Enhancement

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> Enhancement
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> ### Pieces
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> stickers
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> ### Status
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>  yes, standard yes, standard & updated (campaign only) yes, standard + variant rule
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> ### Reference
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>  Rule Book pgs. 45-47 Rule Book pgs. 69, 77
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> *This page describes content available only in Gloomhavenand Frosthaven*
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The enhancement system is a game mechanic featured in the Gloomhaven series that enables players to spend gold to receive upgrades to their character ability cards from the Enchantress. This may take the form of simple numerical increases to adding conditions and elements to enable new play strategies.

There are two enhancement systems; **standard,** and Gloomhaven Digital’s ‘**updated’** variant game rule:

The standard board game model originally introduced in Gloomhaven, returning in Frosthaven with minor alterations, is characterized as being permanent, with stickers applied directly to cards that permanently alter the board game and any future play with the given class being enhanced, persisting beyond the retirement of the character who bought the enhancement.

Gloomhaven Digital’s ‘**updated’** variant is available in (and is recommended for) its campaign game mode and makes some changes to the pricing of enhancements to encourage experimentation. Enhancements are not permanent in Gloomhaven Digital but may also be sold to recover their full buy cost. The updated variant is an option that rebalances and largely reduces enhancement costs to compensate for this, though it also reduces the amount recovered through selling enhancements to 75% of the original cost.

Frosthaven offers its own variant rule “**Temporary Enhancements**” that converts its native permanent system to one slightly more akin to Gloomhaven Digital with cost reductions, though lacking the ability to sell enhancements.

The ability to enhance cards is absent from Jaws of the Lion due to the game’s simpler scope, though its character ability cards are nonetheless fully compatible with the system and are ready to be imported to titles that supports it.

## Usage

Enhancement is initially a locked feature and requires completion of the global achievement *The Power of Enhancement* / Building 44  before it can be pursued. Buying and selling enhancements thereafter becomes possible while visiting Gloomhaven/ during downtime / at any time(*Guildmaster*).

Character ability cards’ abilities may sometimes feature an enhancement mark at the end of a line, which is a dot   or a simple shape outline . This indicates that an enhancement sticker may be placed upon the marking.

* ‘+1’s may be placed after any numerical value e.g. attack, retaliate, range, push, modifying that value.
* elements may be placed after any main ability line, becoming infused at the end of the player’s turn when the action is played as if it was written on the card.  The wild element grants the player their choice of any single element to be infused in this manner as normal.
* conditions may be placed after any main ability line that targets a figure. Negative conditions must target enemies while positive conditions must target allies. An ability must specify in text or have a range value to target a figure. All targeted creatures become affected by the condition when the ability is performed as if it was written on the card.
* jump may be placed after move abilities, which thereafter become jump abilities.
* extra attack hexes may be added to area-of-effect diagrams.

Template:GM initially, only +1 enhancements are available to purchase in the Guildmaster game mode and other forms of enhancement must be unlocked through completing enhancement mastery achievements.

 Enhancements fit into a hierarchy which determines further where they may be placed based on the shape of enhancement marks. Squares are the most basic, being able to contain only +1s. Circles can hold anything a square can, plus elements. Diamonds can hold anything a circle can, plus conditions (a diamond with a plus sign is found where the ability that target self or allies). The only exceptions to this framework are  jump, which may be placed in a mark of any shape following a move ability, and  extra attack hexes, which may only be placed in their own hexagon-shaped mark as part of Area of Effect diagrams.

### Buying

The cost of an enhancement is calculated as follows:

1. the table determined the base cost of the enhancement determined by its kind.
2. if the ability has multiple targets, the cost is doubled, including for targeting multiple allies. This does not apply for extra attack hexes  or  elements. An ability that summons multiple figures is not treated as incurring this cost, nor an ability that only gains multiple targets through elemental infusion.
3. if the action has a  lost icon **but no**  persistent bonus icon, the cost is halved.
4. if the ability has a  persistent bonus icon, the cost is tripled. This does not apply to summon abilities.
5. relevant costs related to card level and the number of times the action (half of the card) has been previously enhanced are added, if applicable.
6. ***Temporary Enhancements Variant Rule:*** if the card has any previous enhancements, reduce the cost by 20g. Finally, reduce the overall cost by 20%.

Once the cost is determined, subtract the cost from the player's gold and apply the sticker.

The number of enhancements each class may have has an overall limit A class may have no more individual enhancements than the prosperity level of Gloomhaven / the amount allowed by the number of completed general achievements, to a maximum of 6(*guildmaster*). Where enhancements are permanent, this number is counted based on all cards belonging to the class in the board game, not just cards owned by the current player.

### Selling

Selling of enhancements is only possible in Gloomhaven Digital. To sell an enhancement, select its card and the portion of the action in the enhancement interface and enter sell mode.

## Tips

When using the standard system, it is a well-known strategy when a mercenary is visiting Gloomhaven for the last time in order to retire to sell all of their gear to buy enhancements before retiring, since their gear will return to the supply anyway but the enhancement will persist beyond retirement for whoever next plays that class.

In Gloomhaven Digital, it can be advisable to spend all your gold on cheap enhancements whenever you have any to spare since you can always sell the enhancement to regain your gold when you need it for something else, and you presumably will have got some benefit from the enhancement while you had it. Additionally, because there is no opportunity cost wasted in frequently swapping enhancements, it also becomes possible to tailor your enhancements per scenario to a degree. For example, it may be preferable to boost attack cards with +1 enhancements when you know you will be facing enemies with high shield values.  More caution should be exercised using the updated system however, as selling these enhancements will not return the full cost.

## Trivia

The enhancement system was initially a Kickstarter stretch goal during the funding of Gloomhaven, when it was known as ‘enchantment’. This is still reflected in the fact the NPC vendor for enhancements is named ‘Enchantress’.

While the updated variant mostly reduces costs of enhancements compared to Gloomhaven, **IMMOBILIZE** and **DISARM** remain the same while **CURSE** and **STRENGTHEN** actually increase in price. This is likely due to the strength of these conditions to shut down enemy damage when spammed, and also the powerful exploit whereby strengthening yourself on your turn effectively makes it last for two turns. Costs for these are increased in Frosthaven to match or even exceed the updated prices, with **CURSE** as much as doubling in price since Gloomhaven. **DISARM** is not even available as an enhancement anymore.

## Achievement

> *Main article: Achievements* *(Steam)*
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## Further Reading

Isaac Childres announcing Frosthaven's adjustments to the enhancement system: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/frosthaven/frosthaven/posts/3176415

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1897763/official-faq-game-no-rules-questions-please
2. ↑ https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1687146/article/25393279#25393279
3. ↑ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/frosthaven/gloomhaven/posts/1359290