Gloomhaven vs Jaws of the Lion vs Frosthaven - Which One Is Actually Worth It?

The Gloomhaven universe sits at the very top of the modern board game canon. Gloomhaven has held a spot in BGG’s top 5 for years. Its successor Frosthaven became the most-funded board game in Kickstarter history at the time of its campaign. And yet somehow Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion - the smaller sibling - is often the smarter buy.

Which one should you actually get? That depends entirely on who you are, who you’re playing with, and how much dungeon-crawling chaos you can actually commit to.

Here’s the honest breakdown.

The Three Games at a Glance

All three are co-operative dungeon crawlers with a shared card-based combat system, persistent campaign progression, and that addictive “one more scenario” pull. But they are not interchangeable.

🟢 Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion - The One Most People Should Buy First

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion | BGG Rating: 8.36 | Weight: 3.64 | BGG Rank: #12

Jaws of the Lion was designed explicitly as an entry point into the Gloomhaven system - and it absolutely delivers on that promise. Don’t let the word “entry point” fool you though. This is not a watered-down experience. It’s a full, satisfying campaign with four unique classes, a tight narrative, and roughly 25 scenarios of increasingly complex, tactically demanding content.

Why it works as a starting point

The first five scenarios act as a built-in tutorial. Each one introduces new rules one layer at a time - enemies, conditions, loot, obstacles - so you’re never hit with a 50-page rulebook before your first dungeon. The game literally walks you through learning it.

The box is also substantially cheaper (typically £35-£50 vs £100+ for the big box) and fits on a normal table without a full lounge rearrangement.

What’s actually in the box

• 4 playable classes (Demolitionist, Hatchet, Red Guard, Voidwarden) - all excellent
• 25 scenarios across a connected narrative
• Sticker-based map book (no cardboard setup per scenario - a massive time saver)
• Enemies, items, and loot scaled to the tighter experience

The honest trade-off

You will finish it. In 20-30 sessions depending on your pace, the campaign ends. Some groups love the clean closure; others feel the itch to continue. If you finish Jaws of the Lion and want more, that’s when Gloomhaven or Frosthaven makes sense as a next step.

Buy Jaws of the Lion if: You want to try the system without the commitment, you have 2-4 people who can meet regularly, or you’ve never played a dungeon crawler campaign game before.

🟡 Gloomhaven - The Original Beast

Gloomhaven | BGG Rating: 8.54 | Weight: 3.92 | BGG Rank: #4

Gloomhaven is a monument. A 10kg box containing roughly 95 scenarios, 17 playable classes, a sprawling open-world campaign, and enough cardboard to tile a small flat. It sat at BGG’s #1 spot for four years. If you asked a serious board gamer in 2019 to name the best game ever made, there’s a very good chance they said Gloomhaven.

What makes it special

The campaign structure is genuinely open. Scenarios unlock based on decisions you make, doors you open, and factions you side with. The city of Gloomhaven itself evolves. You’ll retire characters, unlock new classes, and return to earlier locations with completely different context. It’s the closest a board game gets to a living, breathing world.

The card-based combat system - where each card gives you two abilities and you must manage your hand as a resource - is one of the most elegant tactical designs in modern gaming. You’ll spend entire sessions thinking about one scenario, recovering from it, and planning the next.

The honest trade-off

This game is a commitment. Setup for a scenario can take 20-30 minutes. The box is enormous and doesn’t love being packed away mid-campaign. Many groups start Gloomhaven and never finish it - not because it’s bad, but because life happens and a 100-scenario campaign requires sustained, coordinated group effort over months.

There’s also a known issue with wear on character boards and punched components - if you’re investing this much, you might want to sleeve and organise properly, which means another investment in storage.

Buy Gloomhaven if: You’ve played (and finished) Jaws of the Lion, you have a committed group who will see a long campaign through, and you want the definitive dungeon-crawling experience.

🔵 Frosthaven - The Most Ambitious One

Frosthaven | BGG Rating: 8.74 | Weight: 4.41 | BGG Rank: #21

Frosthaven is the sequel to Gloomhaven. It raised nearly $13 million on Kickstarter, making it the most-funded tabletop game campaign in history at the time. And by nearly every metric, it’s the bigger, more refined, more complex game.

The rating (8.74) is higher than Gloomhaven. The weight (4.41) is substantially higher. The campaign is longer. The systems are deeper.

What’s new and better

Frosthaven introduces crafting - you gather resources during scenarios to build and upgrade items between sessions. It has a seasonal cycle that affects the world map. The scenario design is widely praised as tighter and more interesting than its predecessor. The new classes feel more mechanically distinct.

The outpost building system adds a whole meta-layer: between scenarios you manage a settlement, defend it from attackers, and make decisions that shape your campaign options. It’s a fully realised strategic layer on top of the tactical dungeon-crawling.

The honest trade-off

Frosthaven is genuinely daunting. Weight 4.41 means this is not a game you pick up casually. Sessions run 2-3+ hours. The rulebook - even with improvements over Gloomhaven - is substantial. Some rules (especially the crafting and outpost systems) require careful reference even by experienced groups.

There are also known first-edition errata issues. If you’re buying new, most copies should have the corrections, but worth confirming.

Buy Frosthaven if: You’re a Gloomhaven veteran ready for the next challenge, or you’re an experienced gamer specifically seeking the most systems-deep dungeon crawler available.

The Buying Decision Tree

Never played Gloomhaven before? → Start with Jaws of the Lion.

Finished Jaws of the Lion and loved it? → Gloomhaven for the sprawling open-world experience, or Frosthaven if you want the more polished, systems-heavy sequel.

Have a committed long-term gaming group? → Either Gloomhaven or Frosthaven works. Frosthaven has better scenario design; Gloomhaven is cheaper now and more available second-hand.

Solo player? → All three support solo play. Jaws of the Lion and Gloomhaven are the most manageable solo due to shorter sessions. Frosthaven’s 3-hour solo sessions require real dedication.

Limited table space or storage? → Jaws of the Lion, comfortably. The sticker map book alone saves significant space compared to the tile-based setup in the bigger games.

Common Mistakes

Buying Gloomhaven as your first dungeon crawler. The learning curve is real, and groups frequently stall in the first ten scenarios when the initial novelty fades but the strategic depth hasn’t clicked yet. Jaws of the Lion’s guided entry eliminates this problem.

Thinking you need to play Gloomhaven before Frosthaven. You don’t. Frosthaven is mechanically compatible but entirely standalone. The lore references are light enough that newcomers won’t feel lost.

Underestimating the time commitment. A 100-scenario campaign, at 2-3 hours per scenario plus setup/teardown, is a multi-year project for most groups. That’s not a criticism - it’s a feature if you want it and a dealbreaker if you don’t.

The Verdict

All three games are excellent. The question is scope and commitment.

• Jaws of the Lion - the smart entry point. Polished, focused, completable. A full dungeon-crawling campaign that respects your time.
• Gloomhaven - the classic. Massive, sprawling, deeply rewarding if your group has the stamina. One of the best board games ever made.
• Frosthaven - the ambitious sequel. More complex, better designed in many ways, and the logical ceiling of the system. For dedicated enthusiasts.

If you can only buy one and you haven’t played the system before: Jaws of the Lion. Every time.

BGG data verified May 2026. Ratings, weights, and ranks reflect live BGG data at time of publication.