Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Learn the Gloomhaven combat system through a five-scenario tutorial, then continue into a compact branching cooperative campaign with four mercenary classes.
Choose two ability cards each round and combine one top action with one bottom action while initiative determines when your mercenary acts.
The first five scenarios form a guided tutorial, then the game opens into a compact branching campaign with four distinct classes and tactical map combat.
Why We Love It
Jaws of the Lion teaches the Gloomhaven system gradually instead of dropping the full ruleset on the table at once. Its opening scenarios layer in mechanics while still functioning as a real campaign.
About Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion
Choose two ability cards each round and combine one top action with one bottom action while initiative determines when your mercenary acts.
The first five scenarios form a guided tutorial, then the game opens into a compact branching campaign with four distinct classes and tactical map combat.
Game at a Glance
Learn in Stages
The opening scenarios introduce rules progressively instead of all at once.
Use Card-Driven Combat
Pair top and bottom actions while managing initiative and positioning.
Manage Your Hand
Lost cards create power now but shorten how long you can keep acting.
Continue the Campaign
Characters improve and scenarios branch after the tutorial ends.
What is Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion?
Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a stand-alone cooperative campaign for 1–4 players. Cephalofair lists a 1–2 hour play time and age 14+.
It contains four mercenary classes, a 25-scenario branching campaign and a five-scenario tutorial that introduces mechanisms gradually.
How the game works
Players choose two ability cards each round, set initiative and then combine the top action of one card with the bottom action of the other. Enemies operate through automated ability decks and scenario rules.
The scenario books also serve as the play surface, reducing setup compared with the original Gloomhaven map-tile system.
The decisions that define it
Card loss remains the key stamina constraint: powerful actions can shorten the number of rounds a character can survive, so hand preservation matters throughout a scenario.
The tutorial smooths the learning curve, but positioning, initiative and coordination quickly become as important as in the larger games.
Who is it for?
Choose Jaws of the Lion if you want the cleanest physical entry point into the Gloomhaven system.
Move to Gloomhaven or Frosthaven if you want a much larger campaign after learning the core rules.
Learn Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion in depth
Publisher sources & scope
Checked September 16, 2026. This hub covers Jaws of the Lion as a stand-alone game, not the original Gloomhaven box.