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Gloomholdin'
2021
Rules assistance for Gloomholdin'
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 20–30 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.7/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Gloomholdin'
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gloomholdin' is a board game released in 2021 for 1–2 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Joe Klipfel and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement.
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About the game
Gloomholdin' is an 18-card, no-table-needed version of Gloomhaven. It can be played completely in your hand, but I provide a way to play it on-table as well. REGARDING SPOILERS: If you haven't played Gloomhaven, you won't be spoiled on much with Gloomholdin'. You'll see the the names and art for a number of monsters and items from Gloomhaven, but that's about it. Gloomholdin' has its own plot line, so you won't be spoiled on any of Gloomhaven's campaign details. I want to say a huge thank you to Cephalofair Games for giving their blessing to post Gloomholdin’ for free download, and for granting permission to use original Gloomhaven art, characters, lore, etc. Please be respectful of Cephalofair Games' generosity and only use Gloomholdin' as a free print and play game for personal use. Gloomholdin’ assets are derivatives of Gloomhaven from Cephalofair Games (cephalofair.com), used under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). Non-Gloomhaven icons are from game-icons.net, from creators Lorc, Delapouite, sbed, Lucas and Skoll under CC BY 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). —from the designer
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
Questions and answers
Gloomholdin' supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Gloomholdin' is 20–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Gloomholdin' for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Gloomholdin' has a complexity rating of 3.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Gloomholdin' belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Grid Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Gloomholdin' are: Joe Klipfel. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Gloomholdin' as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.