I just saw this. I was the designer of the base insert, and I was very pleased with how it came out. Additionally, we designed it so that you could sleeve the commonly used cards. There was no way to accommodate sleeves for all of the cards. But, we thought that only a very hard core sleever would want to sleeve all of the cards and that person is likely to go to a third party insert anyway.
My main issues with the base insert are that (1) the dividers of some deck (attacks, etc.) sticks out from the tray, so the material that goes over them kinda ruins them; and (2) by following the given boxing instruction there is no way I'm able to fit all the monsters on top of all the material and still close the box, I had to cram monsters all over the place (like over the tuck boxes). These are issues I already noticed with Jaws of the Lion, and having the divider sticking out of the tray and being ruined kinda make me reluctant to use them (the box not closing well isn't nice, but at least there is no material ruined).
@@mornon2394 I noticed that. To fix this, I saved several of the punch board shards and used them as a lift to keep the cards from being crushed. I also keep the map tiles in an accordion file.
@@matthealey7667 hey i definitely like the original insert lots of good points to it, especially token box. but what happened with space dedicated to items? since it gets tighter at the bottom, even unsleeved cards dont fit straight
This is one of the most incredibly useful review videos for ANYTHING I've ever seen. Amazing job in not just telling but SHOWING exactly what you mean by the pros and cons!
I have to give you some props. You are all really likeable dudes and you give honest options. There are so many channels put there that are just so excited about everything after one play or try because they want more free stuff from that company. I regularly recommend your channel to people. Greetings from Germany. Love ya, guys!
This video is such a step up from the Quackalope version, even if that one is twice as long. The only thing I learned from their video is that these guys really really really do not like building organisers themselves. You did a great job explaining what is important: how well does it help you set-up and play? I was hoping of choosing between these two organisers but was worried about awkward card/token placement which would hinder set-up. And I was right, bases on this video! I think I'll look for a solution that designed after actually obtaining the final game and the designers playing Frosthaven. That or 3D printing which I did from JotL and is awesome!
That quackalope video had so much talking and yet they barely said anything. Bizarre. And then they ended their evaluation with “I’m going with the insert that tells a story”… dude, what? It’s an insert. Play with it and then report back how much it helped/hindered.
@@paulnishikawa long-winded and lacking substance are what most of these "content creators" have become. Talking for 40 minutes about kickstarters, unboxings that ramble about unrelated nonsense, ect.
This is a really wonderful review. Bravo! I built my folded space insert without having played the game. Now that I've got a few games under my belt, the strength of the core insert is apparent.
@@nin_4_me58 That too! Not sure if it can fit back in the box without lid lift, but if that's not a problem then it's definitely better than plastic bags -Daniel
Thank you for this. It just puts other board gaming channels in perspective when they're all just claiming these new organizing solutions (which are ridiculously expensive) are the best shit since sliced bread. Thanks for the effort and the scrutiny you put in actually evaluating these products.
In all fairness, these 3rd party organizing solutions were pretty badass when they first came out. They only became popular because too many games didn't have good organization/storage layouts. Now, companies are learning, and are baking in good storage solutions into the product (and slightly increasing cost to cover it). Just compare Gloomhaven vs Frosthaven. Everyone says Gloomhavens was a nightmare. Now Frosthaven has a solution on par with 3rd party ones. I'd bet that we'll see 3rd party ones drop in popularity and eventually start to go out of business . . . which in turn means game devs will cut costs once they are no longer competing against anyone . . . which in turn will see the rise of 3rd partys again.
Thank you for all the details in the review. I wanted to add a few items. In full disclosure, I am a Gloomhaven vet who used Broken Token, and this time around I went with Laser Ox (Tuck boxes) plus the Folded Space tile box. Here are some items worth noting: 1) some of the fit issues Shelfside mentions for Laser Ox are due to the thicker sleeves he is using (which Shelfside notes). From my testing, it is a bit too tight with Paladin 90 micro sleeves, while reality king or swan 60 micron sleeves work much better. 2) The token tray issue lid not staying on is a build issue. 3) Yes it takes a super long time to build the Laser Ox insert. It took me days (on and off). 4) The complaint about the loot deck for laser ox is spot on. It is manageable (imo), but it could be a bit better. 5) If you do Laser Ox, get the tuck box version to to eliminate all the monster box concerns. The monster are organized mostly alphabetical in the tuck version. 6) I too see no reason for the Folded Space insert to exist. The included insert looks better. 7) The folded space tile holder does give depth for each slot (that standard accordion folders would not have), so I do think it is solid. 8) I agree with Shelfside that you only need to sleeve the shuffled decks (and the player action card IMO). SUMMARY) Overall, I'm very happy with my solution, but it is more expensive and does take awhile to build at the beginning. However, I can pretty much guarantee my time-to-table will be much faster than the default organizer and baggies (especially with the alphabetical tuck box organization).
Finally! A review on how the components are actually organized, not just the usual aesthetic or build quality comparison. (Yes, I plan to stick with the default organizer, and perhaps come up with a DIY solution for all the free bags of monsters.)
I really appreciate how detailed and specific you are with this video, but also how honest you are about the little isms of each organizer. I have been researching of the organizers are worth it and most videos don't talk about the bad things that much, if at all. I agree and will be sticking with the default box organization. Only thing that stays outside the box is i have the monsters/bases in their own separate organizer similar to the one you used. You also go over the consequences of sleeving cards, which i definitely do for mine, and the combined with the app reducing the amount of overall cards needed , default just did it better. Thank you
I bought an insert from the company Gaming Trunk - it is the Frost Tavern organizer... I realize the last thing you need is another one of these, but I do think it works well. Expensive, but super well executed - everything fits, stacks nicely, does not damage, etc. I did need to trim four of the separator/label dividers from the base game in order to get them to fit (because item cards are stored vertically...) This review is the first thing I've seen from your channel, and I've since been catching up on your earlier reviews. Great stuff!!
love your flow - speed and the edited videos to support your voiceover. In addition a sharp and to the point analysis. Good job - and thx for making this video.
I was tempted to get one of these organizers even though my copy of frosthaven still hasnt shipped yet. Now, I'm pretty sure I'll just end up either using default, or else designing/3d printing my own solution. great video, very informative.
thanks to this video, I was able to story ALL of Frosthaven in the box with only the default storage system and keep all of my enemies and map pieces sorted. We can do set up and tear down even faster than Gloomhaven and only need to pull out one box as opposed to 3! Thanks Shelfside. Especially for saving me a load of money.
I was looking to buy the Laserox insert on their new kickstarter and exactly like you said, I have some PTSD from organising the original so I didn't want to have to do it all again but it looks like I will. As you were going through both inserts there are many great ideas in both so I'll use them, and the community ideas, to create my own organiser. And I don't think they will make a 2.0 version of the organisers either as people will get upset
Hopefully you're just as impressed as I was by the default insert, cause the organizing was not at all a hassle this time around, totally ptsd free now! -Daniel
Got my Fristhaven KS 2 weeks ago (yea...! In June...) Thank you for this vid! I am, indeed, GH insert post traumatic, and glad to hear that this base insert (with a place for the tiles) is quite good. Thanks!
This review is a step up from most content I see regarding the haven series. Go7 just released their organizer which I immediately ordered based on owning their Gloomhaven and Crimson Scales organizers.
You guys are awesome! Thank you for the in-depth and proper review. I was already questioning some things about quack’s review and this confirmed it. I hope you guys are able to grow and be one of the biggest board game channels out there. Thank you for all the excellent content!
Thanks for putting the summary at the beginning of the video instead of edging me until the end. Also I don’t think not playing Frosthaven is an excuse for some of these design choices, because Gloomhaven is a fairly known quantity and many of these mistakes could have been avoided by just understanding how the game is actually set up.
As someone who has the LaserOx insert, I can say that I'm VERY glad I got the tuckbox version. it makes setup of monsters a breeze, and thinking about having the monsters organized by size makes me cringe. For the loot deck, I agree that having that third slot used for the random scenarios is useless, so you can tuck those cards (in their plastic sheath) somewhere else and have plenty of room to divide the loot into three stacks.
Yea that's what I ended up doing but I bring it up because these are supposed to be designed around sleeving all the cards, which doesn't leave extra space in the card trays if you do that -Daniel
Yes, I will sleeve every single card in Frosthaven, as I did in Gloomhaven. Setting up Laserox insert, sleeving every card (even locked characters, but not sealed envelopes) and organising it for first game took me 6 days, about 4 hours a day.
Loved the video! I started building the folded space organizer because it came with our kickstarter rewards, and I immediately clocked that separating monster initiative, monster standees, and monster action cards would make setup and teardown a headache. I looked up reviews to see what to expect from it, and you pointing out other downsides convinced me that I'm probably better off just using the default insert lol. Apps are pretty solid these days so I'm just gonna remove the monster cards and initiative markers.
I'm 100% in agreement w/ you. The organizer that comes in the game was well designed and works very well. I can't say how happy I was to see the token organizer with those snug lids!
Just found you by random. Great video. Glad I decided not to get an insert. Your communication style, honesty/bluntness, and dry humor are fantastic and you have a new subscriber. Looking forward to checking out your other content.
I’m hoping Smonex will come up with an insert for Frosthaven. I have their Gloomhaven version and really love it but I do use an cheap accordion file for map tiles which is the best thing money can buy to get scenarios tabled fast. Great vid by the way!
I'm in strong agreement with the base game insert being the best for consolidation, but I do recommend the accordion folder, which I backed in Kickstarter. The game arrived yesterday, and I spent most of it getting things organized. Having the monster cards and initiative tracker in the same baggie is likely the fastest way for setting up. I also used a sharpie to write the name so it's easier to see in the box. Consequently, the lid is flush, and there is tons of room for pencils, a second rule book (if or when available), etc. I'll sell the foam insert to offset the costs. I suspect Broken Token would have gotten it right.... let's not go down that rabbit hole. Great reviews!
So as a backer of Frosthaven (no I have yet to get my copy) I went with the tier that came with an insert because I remember the horror that was Gloomhaven and thought "JOTL was good but that was aimed at more casual board gamers, there's no way they'll make an insert that good for FH" And I'm glad to see that I was wrong. Since I went with the Folded Space one, which also comes with the Map Tile folder, I'll probably end up using that along with the insert the base game comes with. That or just never tear down Frosthaven...
Brutally honest review. Don't get me wrong I got some organizers from Folded Space (FFG LCG's and Lost Ruins of Arnak), but for Gloomhaven, the BEST and cheapest organiser is an accordion folder and 2-3 Plano boxes. If you want to go to the next level, you can throw a business card organizer into the mix for the item shop. Basically between 30-50$ and you can reuse in the future for any other games.
Yea i love seeing the item cards all laid out in a binder! I'm just personally too lazy getting that done since i'm really satisfied with the divider cards -Daniel
I really loved the Folded Space organizer for Gloomhaven, so I was kind of happy when they decided to replace the Broken Token version in the Kickstarter with Folded Space. It's a shame that it seems like a big step down - particularly for the monsters. The Gloomhaven version had separate compartments for each type of standee, which it seems like this one does not.
You sir, are a God among men! And your voice is nice too... I'm very impressed with the base organizer, it rivals my Plano boxes and foam core solution for Gloomhaven!
The best organizer for Frosthaven is a "Coffee table with a lift table feature" with storage space, where you can securely store the game in an unpacked state without any extra organizers (the ones coming with the game are good enough) on a wooden board and when you want to play a session you put the wooden board on the lift table next to your gaming table as a side table (not a real gaming table, no one needs those). The storage space of the Coffee table should be 43cm length; 50cm width; 11cm height or more. You don't need the height of the Frosthaven box, because you store the components over a larger area less on top of each other. If the Coffee table has additional drawers, they would be ideal to store unlock able content. I would buy a "Coffee table with a lift table feature" that can also be used to put a laptop or food in a more comfortable position while sitting on a couch. The lift functionality doesn't have to reach the full height of the gaming table, because it is more a side table for the "Game Master". Trays that everybody needs should be put on the gaming table anyway. But for the Campaign Step a lot of stuff is less often needed to be in arms lengths of everyone in the gaming group.
Woah what the heck my dividers don't bend at all! I had the buildings divider bend, but then i noticed i accidentally put it in the wrong slot and it's now no longer an issue. -Daniel
@@Shelfside weird. Yea I’ve seen on the bottom tray, many people talk about how the card dividers are taller than the tray, which causes them to bend. I think on the Rhado channel he talks about it too.
@@KMReviews Just got back from looking at my box, I think it's because the class envelopes are slightly shorter than the two L trays stacked, but I stored some unlocked envelopes, the element board, and secret book thingy on top of them, which is probably why im not getting this issue -Daniel
Fantastic video. I ended up getting the Folded Space organizers (map and insert). After watching your video I think I will just use the default insert that comes in the box and possibly FS map organizer... It is a shame products like these, which are supposed to be better than the default stuff you get, do not fulfill their purpose well
Very nice review based on actual play, thanks! It answered my questions about the LaserOx organizer. I didn't have the issue you had with lids not fitting; I suspect that's a matter of not getting the side walls flush when assembling. They have really tight fits on the slots (tighter than the BT inserts I've tried) presumably in an attempt to make glue optional. But as a result a mallet is not optional when assembling it.
I was thinking they probably weren't aligned but I've tried hammering them in as much as I could and still couldn't get the lids to be smooth so that's why I brought it up cause i don't think it's purely user error since quackalope's video mentioned the same thing with the monster box being really tight -Daniel
You guys are the best boardgame channel out there. Glad I ultimately decided to not purchase a third party insert. Really appreciate seeing this after that decision and feeling solid in my decision.
I'm plesently surprised by how much the built in organiser is a step up over Gloomhaven. Having played our first game on the weekend, some additional organisation is still gonna be necessary for sure. I'm thinking an accordion folder for the map tiles (I might get the custom one just because I dislike how the generic one looks on my shelf beside Gloomhaven), some planos for the overlay tiles, and probably the laserox tuckboxes. I'm a bit conserned that the insert with the majority of the cards might not survive being lifted in and out of the box every session long term but that's a problem for the future. For Gloomhaven I put together a card folio for the shop which was really nice so maybe I'll return to that too.
Thank you very much for the break down of what is really bad with these products (and what is good). I mean I wasn't going to get one of these cos they provide storage space for things I will genuinely never use, due to using an app. So I have known that I'll probably have to discover my own storage solution. Personally I would much rather use something like a plano box for the monster standees and the overlay tiles (makes it so much easier to find things). As for the cards the game's insert with its separators seem like they will do a really job for about as long as the plastic holds up (friend of mine already has their card trays breaking and they haven't even played the game yet), so I will no doubt ultimately sort out some sort of organiser for those too. There is no way I'd ever store the map tiles in anything other than an accordion folder, those just make finding the needed tiles so much easier and faster. At least I can take my time while trying to find and set-up my storage solution, cos I will be playing someone else's copy initially.
I've read a few comments about the base insert bending/tearing but that hasn't happened to me even after 20 something scenarios back when I was using it before switching to my current mishmash of laserox/folded space trays. Might just be randomly thinned or damaged from production/shipping, or if you aggressively lift it only by the edges (which isn't even a good grip dunno why you wouldn't just hold near the center) -Daniel
This review was hot fire! Seriously I was likely going to pick up one of the inserts but holy heck sounds like wait a few months until some mad lad BGG user gives a best layout plano box idea, etc etc. Also got a greater vibe of the base insert from watching, ...I don't even want to open my game (just arrived today) until I figure out my organization plan.
I had gotten screwed out of the wood organizer I originally paid for in the Kickstarter and got defaulted to the Folded Space one - which I didn't want so I got a refund on the organizer. After seeing this video - I think it turned out to be a good thing I didn't get either organizer. I bought an STL file that is really well done and accommodates sleeved cards so no issues about everything fitting. Sure it takes time to print but in the end it is; 1) cheaper. 2) lighter than wood. 3) no assembly. 4) well organized. 5) it all fits quite well.
they probably didn't have enough time for proper testing since they were available to ship same time as the game ? For me the only cards that I would even sleeve are the ones that get shuffled and held all the time
Whenever Broken Token releases theirs, will you be doing a video on that one as well? Just curious. And thanks by the way. Very informative video. Really appreciate it.
Good idea. A review of Broken Token would be very helpful indeed. I'm probably going to start playing Frosthaven in the next few months, so I still have some time to figure out organization.
GH and FH newbie here. What sleeves do you use and if I use the base game insert to store everything, does it fit the sleeved cards well? Any guidance would be hugely appreciated I own both games and really want to sleeve and organize them well!
I use arcane tinmen's small board game sleeves for the euro sized cards, and I don't sleeve any of the standard sized cards since they're so rarely shuffled. If you sleeve only the cards that are commonly shuffled the Frosthaven base insert has enough space to store it all just fine. Gloomhaven's organization is dogshit though so you gotta either come up with your own solution or just go 3rd party custom insert. -Daniel
I just got the laser ox insert put together. It took me multiple hours over multiple days to put together, glad it wasn’t just me. It wasn’t the most unenjoyable thing ever, but it did take a lot of time. I was wondering how all this would work for set up and take down, but I plan on using the app anyways so I think I’ll be ok. Overall, I think you are spot on here, I’d have probably been just fine with the base insert and the lucky duck app.
Those are spindown dice where the numbers are arranged to be sequential, making it much easier to track things that normally use number tokens like damage/objectives -Daniel
I ended up with the foam set up. Its not worth it and the makers should feel bad. During game play you are passing around them because of how things are organized. Then as you pass them around they fall apart. Sadly I tossed my original stuff to fit it all in. So now I'm stuck buying a better organizer off of etsy to replace it.
Mostly the card trays and the monster box. If you have the Monster Tuck box that one actually looks really fast to setup/teardown, but the monster box is all over the place and it's better to just do plastic bag grouping. I'd sort the cards by stuff that gets used at a given time, like grouping the summer events in a bag, then the winter in a different one, having the loot deck in the same bag as battle goals but with a divider between them, etc. Basically just group stuff that's actually going to be used with each other during combat or if it's outpost phase so you only need to grab the right bag for the right phase instead of a huge wooden tray with tons of cards all at once. Also, the monster box I've found works better if you use a companion app cause then you can throw out all the monster ability cards and initiative tiles, which frees up more space for you to organize it as you see fit, but I wouldn't say it's more effective than a good plano box by any means -Daniel
I was asking my friends who have wooden inserts and they were shocked I had to do all this exacto knife glue cutting. They said they had different brands I don't remember the names of that literally had the wood punchboard bits falling out the frames, plus they were easy to press fit together and scarcely, if ever, needed glue -Daniel
@@Shelfside I bought Gaming Trunk organizer for Gloomhaven. It also requires no glue and I just used a rubber mallet for tight connections. At the time it was one of the least expensive on the market and one of the best. The only thing I needed to add was the file folder for map tiles.
@@nin_4_me58 Most likely not lol, there's still the unfettered and lurker arcs, and im gonna guess there's like a 4th arc that's the true endgame, plus holiday time with friends/family b a thing -Daniel
Really great coverage! You spent multiple days on this XD we spent 9 hours with 3 people on ours and were equality as "done" and ready to move on! Next time I will just let people know you are doing one XD . . . I would have rather been playing!
I too, would have rather been playing instead of constantly setting up scenarios to test these out, which made me want to play really badly hahaha -Daniel
Good thing I'm designing my own inserts so I can decide what comes where and how much space it gets. Oh, and also I won't buy Frosthaven anyway so that's no issue as well. Thanks for your honest review guys, good thing to have not only YT channels that praise everything that's new and expensive. I hope your channel grows without you guys leaving that path.
Too bad they did not know about/talk about the default organisation solution or that there is one when the campaign was live. Otherwise I would have backed, but the thought of having to buy an expensive af insert on top or live with something like the organisation nightmare that is Gloomhaven made me reconsider. Now that I know about the insert they raised the price way above what I am willing to pay for a game with standees. Yes, it's a shitload of content, but it's probably more content than I am going to play and I'd rather have better components for a price like this or a lower price. And for the insane MSRP of 400 €, you could honestly expect to get both minis and a shitload of content, not either - or. If they would've been clear about the plan to have a real functional insert in the base game, I would own Frosthaven now. Because they didn't, I probably never will.
Feelsbadman, yeah I backed it some months before we got buddy buddy with Cephalofair, and I was just fully expecting to have to go do the Gloomhaven hassle of buying planos doing all the organizing myself, so I'm super relieved I didn't have to relive that with Frosthaven. Sucks that they didn't mention the default organizer until like Kickstarter update 90. -Daniel
@@Shelfside They did say they intended to provide a better in-box organiser during the campaign itself because that was why I didn't add on for the wood, though it would have been nice to have known more about it than that absolute minimum of its existence. If I'd known they were going to go for monster baggies, I'd probably have backed the wooden insert (with reservations). As it is, I'm going to wait for it to get here and then see what 3rd party inserts are available before committing.
I would suggest that anyone interested in the foam storage solution/Folded Space, watch the Dice Tower/Tom Vassels review of this. Because this is literally the worst review of a product I have ever read in my life. That may sound like an exaggeration... It isn't! To be transparent, I went all in on Frosthaven and chose the Folded Space, which I have assembled and use... But just take a step back and listen to these criticisms... 1. Instead of buying this cool Map organization tool, with "Frosthaven" art all over it... Save money and buy a cheaper solution that looks like a brown bag! Maybe I should stop painting minis? Maybe art isn't important at all??!?! In fact. Maybe I should PROXY 100% of every game. Why would I buy magic cards when I can just proxy all the lands?!?! PROXY EVERYTHING!!! BROWN PAPER BAG FOR THE WIN!!!! 2. He says the included storage solution is better. Yeah?!?! Really?!?! Go find an unboxing of this game and be fascinated by the HUGE stack of mini ziplock bags. No... Just no... I took one look at those bags during my unboxing and said, nope. If you want to open and close 500 zip lock bags to play this game, go right ahead. But if you focus on one of his token complaints where he complains about finding the right letters and numbers... Compare that to his solution. He suggests you go through and open zip lock bags for all of this stuff.. F THAT!!!! The art with of the Folded Space solution is freaking awesome. If you'd rather pass around mini ziplock bags, go ahead, I've moved on from that, I'm done... Ziplock bags are not faster, not more efficient, and completely suck compared to ANY solution.
I'm baffled at how both of these (third-party) insert solutions are such dumb-fuck designs, have so many flaws, and NONE of them hold the 3 things a monster have, into one (Stats sheet, A.I. Cards and Standees). To pick up a monster you'd always have to pick 2 or 3 things from 2 or 3 differente places and that's just way too dumb. They get paid to make these things and they can't come up with the most obvious solution that we managed to make ourselfs with custom foamcore. I hate to brag, but if I'm being honest, my custom foamboard inserts put these to shame and are probably twice faster to setup a game than these could ever do.
In Frosthaven, monsters have four things. In general, there's a trade-off between storing things more efficiently by space taken up and storing them more efficiently by usage. Personally, I'm okay with monster stat and ability cards being stored more space-efficiently since grabbing them is a once-per-scenario cost.
I just saw this. I was the designer of the base insert, and I was very pleased with how it came out. Additionally, we designed it so that you could sleeve the commonly used cards. There was no way to accommodate sleeves for all of the cards. But, we thought that only a very hard core sleever would want to sleeve all of the cards and that person is likely to go to a third party insert anyway.
Do you have a recommendation for which cards are best to sleeve to fit? Thank you!
Well done with the design!
My main issues with the base insert are that (1) the dividers of some deck (attacks, etc.) sticks out from the tray, so the material that goes over them kinda ruins them; and (2) by following the given boxing instruction there is no way I'm able to fit all the monsters on top of all the material and still close the box, I had to cram monsters all over the place (like over the tuck boxes). These are issues I already noticed with Jaws of the Lion, and having the divider sticking out of the tray and being ruined kinda make me reluctant to use them (the box not closing well isn't nice, but at least there is no material ruined).
@@mornon2394 I noticed that. To fix this, I saved several of the punch board shards and used them as a lift to keep the cards from being crushed.
I also keep the map tiles in an accordion file.
@@matthealey7667 hey i definitely like the original insert lots of good points to it, especially token box. but what happened with space dedicated to items? since it gets tighter at the bottom, even unsleeved cards dont fit straight
This is one of the most incredibly useful review videos for ANYTHING I've ever seen. Amazing job in not just telling but SHOWING exactly what you mean by the pros and cons!
Glad it was helpful!
I have to give you some props. You are all really likeable dudes and you give honest options. There are so many channels put there that are just so excited about everything after one play or try because they want more free stuff from that company. I regularly recommend your channel to people. Greetings from Germany. Love ya, guys!
Totally agree, they are not afraid to speaking their mind! Greetings from Germany also from me :)
This video is such a step up from the Quackalope version, even if that one is twice as long. The only thing I learned from their video is that these guys really really really do not like building organisers themselves. You did a great job explaining what is important: how well does it help you set-up and play? I was hoping of choosing between these two organisers but was worried about awkward card/token placement which would hinder set-up. And I was right, bases on this video! I think I'll look for a solution that designed after actually obtaining the final game and the designers playing Frosthaven. That or 3D printing which I did from JotL and is awesome!
That quackalope video had so much talking and yet they barely said anything. Bizarre. And then they ended their evaluation with “I’m going with the insert that tells a story”… dude, what? It’s an insert. Play with it and then report back how much it helped/hindered.
@@kylesmorgabord5592 Quackalope has made that an art form. I really can't watch his videos anymore.
@@paulnishikawa long-winded and lacking substance are what most of these "content creators" have become. Talking for 40 minutes about kickstarters, unboxings that ramble about unrelated nonsense, ect.
@@kylesmorgabord5592 Talking a lot but saying very little sums up Quakalope perfectly.
@@kylesmorgabord5592 Hackalope
The dedication of packing and organizing this game at least three times just for a video. You guys are the gods or board game UA-cam!
This is a really wonderful review. Bravo! I built my folded space insert without having played the game. Now that I've got a few games under my belt, the strength of the core insert is apparent.
The default organizer IS SO GOOD! I only wanted a solution for the monsters and map tiles.
Exactly! Accordion Folder then group the monsters via bigger plastic bags, and done!
-Daniel
Planos for the win!
@@nin_4_me58 That too! Not sure if it can fit back in the box without lid lift, but if that's not a problem then it's definitely better than plastic bags
-Daniel
Thank you for this.
It just puts other board gaming channels in perspective when they're all just claiming these new organizing solutions (which are ridiculously expensive) are the best shit since sliced bread.
Thanks for the effort and the scrutiny you put in actually evaluating these products.
In all fairness, these 3rd party organizing solutions were pretty badass when they first came out. They only became popular because too many games didn't have good organization/storage layouts. Now, companies are learning, and are baking in good storage solutions into the product (and slightly increasing cost to cover it). Just compare Gloomhaven vs Frosthaven. Everyone says Gloomhavens was a nightmare. Now Frosthaven has a solution on par with 3rd party ones.
I'd bet that we'll see 3rd party ones drop in popularity and eventually start to go out of business . . . which in turn means game devs will cut costs once they are no longer competing against anyone . . . which in turn will see the rise of 3rd partys again.
Thank you for all the details in the review. I wanted to add a few items. In full disclosure, I am a Gloomhaven vet who used Broken Token, and this time around I went with Laser Ox (Tuck boxes) plus the Folded Space tile box. Here are some items worth noting: 1) some of the fit issues Shelfside mentions for Laser Ox are due to the thicker sleeves he is using (which Shelfside notes). From my testing, it is a bit too tight with Paladin 90 micro sleeves, while reality king or swan 60 micron sleeves work much better. 2) The token tray issue lid not staying on is a build issue. 3) Yes it takes a super long time to build the Laser Ox insert. It took me days (on and off). 4) The complaint about the loot deck for laser ox is spot on. It is manageable (imo), but it could be a bit better. 5) If you do Laser Ox, get the tuck box version to to eliminate all the monster box concerns. The monster are organized mostly alphabetical in the tuck version. 6) I too see no reason for the Folded Space insert to exist. The included insert looks better. 7) The folded space tile holder does give depth for each slot (that standard accordion folders would not have), so I do think it is solid. 8) I agree with Shelfside that you only need to sleeve the shuffled decks (and the player action card IMO). SUMMARY) Overall, I'm very happy with my solution, but it is more expensive and does take awhile to build at the beginning. However, I can pretty much guarantee my time-to-table will be much faster than the default organizer and baggies (especially with the alphabetical tuck box organization).
Finally! A review on how the components are actually organized, not just the usual aesthetic or build quality comparison. (Yes, I plan to stick with the default organizer, and perhaps come up with a DIY solution for all the free bags of monsters.)
I really appreciate how detailed and specific you are with this video, but also how honest you are about the little isms of each organizer. I have been researching of the organizers are worth it and most videos don't talk about the bad things that much, if at all. I agree and will be sticking with the default box organization. Only thing that stays outside the box is i have the monsters/bases in their own separate organizer similar to the one you used. You also go over the consequences of sleeving cards, which i definitely do for mine, and the combined with the app reducing the amount of overall cards needed , default just did it better. Thank you
I bought an insert from the company Gaming Trunk - it is the Frost Tavern organizer... I realize the last thing you need is another one of these, but I do think it works well. Expensive, but super well executed - everything fits, stacks nicely, does not damage, etc. I did need to trim four of the separator/label dividers from the base game in order to get them to fit (because item cards are stored vertically...) This review is the first thing I've seen from your channel, and I've since been catching up on your earlier reviews. Great stuff!!
Dang, this is a nicely done video! It was hard for us to decided between the two, so seeing this was great!
love your flow - speed and the edited videos to support your voiceover. In addition a sharp and to the point analysis. Good job - and thx for making this video.
I appreciate you answered the question in the title so quickly. Thanks! I’ll be watching more of your videos.
I was tempted to get one of these organizers even though my copy of frosthaven still hasnt shipped yet. Now, I'm pretty sure I'll just end up either using default, or else designing/3d printing my own solution. great video, very informative.
You just saved me a mini fortune with this review, thank you!
thanks to this video, I was able to story ALL of Frosthaven in the box with only the default storage system and keep all of my enemies and map pieces sorted. We can do set up and tear down even faster than Gloomhaven and only need to pull out one box as opposed to 3! Thanks Shelfside. Especially for saving me a load of money.
Great to hear!
I was looking to buy the Laserox insert on their new kickstarter and exactly like you said, I have some PTSD from organising the original so I didn't want to have to do it all again but it looks like I will. As you were going through both inserts there are many great ideas in both so I'll use them, and the community ideas, to create my own organiser.
And I don't think they will make a 2.0 version of the organisers either as people will get upset
It might be worth following towerrex for when they release one, I usually get inserts from them
Hopefully you're just as impressed as I was by the default insert, cause the organizing was not at all a hassle this time around, totally ptsd free now!
-Daniel
Got my Fristhaven KS 2 weeks ago (yea...! In June...)
Thank you for this vid!
I am, indeed, GH insert post traumatic, and glad to hear that this base insert (with a place for the tiles) is quite good.
Thanks!
man this is such a well rounded, informative review - great job!
Glad it helped!
This review is a step up from most content I see regarding the haven series. Go7 just released their organizer which I immediately ordered based on owning their Gloomhaven and Crimson Scales organizers.
You guys are awesome! Thank you for the in-depth and proper review. I was already questioning some things about quack’s review and this confirmed it. I hope you guys are able to grow and be one of the biggest board game channels out there. Thank you for all the excellent content!
Quack's review was lackluster and wasn't even practical because it boiled down to "I pay someone else to build it for me so I can use pretty thing"
I have no intentions of buying Frosthaven, but I am such a nerd, I watched this entire video. I also enjoy your insightful and somewhat ranty videos.
Thank you for the honest review.
Thanks for putting the summary at the beginning of the video instead of edging me until the end. Also I don’t think not playing Frosthaven is an excuse for some of these design choices, because Gloomhaven is a fairly known quantity and many of these mistakes could have been avoided by just understanding how the game is actually set up.
As someone who has the LaserOx insert, I can say that I'm VERY glad I got the tuckbox version. it makes setup of monsters a breeze, and thinking about having the monsters organized by size makes me cringe.
For the loot deck, I agree that having that third slot used for the random scenarios is useless, so you can tuck those cards (in their plastic sheath) somewhere else and have plenty of room to divide the loot into three stacks.
Yea that's what I ended up doing but I bring it up because these are supposed to be designed around sleeving all the cards, which doesn't leave extra space in the card trays if you do that
-Daniel
Yes, I will sleeve every single card in Frosthaven, as I did in Gloomhaven. Setting up Laserox insert, sleeving every card (even locked characters, but not sealed envelopes) and organising it for first game took me 6 days, about 4 hours a day.
Loved the video! I started building the folded space organizer because it came with our kickstarter rewards, and I immediately clocked that separating monster initiative, monster standees, and monster action cards would make setup and teardown a headache. I looked up reviews to see what to expect from it, and you pointing out other downsides convinced me that I'm probably better off just using the default insert lol.
Apps are pretty solid these days so I'm just gonna remove the monster cards and initiative markers.
I'm 100% in agreement w/ you. The organizer that comes in the game was well designed and works very well. I can't say how happy I was to see the token organizer with those snug lids!
Just found you by random. Great video. Glad I decided not to get an insert. Your communication style, honesty/bluntness, and dry humor are fantastic and you have a new subscriber. Looking forward to checking out your other content.
Awesome! Thank you!
The accordion file for the maps tiles is great. Other than that, the base organizer seems to be fine.
Rapidly becoming my favourite boardgame channel! keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I’m hoping Smonex will come up with an insert for Frosthaven. I have their Gloomhaven version and really love it but I do use an cheap accordion file for map tiles which is the best thing money can buy to get scenarios tabled fast. Great vid by the way!
I'm in strong agreement with the base game insert being the best for consolidation, but I do recommend the accordion folder, which I backed in Kickstarter. The game arrived yesterday, and I spent most of it getting things organized. Having the monster cards and initiative tracker in the same baggie is likely the fastest way for setting up. I also used a sharpie to write the name so it's easier to see in the box. Consequently, the lid is flush, and there is tons of room for pencils, a second rule book (if or when available), etc. I'll sell the foam insert to offset the costs. I suspect Broken Token would have gotten it right.... let's not go down that rabbit hole. Great reviews!
So as a backer of Frosthaven (no I have yet to get my copy) I went with the tier that came with an insert because I remember the horror that was Gloomhaven and thought "JOTL was good but that was aimed at more casual board gamers, there's no way they'll make an insert that good for FH" And I'm glad to see that I was wrong.
Since I went with the Folded Space one, which also comes with the Map Tile folder, I'll probably end up using that along with the insert the base game comes with. That or just never tear down Frosthaven...
Brutally honest review. Don't get me wrong I got some organizers from Folded Space (FFG LCG's and Lost Ruins of Arnak), but for Gloomhaven, the BEST and cheapest organiser is an accordion folder and 2-3 Plano boxes. If you want to go to the next level, you can throw a business card organizer into the mix for the item shop. Basically between 30-50$ and you can reuse in the future for any other games.
Yea i love seeing the item cards all laid out in a binder! I'm just personally too lazy getting that done since i'm really satisfied with the divider cards
-Daniel
I really loved the Folded Space organizer for Gloomhaven, so I was kind of happy when they decided to replace the Broken Token version in the Kickstarter with Folded Space. It's a shame that it seems like a big step down - particularly for the monsters. The Gloomhaven version had separate compartments for each type of standee, which it seems like this one does not.
You just saved me money. Thank you.
Holyshit great content review, and amazing humor lol. I love the tone
ty very much for your amazing video! Saved me a lot of money and time :) THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for this video, by far the best review of Frosthaven inserts out there. Subscribed ! :)
I got the tuck box version of lazer ox box. Vastly the best monster organization out of all 4 options by far
Not gonna lie, I enjoy organizing my games more then playing them.
You sir, are a God among men! And your voice is nice too... I'm very impressed with the base organizer, it rivals my Plano boxes and foam core solution for Gloomhaven!
SUPER helpful man - thanks so much!
You bet!
The best organizer for Frosthaven is a "Coffee table with a lift table feature" with storage space, where you can securely store the game in an unpacked state without any extra organizers (the ones coming with the game are good enough) on a wooden board and when you want to play a session you put the wooden board on the lift table next to your gaming table as a side table (not a real gaming table, no one needs those). The storage space of the Coffee table should be 43cm length; 50cm width; 11cm height or more. You don't need the height of the Frosthaven box, because you store the components over a larger area less on top of each other. If the Coffee table has additional drawers, they would be ideal to store unlock able content. I would buy a "Coffee table with a lift table feature" that can also be used to put a laptop or food in a more comfortable position while sitting on a couch. The lift functionality doesn't have to reach the full height of the gaming table, because it is more a side table for the "Game Master". Trays that everybody needs should be put on the gaming table anyway. But for the Campaign Step a lot of stuff is less often needed to be in arms lengths of everyone in the gaming group.
To me the biggest issue with the base insert is how the dividers are to tall and get bent
@@LukasGehring89 I agree. But it’s also annoying they couldn’t make it fit lol.
Woah what the heck my dividers don't bend at all! I had the buildings divider bend, but then i noticed i accidentally put it in the wrong slot and it's now no longer an issue.
-Daniel
@@Shelfside weird. Yea I’ve seen on the bottom tray, many people talk about how the card dividers are taller than the tray, which causes them to bend. I think on the Rhado channel he talks about it too.
@@KMReviews Just got back from looking at my box, I think it's because the class envelopes are slightly shorter than the two L trays stacked, but I stored some unlocked envelopes, the element board, and secret book thingy on top of them, which is probably why im not getting this issue
-Daniel
@@Shelfside ahh ok
Fantastic video. I ended up getting the Folded Space organizers (map and insert). After watching your video I think I will just use the default insert that comes in the box and possibly FS map organizer...
It is a shame products like these, which are supposed to be better than the default stuff you get, do not fulfill their purpose well
Very nice review based on actual play, thanks! It answered my questions about the LaserOx organizer. I didn't have the issue you had with lids not fitting; I suspect that's a matter of not getting the side walls flush when assembling. They have really tight fits on the slots (tighter than the BT inserts I've tried) presumably in an attempt to make glue optional. But as a result a mallet is not optional when assembling it.
I was thinking they probably weren't aligned but I've tried hammering them in as much as I could and still couldn't get the lids to be smooth so that's why I brought it up cause i don't think it's purely user error since quackalope's video mentioned the same thing with the monster box being really tight
-Daniel
You guys are the best boardgame channel out there. Glad I ultimately decided to not purchase a third party insert. Really appreciate seeing this after that decision and feeling solid in my decision.
I'd imagine better ones will be out there once the game's been out longer
-Daniel
I'm plesently surprised by how much the built in organiser is a step up over Gloomhaven. Having played our first game on the weekend, some additional organisation is still gonna be necessary for sure. I'm thinking an accordion folder for the map tiles (I might get the custom one just because I dislike how the generic one looks on my shelf beside Gloomhaven), some planos for the overlay tiles, and probably the laserox tuckboxes. I'm a bit conserned that the insert with the majority of the cards might not survive being lifted in and out of the box every session long term but that's a problem for the future. For Gloomhaven I put together a card folio for the shop which was really nice so maybe I'll return to that too.
Gaming Trunk is my fav so far.
Thank you very much for the break down of what is really bad with these products (and what is good). I mean I wasn't going to get one of these cos they provide storage space for things I will genuinely never use, due to using an app. So I have known that I'll probably have to discover my own storage solution.
Personally I would much rather use something like a plano box for the monster standees and the overlay tiles (makes it so much easier to find things). As for the cards the game's insert with its separators seem like they will do a really job for about as long as the plastic holds up (friend of mine already has their card trays breaking and they haven't even played the game yet), so I will no doubt ultimately sort out some sort of organiser for those too. There is no way I'd ever store the map tiles in anything other than an accordion folder, those just make finding the needed tiles so much easier and faster. At least I can take my time while trying to find and set-up my storage solution, cos I will be playing someone else's copy initially.
I've read a few comments about the base insert bending/tearing but that hasn't happened to me even after 20 something scenarios back when I was using it before switching to my current mishmash of laserox/folded space trays. Might just be randomly thinned or damaged from production/shipping, or if you aggressively lift it only by the edges (which isn't even a good grip dunno why you wouldn't just hold near the center)
-Daniel
This review was hot fire!
Seriously I was likely going to pick up one of the inserts but holy heck sounds like wait a few months until some mad lad BGG user gives a best layout plano box idea, etc etc.
Also got a greater vibe of the base insert from watching, ...I don't even want to open my game (just arrived today) until I figure out my organization plan.
I should have seen this before I hit the order button :(
Thanks for saving my money.
My laserox condition box lid did not fit at first than I realized I messed up on the assembly now it fits perfectly . 👌
For me it works when i put the lid on upside down lol
-Daniel
@@Shelfside 😆
Damn the default organizer is better than the JotL default organizer. Not bad at all
I had gotten screwed out of the wood organizer I originally paid for in the Kickstarter and got defaulted to the Folded Space one - which I didn't want so I got a refund on the organizer. After seeing this video - I think it turned out to be a good thing I didn't get either organizer. I bought an STL file that is really well done and accommodates sleeved cards so no issues about everything fitting. Sure it takes time to print but in the end it is; 1) cheaper. 2) lighter than wood. 3) no assembly. 4) well organized. 5) it all fits quite well.
The blue part pulls off and its completely clear
Yeah I know, it's just really hard to pull off so I gave up lol
-Daniel
they probably didn't have enough time for proper testing since they were available to ship same time as the game ? For me the only cards that I would even sleeve are the ones that get shuffled and held all the time
You seem to have forgotten to take the protective films off the plastic covers on the Laserox.
Was too lazy cause it's really hard lmao, you gotta dig a while with ur nails to get the edge to lift
-Daniel
Thanks!
No problem!
Did you tested the insert from e-Raptor already? Looks a lot better in the fact to get game ready!
Does anyone have a link to a 16 slot accordion file folder that work work for Frosthaven?
Whenever Broken Token releases theirs, will you be doing a video on that one as well? Just curious.
And thanks by the way. Very informative video. Really appreciate it.
Good idea. A review of Broken Token would be very helpful indeed. I'm probably going to start playing Frosthaven in the next few months, so I still have some time to figure out organization.
Thanks for giving me buyer's remorse for something without having used it first. You jerks. ♥️
Anytime lmao
-Daniel
GH and FH newbie here. What sleeves do you use and if I use the base game insert to store everything, does it fit the sleeved cards well? Any guidance would be hugely appreciated I own both games and really want to sleeve and organize them well!
I use arcane tinmen's small board game sleeves for the euro sized cards, and I don't sleeve any of the standard sized cards since they're so rarely shuffled. If you sleeve only the cards that are commonly shuffled the Frosthaven base insert has enough space to store it all just fine. Gloomhaven's organization is dogshit though so you gotta either come up with your own solution or just go 3rd party custom insert.
-Daniel
I just got the laser ox insert put together. It took me multiple hours over multiple days to put together, glad it wasn’t just me.
It wasn’t the most unenjoyable thing ever, but it did take a lot of time. I was wondering how all this would work for set up and take down, but I plan on using the app anyways so I think I’ll be ok.
Overall, I think you are spot on here, I’d have probably been just fine with the base insert and the lucky duck app.
Why are there blurrs
What do you use the d20's for? Teach me trick!
Those are spindown dice where the numbers are arranged to be sequential, making it much easier to track things that normally use number tokens like damage/objectives
-Daniel
I ended up with the foam set up. Its not worth it and the makers should feel bad. During game play you are passing around them because of how things are organized. Then as you pass them around they fall apart. Sadly I tossed my original stuff to fit it all in. So now I'm stuck buying a better organizer off of etsy to replace it.
What trays would you replace with bags from the laserox organizer?
Mostly the card trays and the monster box. If you have the Monster Tuck box that one actually looks really fast to setup/teardown, but the monster box is all over the place and it's better to just do plastic bag grouping. I'd sort the cards by stuff that gets used at a given time, like grouping the summer events in a bag, then the winter in a different one, having the loot deck in the same bag as battle goals but with a divider between them, etc. Basically just group stuff that's actually going to be used with each other during combat or if it's outpost phase so you only need to grab the right bag for the right phase instead of a huge wooden tray with tons of cards all at once.
Also, the monster box I've found works better if you use a companion app cause then you can throw out all the monster ability cards and initiative tiles, which frees up more space for you to organize it as you see fit, but I wouldn't say it's more effective than a good plano box by any means
-Daniel
@@Shelfside very helpful, thank you for the detailed response!
Looking forward to putting the Laser Ox insert together. I don't sleeve cards, so I am not too worried.
Nice! Just be careful about unsleeved cards falling through the holes on the bottom lmao
-Daniel
I wish more insert companies did it like Tower Rex where it’s wood and snaps together without glue, and actually organized smart.
I was asking my friends who have wooden inserts and they were shocked I had to do all this exacto knife glue cutting. They said they had different brands I don't remember the names of that literally had the wood punchboard bits falling out the frames, plus they were easy to press fit together and scarcely, if ever, needed glue
-Daniel
lol, turns out said brand from my friend was Tower Rex hahaha
-Daniel
@@Shelfside yes haha exactly! Most my games are from tower Rex and their inserts are so easy to put together lol.
@@Shelfside I bought Gaming Trunk organizer for Gloomhaven. It also requires no glue and I just used a rubber mallet for tight connections. At the time it was one of the least expensive on the market and one of the best. The only thing I needed to add was the file folder for map tiles.
How far are in the campaign? Looks like at least two classes unlocked. Yes?
yeah, we're almost done with the algox arc, and currently we're either 17 or 18 scenarios in not sure lol
-Daniel
Whoa! Finish by New Years!
@@nin_4_me58 Most likely not lol, there's still the unfettered and lurker arcs, and im gonna guess there's like a 4th arc that's the true endgame, plus holiday time with friends/family b a thing
-Daniel
Thanks to save me time and money on this two bads organizers. i will buy no one and make my own organisation.
Really great coverage! You spent multiple days on this XD we spent 9 hours with 3 people on ours and were equality as "done" and ready to move on! Next time I will just let people know you are doing one XD . . . I would have rather been playing!
I too, would have rather been playing instead of constantly setting up scenarios to test these out, which made me want to play really badly hahaha
-Daniel
Good thing I'm designing my own inserts so I can decide what comes where and how much space it gets. Oh, and also I won't buy Frosthaven anyway so that's no issue as well.
Thanks for your honest review guys, good thing to have not only YT channels that praise everything that's new and expensive. I hope your channel grows without you guys leaving that path.
Too bad they did not know about/talk about the default organisation solution or that there is one when the campaign was live. Otherwise I would have backed, but the thought of having to buy an expensive af insert on top or live with something like the organisation nightmare that is Gloomhaven made me reconsider. Now that I know about the insert they raised the price way above what I am willing to pay for a game with standees. Yes, it's a shitload of content, but it's probably more content than I am going to play and I'd rather have better components for a price like this or a lower price. And for the insane MSRP of 400 €, you could honestly expect to get both minis and a shitload of content, not either - or.
If they would've been clear about the plan to have a real functional insert in the base game, I would own Frosthaven now. Because they didn't, I probably never will.
Feelsbadman, yeah I backed it some months before we got buddy buddy with Cephalofair, and I was just fully expecting to have to go do the Gloomhaven hassle of buying planos doing all the organizing myself, so I'm super relieved I didn't have to relive that with Frosthaven. Sucks that they didn't mention the default organizer until like Kickstarter update 90.
-Daniel
@@Shelfside They did say they intended to provide a better in-box organiser during the campaign itself because that was why I didn't add on for the wood, though it would have been nice to have known more about it than that absolute minimum of its existence.
If I'd known they were going to go for monster baggies, I'd probably have backed the wooden insert (with reservations). As it is, I'm going to wait for it to get here and then see what 3rd party inserts are available before committing.
wow that folded space one looks awful, no coherency. what a shame i usually love folded space
Harsh, but fair
Savage
Off my meds!
it do be like that sometimes
-Daniel
you should just burn it all
I would suggest that anyone interested in the foam storage solution/Folded Space, watch the Dice Tower/Tom Vassels review of this. Because this is literally the worst review of a product I have ever read in my life. That may sound like an exaggeration... It isn't!
To be transparent, I went all in on Frosthaven and chose the Folded Space, which I have assembled and use... But just take a step back and listen to these criticisms...
1. Instead of buying this cool Map organization tool, with "Frosthaven" art all over it... Save money and buy a cheaper solution that looks like a brown bag! Maybe I should stop painting minis? Maybe art isn't important at all??!?! In fact. Maybe I should PROXY 100% of every game. Why would I buy magic cards when I can just proxy all the lands?!?! PROXY EVERYTHING!!! BROWN PAPER BAG FOR THE WIN!!!!
2. He says the included storage solution is better. Yeah?!?! Really?!?! Go find an unboxing of this game and be fascinated by the HUGE stack of mini ziplock bags. No... Just no... I took one look at those bags during my unboxing and said, nope. If you want to open and close 500 zip lock bags to play this game, go right ahead.
But if you focus on one of his token complaints where he complains about finding the right letters and numbers... Compare that to his solution. He suggests you go through and open zip lock bags for all of this stuff.. F THAT!!!!
The art with of the Folded Space solution is freaking awesome. If you'd rather pass around mini ziplock bags, go ahead, I've moved on from that, I'm done...
Ziplock bags are not faster, not more efficient, and completely suck compared to ANY solution.
I'm baffled at how both of these (third-party) insert solutions are such dumb-fuck designs, have so many flaws, and NONE of them hold the 3 things a monster have, into one (Stats sheet, A.I. Cards and Standees). To pick up a monster you'd always have to pick 2 or 3 things from 2 or 3 differente places and that's just way too dumb. They get paid to make these things and they can't come up with the most obvious solution that we managed to make ourselfs with custom foamcore. I hate to brag, but if I'm being honest, my custom foamboard inserts put these to shame and are probably twice faster to setup a game than these could ever do.
In Frosthaven, monsters have four things.
In general, there's a trade-off between storing things more efficiently by space taken up and storing them more efficiently by usage. Personally, I'm okay with monster stat and ability cards being stored more space-efficiently since grabbing them is a once-per-scenario cost.
I regret not watching this video first and buying the folded space insert directly. I could've used the money for the insert to buy other boardgame 🥲