“Time to move on!” we said after our last Gloomhaven session where we experienced 4 (four!) retirements at the same time. As it occurred, the “move on” was not so easy as we lost completely the first scenario in the new set-up. Thus we decided to do a step back and test our abilities / learn our cards using Random Dungeon Scenario!

Our Gloomhaven Campaign in chronological order: 
#1 Black Barrow, #2 Barrow Lair, #3 Inox Encampment, #69 Well of the Unfortunate, #4 Crypt of the Damned, #5 Ruinous Crypt, #93 Sunken Vessel, #10 Plane of Elemental Power, #21 Infernal Throne, #14 Frozen Hollow, #19 Forgotten Crypt, #27 Ruinous Rift, #8 Gloomhaven Warehouse, #7 Vibrant Grotto, #20 Necromancer's Sanctum, #6 Decaying Crypt, #28 Outer Ritual Chamber, #94 Vermling Nest, #95 Payment Due, #13 Temple of the Seer, #16 Mountain Pass, #43 Drake's Nest, #18 Abandoned Sewers, #25 Icecrag Asent, #28 Outer Ritual Chamber (#3), #29 Sanctuary of Gloom, #55 Foggy Thicket, #56 Bandit's Wood, #72 Ozing Grove, #59 Forgotten Grove, #60 Alchemy Lab, #22 Temple of Elements, Solo Scenarios, #81 Temple of Eclipse, #24 Echo Chamber, #15 Shrine of Strength, #33 Savvas Armory, #32 Decrepit Wood, #43 Drake's Nest (#2), #23 Deep Ruins, #26 Ancient Cistern, #31 Plane of Night, #40 Ancient Defensive Network, #41 Timeworn Tomb

Instead of playing through a regular scenario from the Scenario Book, players always have the option to play through a random dungeon instead. Random dungeons are not progressing the campaign in any way, but they can be used to gain additional experience, money, checkmarks, and personal quest progress for characters – exactly what we needed. Each random dungeon consists of three randomly generated rooms and the goal is always to clear all rooms of monsters. The three rooms will be set up one at a time, with the next room only being revealed once the door to it has been opened. Each room is set up using a room card and a monster card, each drawn randomly from the tops of their shuffled decks.

We already had a chance to play in such a set-up during our campaign and it definitely was a great variation to regular campaign.

As for our team, it nowadays consists of following members:

  • me – playing level 6 Sawbone
  • Kuba G – playing level 6 Berserker
  • Kuba J – playing level 6 Quartermaster

After this intro, let me invite you to picture-rich session report. Enjoy! (you can click on every picture to enlarge it).

  • Random Dungeon Scenario has only 3 rooms and you need to kill all enemies there. Three is much smaller number than usual, regular campaign set-up but from the start we were facing enemies from all directions!
  • There were still symptoms of “I though you will tank, I thought you will move later” but to much less extent than in our first game and without negative consequences.
  • The second room proved to be much more difficult, with 9 enemies, some of them high-shield ones.
  • But here we learned of the great Berserker ability, Flurry of Axes – it did tons of damage and killed half of enemy group!
  • In the end, the final room, full of Inox Archers / Shamans and guards!
  • And here the real troubles started as not only Berserker was exhausted, but also a high-shield shaman appeared in the back room! This was truly hilarious ending, when also my character was laying down and Kuba J was trying to hit enemy through 4 value shield.
  • VICTORY! But finally he managed, after 4th or 5th attempt!

Summary

We are still learning our characters and it is visible in the gameplay. KubaJ even joked, that this is like moving form Ferrari to FIAT – our previous super-killing machine with clearly defined roles was unstoppable and we are missing this 🙂 Still, it is getting better and better with each play and hopefully we will come back to campaign soon. Stay tuned!