Which Gloomhaven to Buy: Jaws of the Lion vs Frosthaven

For most new players, start with Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion: about $60, a 25-scenario campaign whose first five scenarios teach the rules step by step, and a setup the publisher rates as low. Buy Gloomhaven Second Edition (about $190 to $200) once you know you want a 90-plus-session campaign, and save Frosthaven (about $240 to $250) for last, as the publisher itself advises.

Looking for the video game? There is also a digital adaptation, sold on Steam and the Epic Games Store; this page is about the board games.

The Three Boxes Compared

All three are for 1 to 4 players, and each is standalone. Prices are Amazon offers checked on October 22 plus the publisher's list price. Amazon itself sells Jaws of the Lion; the two big boxes come from third-party sellers, so check who ships them.

How to Choose

• Budget and commitment. Jaws of the Lion costs under a third of either big box, which makes it the low-risk way to learn whether the Gloomhaven system suits your group.
• Table space and setup. Cephalofair rates Jaws of the Lion setup as low because it plays on the scenario book. Gloomhaven is rated high, and Frosthaven takes about an hour. The big boxes ship at about 32 and 36 pounds; Jaws of the Lion at about 6.
• Learning curve. Cephalofair rates Jaws of the Lion medium complexity and the other two high.
• Solo play. All three start at 1 player. For a 20-minute solo game, Gloomhaven: Buttons & Bugs (about $22) is built only for one player and fits on a tray table.

The Boxes in Detail

1. Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion, Start Here

The entry point. It is a prequel campaign with four new mercenaries, a 25-scenario branching campaign and a tutorial built into the first five scenarios, for ages 14 and up. It has a 4.8 rating from more than 5,400 Amazon ratings.

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2. Gloomhaven Second Edition, the Full Campaign

The full campaign, with the same world and story as the first edition. Cephalofair says the second edition rebalances and redesigns classes, items and scenarios, adds new art and newly written story and events, updates the miniatures and adds a faction-based reputation system. One trap on Amazon: the old listing with thousands of ratings is now titled as the second edition, but it carries the first edition's model number (CPH0201) and had no new offer when we checked. The listing linked here carries model number CPH0202 and has only a handful of ratings; Amazon's title does not name the edition, so confirm "2nd Edition" on the box photo or ask the seller before you buy.

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3. Frosthaven, Play It Last

The biggest box. It adds an outpost to build between scenarios, a summer and winter calendar and a loot deck of lumber, hide and metal, with 17 new characters. Gloomhaven characters and items can be used in it. Cephalofair recommends it only after you have played Jaws of the Lion and Gloomhaven. It has a 4.7 rating from about 210 Amazon ratings.

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Related Guides

Want other long campaigns? See our campaign board games and dungeon crawlers. Playing alone, try solo board games with a campaign; playing as a pair, the co-op games for two players. Choosing between editions of another big game? See which Catan to buy. More in cooperative games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the base game for Jaws of the Lion or Frosthaven?

No. Both are standalone and include everything you need to play.

Does Forgotten Circles work with the second edition?

No. Cephalofair says the Forgotten Circles expansion works only with the first edition of Gloomhaven.

Which order should I play them in?

Cephalofair suggests Jaws of the Lion and Gloomhaven before Frosthaven.

Is the Gloomhaven video game the same as the board game?

It is a digital adaptation of the same world, sold on Steam and the Epic Games Store. The boxes on this page are the tabletop games.