Gloomhaven: Tips & Tricks For Beginners (Steam)

Gloomhaven on Steam mixes tactical RPG elements with dungeon crawling. Here are tips and tricks for beginners starting out in the game.

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Gloomhaven on Steam is based on the tabletop board game of the same name and mixes tactical RPG elements with dungeon crawling. Here are tips and tricks for beginners starting their adventures in the game.

Gloomhaven digital released to Steam Early Access in July 2019. It was developed by Flaming Fowl Studios and published by Asmodee Digital, the publisher behind various digital versions of board games, including Takenoko, Gloom, Pandemic, and more. As Gloomhaven is currently in Early Access, it features seven playable characters. Adventure Mode includes the core gameplay of the board game but with procedurally generated scenarios and a different approach to the party’s abilities and items.

According to the developers, when Gloomhaven digital leaves Early Access, it will have more playable characters, enemies, bosses, and items. They will add Character Perks and Ability Enhancements as features, with new environments to be added to Adventure Mode. They plan to deliver a complete board game campaign experience and a multiplayer cooperative mode.

What are some Tips & Tricks for Beginners in Gloomhaven?

When playing Gloomhaven on Steam, the player’s party composition will be immensely important to how well the party will do as they progress through the game. The player should pick complimentary mercenaries. For instance, it is beneficial to pick one character as the party’s tank and the other as the support character. The Brute and Spellweaver would play better together than the Scoundrel and Spellweaver. The player should also keep an eye on how many cards each character has available to them. If they run out of cards or movement before the end of the scenario, it could mean the end of the party.

The currently available mercenaries include:

• Brute – Has a Health of 10. They use their strength and size to wield a giant sword and shield. Brutes earn a living by lending their services to the highest bidder. Mastered ability cards include Trample, Eye for an Eye, Sweeping Blow, Provoking Roar, Overwhelming Assault, Grab and Go, Warding Strength, Shield Bash, Leaping Cleave, Spare Dagger, Skewer, Balanced Measure, and Wall of Doom.
• Scoundrel – Has a Health of 8. Scoundrels are opportunistic and look out for number one. They’ll do what’s necessary to make sure whatever they desire comes into their ownership. Mastered Ability Cards include Single Out, Flanking Strike, Smoke Bomb, Backstab, Thief’s Knack, Venom Shiv, Throwing Knives, Quick Hands, Special Mixture, Swift Bow, Sinister Opportunity, and Trickster’s Reversal.
• Cragheart – Has a Health of 10. They were banished for not being able to master an element by the Savvas. The Cragheart were marked for life by the Savvas, who shattered their cores. Mastered Abilities includes Opposing Strike, Crushing Grasp, Avalanche, Rumbling Advance, Massive Boulder, Backup Ammunition, Rock Tunnel, Unstable Upheaval, Crater, Dirt Tornado, Earthen Clod, Forceful Storm, Heaving Swing, and Nature’s Lift.
• Tinkerer – Has a Health of 8. They are Quatryls, experts in crafting elixirs and gadgets. Tinkerers use these tools to explore and uncover ancient oddities. Mastered Abilities include Proximity Mine, Harmless Contraption, Flamethrower, Hook Gun, Ink Bomb, Net Shooter, Stun Shot, Reinvigorating Elixir, Restorative Mist, Energizing Tonic, Enhancement Field, Toxic Bolt, Reviving Shock, Volatile Concoction and Potent Potables.
• Spellweaver – Has a Health of 6. They are Orchid sages that can call upon powerful natural forces and use them as focused attacks. Mastered Abilities include Fire Orbs, Impaling Eruption, Reviving Ether, Freezing Nova, Mana Bolt, Frost Armor, Flame Strike, Ride the Wind, Aid from the Ether, Hardened Spikes and Crackling Air.
• Mindthief – Has a Health of 6. They use psychic assaults, sharp blades, and their tiny, deadly teeth to attack. Mastered Ability cards include Submissive Affliction, Into the Night, Fearsome Blade, Feedback Loop, Gnawing Horde, The Mind’s Weakness, Parasitic Influence, Scurry, Perverse Edge, Empathetic Assault, Withering Claw, Possession and Frigid Apparition.
• Elementalist – Has a Health of 6. Unlike the Cragheart, they are Savvas that have gained the mastery of multiple elements. Mastered Abilities include Raw Enhancement, Pure Augmentation, Formless Power, Shaping the Ether, Stoking Hail, Tremulant Cyclone, Infernal Vortex, Lava Eruption, Ice Spikes, Frigid Torrent, Malleable Evocation, Brilliant Flash and Encompassing Shadow.

Game difficulty factors into a beginner’s enjoyment of Gloomhaven on Steam. The Normal setting allows for 25% fewer enemies, heroes start each scenario with +2 Blesses in their deck, the Adventure pathways are easy, and heroes have 25% more health. Selecting Hard only allows heroes to start with 25% additional health. If the player chooses Insane, Adventure pathways are set to the Hardest difficulty. Generally speaking, beginners to the game should start on Normal and work their way up to the other difficulties. Though, those familiar with the board game might choose to jump in the deep end and fare better.

The easiest way for the player to lose scenarios in Gloomhaven is by losing too many cards. Picking cards to take on a scenario is vital. Each card has a top action and a bottom action. During each turn in an encounter, players will choose two cards each character will use. If the player decides to use the top action of the first card, then they must next apply the bottom action of the second card, or if they use the bottom action on the first card, then they must use the top action of the second card. The top actions and bottom actions are designed so that players are usually able to do one attack and one move or defense effect. This game mechanic should factor into the player’s card choices.

It is crucial to make sure the player brings enough cards with movement with them. If they don’t pay attention to this, they may fail due to exhaustion. If the player burns too many cards, they again may lose because of fatigue. The player will have to decide when it’s a good time to burn their most powerful cards. Factors should include whether they can get a lot out of using the card at that moment and if they’re close to the end of a scenario or not.

The benefits of discarding cards must also be weighed. When an enemy hits the player’s character, the player must decide to take the damage, or they may avoid it by discarding a card. However, the more the player uses this option, the faster they’ll reach the point of exhaustion. Exhaustion is more frequently a danger than death. Avoiding damage should be used as a last resort, especially early in the game or with low-stamina characters.

The player should also pay attention to the Initiative order of both the monsters and the player’s party. The Initiative is determined by card selection. By default, the Initiative of the first card will be used. However, the player can use the second card’s Initiative by clicking its golden initiative circle.

Going too early in the battle order could leave the party open to attacks. Starting later in the Initiative could avoid damage. Some effects must be used sooner or later in the combat order to help the player’s party. Going late in one round and early the next can also sway the battle. If planned correctly, the player’s party can go twice in a row. Going later in the Initiative could allow the enemies to move within range of the characters’ attacks if the characters have the appropriate cards to take the opposition down.

Players should use the characters’ line of sight, traps, and any obstacles provided by the environment to their advantage. Being smart about using the environment can spring traps that keep melee enemies at a distance. Using particular abilities, such as Invisibility, or those that involve shoving, can help move enemies onto traps.

The party should plan their rests. Typically, Long Rests are better than Short Rests. Players burn a card after every rest. Long Rests allow the player to choose which card they’ll burn and refresh spell items. Players can clear the room of enemies and then Long Rest. Short Rests are always going to be a part of gameplay, but the player should attempt to minimize how many the party must take. Taking a Short Rest will discard a random card that could be important. Characters with larger hand sizes can usually more easily afford to take a short rest.

If the player is losing scenarios because of exhaustion, they should take a look at how they’re playing. If they’re spending a lot of time looting, they might be wasting turns. Their primary goal should be to complete the scenario. Their next priority must be to gain XP, then complete battle goals, and after that, there is time for looting.

Gloomhaven digital is currently in Steam Early Access and still has more content to release before its launch later in 2020. Reviews for the Early Access release are overall positive. Fans can’t wait to discover how the developers will find the balance between the tabletop and digital versions to bring out the best in their favorite game.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/gloomhaven-tips-tricks-beginners-guide/