The first time I opened the box of Gloomhaven, I felt like I was staring down the challenge of a lifetime. It was massive—like a small treasure chest of cardboard, tokens, cards, and little plastic figures. The rules? Endless. The setup? Mind-boggling. And me? Completely clueless about what I had just signed up for.
It was supposed to be a simple game night with friends. Instead, it turned into a slow crawl through fantasy dungeons, dice rolls that made my heart jump, and decisions that felt like chess moves stretched over hours. Somewhere between fumbling through the rulebook and battling monsters that would not quit, Gloomhaven taught me something I had forgotten: patience.
What Is Gloomhaven, Really?
Gloomhaven is a board game that has a cult following, and when I first heard about it, I thought, “Okay, cool. Another dungeon-crawler.” I was so wrong.
This game is not your fast-paced party game where you roll, move, and maybe win or lose in less than an hour. Nope. Gloomhaven is a sprawling, epic adventure that takes careful planning, timing, and, well, a lot of sitting still while thinking.
It is a game where you play as mercenaries exploring dangerous lands, battling monsters, and making choices that affect the story. You level up, unlock new skills, and sometimes die—sometimes a lot. It is equal parts tactical combat, storytelling, and long-term strategy.
What caught me off guard was that the true challenge was not just in the game’s mechanics, but in how it stretches your patience to the limits.
Starting Slow: The Reality of First Impressions
The first session was… overwhelming. Opening the box was like opening a novel that starts in the middle. There were layers of cards, rules, and components lying all over the table. My friends looked ready, flipping through pages like pros. I, however, was silently panicking, wondering if I needed a degree just to play.
We started the tutorial scenario, and I quickly learned two things:
- This game will take hours to finish a single scenario.
- Most of that time will be spent just figuring out what the heck to do.
Turns are long because you must pick cards that dictate your moves and attacks, then watch how those interact with enemy actions. Every choice matters, and the timing can be brutal. A single wrong move could mean disaster in a world where death is always a threat.
I wanted to rush. To get through it fast. But Gloomhaven refuses to let you do that. You have to slow down. Think. Plan. And sometimes just sit and wait for the board to unfold.
Why Patience Became My Best Friend
Many games are about speed and reaction; quick thinking wins. Gloomhaven is the opposite. It is about carefully building your story, turn by turn. Each decision ripples across the battlefield and beyond.
At first, sitting still and really “reading” the game felt tedious. Was this really fun? But then, I noticed something—a strange kind of calm creeping in. The game forced me to embrace patience as a strategy.
Imagine playing chess where every move is shrouded in fog, and the pieces change their rules as you play. You cannot just guess and hope for the best. You have to wait, observe, adapt. Sometimes, doing nothing is the smartest move.
This was foreign to me, but beautiful. Patience in Gloomhaven is not about boredom. It is a muscle you exercise to survive and thrive. It teaches you to:
- Think several steps ahead.
- Accept delays and setbacks as part of the game.
- Manage frustration when plans fall apart.
- Celebrate small victories that feel huge because of the effort involved.
Every success in the game felt like a reward for sticking it out, paying attention, and staying calm.
How Waiting Became a Winning Move
I remember one moment vividly. My character was low on health. The monsters were closing in. The obvious move would have been to attack or retreat quickly.
Instead, I stopped. I waited. I watched what my teammates did, how enemies acted, and planned several cards in advance.
The result? I avoided a deadly trap, turned the tables on the enemies, and even set up a combo move that wiped out half the monsters. Not because I was the fastest or luckiest, but because I took the time to think and wait.
It was a lesson in patience that spilled into real life, too. Sometimes, when we rush, we miss the bigger picture. We miss the subtle clues that could turn things around. Gloomhaven made me see that patience is not just about waiting—it is about paying attention and using that time wisely.
Learning to Enjoy the Process, Not Just the Outcome
One of the most surprising things about Gloomhaven was how much I started to enjoy the slow pace. The long fights, the detailed stories, the careful strategy sessions—all of it became part of the fun.
This is a game that does not allow you to sprint. Instead, you run a marathon. At times, it felt exhausting. At others, it felt like meditation.
Patience taught me to appreciate the journey rather than focusing on winning or losing quickly. It stopped me from stressing over small mistakes and made me content with each step forward.
It was about the laughs with friends, the groans over missed chances, the triumphant cheers when a tough monster finally fell. Patience gave me permission to slow down and just be in the moment.
Tips for Surviving Your First Gloomhaven Session Without Losing Your Mind
If you are new to Gloomhaven, trust me—it will test your patience. But that is not a bad thing. Here are some tips that helped me through the chaos:
- Take breaks: The game is a marathon, not a sprint. Step away if you feel overwhelmed.
- Focus on teamwork: This is a cooperative game. Talk with your friends, plan moves together, and support each other.
- Learn the basics first: Don’t try to master everything at once. Get comfortable with your character’s cards and the flow of turns before worrying about advanced strategies.
- Expect mistakes: Everyone messes up. The game is complicated, and that is okay.
- Celebrate small wins: Surviving a round or completing a mission is huge. Recognize those moments.
- Patience is power: When in doubt, take a moment to breathe and think. Rushing leads to costly errors.
Patience Outside the Game
Gloomhaven taught me more than just how to fight monsters—it taught me to slow down in life. Patience showed up in how I handle stressful moments, make decisions, and connect with people.
It is funny how a board game about fantasy mercenaries could impact real-world habits. But there it was, clear as day: patience makes challenges easier, frustrations lighter, and victories sweeter.
Maybe that is why Gloomhaven is such a beloved game. It does not just entertain. It changes the way you think—if you let it.
Would I Play Again?
After that first marathon session, you might guess that patience alone would not be enough to pull me back. But I was hooked. The slow pace, the careful planning, the unpredictable stories—I wanted more.
Every time I play Gloomhaven now, I remember that first time. How frustrating and confusing it was. How patience helped me unlock the magic hidden in that massive box.
And you know what? I am still learning patience. The game keeps teaching me that sometimes, slowing down is the most powerful move of all.
So, if you end up staring down the box of Gloomhaven for the first time, don’t panic. Take a breath, pour yourself a cup of something nice, and dive in at your own pace. You might just find that patience is the best strategy you never expected.