Honestly, this guy is a hero. He has saved millions of people hours of confusion and potential arguments. The way the videos are organized so you can find the section you need. God damn hero.
Rodney, you're a living treasure of the gaming community. You're upbeat, positive, and have a true talent (no doubt from hundreds of hours of practice and hard work) for communicating clearly and concisely. My slowly growing collection of boardgames is based purely on watching your videos first. The positivity and enthusiasm you display are a much-needed and refreshing contribution to the hobby. Please keep up the good work!
Ditto. I wholeheartedly agree. Rodney's explanations are incredibly clear and concise. I now feel like I can take on a daunting game like "Gloomhaven:Jaws of the Lion" Thank you so much.
Setting aside the quality of information this presenter is amongst the best I've ever seen! Perfect inflection with just the right about of excitement. All to often these you-tuber personalities are over acted but this guy finds the PERFECT balance.
@@floodkevin4716 I know this is an old comment and it's probably too late to answer now, but just in case any one is wondering, gloomhaven the the base game is definitely not beginner friendly.
@@kateginger thanks for the answer tho! I ended up selling jotl, it was just too much for me at beginner level but I've gotten a ton of other games that give me the fix haha
This video is the singular reason that this game will not collect dust on my shelf. What felt overwhelming is now immensely fun and engaging, even as I learn it in single-player! Can't wait to do the full campaign with some friends and I know for sure we'll be coming back to this video when we do the first scenario so they can have their hands held as well :~)
Rodney makes every game so much easier to digest that his vids is essential to be included in every rulebook. Likewise, im convinced to buy this specific game. Love it
Basically all the board games i have, i watched through Watch It Played to see if I'd like it before I bought it. I love board games and this channel. My collection shall GROW!
So glad to hear these videos have been helping you grow a collection of games you'll enjoy (and maybe help you avoid a few that weren't a good fit for you!)
I've been playing this game and have just reached level 5 for one of the characters. I was confused about how to use the secondary figure so I figured I'd watch a few instructional videos. I came across this guy and ignored my pride so I could watch from the very beginning. Good thing I did because despite thinking I knew what I was doing I came across 4 things I was doing incorrectly! Thanks for your help game rules explainer guy! I look forward to clarifying several more rules so I can play as it was intended.
I’ve ordered Jaws of the Lion recently and I’m a little anxious about it - what if I’m not ready for it yet?? - but these vids are definitely helping me move from anxious to excited. I really only got properly into gaming about a year or so ago and I’m so thankful for Rodney’s ability to make a huge range of games much more accessible to people like me who can’t get their heads around rule books for various reasons. Thank you! ❤
Dani, it means a lot to know the videos have been helpful. As games go up in complexity, it can be intimidating to consider understanding and remembering all the rules, but take this game one scenario at a time, and I'm sure you can do it! Happy adventuring!
This guy right here... He has taught me how to play so many board games in my life. Thank God for his TH-cam channel. Many thanks n keep up the good work my friend.
Honestly, your logistical flow, thoroughness, videography, clear and concise speech, and the general bright spirited tone makes your videos top tier. I was interesting in this game and stumbled across your channel via this video. I find myself watching videos now of games I don't own from your channel. Absolutely amazing work put into the production of these videos. For those developers sponsoring him to make the instructional videos for their board game are definitely getting their moneys worth
Bro thank you. Had this game for a year but never touched it due to how complex it was. Tried my first run last night didn’t make sense. Found your video it’s crystal clear. I’ll make sure to watch the rest in this as we progress. Cheers mate!
Great video, thank you! Small detail: I think you missed an effect in the video at 25:25, where you say "it could move either here or here". The move options are not visualised in the image.
I've watched your videos for several other games, and it's helped alleviate a lot of confusion on me and my players. Going to attempt Jaws of the Lion with my kids, and knowing I can use this video as a quick overview before I attempt it is really helpful.
Rodney Smith is a true pedagogue. Without a doubt, the textbook definition of a wonderful teacher. I think this mini-series on JoftL to be his finest hour so far. My kids and wife love watching his videos just for the sake of it. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Stay healthy. Stay safe.
Thanks Rodney. You are the best games instructor on the internet. We NEVER buy a game without watching your video. Sometimes, although unpopular with the publishers, we learn to avoid a few. Your explanation of the complex game, Wonder Woman, rise of the Amazons (I think?), made us interested, but wary it might not be for us. Then we watched you play it with your friends. Again, you were so fricken good at explaining the game, your moves, your rationale, strategy, and logic. Beyond helpful. We bought it, but opted to return it before opening. Thanks Rodney. As stated earlier, we love watching you so much! Thank you for your service to gaming!
Because of this video and just recently finding BGG, at 42 I'm now a newbie and bought this game. Been playing the games from my childhood, risk, statego, axis and allies, sequence etc., but i always wanted to play these types of games but was intimidated by them. Hopefully our fantasy flight games center here will be able to start hosting play and learns again soon. Thank you for your good work!
I am so happy to hear that you are trying out some of these games - there are lots to choose from, so I'm confident that you'll find one that's the perfect fit!
Oh my god! This game was burning my eyes for so long, now that I know it can be flipped that easy, everything came in a perfect, straight line like Moon, Earth and Sun on an eclipse. I will certainly give it a try... I still remember my very first board game "Dead of winter" and how Rodney taught me how to play it. No board game flips in the old good days, still though, same value and quality on your content...
Just got this game for my 30th birthday and SO stoked now to play it with my wife! This is one of the purest forms of DnD in boardgame form that Ive ever seen!
What a super clear explanation, I was on the fence about getting this, since we don’t like oodles of complexity in a game. But this seems very manageable and fun. Thank you.
Sometimes I click on these videos just to watch you do the box flip in the beginning. Also, I absolutely love how smiley you always are!! It always inevitably makes me happy just to be watching! 😁 Thanks for being so helpful, Rodney!! Whenever I’m considering buying a game, I always watch these videos first to see if it looks like something I’d like. Though of course, with jaws of the lion, I 1000% knew I’d want it already 😏
I'm new in board games, I got this one as my first and looks very cool, can't wait to play. Now that i watch the video is even better, very helpful. You cover all the aspects of the game to let me play the first scenario knowing how to do it right and without needing to stop every second to check how is play. Also your english is very easy to understand for a spanish guy.
My wife and kids are away for a week, so I purchased JotL for a crunchy, indulgent experience. A week may sound like a lot, but this is a big game, even if it is considered Gloomhaven-lite (and I'll be playing solo, thus 2 characters). While I understand the in-game tutorial is great, your work has me grasping most of the game play on the first watch. That is quite the achievement considering the weight of this game. So, thank for all the time and effort you put into this. It conveys the rules methodically yet succinctly.
It is one of the board games ever made. Haha. I agree that it's not like DnD though. It's a reasonable short hard to explain the theme to people, but gloomhaven would be a limited DnD combat simulator with none of the other things that make tabletop RPGs so interesting. There's no gloomhaven scenerio where you'll talk your way out of it, there is no scenerio where you'll discover some hidden shortcut or level that traps a bunch of enemies. You get a chunk of story, you fight monsters, you do a road event with a positive or negative outcome, repeat.
Just got this game and watched this whole tutorial series today! Your excellent videos have helped me learn many great games. I have one question though: how on earth did you store all the punched out enemy components and cards in the box with no lid lift??
I recently discovered this channel and have been binge watching all the How to Play. Curse you for making videos of clear and easy to follow instructions... My wallet is feeling it because of you now.
Brilliant explanation video Rodney. Great speed and perfectly informative. I appreciate the way you've chosen to approach this game across multiple videos. Thank you very much.
Thanks for making these videos man. I've just started playing gloomhaven with my friends and loved it, and wanted to try and bring some of this to someone in my family who's interested in modern boardgames but has never tried any. This has already been a great help, and we haven't even started playing! But I know if any issue comes up that I can't quickly find in the manual, I can just come back here. I saw a video you did with Quinns on SUSD some years ago, and I remember you saying that you wanted people to be able to look at your videos and walk away with extreme confidence that everything you said is exactly how the rules work, and these JOTL videos did that for me! In fact I realised we had been playing Gloomhaven slightly wrong too - Thank you so much for that clarification that if enemies can't get in range of anyone they do not move, because I read that in the manual and though "I dunno if I'm reading that right, it doesn't *sound* right" but as soon as you confirmed that it does I was like 'oh thank God if Rodney said it works like that then it does, and now I know'.
Really nice of you to leave such a kind comment - I'm glad the videos have been useful, and provided confidence in how the game is played. That's a major goal (as you noted), so it means a lot to hear! I hope you have great success spreading the joy of these games to your friends and family :)
Wow!!! What a great intuitive video! This video convinced me to buy Jaws of the Lion, because previously I thought the game would be too complicated. Thank you.
As a huge gloomhaven fan, I was bound to buy this anyway, and (as a huge Rodney Smith fan) imagine my excitement when I turn over the box to see the “Watch it Played” Logo!! It’s like finding out 2 good friends know each other!
All my teachers told me i wasn’t gonna be able to get through life without learning how to read. Year 33 and staying strong since Rodney reads all the rules and explains everything for me 🙌🏿
Just got the game and watched these videos before reading the scenarios. Excellent job in going over the rules. Really helped speed up learning. Thanks!
Been playing Gloomhaven for many months and while it is an absolute masterpiece, it can be a little daunting to new players. So I'm really happy to see JotL structured the way it is in order to help new players enter the Gloomhaven universe with ease. And of course, Rodney's videos are a must before any game. Rodney's been with me through my entire boardgaming hobby journey and he is an outstanding teacher and guide. Thank you Rodney and team...well done!
I think you are the best for learning games to people. Your tutorials are the very clearly mention everything about the game step to step. Thank you very much for that. It's much easier for a new player to watch the video and then have a look at the book. Keep on the great work
Great Job, I sold my Gloom Haven due to lack of time for playing, but this versions seems a great little version for solo play. Easy to set up and still has the GH card play. Going to get this pre-order from 401 games in Toronto.
Sir, years ago, I watched your videos on how to play LOTR LCG. I've been playing solo bord games since then... Thank you for introducing me to my all time favorite hobby!
I am so thankful that I found this channel. Rodney explains the rules and how to play this game so well that I can't wait to watch the rest of this series on The Jaws of the Lion and other tutorials. Thank you and well done.
Currently learning to play Jaws of the Lion. Watching these videos along with the "Learn to Play" guide is making a very complex game easy to understand. Great job as usual. Thanks very much!
I dont care if I already know how to play a game I always watch a tutorial for it from watch it played. Its that enjoyable. It might not be necesary to mention this but I would just like to point out that you can do the bottom action of a card before a top action of the other, in case it wasnt clear to somebody ;)
Here in 2022 (just got this game for $13 after credits and promotional discounts!), and I'm still so impressed with the CGI game box flips always landing perfectly upright. Now, back to the video to learn how to play.
My box just arrived yesterday. So excited to give it a try, but I convinced myself to take a look at your video first. Amazing job as always. Big thanks.
SO MUCH THANKS! just slowly worked my way through the first scenario with your help and instruction and by the end i fully understood what i was doing and i had so so much fun :) THANK YOU!
Hey Rodney. We only watch YOU to teach us these complex games. You are so clear and concise. Question, do we get an experience point each time we play the card with the starburst? I.e. the heal card or the Favorite ax? What if I threw my ax for experience, but the modifier was curse zero? Do I modify to zero after I added the three points or do I still hit for three points of damage. If I did zero damage after modifier, I.e. missed, do I still get the experience points? If a viper misses with zero damage after modifier, am I still poisoned. Thanks. Huge fan.
Thanks Rodney. And is the modifier ONLY to the base damage? That is, if I throw my Favorite ax for three damage, do I add to the base range damage of two for for five total THEN multiply it by 2 for ten damage? Conversely, if I draw nullify, does that only apply to the base 2 damage or the entire five points (base two plus the three from Favorite). PS My earlier kind words were an understatement. My husband and I love you so much! You are such a great teacher, fun to watch. So positive and patient. I could go on and on. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
@@lisagellerman3540 Really good to know you've found the videos helpful :) It's been a little while since I recorded this (which can make certain questions harder to answer), but any time a figure performs an attack, the figure must flip over one card from their attack modifier deck for each separate target to modify the attack. Does that answer the question?
I've watched this video series (and other from this channel) so many times now that when I read the Learn to Play Guide for JotL, it's Rodney's voice that I hear in my mind! o_O
Another great video, really looking forward to this. I skipped backing frosthaven but might re-think that if they change it to a scenario book like this!
Awesome video again Rodney. Had this game on my shelf for a couple of months...now set up and ready to play this morning. Just waiting for my wife to get up :) Blessings from Australia.
Ordered this earlier and I was already excited for it coming tomorrow, but this video made me even more excited. Looking forward to messing those vermlings up.
Thank you for your videos. I discovered board games during the pandemic and your videos have really helped our family learn games much quicker. Can’t wait to open this box in the next week or so.
I love the fact that this version has maps in a scenario book! If that is true of all the scenarios, then I will insta-buy! The table space on the original is my only issue. So this is awesome.
This is my first board game... Very discouraging how much details I need to remember😂but I'm excited!! Thank you for the video, you saved me alot of struggling. ALOT.
Duuude great video! Next saturday I will play my first game with friends. I have already tried scenario 1 to learn it myself. Totally gonna show this video before we start playing instead of trying to explain it all myself. Thanks a lot!
Question at 24:47 - here you have an example of two characters that each take 4 points of movement for the monster to reach. In Gloomhaven, the first tiebreaker would be distance "as the crow flies" from the monster. In this case, the Hatchet is standing two hexes away (obstacles are ignored for this check) and the Demolitionist is five hexes away, so the Hatchet is the focus using that rule. If both figures are the same distance away, then initiative is the next tiebreaker. Was this rule changed in Jaws of the Lion? It seems simpler, which is fine; I was just curious!
There is however a drawback to this change, that archers will focus fire the lowest initiative character. So this rule change is only for Jaws of the Lion, it should not be used for Gloomhaven.
(No spoilers) Wow. I managed to screw up a core rule, even after having viewed Rodney’s excellent video + several hours of playthroughs, and reading the rule book very (well...) closely. I somehow missed that you CHOOSE your two cards for the round! Luckily I haven’t played through more then the first three scenarios. I think I managed to miss it because I am playing solo with two characters, as such I don’t have my “hand” in my actual hand, rather face down on the respective character mats. This made me treat them as draw-piles instead, drawing two and making the most of those cards. It was only reading about strategies where people where talking about first and second turn given combos that I realized my misstake. Phew, glad I caught it so early, but a bit embarrassed I must say. Leaving it here if anyone else would benefit from it.
Honestly, this guy is a hero. He has saved millions of people hours of confusion and potential arguments. The way the videos are organized so you can find the section you need. God damn hero.
Thanks for sharing such kind words of support for the videos Danny :)
Rodney, you're a living treasure of the gaming community. You're upbeat, positive, and have a true talent (no doubt from hundreds of hours of practice and hard work) for communicating clearly and concisely. My slowly growing collection of boardgames is based purely on watching your videos first. The positivity and enthusiasm you display are a much-needed and refreshing contribution to the hobby. Please keep up the good work!
Adrian, that's an incredibly kind comment to leave - thank you very much and happy gaming in 2023!
I couldn’t agree more!
Very well said, I also agree completely! Thanks Rod for all your great videos!
Ditto. I wholeheartedly agree. Rodney's explanations are incredibly clear and concise. I now feel like I can take on a daunting game like "Gloomhaven:Jaws of the Lion" Thank you so much.
Setting aside the quality of information this presenter is amongst the best I've ever seen! Perfect inflection with just the right about of excitement. All to often these you-tuber personalities are over acted but this guy finds the PERFECT balance.
Very kind of you to say Teej, glad you're enjoying!
This guys taught me to play so many games loves his vids
Cheers!
He is definitely the BEST!
@@FrankMinogue He is good, but I think his Nephew is a tad in front. Sorry Rodney
Leave him alone! His mine!!! My precious....
Rodney he da man!
I love that they put descriptive text on all of the action cards. It makes it so much friendlier to new players.
Definitely something needed for the base game. It makes them more flavorful, kind of like the hit location cards from kingdom death monster
Does Gloomhaven base game have that?
@@floodkevin4716 I know this is an old comment and it's probably too late to answer now, but just in case any one is wondering, gloomhaven the the base game is definitely not beginner friendly.
@@kateginger thanks for the answer tho! I ended up selling jotl, it was just too much for me at beginner level but I've gotten a ton of other games that give me the fix haha
This video is the singular reason that this game will not collect dust on my shelf. What felt overwhelming is now immensely fun and engaging, even as I learn it in single-player! Can't wait to do the full campaign with some friends and I know for sure we'll be coming back to this video when we do the first scenario so they can have their hands held as well :~)
So wonderful to hear that this video is helping you get into the game. Happy adventuring Evan!
Rodney makes every game so much easier to digest that his vids is essential to be included in every rulebook. Likewise, im convinced to buy this specific game. Love it
That's super kind of you to say Ben!
It’s is included in the box to come to this guy
Hows the playthrough of it?
I actually recently bought the main Gloomhaven game and boy is it overwhelming! I would love to see you do a box flip on that bad boy Rodney
That would be a fun challenge!
Rodney explains Gloomhaven. Wow. Something I never thought I'd see. And he nailed it!
Ah, thank you kindly Jackie! It was as easy as a cake flip!
@@WatchItPlayed Amanda and I will be the judge of that.
@@jakecooke4602 We got Rodney to try flipping a cake live. He came SO close.
As a teacher myself, I know how difficult clear explanations can be. You videos are excellent -you explanations very clear. Well done!
Very kind of you to say Darren - thank you!
Basically all the board games i have, i watched through Watch It Played to see if I'd like it before I bought it. I love board games and this channel. My collection shall GROW!
So glad to hear these videos have been helping you grow a collection of games you'll enjoy (and maybe help you avoid a few that weren't a good fit for you!)
Wow, what a amazing combo, you teaching the best series ever made. What a great way to get people into boardgames!
Thanks Jonathan!
I've been playing this game and have just reached level 5 for one of the characters. I was confused about how to use the secondary figure so I figured I'd watch a few instructional videos. I came across this guy and ignored my pride so I could watch from the very beginning. Good thing I did because despite thinking I knew what I was doing I came across 4 things I was doing incorrectly! Thanks for your help game rules explainer guy! I look forward to clarifying several more rules so I can play as it was intended.
Hey hey, welcome to the channel, and glad you found this helpful!
I’ve ordered Jaws of the Lion recently and I’m a little anxious about it - what if I’m not ready for it yet?? - but these vids are definitely helping me move from anxious to excited. I really only got properly into gaming about a year or so ago and I’m so thankful for Rodney’s ability to make a huge range of games much more accessible to people like me who can’t get their heads around rule books for various reasons. Thank you! ❤
Dani, it means a lot to know the videos have been helpful. As games go up in complexity, it can be intimidating to consider understanding and remembering all the rules, but take this game one scenario at a time, and I'm sure you can do it! Happy adventuring!
It’s so fitting that Gloomhaven would need a 5 part video series to explain all of its rules.
But this is not even the Gloomhaven! XD
Gloomhaven isn't a complex game. Try Advanced Squad Leader or Federation Commander which have rule books that are hundreds of pages long.
@@Jezza_One pass
@@Jezza_OneTry D&D then.
That was a perfect box flip!
I want to make sure I continue to impress you Nile :)
@@WatchItPlayed Yeah, yeah -- let's see you flip the original Gloomhaven box, hot shot
His horrified flip still is the best imo.
All of Rodney’s flips are perfect. He even made a video to talk about it! ;)
Was that box actually full? I just lifted my copy, and there’s NO WAY I could flip it & catch it one-handed! 🤣👏🏾
This is one of the best video guide about board game i have seen. 100% Understandable explanation of rules. Greetings from Poland.
Very glad you enjoyed - greetings back from Canada!
This guy right here... He has taught me how to play so many board games in my life. Thank God for his TH-cam channel. Many thanks n keep up the good work my friend.
Really nice to hear they've been helpful - thanks!
Honestly, your logistical flow, thoroughness, videography, clear and concise speech, and the general bright spirited tone makes your videos top tier. I was interesting in this game and stumbled across your channel via this video. I find myself watching videos now of games I don't own from your channel. Absolutely amazing work put into the production of these videos. For those developers sponsoring him to make the instructional videos for their board game are definitely getting their moneys worth
Very kind of you to say Mike, thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment!
Bro thank you. Had this game for a year but never touched it due to how complex it was. Tried my first run last night didn’t make sense. Found your video it’s crystal clear. I’ll make sure to watch the rest in this as we progress. Cheers mate!
So nice to know this was helpful - have a great time playing and happy adventuring!
Great video, thank you! Small detail: I think you missed an effect in the video at 25:25, where you say "it could move either here or here". The move options are not visualised in the image.
Good catch. Sorry about that! We can consider it a test of the viewers understanding :)
I've watched your videos for several other games, and it's helped alleviate a lot of confusion on me and my players. Going to attempt Jaws of the Lion with my kids, and knowing I can use this video as a quick overview before I attempt it is really helpful.
It's really nice to know these have been helpful - I hope you and the kids have a great time adventuring together!
Rodney Smith is a true pedagogue. Without a doubt, the textbook definition of a wonderful teacher. I think this mini-series on JoftL to be his finest hour so far. My kids and wife love watching his videos just for the sake of it. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Stay healthy. Stay safe.
You are very kind Rich - thank you. Hope you and yours stay well also!
Apologies for the spelling error! Pedagogue* ha. Be well :)
Thanks Rodney. You are the best games instructor on the internet. We NEVER buy a game without watching your video. Sometimes, although unpopular with the publishers, we learn to avoid a few. Your explanation of the complex game, Wonder Woman, rise of the Amazons (I think?), made us interested, but wary it might not be for us. Then we watched you play it with your friends. Again, you were so fricken good at explaining the game, your moves, your rationale, strategy, and logic. Beyond helpful. We bought it, but opted to return it before opening. Thanks Rodney. As stated earlier, we love watching you so much! Thank you for your service to gaming!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind comment Lisa!
Because of this video and just recently finding BGG, at 42 I'm now a newbie and bought this game. Been playing the games from my childhood, risk, statego, axis and allies, sequence etc., but i always wanted to play these types of games but was intimidated by them. Hopefully our fantasy flight games center here will be able to start hosting play and learns again soon. Thank you for your good work!
I am so happy to hear that you are trying out some of these games - there are lots to choose from, so I'm confident that you'll find one that's the perfect fit!
Oh my god!
This game was burning my eyes for so long, now that I know it can be flipped that easy, everything came in a perfect, straight line like Moon, Earth and Sun on an eclipse.
I will certainly give it a try... I still remember my very first board game "Dead of winter" and how Rodney taught me how to play it. No board game flips in the old good days, still though, same value and quality on your content...
Glad you're finding the videos helpful (box flip or not :) ).
Just got this game for my 30th birthday and SO stoked now to play it with my wife! This is one of the purest forms of DnD in boardgame form that Ive ever seen!
Have a great time playing!
What a super clear explanation, I was on the fence about getting this, since we don’t like oodles of complexity in a game. But this seems very manageable and fun. Thank you.
So glad to know this was helpful!
Sometimes I click on these videos just to watch you do the box flip in the beginning. Also, I absolutely love how smiley you always are!! It always inevitably makes me happy just to be watching! 😁 Thanks for being so helpful, Rodney!! Whenever I’m considering buying a game, I always watch these videos first to see if it looks like something I’d like. Though of course, with jaws of the lion, I 1000% knew I’d want it already 😏
So nice to have you here and enjoying the show Derek. That was a very kind comment to leave :)
Masterful explanation, as always. Watch It Played is one of my favorite resources that exists on TH-cam.
Very kind of you to say - glad you enjoyed!
I'm new in board games, I got this one as my first and looks very cool, can't wait to play. Now that i watch the video is even better, very helpful. You cover all the aspects of the game to let me play the first scenario knowing how to do it right and without needing to stop every second to check how is play. Also your english is very easy to understand for a spanish guy.
It is so nice to know that you are finding the videos easy to follow. And welcome to the hobby, I hope you have a great time adventuring!
My wife and kids are away for a week, so I purchased JotL for a crunchy, indulgent experience.
A week may sound like a lot, but this is a big game, even if it is considered Gloomhaven-lite (and I'll be playing solo, thus 2 characters).
While I understand the in-game tutorial is great, your work has me grasping most of the game play on the first watch. That is quite the achievement considering the weight of this game.
So, thank for all the time and effort you put into this. It conveys the rules methodically yet succinctly.
Hey Paul, so glad to hear this series has been helpful - happy adventuring!
This is the perfect way to start playing one of best board games ever made. Its kinda like DnD but without a GM!
Gloomhaven is nothing like D&D.
It is one of the board games ever made. Haha.
I agree that it's not like DnD though. It's a reasonable short hard to explain the theme to people, but gloomhaven would be a limited DnD combat simulator with none of the other things that make tabletop RPGs so interesting. There's no gloomhaven scenerio where you'll talk your way out of it, there is no scenerio where you'll discover some hidden shortcut or level that traps a bunch of enemies.
You get a chunk of story, you fight monsters, you do a road event with a positive or negative outcome, repeat.
What is GM?
@@zmattrz55 Game Master
Not at all like D&D.
just got this game and with Rodney's helpful videos aim to play it this week
I hope you have a fun time playing!
in this video we will learn to flip a boardgame box massively and catching it with the readable side facing up!!
pretty sure it was an empty box though. I'd be more impressed if he flipped the 10 lb full box like that, lol.
@@Trueflights was thinking exact the same thing
My first thought also lol. It's like flipping a cinder block.
You could tell how satisfied he was when it worked. Could hardly contain the smile lol. Makes you wonder how many times he did that intro.
@@timd4524 got it over the weekend, easily over 10lbs.
Just got this game and watched this whole tutorial series today! Your excellent videos have helped me learn many great games. I have one question though: how on earth did you store all the punched out enemy components and cards in the box with no lid lift??
If I remember correctly I did a google search to see how others managed it!
I recently discovered this channel and have been binge watching all the How to Play. Curse you for making videos of clear and easy to follow instructions... My wallet is feeling it because of you now.
So glad you discovered it, even if your wallet isn't :) Welcome Thomas!
Brilliant explanation video Rodney. Great speed and perfectly informative. I appreciate the way you've chosen to approach this game across multiple videos. Thank you very much.
So nice to know you found this format for the tutorial helpful Robert!
Thanks for making these videos man. I've just started playing gloomhaven with my friends and loved it, and wanted to try and bring some of this to someone in my family who's interested in modern boardgames but has never tried any. This has already been a great help, and we haven't even started playing! But I know if any issue comes up that I can't quickly find in the manual, I can just come back here.
I saw a video you did with Quinns on SUSD some years ago, and I remember you saying that you wanted people to be able to look at your videos and walk away with extreme confidence that everything you said is exactly how the rules work, and these JOTL videos did that for me! In fact I realised we had been playing Gloomhaven slightly wrong too - Thank you so much for that clarification that if enemies can't get in range of anyone they do not move, because I read that in the manual and though "I dunno if I'm reading that right, it doesn't *sound* right" but as soon as you confirmed that it does I was like 'oh thank God if Rodney said it works like that then it does, and now I know'.
Really nice of you to leave such a kind comment - I'm glad the videos have been useful, and provided confidence in how the game is played. That's a major goal (as you noted), so it means a lot to hear! I hope you have great success spreading the joy of these games to your friends and family :)
I know I'm late to the party but still, thank you!! This was clear and direct to the point. Much appreciated, sir.
It's never too late to discover a game! Have a great time playing :)
Love this. Gonna play this with my dad and my friend because dad has wanted to play it for three years but i haven’t been interested until now!!
Have a great time adventuring together!
I remember watching your Space Hulk how to play videos almost 7 years ago, when i got my first board game and you still rock!
Very kind of you to say, thanks for being with us all this time!
The teaching skills of the performer is high. I really appreciate it. It is great help to understand the mechanism of the games. Great job!
Thank you kindly Al - glad you've been enjoying!
I just got this game chose his video and his step by step is amazing 👏 truly a great guy thank you for all the help will like and subscribe
Very kind of you to say - happy adventuring!
Wow!!! What a great intuitive video! This video convinced me to buy Jaws of the Lion, because previously I thought the game would be too complicated. Thank you.
So glad to know you found this helpful Chris, have a great time playing!
Love this guy so much! His video always show everything clear and smoothly, hope can see more from you!
Thank you - more on the way!
Hello, thank you so much for your great videos. It's so easy to learn rules with the help of your videos. Best regards, Biene
So nice of you to say - very glad you enjoyed!
As a huge gloomhaven fan, I was bound to buy this anyway, and (as a huge Rodney Smith fan) imagine my excitement when I turn over the box to see the “Watch it Played” Logo!! It’s like finding out 2 good friends know each other!
It was great to be able to team up with Isaac on this! More videos coming for this game, this week!
All my teachers told me i wasn’t gonna be able to get through life without learning how to read. Year 33 and staying strong since Rodney reads all the rules and explains everything for me 🙌🏿
Here to help you prove all those teachers wrong!
This guy is a legend.He explains so well all the games.I learned a lot of the games from Rodney.Thank you very much !:)
So glad the videos have been helpful Vagelis!
Just got the game and watched these videos before reading the scenarios. Excellent job in going over the rules. Really helped speed up learning. Thanks!
You're very welcome - have fun adventuring!
Been playing Gloomhaven for many months and while it is an absolute masterpiece, it can be a little daunting to new players. So I'm really happy to see JotL structured the way it is in order to help new players enter the Gloomhaven universe with ease. And of course, Rodney's videos are a must before any game. Rodney's been with me through my entire boardgaming hobby journey and he is an outstanding teacher and guide. Thank you Rodney and team...well done!
That's a lovely sentiment to share Dave - thank you, and happy gaming!
I think you are the best for learning games to people. Your tutorials are the very clearly mention everything about the game step to step. Thank you very much for that. It's much easier for a new player to watch the video and then have a look at the book. Keep on the great work
Thanks so much for the kind words Dimitris!
You just saved 3 hours of my life. Perfect Explanation. Thank you
So glad you found this helpful Filipe - have a great time paying!
New to the channel, this was an impressively concise description of the rules, thank you for uploading
Welcome to the channel, glad to have you here. Have a fun time adventuring!
Great Job, I sold my Gloom Haven due to lack of time for playing, but this versions seems a great little version for solo play. Easy to set up and still has the GH card play. Going to get this pre-order from 401 games in Toronto.
Yes, I think you might find this suits your particular gaming lifestyle better!
So glad this game came out. Now I have a Watch it Played video for Gloomhaven. It will be a lot easier to get a game with new players, now.
Three are some differences between this and the original Gloomhaven, so just keep that in mind.
Sir, years ago, I watched your videos on how to play LOTR LCG. I've been playing solo bord games since then... Thank you for introducing me to my all time favorite hobby!
So glad to have you with us all this time, and so nice to know you've been enjoying the hobby. It's a wonderful thing, right? :)
@@WatchItPlayed Yes, it is! Even more during confinement!
Great job. You do an excellent job of showing the parts of the game explaining them and moving along so it doesn't get boring and repetitive.
Very nice of you to say.
I am so thankful that I found this channel. Rodney explains the rules and how to play this game so well that I can't wait to watch the rest of this series on The Jaws of the Lion and other tutorials. Thank you and well done.
Very nice of you to say - hope you enjoy the rest as well!
This was an amazingly clear and enjoyable explanation. Thank you!
You're very welcome - have fun playing!
As per usual, a very clear and concise job.
Very kind of you to say!
Currently learning to play Jaws of the Lion. Watching these videos along with the "Learn to Play" guide is making a very complex game easy to understand. Great job as usual. Thanks very much!
That's so nice to hear! Have a great time adventuring :)
My copy gets here in 2 days. Can’t wait and really happy to hear you got a shout out in the Gloomhaven Jaws of the Lion intro sheet too!
I hope you have a great time playing!
Rodney, you continue to demonstrate that you are the supreme master when it comes to how to play videos!
You're very kind - glad you're enjoying Mark :)
Ah thank you! I just got bought this as an early Mother’s Day present, and you made it easy to understand !
So nice to hear - I hope you have a great time playing!
This looks very similar to "Descent," which I enjoy playing.
I dont care if I already know how to play a game I always watch a tutorial for it from watch it played. Its that enjoyable. It might not be necesary to mention this but I would just like to point out that you can do the bottom action of a card before a top action of the other, in case it wasnt clear to somebody ;)
A lovely comment, and a nice rules point to mention. Thanks Totihno!
I had no interest into gloomhaven before this video. As always, brilliant explanation of the rules. Love your channel
Thanks so much Caslos. Very glad to have you here!
Here in 2022 (just got this game for $13 after credits and promotional discounts!), and I'm still so impressed with the CGI game box flips always landing perfectly upright. Now, back to the video to learn how to play.
Ha! Enjoy your adventures :)
My box just arrived yesterday. So excited to give it a try, but I convinced myself to take a look at your video first. Amazing job as always. Big thanks.
Have a great time adventuring!
SO MUCH THANKS! just slowly worked my way through the first scenario with your help and instruction and by the end i fully understood what i was doing and i had so so much fun :) THANK YOU!
So nice to hear it was helpful - happy adventuring!
Finally get to play this tomorrow with a friend. Thanks for the refresher Rodney. Can't wait to start my adventure!
Excellent - I hope you both have a great time!
Hey Rodney. We only watch YOU to teach us these complex games. You are so clear and concise. Question, do we get an experience point each time we play the card with the starburst? I.e. the heal card or the Favorite ax? What if I threw my ax for experience, but the modifier was curse zero? Do I modify to zero after I added the three points or do I still hit for three points of damage. If I did zero damage after modifier, I.e. missed, do I still get the experience points? If a viper misses with zero damage after modifier, am I still poisoned. Thanks. Huge fan.
Hey Lisa - thanks for the kind words :) Yes, you get the experience each time you "play" the card (not each time you use it).
Thanks Rodney. And is the modifier ONLY to the base damage? That is, if I throw my Favorite ax for three damage, do I add to the base range damage of two for for five total THEN multiply it by 2 for ten damage? Conversely, if I draw nullify, does that only apply to the base 2 damage or the entire five points (base two plus the three from Favorite). PS My earlier kind words were an understatement. My husband and I love you so much! You are such a great teacher, fun to watch. So positive and patient. I could go on and on. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
@@lisagellerman3540 Really good to know you've found the videos helpful :) It's been a little while since I recorded this (which can make certain questions harder to answer), but any time a figure performs an attack, the figure must flip over one card from their attack modifier deck for each separate target to modify the attack. Does that answer the question?
Rodney makes things so much easier! He also brings happiness into games that were frustrating me lol Thanks for being awesome Rodney!!
That is so nice of you to say Adam!
So far so good ,loving the good and amazing explanation
Thank you!
This Man is a National Treasure. Thank you so much.
Very kind - I hope you have a great time playing!
I've watched this video series (and other from this channel) so many times now that when I read the Learn to Play Guide for JotL, it's Rodney's voice that I hear in my mind! o_O
Ha! Not the intended effect, but I can understand that :)
It's nice to see that they have well thought out the storage as well for the various tokens!
Yes!
Thanks again, Rodney! Your tutorial on Mansions of Madness 1st edition was the very first tutorial I have ever watched and I appreciate it!
Thanks for being with us all this time!
Excellent clear and precise introduction, getting the family ready to play our Christmas gift game immediately. Big thanks from Uppsala, Sweden.
Have a great time adventuring. Greetings back from Canada!
Another great video, really looking forward to this. I skipped backing frosthaven but might re-think that if they change it to a scenario book like this!
Glad you enjoyed!
They will be releasing map tile books like this for both Gloomhaven and Frosthaven as an additional purchase.
Way easier to follow than the paper instructions.
Thanks! Now I'm not gonna be scratching my head and re-reading some book mid scenario
SO glad to hear this was helpful - have fun adventuring!
Your tutorial is even better than I could have ever imagined. Thank you so much!
Very kind of you to say - thank you!
Awesome video again Rodney. Had this game on my shelf for a couple of months...now set up and ready to play this morning. Just waiting for my wife to get up :) Blessings from Australia.
Greetings back from Canada! Have a great time playing :)
New to this style of board games. I was overwhlmed and I found your video. Really really well thought out, explained and edited. Thank you!
So glad it was helpful! I hope you have a great time playing!
Rodney is the GOAT of explaining games.
Very glad you enjoyed!
Watching again to play through with the other two characters two years from the first time!
Excellent - have a great time!
Ordered this earlier and I was already excited for it coming tomorrow, but this video made me even more excited. Looking forward to messing those vermlings up.
Happy adventuring!
Very well done! That couldn't have been more clear easy to follow. Very much appreciated.
So glad you found it helpful Bryce!
We just finished this game last night and we LOVED it!! As always, excellent video!!
Thank you kindly - so glad you enjoyed the game :)
Thank you for your videos. I discovered board games during the pandemic and your videos have really helped our family learn games much quicker. Can’t wait to open this box in the next week or so.
That's really wonderful to hear - I hope you get to enjoy many more adventures in the hobby!
I just had to say Rodney, thanks for doing these videos. Very easy to learn after watching these. They have helped me a lot!!
So nice to hear - have a great time adventuring!
I love the fact that this version has maps in a scenario book! If that is true of all the scenarios, then I will insta-buy! The table space on the original is my only issue. So this is awesome.
All 25 scenarios from Jaws of the Lion are like this! Happy gaming!
Yep, all the scenarios in Jaws of the Lino are in the scenario books!
So much better! Fast to set up, easy to store. This is real GH upgraded edition! What we need next is better way of dealing monster damage...
This is my first board game... Very discouraging how much details I need to remember😂but I'm excited!!
Thank you for the video, you saved me alot of struggling. ALOT.
You're very welcome, and don't worry, as you play more, you'll find those details get easier and easier to remember - happy adventuring!
Duuude great video! Next saturday I will play my first game with friends. I have already tried scenario 1 to learn it myself. Totally gonna show this video before we start playing instead of trying to explain it all myself. Thanks a lot!
I hope you all have a great time - have fun!
Your set has gotten so elaborate! I love it!
Thanks Luke!
Question at 24:47 - here you have an example of two characters that each take 4 points of movement for the monster to reach. In Gloomhaven, the first tiebreaker would be distance "as the crow flies" from the monster. In this case, the Hatchet is standing two hexes away (obstacles are ignored for this check) and the Demolitionist is five hexes away, so the Hatchet is the focus using that rule. If both figures are the same distance away, then initiative is the next tiebreaker.
Was this rule changed in Jaws of the Lion? It seems simpler, which is fine; I was just curious!
I never played the original Gloomhaven, can only give you the rules for this edition.
In Jaws of the Lion the focus rules are changed, distance as the crow flies is no longer a tiebreaker. Rodney has explained it correctly.
There is however a drawback to this change, that archers will focus fire the lowest initiative character. So this rule change is only for Jaws of the Lion, it should not be used for Gloomhaven.
@@pant652 Thanks! I watched Paul Grogan's video with Isaac, who mentioned this change as well.
Brilliant. Very clear breakdown. Appreciated.
Very glad you enjoyed!
(No spoilers)
Wow. I managed to screw up a core rule, even after having viewed Rodney’s excellent video + several hours of playthroughs, and reading the rule book very (well...) closely.
I somehow missed that you CHOOSE your two cards for the round!
Luckily I haven’t played through more then the first three scenarios.
I think I managed to miss it because I am playing solo with two characters, as such I don’t have my “hand” in my actual hand, rather face down on the respective character mats. This made me treat them as draw-piles instead, drawing two and making the most of those cards.
It was only reading about strategies where people where talking about first and second turn given combos that I realized my misstake.
Phew, glad I caught it so early, but a bit embarrassed I must say. Leaving it here if anyone else would benefit from it.
Glad you caught the mistake!