When going on adventure, the goal is not to just wander around but experience some interesting challenges and visit new places. One of culminating moments of our Frosthaven travels is when we encounter so called BOSSEs! Those usually special, one of the type creatures, have some special abilities, tons of Hit Points and can be very mean. Do you remember when we had to defeat Gloom in Gloomhaven? That is what I am talking about!

Let us also have a brief look into the past and some of the Boss-Scenarios we experienced in Frosthaven:

  • Snowdancer and Frozen Fist – that was very early in the campaign and most of the Frosthaven players know this battle where you need to take side of IceSpeaker or SnowSpeaker. Depending on it, a character will be unlocked.
  • Frozen Corps – that was adventure with mini boss and our first encounter with “resurrected”, zombie-like Algoxes.
  • Prince of Frost – a scenario to be remembered for long. We approached it twice – after the first failure and sever beating we were avoiding it for longer time. Then the time for retribution came!
  • Living Doom – here we again face kind of a medium-complexity boss where properly balanced team could easily tackle.
  • Frozen Fist – final scenarios of Algox campaign were epic. Here we actually had to avoid Frozen Fist rather then kill it. It was under the chaotic influence, which once broken, allowed him to join our company!

Do you know why I wrote all of this? Of course, today we again faced a BOSS!

Our Frosthaven Campaign in scenario order:
#1 Town in Flames
#2 Algox Scouting
#4 Heart of Ice
#5 Frozen Crypt
#7 Edge of the World
#8 Crystal Trench
#9 Glowing Catacombs
#10 Crystal Enclosure
#13 Frozen Fjord
#14 Jagged Shoals
#15 Ancient Spire
#16 Derelict Elevator
#18 Crystal Fields
#21 Realm of Endl. Frost
#22 Ice Floes
#23 Spire Basement
#26 Quatryl Library
#28 Summit Meeting
#32 Ravens’ Roost
#33 Thawed Wood
#38 The Way Forward
#42 Sunless Trench
#45 Living Glacier
#46 Dead Pass
#49 Beneath Sea and Stone
#52 Fleeting Permanence
#55 Change of Heart
#65 A Strong Foundation
#69 Sacred Soil
#70 The True Oak
#99 Prison Break
#112 Raised by Wolves
#114 Work Freeze
#115 Pylon Problems
#116 Caravan Guards
#120 Under the Influence
#122 The Eternal Crave
Some interesting materials about Frosthaven World:
Frosthaven – first look – starting characters (1/2)
Frosthaven – first look – starting characters (2/2)
Frosthaven – monsters' analysis & strategies – Lurkers
Frosthaven – monsters' analysis & strategies – Unfettered

Before going into session report, as always brief overview of our current team composition. This is very versatile team and we really had no hesitation to face boss with that squad:

  • Frozen Fist – level 4 (me) – a guy with pretty unusual mechanics (losing health to recover cards), proves to be a decent damage dealer while also can soak up some damage.
  • Infuser – level 4 (Kuba J) – crazy mechanics with infusion, possibility to send swords as summons, strong attacks with decent health. Another damage dealer capable of taking some beating.
  • Snowdancer – level 4 (Kuba G) – crowd control and manipulation master, creates a lot of hazardous terrain and then pulls or pushes monsters. Especially useful in open terrain scenario. Like the one below 🙂
  • Drifter – level 3 (Adam) – That super versatile character, who can heal, attack, take the beating and is no dependent on elements is a strong addition to our team.

Scenario Specifics

Below we analyze scenario, its set-up, win conditions and complexity levels:

We have two dots as complication level, but one would be sufficient. The task is simple – kill the boss and avoid his super nasty Special 1 (which burns the character’s cards). In the meantime avoid his minions which will be spawning every even round and in the end – can overwhelm you. What could be more prosaic, straightforward and direct? And give so much satisfaction when successfully accomplished!

PS. As always, feel free to click on below images for full details.

Session Report

Scenario #53 set-up – this is one room, although pretty large. The boss is in front of us, some minins behind us – as well as two spots where enemies will be spawning. Again, as previously, special scenario rules forced us to add three -1 attack modifiers and two Cruses. Nice 🙂
I thought I will do a close-up on our full, four players company. This is formidable pack, isn’t it?
Ok, we presented the main protagonists of this episode, why not look at the key antagonist? Seeker of Abyss is pretty resistant beast (no poison, disarm, stun, muddle or curse will touch him) and having 72 Hit Points can be a real nuisance.
But we can still immobilize him – which we do and keep at distance, especially when he is most dangerous. Which does not prevent us from hitting him and running away!
The problem is that we are getting more and more spawned monsters – Drifter valiantly takes most of their hits – especially ranged – Snowdancer creates hazardous terrain and Fist/Infuser hit beast each turn.
The hazardous terrain really helps – not only to inflict hits, but also for crowd control and channeling enemies.
Finally, the great cooperation of Fist + Infuser finishes the enemy. Brittle (which gives double damage) wit proper advantaged attack is usually a huge hit!

Summary

It always give us a great joy to crush the Boss-type of enemy. Especially, if we are able to devise sound tactical plan and then execute it. Just as it was here – only one of the Seeker of the Abyss companions was killed by us – 80-90% of all damage went straight at main threat. But let us be honest – one, maximum two more turns and almost everybody would be dead in our company. But that is what you call a good timing 🙂

More reports to come!