each choice can have different outcomes. We gotta read the whole choice, from top to bottom, and deal with all the outcomes that apply to us.

Oh, and sometimes there will be a little condition before an outcome. It will have the icon of one of our classes. If any of us have that class icon, then that outcome is what happens.

• Like if we have a Tinkerer with us, and there’s a Tinkerer icon before an outcome, then that’s what we get.
• I evaluated their reputation. If the party’s reputation is within the designated range, I applied the outcome.
• I checked their collective gold amount. If the party has equal to or more than the gold amount, I made them lose that amount and applied the outcome.
• If none of the preceding outcomes were applied, I applied the “otherwise” outcome.

If the outcome doesn’t have a condition, I applied it.

I distributed “collective” rewards or penalties among the party. Rewards or penalties specified as “each” were applied to each character in the party individually. If a player was supposed to lose something but couldn’t because they didn’t have enough of that thing, they lost what they could and continued resolving the event.

A checkmark is a powerful symbol in the game. It represents something that you can never lose once you’ve earned it. It’s like a shield that protects you from losing important things like perks, money, or experience points. This mark ensures that you’ll always have a safety net, no matter what challenges you face. The same goes for your town. It can never be brought down below a certain level of prosperity, no matter how tough things get.

Reputation is another crucial aspect of the game. It’s all about how others perceive your party. At the start, your reputation is at zero, and it’s specific to your party. But as you go on your adventures, your reputation will start to change. Completing certain scenarios or facing the consequences of events can boost or lower your reputation. The scale is limited, though, ranging from -20 to 20.

Your party’s reputation has a profound impact on your journey. It determines the outcomes of many events. Some consequences will only come into play if your party meets specific reputation requirements. So, it’s essential to be mindful of your reputation and how it might affect your path.

When I buy items, I adjust the cost based on my reputation. If my reputation is high, the cost decreases, but if it’s low, the cost increases. The reputation track on the party sheet shows these cost adjustments.

There are certain sealed envelopes that we can open when our party reaches specific positive or negative reputation values.

A Trip to Gloomhaven

Whenever we come back to Gloomhaven, we have a bunch of things we can do: create new characters, complete city events, buy and sell items, level up our characters, make donations to the sanctuary, enhance ability cards, and retire from adventuring. We can return to Gloomhaven after every scenario in the campaign mode.

Creating New Characters

When you start playing the game, the first thing you need to do is create a character. This is something you can do at the beginning of the game, or whenever you feel like trying something new or retiring your old character. There are six classes to choose from when you first open the box: Brute, Tinkerer, Spellweaver, Scoundrel, Cragheart, and Mindthief. Each class has its own unique abilities and skills. Once you’ve chosen a class, you can start your adventure in the world of Gloomhaven.

When you create a new character, you’ll gain access to that character’s character mat and a deck of Level 1 and “X” ability cards. Remember to create a new entry in the class’s corresponding character sheet notepad and draw two random personal quest cards. Keep one and shuffle the other back into the deck.

You can start your character at any level equal to or lower than the prosperity level of the city. If you choose to start above Level 1, you’ll need to go through all the steps for each level increase in order, up to and including your chosen starting level. As a bonus, you’ll receive an amount of gold equal to 15 times (your starting level + 1) and an amount of experience equal to the minimum required for your level as listed on the character sheet.

City Events: Adding Excitement to Your Gloomhaven Visit

Hey there, fellow adventurer! When I visit Gloomhaven, I can’t resist the thrill of completing a city event. These events, similar to road events, add a dash of excitement to my journey. But guess what? City events often have better outcomes than road events. Exciting, right?

Shopping: The Key to Equipping Yourself for Success

Let’s talk about shopping. It’s like a treasure hunt, and in Gloomhaven, it’s all about finding the perfect gear. When you’re in town, you have the opportunity to buy and sell items that can greatly enhance your abilities and increase your chances of success. Isn’t that fantastic?

Hey there! So, when you’re in Gloomhaven, you have the chance to buy cool item cards. All you gotta do is spend some of that gold you’ve collected from completing scenarios. And guess what? You can even sell back any item you don’t want anymore! When you sell something, it goes back to the city’s stash, and you get half the gold back that’s listed on the card (rounded down, of course).

Now, you can own as many items as your pockets can handle! But here’s the catch: you can only equip a limited number of items. Bummer, right? And remember, you can’t trade money or items with your fellow adventurers.

Here’s the deal when you open that game box and start your campaign: the city’s supply is full of Item 001 through Item 014. But wait! As you progress through the campaign, more and more items will become available. How does that happen? Well, let me explain:

• Whenever we acquire a design for an item from a situation or occasion, we add multiple copies of that item card to the city’s assortment.
• As the city progresses in prosperity levels (see Gloomhaven Prosperity on p. 48 for more information), new items will become accessible in the assortment. You can find the list of items available at each prosperity level to your right.
• Finally, when a character retires, all of their item cards return to the shop’s assortment.

When you play the game, the number of items you can buy is restricted by the number of cards for that item. You can’t have more than one of the same item. If another group plays with different characters, the items that those characters have but aren’t using are available for purchase in the city. It’s important to keep track of the items you own on your character sheet, as other groups may move the cards around.

Advancing in the Game

Hey there! When a character like me gains the amount of experience listed on the table to the right, we get to level up. Pretty cool, huh? But hold your horses, leveling up only happens in town, so don’t start packing your bags just yet.

So, here’s the deal: when I reach a new level, you get to add one new card to my active card pool. The catch is that the card you choose has to be from my class *and* have a card level that’s equal to or lower than my new level. Gotta keep things fair, right?

Oh, and here’s a little extra something: when I level up, you can also mark one of the perk boxes on the right side of my character sheet. That’s like a fancy way of saying that my attack modifier deck levels up too. Pretty neat, huh? You take the bonuses listed in the marked perk box and apply them to my modifier deck using the deck of modifier cards that come with my class. Fair warning, though: some perks have multiple check boxes next to them. This means I can get those perks multiple times, but each time comes with the cost of one perk. It’s like a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing!

When you level up, something magical happens – you become stronger, more powerful. It’s like unlocking a new version of yourself that’s been waiting patiently inside. And one of the best things about leveling up is that it increases your hit points. This means you can take more damage before you’re knocked out of the game. It’s like having an extra layer of protection.

But leveling up is about more than just hit points. It’s about growth and progress. It’s a sign that you’re getting better, that you’re becoming more skilled and experienced. It’s proof that you’re on the right track, that you’re moving forward.

Extra Benefits

Let me tell you about some additional perks you can enjoy. These are special advantages or rewards that come along with something. They can make a big difference and add extra value to your experience.

One of the fantastic extras you might get is access to exclusive content. This means you’ll be able to enjoy things that are only available to a select group of people. It’s like being part of a special club or having a VIP pass.

Another perk you might come across is priority treatment. This means you’ll receive special attention or be given priority over others. It’s like skipping the line and getting to go to the front. It can feel really nice to know that your needs are being taken care of quickly and efficiently.

Some perks may also include discounts or special offers. This means you’ll be able to save money or get a better deal than other people. It’s like finding a treasure or a secret sale. It can be really exciting to know that you’re getting something for less than its usual price.

In addition, some perks might involve extra features or added bonuses. This means you’ll get something extra that others don’t have. It’s like getting a surprise gift or an extra scoop of ice cream. It can make your experience even more enjoyable and memorable.

These are just a few examples of the extra benefits you might encounter. Remember to keep an eye out for them and take full advantage when they come your way. They can make a good experience even better and add that special touch that sets it apart from the rest.

Every time I successfully complete a battle goal card at the end of a scenario, I earn checkmarks. These checkmarks are important because they are used to track my progress on my character sheet.

Once I earn three checkmarks, I gain a perk! This perk is applied to my attack modifier deck, giving me additional effects. If I have any checkmarks left over after achieving a perk, they will count towards my next perk. In total, I can achieve up to six additional perks this way.

Creating a Deck of Cards

So, here’s the deal – when you’re starting out with a new class, it’s best to stick with Level 1 cards. These ones are easier to understand and use.

But hey, here’s a little secret: you actually have three additional cards that you can use right from the get-go. These cards are a bit more complicated and specific than the Level 1 ones.

Once you’ve got the hang of the class and you know what you’re doing, you might want to start adding some of those fancy cards to your hand. Just remember to take out an equal number of Level 1 cards so you don’t end up with too many cards.

Hey there! As we level up our characters, we unlock new and more powerful ability cards. It’s pretty cool, right? But here’s the thing: even though we have access to more cards, we can’t take them all into battle. There’s a limit to how many we can bring (hand limit). So, at the start of a scenario, we have to choose a number of cards equal to our hand limit from the pool of available cards for our character. These cards form our hand, and we can only use cards from our hand during the scenario. Make sense?

Scaling Scenarios

Now, here’s something interesting. As we level up, not only do our abilities get stronger, but the scenarios we face also get tougher. It’s all about balance, you know? The recommended scenario level increases as our characters level up. This means that the monsters we encounter will be stronger, traps will be more damaging, and we’ll earn more gold and experience for completing scenarios.

Aiding the Sanctuary

When I play Gloomhaven, I can make a special donation to the Sanctuary of the Great Oak. It’s a cool temple and hospital in the city. I just have to give 10 gold, and then something awesome happens. I get two bless attack modifier cards to add to my attack modifier deck for the next game we play.

Making My Cards Better

Once my friends and I finish the “Power of Enhancement” achievement, we can level up our ability cards. It’s pretty cool! Whenever we visit Gloomhaven, we can spend some of our gold to make our ability cards even more powerful. We just need to find the right sticker and put it on the card. This sticker gives a permanent boost to the ability. It’s like a superpower!

Enhancing ability cards is a way to make them better, but it comes at a cost. You have to pay a specific amount of gold to enhance your ability card.

When enhancing your ability card, you can use different types of enhancement stickers. Each sticker has its own function and rules about where it can be placed. The main line ability is the main ability on the card, written in big letters. It’s different from the modifiers, which are written in smaller letters.

Enhancing stickers can significantly impact the effectiveness of abilities in Gloomhaven. The cost of an enhancement is determined by the sticker and the ability it enhances. However, applying an enhancement to an ability that affects multiple figures will double the base cost.

Additionally, the total number of enhanced cards in a class’s ability deck cannot exceed the town’s prosperity level. It’s important to note that once an enhancement sticker is placed, it cannot be removed. The enhancement will remain in effect for all instances of that specific character class, even after retirement.

Example: So, here’s the deal. I’m the Brute, and I really want to give my ability card a little boost. I figure, hey, why not add a +1 to my attack? Seems like a good idea, right? Well, it is, but there’s a catch. This little upgrade is gonna cost me some gold – 50 gold to be exact. Not too bad, right? Well, hold on tight, because it’s about to get a little more complicated.

Turns out, my attack targets more than one enemy, which means the cost of my upgrade is gonna double. So, that’s 50 gold doubled, giving me a total of 100 gold. Still with me? Good, because things are about to get even more interesting.

See, this little ability card of mine is at level 3, which means it’s gonna cost me some extra gold. Another 50 gold, to be precise. So now, I’m looking at a grand total of 150 gold. But wait, there’s more.

Now, I’ve got this crazy idea to add an attack hex to my action. It’s gonna make my ability even more powerful, but it’s gonna cost me. Normally, this upgrade would cost me 66 gold. But remember, my card is at level 3, so I have to add another 50 gold. And to top it all off, since I’ve already enhanced my action once before, I have to throw in an extra 75 gold.

So, let’s do the math. 66 gold plus 50 gold plus 75 gold gives me a grand total of 191 gold. Phew, that’s a lot of gold. But hey, if it makes my ability stronger, I say it’s worth every penny.

Announcing Retirement

Hey there! Guess what? If I’ve completed my personal quest and I’m back in Gloomhaven, it’s time for me to retire. But don’t worry, I can still do some town activities before I leave. The thing is, once my personal quest is fulfilled, I can’t go on any new adventures with that character. I’ve accomplished my dreams and I’ve got no motivation to go exploring dangerous ruins anymore. So, all my stuff goes back in the box, any items I had are returned to the city, and all my money just disappears. Oh, and by the way, the city gets a bit more prosperous too. Just wanted to let you know. Catch you later!

When I complete my personal quests in the game, I get rewarded with new content. It’s like going on an adventure and finding a hidden treasure! Opening a sealed box or envelope is always so exciting because you never know what you’re going to find inside. Sometimes, I unlock a brand new character class, which is like unlocking a whole new world of possibilities. But here’s the thing: if someone else already opened the box or envelope before me, I don’t get the same reward. Instead, I get a unique random item design and a new side scenario to play. It’s like the game is always surprising me with something new.

When I accomplish a personal quest, the quest card is taken out of the game. It’s a way of marking my progress and knowing that I’ve achieved something great. It’s satisfying to see the quest card disappear because it means that I’ve completed a challenge and moved forward in the game. It motivates me to keep playing and taking on more quests so that I can unlock even more exciting content. The game is full of surprises and rewards, just waiting for me to discover them.

Hey there! Did you know that every time you retire a character in the game, you also earn a neat little bonus? It’s true! Here’s how it works: when you retire your first character, you get one extra perk to use with any future characters you create. But it gets even better! When you retire your second character, you get two additional perks for your next character. And the best part? This effect keeps building up, so the more characters you retire, the more perks you’ll gain for your future creations. How cool is that?

Now, here’s something interesting: this bonus doesn’t just apply to players. If you happen to be controlling multiple characters in a campaign, like when you’re playing solo, each of your characters is considered a separate player for this awesome bonus. So, it’s like you’re building a whole lineage of powerful characters with extra perks!

Hey there! Let’s talk about retiring character classes in the game. When a specific class retires for the first time, we usually get some exciting additions to the events decks. You can find the reference number for these new events on the back of the class’s character mat. It’s in the bottom right corner, all the way to the right. But that’s not all! Whenever we unlock a new class, whether it’s through retirement or some other way, we also get new city and road events. The reference number for these events is on the back of the unlocked class’s character mat as well, but this time it’s in the bottom right corner on the left side. And here’s the fun part: each reference number applies to both the city and road event decks. So, every time we retire a class or unlock a new one, we can look forward to fresh events and surprises. How cool is that?

When I retire my character in Gloomhaven, I have the option to choose a new character to play. I get two new personal quest cards and I have to choose one to keep and discard the other. I can choose to play with the same class as my previous character, but completing personal quests often unlocks new classes, which encourages me to try out different play styles as I progress through the game.

When creating a new character, I can start at any level that is equal to or lower than the current town’s prosperity level. This gives me the flexibility to start at a level that feels right for the current state of the game.

However, it is important to note that there is a limited number of personal quest cards available. If all the quest cards have been used up, a new character will not receive a personal quest. This means that the character will never be able to retire. Despite this, I still have the freedom to switch characters whenever I want.

Gloomhaven Prosperity

As I become more powerful, Gloomhaven starts to thrive. You can make Gloomhaven prosperous by participating in specific events or finishing specific scenarios. We keep track of prosperity points at the bottom of the map board, and the town will level up once we reach certain thresholds.

When our city becomes more prosperous, we get two benefits:

• We can buy new items.
• New characters can start at a level that is the same or lower than the level of prosperity. And any character with a level lower than the level of prosperity can immediately level up to match it.

In either case, we need to follow the steps to level up, and adjust the character’s experience to the minimum required for the new level.

Completing a Scenario

When we successfully complete a scenario as part of our campaign, we earn some rewards for our party.

You’ll find these rewards listed at the end of the scenario’s entry in the Scenario Book. There are plenty of goodies up for grabs, like achievements, gold, experience, and even new scenarios and item designs. Sometimes you might have to give something up, but don’t worry – you won’t lose more than what you already have.

Once you’ve unlocked a new scenario, you’ll need to locate it on the world map. Just find the grid location that matches the scenario’s number, and then slap the corresponding sticker right on top of it. Easy-peasy!