Gloomhaven's initiative system is the game's deepest mechanical layer. Playing your cards in the right order — generating elements for your later card, burning enemies that would otherwise act before you, timing your rest correctly — is what separates experienced players from beginners.

The initiative numbers on ability cards create a soft turn order that is known to all players before each round. Experienced teams read this information to plan their round sequences. Knowing that the monster initiative 23 means they act before your initiative 28 changes whether you use your fast or slow card first.

For new Gloomhaven players: do not worry about initiative optimization in your first five scenarios. Learn the card powers first. Once you can execute individual turns efficiently, start thinking about initiative order. The game reveals its depth in layers.