Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion – The Perfect Entry Point

25 scenarios, 4 unique heroes, and the full Gloomhaven experience — in a box that won't intimidate you.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion was designed with one clear purpose: to make the greatest dungeon crawler ever made accessible to everyone. And it succeeds completely. It takes the brilliant tactical combat, the campaign-driven storytelling, and the monster AI system of Gloomhaven — and delivers it in a package that teaches itself, sets up in minutes, and costs a fraction of the price.

It won the Kennerspiel des Jahres in 2020. It sits in the BGG top 20. And it remains the single best recommendation for anyone who wants to experience Gloomhaven but isn't ready to dive into the full game.

Players who tried Jaws of the Lion expecting a "lite" version consistently report getting the full Gloomhaven experience — finishing all 25 scenarios and immediately wanting more.

What Is Jaws of the Lion?

Jaws of the Lion is a standalone cooperative dungeon crawler for 1 to 4 players, set in the same world as Gloomhaven. Players control members of a mercenary group called Jaws of the Lion, investigating a dark mystery unfolding in the city of Gloomhaven.

Unlike the original game, Jaws of the Lion uses a scenario book as the game board — maps are printed directly in the book, eliminating the complex tile setup that can take 20+ minutes in the full game. You open the book, place your miniatures, and start playing. That single design decision makes the game dramatically more approachable.

The campaign spans 25 scenarios with a built-in tutorial that introduces new rules and mechanics gradually across the first five missions. By the time the tutorial is done, you know everything you need — and the story has you fully invested.

How Does It Play?

The core gameplay is identical to the full Gloomhaven system. Each turn, every player secretly selects two cards from their personal hand. Each card has a top action and a bottom action — attack, move, heal, stun, shield. You use the top of one card and the bottom of the other.

This dual-card system is the heart of the game. It creates constant meaningful decisions — do you use the powerful attack on top, or the strong movement on bottom? Do you coordinate with your teammates or execute your own plan? Every choice matters.

Monsters move and attack automatically, driven by a deck of ability cards unique to each monster type. There is no dungeon master — all four players are heroes working together against the AI-driven enemies. This works beautifully for solo play too, where one player controls all four characters.

Between scenarios, heroes level up, gain new ability cards, and purchase equipment from the city. The campaign branches slightly based on your choices, and new scenarios unlock as you progress. The sense of growth and progression is deeply satisfying.

Rating Breakdown

Pros & Cons

Who Is This Game For?

Jaws of the Lion vs Full Gloomhaven — Which Should You Buy?

If you've never played Gloomhaven before — buy Jaws of the Lion first. It's cheaper, faster to set up, easier to learn, and delivers the full experience. If you love it, the full game will feel like a natural upgrade.

If you've played Gloomhaven before and want more — go straight to the full game. Jaws of the Lion is an entry point, not a replacement.

If you want both — start with Jaws of the Lion. Your characters can even be carried over into the full Gloomhaven campaign when you're ready.