Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion – How to Play as Demolitionist (Character Guide)

Though it should be no surprise given the company’s penchant for innovation, the team behind Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion have made a world that cannot be judged by trope or appearance. The always eerie city of Gloomhaven is populated by creatures that, in any typical fantasy scenario, would be considered monsters. Though there are the requisite humans to grant an access point to incoming players, the city itself is filled with towering, hairy Inox (some of whom enjoy lobbing axes around), oddly mineral-like Orchids, and demonesque Valraths among a host of other odd and unsettling folks. While there are still traditional monsters (finding a kind Vermling is a real challenge), appearances in Gloomhaven always have the chance to be deceiving, and, with winter coming very soon, it is important to figure out which horned, armored creature will have your back.

Fitting this fact to a T is the Quatryl Demolitionist. Lacking the excessively intellectual, graceful, and refined nature typical of her kind, the Demolitionist prefers to storm up to the front, using technology for its most perfect purpose: big old explosions. The melee spacing master puts out the hurt in a big way, making especially good use of the battlefield itself to bolster her attacks and splash damage around in a truly egalitarian way. Her deck has some excellent attack and mobility options, all of which just confirms that it looks (and especially height) can be deceiving. This guide aims to help players get a handle on how to run the explosive expert, going over her playstyle, the perks that amplify her abilities, and where exactly she fits in a multiplayer game experience. Playing the little (literal) firecracker is a joy for those who like to be first in the fight – here’s how to make the most of the skills.

Playing Demolitionist in Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

The Demolitionist is primarily a melee fighter at her base. Though there are a couple of cards that allow for some ranged work (the main abilities of The Big One and Explosive Blitz, both first level cards, have ranges of 2 and 4, respectively), the vast majority of attack and movement abilities rely on getting right in the face of foes. While having a just-ok health pool of 8 and a relatively small 9 card hand requires a bit more precision, the Demolitionist excels in making the most of a round by manipulating the arena itself. Take advantage of the abilities the demolitionist has to clear the arena and do damage at the same time – for example, pairing up the big stun and damage effects gained from the Explode main action with the crazy movement – an obstacle-clearing secondary effect of Crash Protocol will ably clear the field while keeping enemies in place. Additionally, use the various push effects to cluster up enemies for big damage bonuses – several cards grant extra damage or effects for attacking enemies pressed against a wall, and, as one might expect, many of the bomb-based cards are ideal at splashing damage over packed up enemies.

Another strength of the Demolitionist not to be underestimated is the excellent perk chain. The range of deck-manipulating bonuses can help compensate for the limited deck size by narrowing attack modifiers to pretty much the purely positive. It is wise to grab the perks that clear out the -1 cards first – while being able to clear out the +0 cards is tempting, it also makes for a much riskier play style, increasing the chances of both big boosts and big impediments. With proper point allocation, it is possible to be nearly entirely rid of negative attack modifiers in the space of 4 levels, meaning that every hit the Demolitionist throws will be just that little bit harder.

Regardless of team composition, the Demolitionist should prioritize clearing the distance between themselves and the enemies. Using the powerful secondary ability of the Loaded Charge card, for example, will allow the Demolitionist to smash into the enemy, blasting one backward a full two hexes. If playing with a less front-line capable teammate, it is a good idea to use push and stun abilities both to hurt the enemy and to shield allies. Don’t be afraid to clock a few enemies clear away from a squishier friend; the player will have just as much opportunity to get right back into melee as they will to get back into the battle. An ideal pairing for a two-handed game is the Voidwarden, whose support-style abilities mix very well with the more confrontational style of Demolitionist.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is available now.

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