Conditions Explained in Gloomhaven (What They Do and When They End)

Conditions are one of the most powerful (and most misplayed) mechanics in Gloomhaven. Some conditions completely shut enemies down, others slowly drain health, and a few exist mainly to set up future damage.

This guide explains every condition, in plain language, with:

• what the condition does
• when it takes effect
• when and how it is removed
• common mistakes to avoid

No spoilers, no edge-case overload — just the rules you actually need at the table.

Big Picture: How Conditions Work

• Conditions apply to both players and monsters
• Most conditions last until the affected figure performs a specific action
• Some conditions persist until healed or otherwise removed
• Multiple conditions can affect the same figure at once

Conditions are not damage by default — they change how actions work.

Hard Control Conditions (Turn-Stoppers)

These are the most powerful conditions in the game.

Stun

Effect:

• The affected figure skips its entire turn
• No movement, no attacks, no abilities

Removal:

• Automatically removed after the skipped turn

Key Notes:

• A stunned figure still draws an initiative
• Stun is removed even if the figure never got to act

Common Mistake:
Thinking stun only prevents attacks — it prevents everything.

Disarm

Effect:

• The figure cannot perform attacks
• Movement and non-attack abilities are allowed

Removal:

• Removed after the figure’s turn

Common Mistake:
Disarmed monsters still move toward their focus.

Immobilize

Effect:

• The figure cannot move
• Attacks and other abilities are allowed

Removal:

• Removed after the figure’s turn

Common Mistake:
Immobilize does not prevent push/pull effects.

Damage-Related Conditions

These affect how damage is applied or amplified.

Poison

Effect:

• The affected figure suffers +1 damage from all attacks

Removal:

• Removed when the figure is healed

Key Notes:

• Poison does not deal damage on its own
• Multiple poison applications do not stack
• Healing a poisoned character only removes the poison. The character does not benefit from the heal.

Common Mistake:
Forgetting to remove poison after healing.

Wound

Effect:

• The figure suffers 1 damage at the start of each of its turns

Removal:

• Removed when the figure is healed

Key Notes:

• Damage happens before actions
• Wound can exhaust low-health figures quickly
• Unlike poison wounded players still get the HP increase from a heal when wound is removed.

Common Mistake:
Applying wound damage at end of turn instead of start.

Accuracy & Positioning Conditions

These affect how attacks resolve.

Strengthen

Effect:

• All attacks gain advantage

Removal:

• Removed at the end of the figure’s next turn

Key Notes:

• Applies to every attack that turn
• Extremely strong on multi-attack turns
• Since it is removed at the end of your next turn, strengthening yourself means you are strengthened for two turns.

Muddle

Effect:

• All attacks suffer disadvantage

Removal:

• Removed after the figure’s turn

Common Mistake:
Applying muddle to movement or non-attack abilities — it only affects attacks.

Movement & Targeting Conditions

These change how figures move or choose targets.

Invisible

Effect:

• The figure cannot be targeted by attacks
• Monsters ignore invisible figures for focus

Removal:

• Removed at the end of the figure’s next turn

Key Notes:

• Invisible figures can still be hit by area effects
• Monsters will retarget if their original focus becomes invisible

Common Mistake:
Thinking invisibility lasts until attacked — it lasts until the end of your next turn.

Curse

Effect:

• A curse card is added to the attack modifier deck
• Curse cards cause a Null when drawn

Removal:

• Curse cards are removed after being drawn

Key Notes:

• Curse affects future attacks, not the current one
• Players and monsters have separate modifier decks

Bless

Effect:

• A bless card is added to the attack modifier deck
• Bless cards cause a ×2 when drawn

Removal:

• Bless cards are removed after being drawn

Common Condition Mistakes

• Removing poison or wound at end of turn (they require healing)
• Letting disarmed monsters stand still (they still move)
• Forgetting that immobilize does not prevent forced movement
• Treating invisible figures as valid monster targets
• Letting conditions stack when they shouldn’t

Strategic Takeaways

• Stun > damage in many situations
• Poison + multi-attack is extremely efficient
• Disarm is better than immobilize against ranged enemies
• Strengthen can outperform raw attack bonuses
• Conditions win scenarios, not just damage numbers