Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood

How Oathsworn works

Oathsworn is structured as a sequence of 21 chapters.

Most chapters have two distinct halves:

1. Story Phase — travel, narrative choices, investigations and preparation.
2. Encounter Phase — a tactical battle against a major creature or scenario-specific threat.

The campaign saves character progression and story state between chapters, but the core loop deliberately separates narrative decision-making from tactical combat.

How the Story Phase works

The Free Company travels through a branching narrative built around locations, choices and timed decisions.

Shadowborne describes the story as a large twisting-tales novel rather than simple flavor text. Players may uncover allies, clues, buffs or penalties that carry into the encounter.

Travel and exploration use a time track. Spending too long investigating can reduce rewards or trigger events, so searching every branch is not automatically optimal.

The Story can be run from the physical book or through the official app.

What does the time track do?

As the Free Company travels to locations and resolves narrative events, time advances.

The time track can trigger additional events and can cover reward spaces as the chapter takes longer to complete.

This creates a real trade-off between information and efficiency: exploring one more lead may improve the coming boss fight, but spending too long can cost campaign rewards.

What is Instant Action mode?

Instant Action is for groups that want the tactical encounters without playing through the full narrative.

Instead of completing the entire story phase, the group receives a short summary plus limited setup choices before moving into the battle.

This makes Oathsworn more flexible than many campaign games: owning the campaign does not force every session to include an hour of narrative material.

How the Encounter Phase works

The Encounter Phase places the Free Company on a tactical battlefield with the chapter’s unique threat.

Characters move, spend action-point resources, play ability cards, attack specific target areas and respond to the monster’s evolving AI.

Bosses are not simply large piles of health. They can change behavior, lose body parts, trigger reactions and move between different AI phases.

Positioning matters because many attacks and monster abilities depend on range, facing, areas and battlefield features.

How monster AI works

Shadowborne’s design material explains that major encounters use three phase decks of five AI cards, for 15 encounter-specific AI cards.

The monster can switch to a later AI deck when a trigger occurs — for example, after losing enough health or reaching another encounter-specific condition.

This changes how the enemy behaves as the fight escalates.

The encounter also normally receives its own activation after the Oathsworn phase, while some damage events trigger immediate reactions.

Why targeting monster body parts matters

Major monsters can have multiple target areas such as limbs, heads, tails or wings.

Destroying the final health on a target area can remove that part or materially change the fight.

However, destroying a body part can also provoke an immediate monster reaction.

This creates a useful tactical question: is disabling an ability worth triggering retaliation right now?

How attacks are resolved

Oathsworn lets each player choose how much risk to take when resolving an attack.

You determine your attack pool and then resolve damage through the game’s Might system.

The distinctive feature is that you can choose dice, cards or a mixture of the two. The dice version is more volatile; the card version provides more predictable information.

Might cards vs dice

Shadowborne calls this a play-your-way combat system.

For every attack, players can choose between:

• Dice — more tactile and swingy.
• Might cards — use the same statistical structure in a more trackable card form.
• A mixture — combine dice and cards in the same attack.

The choice can change from one attack to the next.

Why two blanks can ruin an attack

The attack system is push-your-luck.

Players decide how much Might to commit, but if the resolution produces two or more blank results, the entire attack misses under the core design.

Rolling/drawing more can increase potential damage, but also increases the risk of collecting a second blank.

Reroll and mitigation effects make this a tactical risk decision rather than pure luck.

How exploding criticals work

Critical results can generate additional resolution results.

With dice, a critical can effectively add another die. Additional criticals can continue the chain.

This creates occasional extremely large attacks, but the push-your-luck blank rule still makes the size of the original attack pool an important choice.

What is Animus?

Animus is the action-point resource used by Oathsworn characters during tactical encounters.

Abilities and character-specific systems can spend, generate or manipulate Animus.

Different characters therefore have very different action economies even though everyone participates in the same combat structure.

What is the Battleflow system?

Battleflow controls how ability cards cycle back toward availability.

Instead of every powerful ability automatically refreshing at the start of the next turn, card play interacts with a character’s Battleflow structure.

This makes sequencing important. Using one card can help move other abilities through the cycle, while badly timed high-impact cards may leave a character with an awkward hand later.

The result is closer to building a combat rhythm than simply waiting on fixed cooldown timers.

How defense works

Gear provides passive protection, but character ability cards can also be used defensively.

Shadowborne’s combat design notes explain that a character may play an ability card before incoming damage is resolved to add its defensive value.

That creates a meaningful sacrifice: the card might have been valuable offensively later, but spending it now could prevent a character from losing critical health.

Characters have small health pools, so mitigation and positioning matter.

How different are the Oathsworn characters?

Characters have unique ability decks, equipment options and special mechanics.

Examples from Shadowborne’s own design notes include characters who gain additional Animus from critical hits or manipulate battlefield elements in unusual ways.

The campaign therefore supports recognizable tactical roles — damage, defense, control, mobility and support — without reducing every character to the same action template.

How Companions make solo and changing groups easier

Oathsworn is designed to keep a full Free Company manageable even when fewer people are playing.

The Companion system condenses a full character into a simpler version controlled by only a small number of cards.

This is useful for:

• Solo play.
• Two-player campaigns.
• Sessions where a regular player is absent.
• Groups that want tactical support without administering four full ability decks.

Can Oathsworn be played solo?

Yes. The official game supports 1–4 players.

Solo players can manage a Free Company using full characters and/or simplified Companions.

This keeps the tactical encounter balanced around a group rather than forcing the solo player to resolve a radically different ruleset.

The trade-off is administration: controlling multiple full characters creates more tactical options but more card and gear management.

What is the best player count?

The official range is 1–4 players. Current BGG community data favors two and four players.

At four, each player can focus on one full character. At two, each player can combine a full character with a Companion or divide control in another manageable way.

Solo is fully supported, but campaign setup and tactical decision load naturally fall on one person.

Can players or characters join the campaign late?

Yes.

Shadowborne designed a quick swap / quick levelling framework specifically to reduce campaign fragility.

Characters level after chapters, so a character joining later can be brought to the current Free Company level through a streamlined set of choices rather than replaying every earlier chapter.

Returning players can also resume their saved character and bring it up to the current chapter level.

How campaign saving works

Oathsworn uses physical campaign storage rather than requiring a permanent app account.

Character information can be stored between sessions using the supplied save-bag system, while chapter content remains separated through envelopes, boxes and archive organization.

This is particularly important for a campaign with a large component count because it lets a group resume without reconstructing every character loadout from scratch.

Do you need the Oathsworn app?

No.

The physical Story Book can run the narrative.

The official app is an alternative interface that replaces the story book with a simplified interactive flow and includes narration by James Cosmo.

Shadowborne currently provides the app for iOS and Android, with instructions for running the Android version on desktop through an emulator.

How spoiler-heavy is the game?

Mystery is a major part of Oathsworn’s presentation.

Many enemies and chapter elements are hidden in mystery chests or envelopes until the story reveals them.

That means product photos, unboxing videos and marketplace listings can spoil visual surprises that the official box organization deliberately conceals.

This guide therefore avoids naming individual bosses beyond what Shadowborne publicly uses in general marketing.

How long is the campaign?

The campaign contains 21 chapters.

Shadowborne’s design notes describe a typical Story section as roughly 30–45 minutes and an Encounter as roughly 90–120 minutes, although real group time varies widely.

The game is intentionally designed so the Story and Encounter can be played in separate sessions.

That makes the 21-chapter structure more practical for groups that cannot reliably schedule three-hour sessions.

Standee Base Game vs Core Game vs Collector’s All-In

The crucial buyer point is that the Standee Base Game contains the full campaign gameplay. Paying more primarily changes monster presentation and adds premium accessories rather than unlocking a separate story campaign.

What is in the Standee Base Game?

Shadowborne currently lists the Standee Base Game at $174.

It includes the full 21-chapter story and all unlocked gameplay stretch goals from the first and second crowdfunding campaigns.

Shadowborne states that it contains 27 Oathsworn miniatures for the player-side characters and 70+ standee enemies hidden in mystery envelopes.

For players who care more about gameplay than giant monster miniatures, this is the most direct value-focused entry.

What does the Core Game add?

The current Core Game is listed at $299.

It contains the same 21-chapter game but replaces the standee presentation of major enemies with two Mystery Chests containing more than 70 large enemy miniatures.

This is a presentation upgrade, not a requirement for accessing the complete story.

What is in the Collector’s All-In?

The current shop lists the Collector’s All-In at $499 against a $589 combined-price reference.

Shadowborne says it includes the game and Mystery Chests plus premium extras such as:

• Terrain Box
• Armory Box
• Premium dice
• Dice tray
• Pouch pack
• Art book
• Map pack
• Secret Box 2
• Metal coins
• Metal hit-point dice
• Oathstone Free Company marker

These are luxury upgrades. A buyer does not need the All-In pledge to experience the 21-chapter campaign.

What does the Armory Box do?

The Armory Box is currently listed at $45.

It supplies physical weapon arms that can be attached to compatible Oathsworn character miniatures so the model can visually reflect equipped weapons.

It is cosmetic/physical customization, not a required rules expansion.

Is the Terrain Box required?

No.

The Terrain Big Box is a premium battlefield upgrade currently listed at $59.

It replaces/augments standard terrain representation with large pieces such as Deepwood trees, walls and houses.

The base game remains playable without it.

What about Second Edition / upgrade files?

Shadowborne’s current resources page hosts:

• Oathsworn Story Rule Book
• Oathsworn Encounter Rule Book
• Free Company Sheet
• Character Sheets
• Upgrade Pack – Encounters
• Upgrade Pack – Abilities

This is the safest current reference point for owners comparing earlier printings with updated material. The site also sells both first- and second-edition Secret Box variants, which are explicitly described as non-gameplay content.

Oathsworn vs Gloomhaven

Oathsworn vs Tainted Grail

Oathsworn vs The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era

The Elder Scrolls: Betrayal of the Second Era is another premium cooperative fantasy adventure, but it emphasizes character buildcraft and shorter three-session campaigns.

Oathsworn is more strongly built around a single long 21-chapter narrative and bespoke boss encounters.

Choose Elder Scrolls if you want repeatable shorter campaigns; choose Oathsworn if you want a long cinematic Free Company journey.

Eight strategy principles for new Oathsworn

• Learn the boss, not just your character. Every encounter has its own AI logic and transition triggers.
• Do not automatically maximize Might. More dice/cards means more potential damage but also more chances to hit the second blank.
• Target body parts for tactical reasons. Removing a limb is useful only if its benefit outweighs the immediate reaction it may trigger.
• Preserve Animus for high-impact turns. Being able to act is often more important than squeezing one extra low-value ability into the current sequence.
• Use Battleflow deliberately. Ability order affects what cycles back into availability.
• Spend defensive ability cards when survival demands it. A dead character gains no value from saving a perfect offensive card.
• Use Companions to reduce mental load. Four full characters are not automatically stronger if the group cannot efficiently manage them.
• In Story mode, investigate with a time budget. More narrative branches can improve preparation, but the time track exists to make endless exploration costly.

Eight things to know before buying

• The Standee Base Game contains the full campaign.
• The $299 Core Game mainly upgrades the monster presentation with Mystery Chests and miniatures.
• The Collector’s All-In adds luxury accessories, not another mandatory story campaign.
• The game is physically huge. Storage and table space matter.
• You can play Story and Encounter in separate sessions.
• Instant Action exists if your group does not want the full narrative.
• The app is optional. The physical Story Book remains usable.
• Avoid unboxing spoilers. Mystery enemies are intentionally concealed.

Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood FAQ

How many players?

1–4 players.

How many chapters?

21 chapters.

Who designed it?

Jamie Jolly.

Can Oathsworn be played solo?

Yes. The Companion system helps one person manage a full Free Company without running every character at full complexity.

Do you have to use dice?

No. Shadowborne’s Might system lets players use cards, dice or a mixture when resolving attacks.

What happens with two blanks?

Under the core push-your-luck combat system, two or more blank results cause the attack to miss.

Do critical hits explode?

Yes. Critical results can generate additional resolution results and chain further criticals.

Do you need the app?

No. The app is an alternative to the physical Story Book and provides narrated story content.

Can a new player join midway through the campaign?

Yes. Shadowborne designed a quick-level system so new or returning characters can be brought to the current chapter level.

What is the cheapest full-game edition?

Shadowborne currently lists the Standee Base Game at $174, containing the full 21-chapter campaign.

What is the difference between the Standee and Core editions?

The major difference is enemy presentation: standees/mystery envelopes versus 70+ large monster miniatures in Mystery Chests.

How much is the Collector’s All-In?

The current shop lists it at $499 sale price against a $589 combined reference price. Stock and sale status can change.

Sources and scope

• Shadowborne Games: official Oathsworn overview, 21 chapters, app/story-book options and Instant Action
• Shadowborne Games: current Story/Encounter rulebooks, character sheets and upgrade-pack resources
• Shadowborne Games: official Oathsworn app and James Cosmo narration
• Shadowborne Games design notes: cards-vs-dice Might resolution, blanks and exploding criticals
• Shadowborne Games design notes: encounter AI phases, reactions and boss behavior
• Shadowborne Games design notes: Story/Encounter session structure, companions, quick levelling, save system and Instant Action
• Shadowborne Games: current Standee Base Game, Core Game, Collector’s All-In and add-on price listings
• Shadowborne Games: Standee Base Game contents
• Shadowborne Games: Core Game and Mystery Chest contents
• BoardGameGeek: current rank, ratings, player count, complexity and play time

Checked October 10, 2026. Oathsworn deliberately hides many enemies and chapter revelations, so this guide avoids major boss/story spoilers. Store prices reflect current publisher listings and may change independently of stock status. Strategy and buyer guidance are original editorial analysis; no firsthand campaign review or playtest is claimed. Editorial policy and corrections.