With the early access release date of summer 2019 fast approaching, Asmodee Digital has now unveiled the first four playable characters of Gloomhaven, its PC adaptation of the beloved tabletop game. Reflecting the game’s key elements of strategy, planning, and making your choices count, the characters already open up a wide range of playstyles and possibilities. We’ll give you a breakdown of everything we know so far.
The first reveal, Savvas Cragheart, is a tank. A highly versatile character, with a range of different playstyles to offer, the Cragheart is famed for its ability to smash through enemies, deal some serious AoE damage, and heal teammates in more or less equal measure, though not without some occasional friendly-fire.
Next on the roster is the Orchid Spellweaver, who is both the most adaptable of Gloomhaven’s mages and the most complex starting class to get to grips with. Ideally suited to attacking from the sidlelines, given her low health but excellent high-damage options, which involve big AoE and single-target attacks, the Orchid Spellweaver is a well-rounded choice that also adds key support capabilities to a team. Abilities include healing, damage prevention, and summoning minions.
Next comes the big, bad Brute. The Inox Brute is simpler to understand and easier to use than the other starting classes. With solid, powerful attacks, and a high health pool on his side, he is an ideal choice for any player out to give their opponents a hearty battering. While mighty early on, the Inox Brute can pierce armour at higher levels, so might be a sound investment for players with the long-game in mind. The only downside is for all that single-target damage you deal out, you might take some back. It’s only fair in a game of give and take, right?
Last up is the mercurial and mercenary Human Scounrdel. Hugely opportunistic, the Human Scoundrel uses a range of abilities to get in and out of a fight, dealing as much damage, and taking as much gold at the end as possible. She utilises a blend of stealth and close-range moves to deal damage to multiple foes, with key skills including assassinating weakened targets and poisoning foes. She concedes some defensive and utility skills, but her gear- and gold-gobbling prowess more than makes up for this.
Roleplay right now: Check out the best RPGs on PC
The game is set to offer 17 playable characters in total, with more than 1,000 abilities between them. Build paths for each character are unique, and are key to achieving your own blend of strategies as a team, ready to take on over 50 enemies. Surviving these enemies can lead to increased abilities, team expansion, and riches beyond your darkest fantasies.
Stay tuned for further updates on Gloomhaven’s release, but in the meantime check out our list of the best card games on PC and a breakdown of the difference between a CRPG and a tabletop game, according to one Fallout writer. It starts with an orc and a pastry, and isn’t a bad place to start if you just can’t wait until summer 2019.