Getting started: your first expedition

What should you do before the first mission?

Use the tutorial to learn what the interface asks you to confirm, then inspect each hero’s available actions. Choose a small set of repeatable combinations rather than trying to memorize an entire class. The official new-player material recommends Story difficulty for beginners; lowering difficulty is a sensible learning tool when several systems are new at once. Keep the scenario objective visible. Clearing enemies, protecting a figure and reaching a location can demand very different decisions.

How should you plan each round?

First identify the enemy or objective that can make the next round worse. Next check whether your hero can reach a legal position to contribute. Select actions with a fallback if that enemy dies before your turn. After enemy actions reveal, inspect movement and attack ranges before confirming your own movement. Spend a strong effect when it prevents a dangerous turn or completes an objective; preserve it when ordinary actions already solve the immediate problem.

What should you change after a defeat?

Review the first round where the plan became expensive. Did the party open a room before everybody could act, spend losses without removing danger, or chase loot while an objective deteriorated? Fix that specific decision before changing the whole party. A retry is more useful when you bring a different opening sequence and a reason for it. Keep a brief note of the cards or movement tools you repeatedly wished you had.

Which references should you keep nearby?

Use the class library to understand your party, consult card economy when planning endurance, and open the world map between expeditions.

Sources and version notes

Researched on October 16, 2026 for the digital edition. Strategic recommendations are editorial advice; they are not represented as hands-on testing. Refer to current in-game tooltips when a patch changes an interaction.

• Frosthaven Steam store — Digital: release date, six starters, co-op, outpost and combat overview
• Official Frosthaven announcements and patch notes — Digital: 1.0 features and earlier patch-confirmed names. Historical fixes do not prove current bugs.
• Beneath the Ice #1 – The Road to Frosthaven — Digital: adaptation changes, outpost phase order and Story difficulty
• Official New Player Guide series — Digital: character creation, new-player learning approach
• Cephalofair official Frosthaven FAQ — Tabletop ONLY: class mechanics and rules context; not a claim of exact digital implementation