Buy the physical Frosthaven board game if you want the complete tabletop campaign: a persistent settlement, seasonal events, legacy unlocks, envelopes, stickers, and face-to-face play. It is a standalone 1–4-player game, so neither Gloomhaven nor Jaws of the Lion is a purchase requirement.
Buy Frosthaven on PC if you prefer automated bookkeeping, solo play on one computer, or online co-op for two to four players. The Steam release launched on October 15, 2026, with a base game, a Complete Edition that adds the soundtrack and art book, and a separately listed soundtrack-and-art-book DLC package.
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This guide explains what each edition contains, which add-ons matter, the physical game’s first-printing errata, the digital PC requirements, and the practical differences that determine which version fits your group.
Which Frosthaven purchase is right for you?
Choose the physical board game for the full tabletop campaign
The physical box is the best fit for a group that wants to sit around one table, manage components by hand, and make settlement decisions together between scenarios. It combines tactical card-driven combat with a persistent town, a calendar, seasonal event decks, outpost attacks, personal quests, loot decks, and campaign unlocks. Expect a heavy game for ages 14 and up, one to four players, sessions commonly listed at two to three hours, and a setup process that the official listing describes as long.
#1 Best Overall
- Award-winning base game in the Gloomhaven universe that includes everything you need to have 90+ thematic roleplaying sessions with tactical combat.
- Play together with up to 4 players or tackle the campaign alone as a solo mercenary. Decide and shape how your character grows and their story progresses.
- No GM or Gamemaster needed! Everyone is a player and there's no homework before game sessions. Turn to your next scenario and start playing immediately.
- Includes miniature figures for each character and detailed standees for all monsters and creatures in the game. Use the immersive map tiles and tokens included to get a real feel of the fight.
- Unique card based fighting system that allows you to have more control over your choices each round than just dice would allow.
Physical Frosthaven also suits a solo player who is comfortable controlling a party rather than a single hero. The campaign state lives in the box: stickers, envelopes, cards, map materials, character boards, and settlement records all remain part of the experience.
Choose the digital PC edition for convenience and online play
The PC version is aimed at players who want the rules, enemy behavior, initiative handling, scenario bookkeeping, and campaign records automated. It supports single-player and online co-op for two to four players. Digital onboarding includes a tutorial and a dedicated introduction path, making it easier to learn without sorting hundreds of physical pieces before the first scenario.
The Steam store lists six starting classes—Banner Spear, Boneshaper, Drifter, Geminate, Blinkblade, and Deathwalker—with additional classes unlocked through campaign progress. The 1.0 launch package includes the complete story campaign, all 17 playable heroes, the digital Road to Frosthaven introduction and demo, improved co-op, house rules, an opening cinematic, hero-unlock videos, and a fully implemented codex.
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What comes in the physical Frosthaven box?
Campaign scale and playable content
Cephalofair describes Frosthaven as a standalone adventure from the designer and publisher of Gloomhaven. The product materials list 17 new characters or classes, three ancestries, more than 20 new enemy types, and more than 100 items. The availability page describes the campaign as 138 scenarios, while the detailed product copy says 139. Because the two official descriptions disagree, treat the campaign as roughly 139 scenarios rather than relying on one number for a purchasing comparison.
The campaign is not just a sequence of combat maps. Scenario outcomes, personal quests, character retirement, unlocked classes, new buildings, and settlement events change what becomes available later. You will spend substantial time in the Outpost phase, where the settlement is developed and prepared for future attacks.
Settlement and seasonal systems
Frosthaven’s calendar and seasonal structure make time a gameplay resource. Summer and winter event decks introduce different decisions, while outpost attacks can damage the settlement if you neglect its defenses. Buildings expand the town’s capabilities and create longer-term trade-offs about what to construct, upgrade, or protect.
The official FAQ records the initial settlement state as Prosperity 1 and Defense 0. The starting buildings are Barracks, Alchemist, Craftsman, and Workshop, and the Barracks provides +4 Soldiers. These are part of the normal campaign setup; they are not paid upgrades or DLC.
What the box demands from your table
- A large, clear surface for scenario maps, character boards, cards, tokens, and settlement materials.
- Time for sorting and teardown, especially during the first few sessions.
- A system for storing opened envelopes, stickers, decks, and unlocked content without exposing future information to players who want to discover it naturally.
- A campaign record-keeping method. Even with careful organization, the calendar, settlement, personal quests, and persistent unlocks create more ongoing administration than a one-shot board game.
Do you need Gloomhaven or Jaws of the Lion first?
No. Frosthaven is designed as a standalone game and does not require ownership of Gloomhaven or Jaws of the Lion. Cephalofair recommends those games as a gentler learning path and as useful context for players new to the system, but their cards, characters, and campaign progress do not have to be imported.
Rank #2
- Includes scenario narrative text and special rules for all 138 Frosthaven scenarios!
- 4 Scenario Play Surface Books, 96 pages each
- 16 "Destroyed" obstacle tokens
- ACCESSORY ONLY. REQUIRES A COPY OF THE FROSTHAVEN BOARD GAME TO PLAY
Buying an earlier game first makes sense if your group wants to learn the core card-management system in a smaller or more introductory format. If your group is already comfortable with the system, starting directly with Frosthaven avoids paying for a separate campaign you may never finish.
Frosthaven editions and digital packages
| Option | Includes | Best for | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical Frosthaven core box | Tabletop campaign, 17 classes, settlement systems, scenarios, items, enemies, calendar, events, and legacy content | Groups sharing a table and players who want tactile campaign management | The cited listing is explicitly a first-printing edition and carries known errata |
| Frosthaven digital base game | Core PC campaign with solo play and online co-op for two to four players | Players who want automated administration or online sessions | Windows PC and Steam account required; content is accessed through the platform license |
| Frosthaven – Complete Edition | Digital Frosthaven plus the Frosthaven Soundtrack + Art Book | Players who want the extra digital media included at checkout | The store listing distinguishes it from the base game and the separate DLC |
| Frosthaven Soundtrack + Art Book DLC | Digital soundtrack and art book | Owners of the base game who want the supplementary media | The captured Steam listing showed $9.99; price and discounts can change |
| Frosthaven + Gloomhaven bundle | Both digital games | Players who specifically want both campaigns on PC | A digital bundle is optional; Frosthaven itself remains standalone |
The physical box and the digital packages are not interchangeable editions of the same ownership model. The board game gives you components that can be stored, transported, and potentially resold; the PC version gives you convenience and network play through your Steam account. The digital license should be treated as platform-bound rather than as a transferable physical product.
How to start the physical campaign
- Confirm the printing. Check that the retailer identifies the copy as Frosthaven (1st Printing), then review the current official FAQ and errata before opening campaign envelopes or applying stickers.
- Prepare a spoiler-safe workspace. Reserve a table or shelving area for the map, character materials, unopened envelopes, settlement decks, and campaign records. Separate unlocked content from unopened content.
- Read the rules and tutorial material. Use Cephalofair’s official tutorial and resource pages alongside the rulebook rather than trying to learn every exception during the first scenario.
- Set the settlement’s starting state. Record Prosperity 1 and Defense 0, place the Barracks, Alchemist, Craftsman, and Workshop, and note the Barracks’ +4 Soldiers.
- Choose your party. One player can control a party alone, or two to four players can each manage one or more characters. Agree in advance on how much information players will share during turns.
- Begin the campaign calendar. Keep the calendar, event decks, personal quests, and settlement decisions together so seasonal timing and outpost consequences are not forgotten between sessions.
- Create a reset and storage routine. Photograph or document the table state, return cards to labeled containers, and keep opened envelopes in a separate section from content that has not been unlocked.
The most common physical mistake is opening or mixing material before the campaign calls for it. Frosthaven’s unlock structure is designed around discovery, so organization is part of preserving the intended experience, not merely a cleanup preference.
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What PC do you need for Frosthaven?
The Steam listing specifies Windows 10 or Windows 11 in 64-bit form. It lists 50 GB of storage for both the minimum and recommended configurations.
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel i5-7600 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600-class CPU | Intel i5-12500 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X-class CPU |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | GTX 960 or RX 570-class GPU | RTX 3060 or RX 6600-class GPU |
| DirectX | DirectX 11 | DirectX 11 |
| Storage | 50 GB available space | 50 GB available space |
| Network | Internet is needed for online co-op; single-player is supported | Internet is needed for online co-op; single-player is supported |
If your computer is close to the minimum, leave more than the listed 50 GB free so Windows and Steam can install updates without filling the drive. The requirements identify hardware classes rather than a guaranteed frame rate or resolution, so display performance beyond those specifications is not established by the listing.
What does Frosthaven digital add beyond automation?
Learning and onboarding
The 1.0 release adds a digital Road to Frosthaven introduction and demo, an opening cinematic, hero-unlock videos, and a fully implemented codex. These features address the hardest early hurdle in the tabletop version: learning a large ruleset while also maintaining a settlement and campaign state.
Co-op and house rules
Digital co-op supports two to four players online. Improved co-op systems and house-rule options let a group tailor some aspects of play without physically rewriting cards or tracking exceptions on paper. The game also supports a single-player campaign for people who do not have a regular group.
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- This is the first expansion for Gloomhaven featuring twenty new scenarios that take place after the events of the original Gloomhaven campaign which involve one new character class the Aesther Diviner and her attempts to prevent an approaching calamity.
- Players will delve into twenty new scenarios that take place after the events of the original Gloomhaven campaign. These new adventures will involve one new character class—the Aesther Diviner—and her attempts to prevent an approaching calamity. The accompanying scenario book breaks up these scenarios across multiple pages to create more dynamic and surprising encounters.
- Expansion also features seven new monster types (including three new bosses) and fourteen new items.
- 1-4 players, Ages: 12+ 60–120 play time
What digital does not replace
The PC edition does not provide the physical box’s cards, miniatures, map pieces, envelopes, stickers, or table presence. It is a separate way to experience the campaign, not a code that unlocks a physical copy. Players who value handling components, marking a shared settlement, or transporting the game to a game night should account for that difference before choosing convenience as the only criterion.
What DLC and add-ons does Frosthaven have?
Soundtrack and art book DLC
The only separately listed digital add-on in the cited Steam packages is Frosthaven Soundtrack + Art Book. It appeared at $9.99 on the captured store page, but that price and any discount are volatile. The Complete Edition includes this material, so buying the DLC separately is relevant mainly to people who already own the base game.
Frosthaven: Solo Scenarios
Solo Scenarios is an official physical add-on, not a prerequisite for the main campaign. Its 24-page book contains 17 class-specific solo scenarios and 17 reward item cards. It is most useful after players understand their classes and want challenges built around individual hero mechanics. It does not expand the required starting setup for the core campaign.
Storage and transport accessories
A Laserox Frostbox wooden insert is an organization accessory intended to sort cards and tokens and reduce setup and cleanup. The Frosthaven Premium Game Bag is designed for the approximately 35-pound box and can also hold the official map archive. These products solve storage and transport problems; neither adds scenarios, classes, items, or settlement rules.
Is Crimson Scales official?
No. Crimson Scales describes itself as a fan-made, unofficial Gloomhaven-compatible expansion. Its site lists 66 scenarios, 100 items, 11 custom classes, and STL miniatures, but it is not an official Cephalofair Frosthaven product and is not required to begin Frosthaven. Treat it as separate fan content with its own compatibility and support considerations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.First-printing errata you should handle before opening the box
The cited physical listing warns that first-printing copies contain typos and other errata. Two specifically noted issues are an envelope-81 card-order problem and incorrect rule-sticker numbers in several envelopes. The practical consequence is that opening content in the printed order without checking the current correction information can reveal material prematurely or send you to the wrong rule reference.
- Identify whether your copy is the first printing.
- Open the current official FAQ and errata resource before campaign setup.
- Check envelope 81 and the affected rule stickers against the correction list.
- Mark corrected information in a spoiler-safe way, without opening unrelated envelopes.
- Keep the corrected reference with the campaign storage materials so a future session does not revert to the printed error.
Errata checking is especially important for a legacy-style game because a small ordering mistake can affect later unlocks even when the physical components themselves are undamaged.
Rank #4
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Physical versus digital: the decision table
| Decision factor | Physical edition | Digital PC edition |
|---|---|---|
| Play setting | Shared table with tactile cards, maps, tokens, and settlement materials | PC screen with local single-player or online co-op |
| Player count | 1–4 players | Single-player or 2–4 players online |
| Bookkeeping | Manual setup, records, stickers, envelopes, decks, and storage | Automated rules, records, and campaign administration |
| Campaign content | Core tabletop campaign in one large box | Complete digital story campaign and all 17 playable heroes in version 1.0 |
| Learning support | Rulebook and official tutorial resources; players manage exceptions themselves | Road to Frosthaven introduction, demo, cinematic, unlock videos, codex, and house rules |
| Setup and cleanup | Long setup and substantial component organization | Fast digital setup with no physical sorting |
| Ownership format | Physical components that can be stored, transported, and handled offline | Steam account license tied to the PC platform |
| Extra content | Optional Solo Scenarios and storage accessories | Soundtrack and art book DLC, Complete Edition, and a Frosthaven + Gloomhaven bundle |
Buying pitfalls and how to avoid them
Assuming earlier games are mandatory
They are not. Buy Gloomhaven or Jaws of the Lion first only if you want their campaigns as training or additional play, not because Frosthaven will be incomplete without them.
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An insert and a game bag make the physical box easier to manage, but they do not add playable content. Solo Scenarios adds official scenarios and reward cards; the soundtrack and art book add digital media, not campaign missions.
Ignoring the printing label
A first-printing box can contain the envelope-81 and sticker-number problems described above. Verify corrections before making irreversible campaign changes.
Buying the wrong digital package
Compare the base game with the Complete Edition before checkout. If you already own the base game, the separate soundtrack-and-art-book DLC may be the relevant purchase; if you do not, the Complete Edition packages both together.
Underestimating physical storage
The box is about 35 pounds according to the accessory description, and the campaign adds opened decks, unlocked classes, settlement materials, and records over time. Plan shelves, containers, and transport before starting rather than after the table becomes unmanageable.
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The tabletop game supports one to four players, while digital online co-op is listed for two to four and also offers single-player. A two-person online group can play digitally, but a person looking for three or four players at one physical table should choose the box.
A practical buying checklist
- Choose physical if shared-table play, component handling, settlement decisions, and legacy discovery are your priorities.
- Choose digital if automated bookkeeping, solo access, online co-op, and guided onboarding matter more than physical components.
- Check the edition before paying: physical core, digital base game, Complete Edition, soundtrack-and-art-book DLC, or the digital two-game bundle.
- Check the printing on a physical copy and consult the current errata before opening campaign content.
- Budget separately for Solo Scenarios, an insert, or a carrying bag only if your group will use those functions.
- Do not count Crimson Scales as official Frosthaven DLC or as part of the required starting package.
- Confirm your PC meets the Windows, processor, memory, graphics, DirectX, and storage requirements before choosing digital.
Final recommendation
For the complete Frosthaven experience, the physical core box remains the right purchase: it contains the settlement campaign, tactile legacy systems, and the full table-driven structure, with no prerequisite game required. Choose the PC edition when reducing administration or playing online is more important than owning the physical components. Add Solo Scenarios only after the core campaign has taught you the classes, and treat storage accessories as organizational tools rather than expansions. Before a physical campaign begins, verify the first-printing errata; before a digital purchase, compare the base game and Complete Edition and check your PC against the listed requirements.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
