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Frosthaven is a 139-scenario legacy campaign with 17 classes, seasonal road and outpost event decks, a summer-and-winter calendar, and a settlement that develops alongside your characters. This guide explains the six starting classes, the event and outpost loop, the difference between Campaign and Casual mode, and sensible early building choices without spoiling locked content.
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What Frosthaven asks you to manage
Frosthaven is a campaign board game rather than a collection of disconnected tactical scenarios. The core box contains 139 scenarios and 17 classes, with new classes becoming available as the campaign progresses. Your party also develops the settlement: Prosperity, Defense, buildings, resources, calendar sections, and event decks all affect what becomes possible later.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe campaign uses four event decks: road events and outpost events for each season. At setup, cards numbered 1 through 20 are available in each deck. The next unmarked box on the campaign calendar tells you which season’s deck to use when an event is required. That calendar rule is more reliable than guessing from the weather, the scenario title, or the date you last visited Frosthaven.
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- Award-winning base game in the Gloomhaven universe that includes everything you need to have 90+ thematic roleplaying sessions with tactical combat.
- Play together with up to 4 players or tackle the campaign alone as a solo mercenary. Decide and shape how your character grows and their story progresses.
- No GM or Gamemaster needed! Everyone is a player and there's no homework before game sessions. Turn to your next scenario and start playing immediately.
- Includes miniature figures for each character and detailed standees for all monsters and creatures in the game. Use the immersive map tiles and tokens included to get a real feel of the fight.
- Unique card based fighting system that allows you to have more control over your choices each round than just dice would allow.
If you are starting a campaign, look for the Frosthaven board game core box and verify the edition and component language before buying. The physical core box is required for the scenarios, classes, cards, settlement boards, and campaign materials described here.
Which Frosthaven class should a beginner choose?
There is no official universal tier list for the six starting classes. Party size, scenario objectives, player experience, and preferred play style change what “best” means. A class that is comfortable for one player can be demanding for another because of positioning, initiative timing, summons, or hand management.
Use five tests before selecting a character:
- Teaching load: can the player understand the class’s turn structure while also learning Frosthaven’s general rules?
- Party role: does the group have enough damage, control, healing or support, mobility, and durability?
- Positioning: does the class require adjacency, careful movement, range management, or setup in a particular area?
- Resource pressure: will the player enjoy tracking cards, summons, special resources, or a demanding rest cycle?
- Synergy: do the party’s attacks, conditions, summons, forced movement, and support effects work together?
The six starting classes at a glance
| Class | What the player should expect | Beginner fit | Questions to ask before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drifter | A flexible character whose turns can be planned around a broad set of attacks and utility cards. The main learning task is managing a long campaign hand and choosing when to spend powerful actions. | Often appealing to a player who wants a self-contained character and does not want every turn to depend on exact formation. | Does the player enjoy balancing immediate power against card longevity and adapting to different scenario objectives? |
| Banner Spear | A positional class that is strongest when allies and enemies occupy useful spaces. Adjacency and formation planning matter more than simply selecting the largest attack. | Good for a player who likes coordinating the party and planning movement before the round begins. | Will the group communicate about placement, and can the player tolerate turns where a perfect formation is unavailable? |
| Boneshaper | A summon-focused class. The player manages additional figures, their positioning, and the trade-off between maintaining a board presence and using cards for immediate effects. | Suitable for someone who enjoys controlling several pieces and thinking several turns ahead, but it adds teaching and tracking work. | Does the player want a traditional single-character turn, or do they actively enjoy managing summons and their risks? |
| Geminate | A class built around two distinct modes of play and a demanding card hand. Switching modes changes which actions are available and requires advance planning. | Usually better for an experienced player in a first-time group, unless the player specifically wants a high-complexity puzzle. | Is the player comfortable planning several turns ahead, tracking an unusual hand structure, and accepting more chances to make inefficient turns? |
| Blinkblade | A timing-sensitive class that rewards careful initiative and movement decisions. The player must evaluate when to act quickly, when to wait, and how to sequence actions. | Attractive to players who enjoy speed and tactical timing; less forgiving while the group is still learning initiative and scenario flow. | Does the player enjoy making decisions under timing pressure, and can the party exploit the openings that the class creates? |
| Deathwalker | A positioning and setup class whose effectiveness improves when the player plans where its resources or effects will be established before committing to an attack. | Works for a methodical player who enjoys preparation and map control, but it can feel slow if the player wants immediate, uncomplicated turns. | Can the player plan around terrain, enemy movement, and the time needed to establish useful positions? |
These descriptions are play-style guidance, not rankings. If your group is completely new, start with at least one class whose player is comfortable learning a relatively direct turn structure. Pair more demanding classes with players who already understand hand management and initiative, or be prepared to spend extra time teaching before the first scenario.
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Before locking in characters, describe the party’s intended approach. A group that wants to rush objectives needs reliable movement and damage. A group that prefers to control enemies needs conditions, positioning tools, or forced movement. A group that expects long fights needs durability, support, or a plan for exhausting cards at the right pace.
Look at the whole party after choosing two characters. If both players rely on occupying the same space, the map may become crowded. If everyone depends on setup, the group may struggle in short scenarios. If every character wants to act late, enemies may move first and break the plan. Conversely, complementary timing, range, and movement can make a party feel stronger without any individual class being “best.”
How the seasonal event system works
Frosthaven’s event system is tied to the campaign calendar. When an instruction calls for a road or outpost event, identify the next unmarked box on the calendar and use the season indicated there. Do not choose a deck based on the scenario’s artwork or on the real-world month.
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- Includes scenario narrative text and special rules for all 138 Frosthaven scenarios!
- 4 Scenario Play Surface Books, 96 pages each
- 16 "Destroyed" obstacle tokens
- ACCESSORY ONLY. REQUIRES A COPY OF THE FROSTHAVEN BOARD GAME TO PLAY
Road events
A road event is resolved as part of traveling to a scenario when the campaign instructs you to draw one. It can impose costs, offer choices, or alter what your party brings into the scenario. Keep the event deck’s season aligned with the next unmarked calendar section, because the campaign’s timing—not player preference—determines the deck.
Outpost events
An outpost event is handled during the return-to-settlement portion of the campaign. Resolve it before moving on to the rest of the outpost administration when the rules or calendar call for it. Collective event costs may be paid from resources in the Frosthaven Supply, so distinguish settlement resources from items or resources held by individual characters.
The practical event loop
- Finish the scenario and record its rewards, experience, loot, links, and calendar instructions.
- Read the next applicable calendar section and mark it exactly as instructed.
- When an event is required, identify the season shown by the next unmarked calendar box.
- Draw from the matching road or outpost deck, then resolve its costs and outcomes before continuing.
- Return cards and update the campaign record so the next event begins from the correct position.
Do not reveal locked event outcomes or unopened class content to new players. For a card-specific ruling, printing correction, or ambiguous interaction, use the official Frosthaven FAQ and tutorial resources rather than improvising a permanent campaign rule.
When do you return to Frosthaven?
After most successful scenarios, the normal flow returns the party to Frosthaven for an outpost phase. The important exception is a scenario that is linked or force-linked to another scenario. In that case, follow the link instructions instead of assuming that the settlement phase happens immediately.
At the settlement, the party handles the systems that cannot be resolved on the scenario map:
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- outpost events and their costs or choices;
- calendar timing and newly available sections;
- building construction and upgrades;
- resource collection, spending, and storage;
- character upkeep and other unlocked campaign procedures.
If you are unsure whether to return, check the scenario’s link language first. Treat “linked” and “force-linked” as procedural instructions, not as flavor text. Skipping an outpost phase when one is required can cause you to miss a calendar update or settlement action; inserting one between force-linked scenarios changes the intended sequence.
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- This is the first expansion for Gloomhaven featuring twenty new scenarios that take place after the events of the original Gloomhaven campaign which involve one new character class the Aesther Diviner and her attempts to prevent an approaching calamity.
- Players will delve into twenty new scenarios that take place after the events of the original Gloomhaven campaign. These new adventures will involve one new character class—the Aesther Diviner—and her attempts to prevent an approaching calamity. The accompanying scenario book breaks up these scenarios across multiple pages to create more dynamic and surprising encounters.
- Expansion also features seven new monster types (including three new bosses) and fourteen new items.
- 1-4 players, Ages: 12+ 60–120 play time
Campaign Mode versus Casual Mode
| Feature | Campaign Mode | Casual Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Advances the active Frosthaven campaign. | Replays a scenario for practice or entertainment without changing the campaign. |
| Rewards | Can grant resources, experience, quest progress, unlooted treasure, and eligible random loot. | No campaign rewards are recorded. |
| Events | Uses the campaign’s calendar and draws required road or outpost events. | No campaign event draw. |
| Outpost phase | Returns to Frosthaven when the scenario flow calls for it. | No campaign outpost phase. |
| Best use | Progression, unlocking content, and making consequential choices. | Learning a scenario, testing a party idea, or replaying without risking campaign state. |
Use Campaign Mode when you want the scenario to affect the settlement and character progression. Choose Casual Mode when the purpose is practice or a consequence-free replay. Decide before setup and keep separate notes; otherwise it is easy to record rewards or calendar changes that the mode does not permit.
What to build first in Frosthaven
The official starting values are Prosperity 1 and Defense 0. The starting level-1 buildings are the Barracks, Alchemist, Craftsman, and Workshop. Initial setup also adds four Soldiers through the Barracks.
At Prosperity 1, the FAQ permits several directions, subject to the printed costs:
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- build the foundations for a Logging Camp;
- build the foundations for a Mining Camp;
- build the foundations for a Hunter’s Lodge;
- build Wall Section J;
- upgrade the Craftsman;
- upgrade the Alchemist;
- build any of the three Travel Tools as a Workshop upgrade.
There is no single optimal order because the right choice depends on your party’s resource bottlenecks and near-term scenarios. A group short on a particular material may value a production foundation more than an upgrade. A group expecting difficult settlement attacks may prioritize Defense-related construction. A party that depends on consumable equipment may prefer a Workshop path, while a group focused on character-side items may get more immediate value from the Craftsman or Alchemist.
A decision method for the first construction
- List the resources you actually lack after the first scenario or two; do not build around a theoretical shortage.
- Check which upcoming scenario or calendar instruction creates the nearest deadline.
- Compare the printed cost with the resources that will remain for future events and equipment.
- Ask whether the building helps the entire party or only one character.
- Record the choice and its level so future players do not spend the same resources twice.
Prosperity is the settlement’s long-term development track, while Defense measures how well the settlement can withstand threats. Buildings and their levels unlock capabilities; resources pay for construction, events, and other campaign demands. Treat all four as connected rather than maximizing one number in isolation.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A first-campaign operating routine
Before the scenario
- Confirm that the scenario is being played in Campaign or Casual Mode.
- Check the scenario’s prerequisites, links, and objective before selecting cards.
- Review the party’s roles: damage, control, support, mobility, and durability.
- Agree on how much table discussion is useful for a group still learning the system.
During the scenario
- Track experience, loot, and treasure as the rules require rather than relying on memory.
- Watch exhaustion and card longevity; a spectacular early turn is not useful if it ends the character’s ability to finish the scenario.
- Coordinate movement so positional classes have a realistic formation instead of an ideal one that the map cannot provide.
- Keep scenario links and special instructions visible until the party has recorded them.
After the scenario
- Record rewards, experience, loot, quest progress, and any unlooted treasure that the mode allows.
- Read the calendar instruction and mark the next section precisely.
- Check for a linked or force-linked follow-up before starting the outpost phase.
- If returning to Frosthaven, resolve the required event, then update buildings, resources, character upkeep, and other unlocked systems.
- Choose the next available scenario only after the campaign record is current.
Common beginner mistakes and fixes
Choosing a class from a supposed tier list
Problem: the party selects several individually powerful-looking characters that compete for the same spaces or lack a needed role. Fix: compare the whole group’s damage, control, support, mobility, durability, positioning, and resource demands before confirming choices.
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Using the wrong event season
Problem: players draw from the season that feels appropriate instead of the season shown by the next unmarked calendar box. Fix: identify that box first, then select the matching road or outpost deck.
Adding an outpost phase between linked scenarios
Problem: the party returns to Frosthaven automatically after every scenario. Fix: read the scenario link and force-link instructions before resolving settlement procedures.
Paying a collective event cost from the wrong pool
Problem: players spend personal character resources when the event cost is meant to come from the settlement supply. Fix: check whether the cost is collective and pay it from the Frosthaven Supply when the rules specify that source.
Mixing Campaign and Casual records
Problem: a practice run changes prosperity, loot, events, or character experience. Fix: label the mode before setup and keep Casual results out of the campaign log.
Building without a near-term reason
Problem: the settlement spends scarce resources on an attractive option that does not address the party’s next constraint. Fix: compare the printed cost with current bottlenecks, upcoming scenarios, and the resources needed for event decisions.
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Keep the Frosthaven rulebook, official FAQ, and tutorial resources available for rules questions, component lists, and printing corrections. Use them to verify a specific card or procedure rather than reading locked event outcomes aloud to the whole group. A spoiler-light table can maintain a campaign record with class names, building levels, Prosperity, Defense, resources, calendar marks, and scenario links while leaving unrevealed content sealed.
For a first campaign, consistency matters more than discovering a perfect route. Choose a party the players will enjoy piloting, follow the calendar’s season instruction, return to Frosthaven only when the scenario flow allows it, and spend settlement resources in response to actual needs. Those habits prevent the most damaging beginner errors while leaving room for the campaign’s later classes, buildings, and events to unfold naturally.
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