Gloomhaven is a cooperative board game that lets you and your friends embark on a fantasy adventure in a dark and dangerous world. You can choose from 17 different characters, each with their unique abilities, cards, and items.
One of these characters is the Spellweaver, a powerful mage who can manipulate the elements of fire and ice to deal damage, heal, and support her allies. The Spellweaver is a versatile and fun character to play, but she also has some challenges and drawbacks, such as her low health, her limited card pool, and her reliance on elements.
In this article, we will give you a comprehensive guide on how to play the Spellweaver effectively and enjoyably, from level 1 to level 9.
Gloomhaven Spellweaver Guide
The Spellweaver’s Strengths and Weaknesses
The Spellweaver is a character who can excel at both offense and defense, depending on how you build and play her. Here are some of her strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
- She can deal high damage with her area of effect attacks, which can hit multiple enemies at once and create or consume elements.
- She can heal herself and her allies with her recovery cards, which can also help her regain her lost cards and extend her stamina.
- She can support her allies with her utility cards, which can grant buffs, debuffs, movement, or other effects.
- She can use her elements to enhance her cards and unlock powerful abilities, such as summoning, invisibility, or flying.
Weaknesses
- She has low health and low initiative, which makes her vulnerable to enemy attacks and status effects.
- She has a small card pool and a high card loss rate, which means she can exhaust quickly and run out of options.
- She depends on elements to activate her best cards, which can be unpredictable and inconsistent, especially if other characters use or interfere with the elements.
- She has limited range and mobility, which can make it hard for her to position herself and reach her targets.
The Spellweaver’s Cards and Builds
The Spellweaver has a total of 33 cards, 11 of which are available at level 1, and the rest are unlocked as she levels up. Each card has a top action and a bottom action, and some cards have an element icon, which means they can create or consume an element.
The Spellweaver can choose 8 cards to form her hand at the start of each scenario, and she can swap one card for another when she levels up. The Spellweaver’s cards can be divided into four categories: attack, recovery, utility, and summon. Here are some examples of each category:
- Attack: These cards allow the Spellweaver to deal damage to her enemies, usually with an area of effect. Some of these cards also have an element icon, which means they can create or consume an element to enhance their effect. For example, Fire Orbs is a level 1 card that lets the Spellweaver attack three enemies within range 3 for 3 damage each, and create Fire. If she consumes Fire, she can add +1 damage to each attack.
- Recovery: These cards allow the Spellweaver to heal herself or her allies, or to regain her lost cards. Some of these cards also have an element icon, which means they can create or consume an element to enhance their effect. For example, Reviving Ether is a level 1 card that lets the Spellweaver recover all of her lost cards, and create Light. If she consumes Light, she can also heal herself for 3 health.
- Utility: These cards allow the Spellweaver to perform various actions that can benefit her or her allies, such as granting buffs, debuffs, movement, or other effects. Some of these cards also have an element icon, which means they can create or consume an element to enhance their effect. For example, Frost Armor is a level 1 card that lets the Spellweaver gain Shield 2 for the next two sources of damage, and create Ice. If she consumes Ice, she can also gain Retaliate 2 for the next two sources of damage.
- Summon: These cards allow the Spellweaver to summon a creature that can act independently and help her in combat. Some of these cards also have an element icon, which means they can create or consume an element to enhance their effect. For example, Mystic Ally is a level 1 card that lets the Spellweaver summon a Mystic Ally, which is a ranged attacker that can deal 3 damage to an enemy within range 2, and create Fire. If she consumes Fire, she can also heal the Mystic Ally for 2 health.
The Spellweaver can choose from different builds, depending on her playstyle and preference. Here are some of the most common and popular builds for the Spellweaver:
- Area of Effect Build: This build focuses on using Spellweaver’s area of effect attacks to deal damage to multiple enemies at once, and to create or consume elements. This build is ideal for scenarios with large groups of enemies, and for players who like to deal high damage and control the board. Some of the best cards for this build are Fire Orbs, Impaling Eruption, Cold Fire, and Inferno.
- Recovery Build: This build focuses on using the Spellweaver’s recovery cards to heal herself and her allies, and to regain her lost cards. This build is ideal for scenarios with high difficulty or long duration, and for players who like to support their team and extend their stamina. Some of the best cards for this build are Reviving Ether, Aid from the Ether, Spirit of Doom, and Frozen Night.
- Utility Build: This build focuses on using Spellweaver’s utility cards to perform various actions that can benefit her or her allies, such as granting buffs, debuffs, movement, or other effects. This build is ideal for scenarios with diverse objectives or challenges, and for players who like to be versatile and adaptable. Some of the best cards for this build are Frost Armor, Mana Bolt, Flashing Burst, and Chromatic Explosion.
- Summon Build: This build focuses on using Spellweaver’s summon cards to summon creatures that can act independently and help her in combat. This build is ideal for scenarios with low enemy density or high enemy health, and for players who like to have extra allies and damage sources. Some of the best cards for this build are Mystic Ally, Living Torch, Conjure Flames, and Black Hole.
This is all there is to know about Gloomhaven Spellweaver Guide. You can also read our Street Fighter 6 Character Guide and Diablo Immortal Familiar Guide. Stay up to date with GameEmpress.com for the most recent gaming news and guides.