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Frosthaven buying guide: editions, DLC, and what you need to start

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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Buy the physical Frosthaven board game if you want the full face-to-face campaign: tactical scenarios, a persistent settlement, seasonal events, stickers, envelopes, and legacy unlocks. It is a complete standalone game for one to four players. Buy Frosthaven Digital on PC if you prefer automated bookkeeping, solo play on a computer, or online co-op for two to four people. You do not need to own Gloomhaven or Jaws of the Lion before starting either edition.

Which Frosthaven edition should you buy?

The choice is mainly about where you want to play and how much administration you want to handle yourself. The physical box delivers the intended tabletop experience with components that remain on your table and settlement decisions that persist between scenarios. The PC edition reproduces the campaign digitally and handles much of the setup, record-keeping, and rules processing for you.

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Consideration Physical Frosthaven Frosthaven Digital
Play setting Shared table with map tiles, cards, tokens, character boards, envelopes, and stickers Windows PC screen with automated campaign records and rules
Players 1–4 players, including a solo player controlling a party Single-player or online co-op for 2–4 players
Administration You perform setup, sort components, track the calendar, apply stickers, and maintain the settlement The game records campaign state and automates routine bookkeeping
Content packaging One large standalone campaign box Base game, Complete Edition, soundtrack and art-book DLC, and a Frosthaven-plus-Gloomhaven bundle are separate Steam listings
Learning support Rulebook and official tutorial resources, with a long physical setup Digital tutorial and introduction path, onboarding improvements, and optional house rules
Ownership format Physical components that can be stored, transported, and potentially resold Digital license tied to the PC platform account

For a group that meets regularly around one table, the physical edition is the better fit because settlement construction, loot handling, and campaign materials are part of the experience rather than chores to be hidden. Digital is the practical choice when players are remote, when you want solo play without managing hundreds of pieces, or when your group values quick restarts and automatic state tracking.

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Do you need Gloomhaven before Frosthaven?

No. Frosthaven is a standalone adventure from the designer and publisher of Gloomhaven. You can begin with the Frosthaven box or its digital counterpart without buying another game.

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Cephalofair Games: Gloomhaven Cooperative Board Game
  • 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.

Cephalofair recommends playing Jaws of the Lion and Gloomhaven first because they provide a gentler learning path and useful context for the rules and campaign style. That is a recommendation, not a prerequisite. Frosthaven contains its own campaign, characters, enemies, items, tutorial material, and progression systems.

What comes in the physical Frosthaven box?

Campaign and characters

The core box contains a long narrative campaign, 17 new playable characters or classes, three ancestries, more than 20 enemy types, and more than 100 items. Cephalofair’s availability page describes the campaign as 138 scenarios, while the detailed product copy says 139; treat it as a roughly 139-scenario campaign and check the product information for the printing you are purchasing.

Settlement and legacy systems

Frosthaven adds a calendar and seasonal system to the scenario loop. Between adventures, the Outpost phase lets the group develop a persistent settlement. Summer and winter event decks, outpost attacks, personal quests, loot decks, stickers, envelopes, and unlocks make earlier decisions affect later sessions.

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Players, age, and session length

The official listing rates the game for ages 14 and up, supports one to four players, and estimates two- to three-hour play sessions. Setup is described as long, so plan for a dedicated play area and a way to keep the campaign state organized between meetings.

What you need to start the physical game

Core purchase and play space

  • The Frosthaven core box.
  • A table large enough for a scenario map, character boards, cards, tokens, and settlement materials.
  • The rulebook plus Cephalofair’s official tutorial and resource materials.
  • One to four players, or one player willing to operate a complete party for solo play.
  • A reliable campaign-record system for the calendar, stickers, envelopes, unlocked content, and settlement state.

Because the campaign uses persistent components, avoid opening every sealed item at once. Keep envelopes, decks, and class materials separated until the campaign tells you to use them, and use a spoiler-safe storage method if several people handle the box.

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Frosthaven Play Surface Books
  • 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

Starting settlement state

The official FAQ records the initial settlement values: Prosperity starts at 1, Defense starts at 0, the Barracks provides +4 Soldiers, and the starting buildings are the Barracks, Alchemist, Craftsman, and Workshop. These are part of the normal starting setup; they are not downloadable content or optional upgrades.

Physical printing, errata, and purchase checks

The cited physical listing is explicitly for Frosthaven (1st Printing). Cephalofair warns that first-print copies contain typographical errors and errata. Examples include an envelope-81 card-order problem and incorrect rule-sticker numbers in several envelopes.

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  1. Check the retailer listing for the printing designation before paying.
  2. After purchase, consult the current official FAQ and errata information before opening campaign envelopes.
  3. Keep corrected card-order and sticker information with the box so the group can apply it when that content is reached.
  4. Do not assume an unopened first-print box is error-free simply because all components are sealed.

This check matters most for a campaign game: a small numbering or ordering error can reveal content early or make a later envelope difficult to resolve.

What is included in Frosthaven Digital?

Base game and 1.0 content

The digital 1.0 release includes the complete story campaign, all 17 playable heroes, a digital “Road to Frosthaven” introduction and demo, improved co-op, house-rule options, an opening cinematic, hero-unlock videos, and a fully implemented codex. Digital onboarding is designed to help new players while preserving the underlying board-game rules.

Starting classes and progression

Steam lists six starting classes: Banner Spear, Boneshaper, Drifter, Geminate, Blinkblade, and Deathwalker. Additional classes unlock through campaign progress rather than appearing all at once at the beginning.

Release timing and multiplayer

Steam lists October 15, 2026, as the digital release date. The game supports single-player and online co-op for two to four players. A Steam account and broadband internet are needed for online co-op; single-player remains available without coordinating with other players.

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Rank #3
Cephalofair Games Gloomhaven - Forgotten Circles Strategy Boxed Board Game Expansion for Ages 12 & Up, 1st Printing
  • 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

Frosthaven digital editions and DLC

Steam listing What it contains Who should choose it
Frosthaven base game The core digital campaign Players who want the campaign without bonus media
Frosthaven – Complete Edition Frosthaven plus the Frosthaven Soundtrack + Art Book Players who want the complete digital package in one purchase
Frosthaven Soundtrack + Art Book DLC The soundtrack and digital art book, listed separately Owners of the base game who specifically want the bonus media
Frosthaven + Gloomhaven bundle Both digital games in one bundle Players who want both campaigns rather than Frosthaven alone

The captured Steam listing shows the soundtrack and art-book DLC at $9.99, but Steam prices and discount status can change by region and date. Check the store page in your country at checkout instead of treating that amount as a permanent price.

The soundtrack and art book do not add scenarios, characters, settlement buildings, or campaign progression. The Complete Edition is therefore a media bundle, not an expanded rules edition.

PC requirements for Frosthaven Digital

Specification Minimum Recommended
Operating system Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit
Processor Intel i5-7600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 class Intel i5-12500 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X class
Memory 8 GB RAM 16 GB RAM
Graphics GTX 960 or RX 570 class RTX 3060 or RX 6600 class
DirectX DirectX 11 DirectX 11
Storage 50 GB 50 GB

These are the Steam-published requirements, not a guarantee of a particular frame rate or loading time. Leave more free disk space than the stated 50 GB if your system needs room for updates and temporary files.

Is Frosthaven Digital worth it?

Choose digital when automation is the priority

  • You want the campaign to remember initiative, effects, deck states, unlocks, and settlement progress.
  • You usually play alone or with remote friends.
  • You want an introduction path and tutorial support rather than learning every subsystem from a large rulebook.
  • You do not have room to leave a physical scenario assembled between sessions.

Choose physical when the table is part of the appeal

  • Your group enjoys manipulating cards, miniatures, map pieces, and tokens.
  • You want a shared settlement that exists on the table between sessions.
  • You value physical ownership, storage, transport, and the possibility of reselling the box.
  • You are comfortable spending time on setup, cleanup, sorting, and manual campaign records.

Digital does not replace the physical box’s tactile components, and physical does not provide automated bookkeeping. Decide based on the friction your group is willing to accept every session, not only on the number of scenarios.

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Can you play Frosthaven solo?

Yes. The physical game supports one player controlling a party, and the digital edition supports single-player. Solo play gives you complete control over party composition and scheduling, but it also means tracking the decisions and turns of multiple characters yourself on the tabletop. Digital reduces that administrative load.

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  • REDUCE THE CLUTTER - This character dashboard is the perfect solution for managing your character by providing a neat or tidy place. It saves a lot of room on the table and holds pretty much all of the player items. No more table clutter for your characters, just enjoying the fun of Gloomhaven!
  • SPEEDS UP YOUR GAME - Game time preparation become shorter and you can save more time as players can easily take all the elements of the last game setup from the player dashboard, instead of looking for them all over the table. This hero organizer makes Gloomhaven so much easier and quicker gameplay.
  • DURABILITY AND QUALITY - This character organizer is made of high quality birch plywood. It's much stronger and lighter than similar materials. Character boards can be inserted into the middle layer of this player dashboard.
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  • IDEAL GIFT FOR GLOOMHAVEN LOVER - Give an unexpected and very necessary gift to your friends, acquaintances or best half and you will see what impression the player board Gloomhaven board game will make. Organize the atmosphere of a real Gloomhaven game around you by using CZYY character organizer!

For a first physical campaign, begin with a manageable party and use the official tutorial resources before adding optional material. Solo players who already understand the core systems can later add the official Solo Scenarios product for class-specific challenges.

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Optional Frosthaven add-ons and accessories

Frosthaven: Solo Scenarios

This official physical add-on contains a 24-page book with 17 class-specific solo scenarios and 17 reward item cards. It is not required to start the campaign. Treat it as extra mastery content for players who want challenges tailored to individual classes after learning the core game.

Frosthaven wooden insert

The Laserox Frostbox wooden insert is an organization accessory. It is intended to sort cards and tokens and reduce setup and cleanup. It adds no scenarios, characters, items, or settlement rules, and it is useful only if your storage layout and budget justify replacing the original organization system.

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Frosthaven Premium Game Bag

The Frosthaven Premium Game Bag is designed for the roughly 35-pound box and can also accommodate the official map archive. It addresses transport and storage rather than gameplay. Measure your shelf, vehicle space, and preferred packing method before buying any carrying solution.

Is Crimson Scales official Frosthaven DLC?

No. Crimson Scales describes itself as a fan-made, unofficial Gloomhaven-compatible expansion. Its site lists 66 scenarios, 100 items, 11 custom classes, and STL miniatures, and explicitly says it is not an official Cephalofair product.

It is therefore not part of Frosthaven’s core box, not included in the digital editions, and not required to begin a Frosthaven campaign. Consider it separate fan content only if you are comfortable with its compatibility, production, and support being outside the official Frosthaven product line.

A practical buying path

For a regular in-person group

  1. Buy the physical Frosthaven core box.
  2. Confirm the printing and locate the current FAQ and errata before opening envelopes.
  3. Set aside a permanent storage area and a table that can hold a full scenario.
  4. Use the official tutorial resources and keep a shared campaign record.
  5. Add a wooden insert or game bag only after you know which components are difficult for your group to store or transport.

For a solo player

  1. Choose physical if you want tactile play and have room for campaign storage; choose digital if automated tracking matters more.
  2. Start with the core campaign rather than buying Solo Scenarios immediately.
  3. Learn the core turn structure and settlement phase before adding optional challenges.
  4. If you later want class-specific tests, add the official Solo Scenarios book.

For remote friends

  1. Buy the digital base game or Complete Edition on Steam.
  2. Verify that every player meets the Windows requirements and has a stable broadband connection.
  3. Use the tutorial or Road to Frosthaven introduction before committing to a long campaign.
  4. Choose the Complete Edition only if the soundtrack and art book matter to you; they do not expand the campaign.

For someone deciding between digital and physical

  • Pick physical for ownership of components, table presence, and the full analog campaign ritual.
  • Pick digital for quick setup, solo convenience, remote co-op, and automatic records.
  • Do not buy Gloomhaven solely because you think it is required; buy it only if you also want its separate campaign.

Common buying mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming a predecessor is mandatory: Frosthaven is standalone, although earlier games can ease the learning curve.
  • Confusing the Complete Edition with extra campaign content: its listed additions are the soundtrack and art book.
  • Ignoring first-print errata: check the official corrections before using envelope and sticker content.
  • Buying accessories before the core box: inserts and bags solve organization problems but do not let you play without the game.
  • Calling fan content official DLC: Crimson Scales is explicitly unofficial and separate.
  • Underestimating physical space: the box is roughly 35 pounds and the official listing describes setup as long.
  • Reading a regional price as permanent: Steam pricing and discounts vary by country and time.

Bottom line

For the complete tabletop campaign, buy the physical Frosthaven board game and prepare for a large, long-term project of scenarios, settlement development, and component management. For solo convenience or online groups, Frosthaven Digital supplies the same core campaign in a more automated format, with the base game, a Complete Edition containing the soundtrack and art book, and separate media DLC. Neither edition requires Gloomhaven or Jaws of the Lion, and neither Solo Scenarios, storage accessories, nor Crimson Scales is necessary to start.

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Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 2
Frosthaven Play Surface Books
Frosthaven Play Surface Books
Includes scenario narrative text and special rules for all 138 Frosthaven scenarios!; 4 Scenario Play Surface Books, 96 pages each
$65.43

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

board gamesBuying GuideFrosthavenGloomhavenPC gaming

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