FROSTHAVEN - Boneshaper Guide (Cards, Perks, How to Play)

[@nevets4433]

I hate you have guides out before I have my shipping notification! But seriously keep them coming! I’ll click them now and watch them later

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Lol some I started on like 10 months ago 😅 hope you get yours soon!

[@BurtDavis]

I've only played the Boneshaper twice, and I was nervous of the low hip points and the weakening by summoning ability, but once I followed up with the heals it was surprisingly fun to play. I'm excited to get to the higher levels. Good card explainations. This will help with future card decisions. TY

[@larryh4017]

Thank you for this video! perfectly in-depth, Info given clearly and speedily and I like the fact that because you have the cards on screen i can always hop to a specific topic in the future. Helped me a ton!

[@RageBadgerGaming]

You're very berry welcome! :) Glad I was of assistance!

[@NortyAnimeGirl]

This guide was SO helpful, thank you!!! My group just started up our first Frosthaven campaign and I felt like I was really floundering as Boneshaper :( I also overvalued Exploding Corpse with illusions of grandiose D2 reenactments lol. Now I'm excited to try a skeleton horde build! :D

[@minnaheimola1912]

Just started Frosthaven yesterday and my character is Boneshaper, love to listen to your tips and ideas!

[@dicemonkey]

First, thanks for making these videos. Second, I love that you used the word whelmed. It's a word that doesn't get used enough.

[@iheartcello0]

Every time I think I know who I will play first, you make a guide video that makes me really want to play that character! Boneshaper is looking really appealing, and having a horde of skeletons sounds like a crazy fun time!

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Crazy undead fun time! Glad my guides are granting enthusiasm!

[@catchnineteen]

Thank so you much for doing all the character analysis! Our party is Blinkblade and Bannerspear already so I was trying to decide between Drifter and Boneshaper. Harrower was my favorite character in Gloomhaven so I liked that Boneshaper had a bit of this and bone ball just sounds hilarious. But I think Drifter will support this party better even though Bannerspear could use the Boneshaper summons. Drifter allows me to shake the rust off from not having played in over a year. Keep up the good work!

[@RageBadgerGaming]

I will, thank you for the wonderful comment! Drifter/Boneshaper is FANTASTIC. Drifter can fill so many roles, can absolutely help/support a boneshaper handily :)

[@BrianHazardVideos]

37:55 You had me at Bone Ball.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

lol it's so great

[@e17chris]

Loving the guide, thank you! We just started playing this weekend, and I'm a Boneshaper (with a Blinkblade and a Drifter in the party). Definitely enjoying the class (I'm one of the few who really enjoyed the class that has summons in Gloomhaven) and loving the new Outpost phase, it's connecting us to the story much better than anything did in Gloomhaven. Seen a few of the other Frosthaven videos you have which are great, so I've subscribed.

[@e17chris]

I'm thinking of doing a poison-based build for the Boneshaper, based around the bottom of Putrid Cloud. With a Blinkblade in the party and not having a serious tank, I might consider chucking my skeletons into the face of the enemies, get the enemies poisoned for attacking my skellies (Putrid Cloud bottom) and then our Blinkblade becomes even more effective attacking poisoned enemies, as well as my own Angry Spirits Wraith becoming Attack 2 (because of poison on enemies) Range 3, which is huge for a range summons. Not necessarily an obvious build, but it could work? I admit I've not looked much beyond level 3, so this might not work going through further levels.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

That sounds very viable. Keep in mind the attacks your enemies waste on killing your skeletons means you're taking heat off the blink blade and yourself as well. Putrid cloud build with chucking skeletons to die absolutely works. Also given how many attacks blink blade does, it pays off well! Also welcome aboard! lol, I'm basically Gloomhaven's #1 fangirl so I'll be constantly slapping up more videos on Frosthaven.

[@e17chris]

Thanks! Yes, with Putrid Cloud even if my skeletons don't manage to get a hit off before dying, they're effectively a disarm and poison. If they also manage to get a hit off, bonus!

[@arjunbaweja7755]

also please bleep out the name of that spoiler character

[@SuperPreacherX]

Thanks for a great guide! 👍🙂

[@RageBadgerGaming]

You're so very welcome!

[@derekb6772]

Best guides and this was a year ago?? I just started on the tts mod and this helps sm

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Thank you! Yeah, I'd been working on guides before the release of Frosthaven, it was fun to do! :)

[@arjunbaweja7755]

All i am going to say, if you are going the bone zone, having the bottom on endless numbers + putrid cloud top legit is amazing

[@RageBadgerGaming]

LOVE that combo yesyes

[@arjunbaweja7755]

@@RageBadgerGaming it’s great if you don’t want to immediately burn your card and you went putrid. The lvl 4 cards I don’t like too much so I think going back for putrid is viable. (I do think flesh shield is better overall but it’s worth thinking about)

[@stevenseufert2520]

I'm still most excited to play the Boneshaper just because the iconic/classic necromancer is such a cool class from a flavor perspective. I remember in your last Boneshaper video, you mentioned (possibly in the comments) that the single summon build was perhaps a little bit more viable than the horde build, but I'm really excited at the idea of playing a skeleton swarm necromancer.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Horde builds still very good but I found the chaperbone build to be less prone to Oops moments.

[@arjunbaweja7755]

@@RageBadgerGaming But I want to have the B O N E Z O N E Rage!

[@thebeff]

really loving my Boneshaper so far in the campaign. playing alongside a Geminate & Drifter and the synergy is nice. I find myself sort of playing "backup" a lot, setting up to step in when i need to, and have been surprised by how effectively defensive I can be. the improvement on a summons-based class - not just the summons themselves, but with the abilities and items that work with them - is OUTSTANDING. i hope it scales as I'm currently only at level 3.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

This is so much better than previous summon-based classes, it feels great!

[@pato4everplus]

great guides, i like your content a lot! one question, the bottom of angry spirits, its one use and goes to the discard pile (potentially being able to use it or the top card again) or it stays until the end of the scenario? thanks!

[@RageBadgerGaming]

One use then it falls into the discard! Thank you very much!

[@SK8GEEK1]

When granting summons attacks, does attack1, mean the attacking damage will be 1 and Attack +1 will be their base attack +1 damage?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

If you grant Attack 1 it means attack 1. If you grant attack +X. It means use their default attack modified by X.

[@donnyrides]

Do you have an updated blink blade guide?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

It's recorded. We'll be releasing it soon!

[@alexgrimsley6043]

On Command the Wretched, the top action is a grant, not a control so while still a good action, you don't control the attack.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Grant, page 33 of the Frosthaven rulebook, actually is a new keyword that specifically states if you are targeting a summon you control the actions! This also works if they're an ally (such as escort missions!)

[@alexgrimsley6043]

@@RageBadgerGaming I stand corrected! And I even read this rule earlier today so thanks for clarifying

[@RageBadgerGaming]

@@alexgrimsley6043 No problem, have super good luck with your bones and shaping them!

[@AndrewRipley]

Thanks for the video. I was surprised Dark Tidings was the card that got omitted in the level 1 build with the move 4. I'm curious of the rationale there, but, I gotta say as I reviewed the cards for the first time last night how hard it was to eliminate cards as they all seemed pretty good.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Dark Tidings or Malicious Conversion. Remember use the whole toolkit, but basically use one or the other. If you need the move 4, bring it 100%. This is basically just a "default" hand, not a rigid choice.

[@AndrewRipley]

@@RageBadgerGaming thanks!

[@madskirkthgersen762]

Where is the other starting class guide you made? Discord only?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Should be on my channel! I'll make a new Frosthaven Playlist for next week. Road to Frosthaven has them.

[@madskirkthgersen762]

@@RageBadgerGaming Thanks, Ragy :-) I am bursting from expectations for the game. Is the campaign good so far?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

@@madskirkthgersen762 Incredibly. The story was the part that really surprised me so far.

[@madskirkthgersen762]

@@RageBadgerGaming the story in GH was definately the weakest link. That and night shroud as a class.

[@hammerspace8866]

I am wondering if starting a boneshaper at higher level would you pick different cards? For example if you are going for the big summon build and start at level 5 with the stitched atrocity, the unearthed horror at level 2 is less likely to be played. so then your level 2 pick will be curse+chance of free skeleton vs poison. And I'd think that doing a bit of cursing and having an extra body on the field is probably going to help to keep your stuched atrocity alive more then doing some poison.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

The bottom of Unearthed Horror is also still strong but in general if I was starting at level 5+ yes, but the card naturally gets rotated out so you'll have instances like that anyway. This is also very loose, I don't usually "like" doing builds but if I don't there's always spammed comments "can you uh... do a build for us" so it's largely just a guideline. Short answer - 99% chance I'd do exactly as you prescripted at level 5+ (and especially at level 8+).

[@Takusman]

I see the praise for this class, is my first caster class in frosthaven and I really hate it, very limited, either you fight or die, scenario 4 with a blink blade and a drifter so I am the fluffer

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Oh that's unfortunate! There's plenty of ways to be effective! I hope the video helps!

[@Takusman]

@@RageBadgerGaming thanks i will watch it in more detail, i see there is 2 builds, i am giving another chance since i am lvl 2 and unlocked the more tanky minion

[@jaysonburke6839]

One big problem I see with the cards chosen for the "Single Summoning" build is you have almost no movement cards. Many turns would be spent doing Default Move 2's which I suppose a certain pair of boots may be able to fix.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

I mean with a 12 card class you have to load yourself with several level 1 cards. I always bring at least one Move 4 or the Move 3 + 2 card. It's really not a problem, this was a build I leaned MORE on and have more experience during Frosthaven playtesting.

[@lomiification]

Angry spirits should have had an enhancement slot on the attack for a plus one or a poison. I haven't played much yet, but it seems pretty obvious that she won't make it into fights later on because the single attack is too low

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Depends on the scenario. No shields? Still very useful with improved AMD later.

[@GravenImageRD]

You didn't give thoughts on the rolling heal attack modifier cards. Do you think those are a dead perk, or just lower priority than optimizing damage?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Nah, I prioritize damage. It absolutely has its uses.

[@FrankEGee88]

I believe they're useful in the skeleton horde build where you're getting lots of little attacks in and tapping your life points a lot (more than your long rest and minor heals provide), but I would still prioritize the +0 curse cards over them to add some consistency to your attacks. Removing the negative modifiers really helps solidify your consistent damage output that your summons dish out.

[@sebsavic7763]

❤️. But serious question, do the summons use the boneshaper deck or ally attack deck?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

lol. They use the Boneshaper's modifier deck.

[@benseasly4139]

Love it! I'm going for a kind of hybrid build of just picking cards I like at each level and seeing where it gets me. Maybe I'll be swarmy but maybe I'll get a huge summon out there, who knows??

[@RageBadgerGaming]

SURPRISE BUILD!

[@mattsully5332]

Well. I just retired my boneshaper, and now find I was playing it wrong the whole time. 😓 We always used standard summon rules, I never controlled the moves/attacks my cards granted to my summons. Oh well, I still loved the character. Our party of 4 kept getting jammed up in restricted movement environments, so i went single summon, almost never summoned a skeleton and focused on being a party medic. I used approach oblivion all the time, but maybe we just did better at sticking close to each other. It got even better when upgraded.

[@deverashb.4875]

*singing* We don't talk about Hummers! Seriously, as a future bone shadow, this was a great guide. Fear the endless hordes!

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Glad to help and good luck!

[@fox5s]

Thank you for the breakdown. Not sure if this is a good place to ask but you seem to be answering questions. You mentioned on several cards grant your summons things that you get to control the movement (Flow of the Black River) or attack (Command the Wretched). However, when I read the rules on granting movement or attacks, it seemed to indicate that your summons would follow monster logic rather than let you do what you want them to do. Am I missing something? Loved your video! Thank you for your perspective.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

First off thank you so much! Secondly Grant in a new keyword, I think page 33. Check it out. When you GRANT movement or attack to a player summon, you can control the movement and/or targets. Cheers!

[@fox5s]

​@@RageBadgerGaming Thank you for replying so quickly! I will have to reread those rules to make sure. I'd rather be able to do this as you describe. When I looked at them previously, I thought they made two keywords (Grant and Control) and Granting things to Summons made them behave following monster rules. However, I will triple check because, again, I'd rather be able to control that movement. Not being able to do so would make some cards (Exploding Corpse and Putrid Cloud) nearly impossible to get good effects out of. Thank you again and have a wonderful day!

[@fox5s]

@@RageBadgerGaming Thanks again! I was able to doublecheck the wording and, while it was a bit confusing, you are totally correct.

[@simonrancourt8333]

Thanks for all the amazing content you make! But are you saying you can control the movement of the skeletons? I thought they acted like monsters

[@RageBadgerGaming]

For anything that says GRANT you can control the action. It's a universal rule of the keyword Grant. On their own turns they will, in fact, act all willy nilly.

[@simonrancourt8333]

Thanks for the quick reply! Just found it in the rules. Keep up the good work!!

[@robmccleish9148]

do your summons use the Boneshaper attack deck? or do they use the Allies attack deck?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Your own attack deck.

[@edgerunnerproduction]

On Grave Digging bottom, would you take 1 damage for the ability then 2 damage to do the summon on the card you brought back? Or just 1 damage for the whole action?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

3 damage total.

[@xabulense]

Hi, where can we check the final card's version? Because I noticed that the summon at lvl9 is different from other videos I saw and maybe there are other differences.

[@stevenseufert2520]

There were a few different versions of the class that the creator showed to the public during development of the class, and videos went up as those came out. Check the dates on those other videos. This video should have the final version of the Boneshaper's cards. In one of the Kickstarter updates, the creator put up the final version of each of the starter classes.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

What Steven said. This is the correct version.

[@andreasghazal5026]

i have a question about the summons. which modifier deck do the summons use? the one of the boneshaper or the allies modifier deck?

[@toddman121]

A character’s summons always use that character’s modifier deck. The ally deck is used when a scenario says you have special allies that can make attacks,

[@kevinerskine3299]

For Dark Tidings, if you use Dark, do you get 3 exp if you made 3 attacks?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Nope, you only get the exp once.

[@Asian_Movie_Enthusiast]

I've played 8 scenarios with Boneshaper thus far. I really like the character, but there are some major frustrations in specific scenarios where I cannot avoid getting attacked by multiple enemies on the first turn of the game - which compels me to play earlier initiatives just to protect myself from having to burn cards to damage on Turn 1. I think we did scenario 15 last night and it was nightmare for me, even though my team won the scenario fairly easily. I'm aggressive at burning the top of Malicious Conversion and I have a 100% success rate with that card, but outside of that turn, I felt mostly useless. Do you have any advice for situations like this? Should I simply burn my "damage nullification" cards ASAP (aka bottom of Life in Death)?

[@metriodmario1473]

Dunno if you're still having the problem, but I've been playing a Boneshaper (Skeleton swarm build, lovingly referred to as "The bone zone", or "The lads") for 14 scenarios with a drifter and a geminate, and a couple things I do to keep the heat off of me: Coordination & Positioning: As a boneshaper, you'll have a great understanding of monster AI, whether you do the monsters or not, so use that understanding to coordinate with your party-mates to position them to take on aggro that would've normally focused you (or better, elimanate the ones that're gonna prioritize you to begin with). Addtionally, make sure you're in positions that take more effort for monsters to get to you-monster AI will always choose the laziest path to hitting something. (Sidenote: I find Melee to be the last place I want to be in as Boneshaper. Low health and self-damage is a bad combo for running up and punching, even if you get a free summon off of it. My philosiphy is that if I'm in Melee and A: It's not close to the end of the encounter or B: one more monster close to me is now focused on me, regardless of if my allies have a chance to kill it, we do be malding over whiffs and -2's, something has gone horrificly wrong) Initiative: Two ways to go about this: If given two choices, monsters will focus the higher iniative character to strike, so if you're bunched up against melee monsters, coordinate so that you go after your party members to draw heat off of you. If it's that's not the case (See: Ranged monsters and cluttered rooms where you're sourrounded) Drop a high iniative card like flow of the black river (using bottom) and summon a minion (For this, i'd rec a skeleton). it'll give you a buffer, and if given a choice, monsters prioritize summons. Don't think of ti as losing damage, thing of a situation like that as "Take 2 damage, prevent the next source of damage" each summon can effectively be a non-loss bottom life In Death, further helping you last. Also, personal anecdote: I didn't find Malicous conversion useful. Maybe just my playstyle with Boneshaper, but I found setting up with it hard and risky, and was usually among the first cards I pitched to the long rest gods. I far prefer bone dagger, the bottom is a less risky, non loss version (and a curse, which can be clutch) and the top half is a great "oh shit" button or a finisher for even some particularily tough enemies. Keep that Life in Death bottom for harrowing situations, stay behind your bone wall (Or your massive lad, if you're a single-summon). Hope this helps!

[@Chappykinz]

Something i wasn't clear on, when I grant my summons move and attack,.do I control their movement and control who they attack , or is it governed by summon AI?

[@RageBadgerGaming]

You control everything under a Grant.

[@Chappykinz]

@@RageBadgerGaming that makes the character a lot better than I have realized! Frustrating enough that they default attack the monsters that instantly shield 6 and retaliate. At least my grants can't hit different targets!

[@FrankEGee88]

It's worth noting just how good items are on Boneshaper as well. I'd argue they have the most "powerful" long rest in the game due to having an army surrounding them every time. Most of my campaigns thus far I'm not even sure I've been targeted by an attack yet, and there's a good variety of items that work towards the summons/buffs playstyle. I'm just waiting right now to find a useful helmet with an activate ability that can be abused every rest cycle currently.

[@RageBadgerGaming]

oh 100%, reminds me of another class's long rest. I'd try to deliberately set up long rests with having stuff in safer positions so they would still be alive and dump on enemies during the rest. It's not always optimal but due to her health, dependency on taking damage and long rests having potential bonus actions, I lean on the long rest refreshing items on her!

[@govetenko]

I can't wait to throw my hoard down

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Lemme know when you get 7 bodies on the board. I think that was the reported max. Can technically do more but sounds impossible lol

[@govetenko]

Sounds like i could beat that, but not beat that and also win the scenerio

[@amfdfireinside]

How to disable background music? It’s distracting

[@RageBadgerGaming]

Sorry! I didn't think it was too loud.

[@amfdfireinside]

@@RageBadgerGaming I honestly dont think it adds to your presentation, rather it takes away from it.

[@sleepydrewgre]

Lol, was literally about to ask the same. The loop feels so short since it's repetitive; I'd really recommend finding a different sound or mixing way lower (but, of coarse, it's all based on preference).

[@mudflaps4730]

First of your videos I've seen. Great info, but wish you could just slow your speech down some...ya know, for us oldies out there. :)

[@RageBadgerGaming]

I do have this problem where I talk very quickly, I'm so sorry!

[@tommyg83333333]

SPOILER (but not really) Is anyone else going to talk about why the boneshaper has a gravelly deep masculine voice on the app narration upon retirement?? Really caught me off guard. Some pretty bad production collaboration going on there... 🤯 Either the Foreteller people didn't receive a picture of the boneshaper before recording narration or Isaac forgot to listen to the narration before designing the character. Either way a bit of a mind screw..

[@RageBadgerGaming]

What's wrong with a deep gravelly masculine voice? Maybe that's what they wanted for them!

[@tommyg83333333]

There was nothing wrong with the voice, it actually worked quite well for the character, I was just saying it really caught me off guard after looking at the character art on the character card for so long. The face in no way matched the voice I was hearing on the app narration @@RageBadgerGaming