The Prism (spoiler name: H.I.V.E.) is widely considered one of the most versatile and adaptable classes in Frosthaven
, capable of switching between tank, ranged DPS, and summon-commander roles mid-scenario. Core Mechanic: Transfer & Modes
The Prism’s unique gameplay revolves around Transferring your consciousness between your robotic summons.
Summon Form: The robot acts as a standard summon with its own health, movement, and attack.
Mode Form: When you Transfer into a summon, it becomes your physical location on the board. You gain the "Mode" bonus listed on the card (e.g., Armored Tank grants +1 Shield but -1 Move).
Healing Loop: Transferring into and out of a summon effectively resets its health, making it a vital survival tool. Primary Build Archetypes
While the Prism is highly flexible, most players lean toward one of two primary strategies:
The Shattered Prism
Jekserah’s fingers trembled as she turned the final page of the Frosthaven Prism Guide. The leather-bound book was older than the city itself, its diagrams flickering with trapped Starlight.
“You’re going to burn out your focus shards,” came a dry voice from the bunk above.
Gloom, the party’s Deathwalker, didn’t look up from sharpening her jagged katar. She’d seen too many Prism pilots try to do everything at once.
“I have to cycle all four forms,” Jekserah whispered, tracing the Form Array. “Tank, Melee, Ranged, Support. The guide says a true Prism master adapts every turn.”
“The guide,” Gloom said, finally closing her weapon with a snap, “is why the last three Prisms are dead.”
Jekserah remembered. Kael, who tried to hold aggro in Tank form while bleeding out. Ssathri, who stayed in Ranged form as a Wind Demon closed to melee. Vorn, who tried to support a party that had already wiped.
She clenched her fist around a cracked focus crystal—her last one. The Prism glaive hummed on her back, its four elemental cores whining in dissonance. They’d found the third node in the Algox tunnels, but a Frost Demon the size of a wagon blocked the way.
“You have a plan?” Gloom asked.
“The guide says…” Jekserah paused. Then she threw the book into the snow.
Outside, the party waited. Bannerscar, the bruised and weary Banner Spear, held his formation. Quatryl, the Blinkblade, vibrated with impatience. And standing apart, the Geminate—half insect, half volcano—clicked its mandibles.
“Prism?” Bannerscar asked. “What’s the call?”
Jekserah planted her glaive. The four crystals spun: Blue (Tank), Red (Melee), Green (Ranged), Yellow (Support). Standard doctrine said choose one per fight.
“Everybody stay fluid,” she said. “I’m going to shatter the sequence.”
She charged.
Round One: Blue crystal flared. She met the Frost Demon’s fist with a shimmering barrier—Reactive Shield. The blow staggered her, but she held. “Focus me!” she yelled.
Round Two: As the Demon reared back, she twisted the glaive. Red crystal. Spectral Javelin—she vaulted onto its arm, drove a burning shard into its shoulder joint. It roared, ice crackling.
Round Three: Green crystal mid-leap. She backflipped, firing Prism Volley—three elemental bolts. Cold, fire, lightning. The Demon’s chest shattered like a frozen lake.
Round Four: Yellow crystal as she landed. Resonant Field—a pulse of energy that mended Bannerscar’s torn shield arm and refilled Quatryl’s speed reserves. The Geminate clicked in surprise.
The Demon lunged one last time. Five health left on Jekserah. No barrier. No escape. frosthaven prism guide
She didn’t look at the guide. She looked at her team.
“Blue to Red to Green to Yellow,” she whispered, and spun the glaive backward. Crystal Cascade—the forbidden technique the guide called “too inefficient.”
All four crystals fired at once. The Demon dissolved into sparkling mist.
Silence.
Then Quatryl laughed. “That was insane.”
Bannerscar gave her a long, exhausted nod. The Geminate offered a dead worm (a high compliment).
Gloom stepped from the shadows, picked the Frosthaven Prism Guide out of the snow, and tossed it back to Jekserah.
“Keep it,” Gloom said. “For kindling.”
Jekserah grinned, cycling her crystals back to Blue. One node down. A whole frozen hell to go.
She had stopped trying to master the Prism. She had become the Prism.
And that, she realized, was the only guide she’d ever need.
The Complete Frosthaven Prism Class Guide The Prism (also known as the Fraction class) is one of Frosthaven’s most complex and rewarding unlockable classes. It operates as a "pet" class on steroids, utilizing multiple small summons to manipulate the board, soak up damage, and eventually deliver massive burst potential. 1. The Core Mechanic: Summons and Swap
Unlike most classes that treat summons as secondary tools, the Prism is its summons. You often start with low personal health but high board presence.
The Hive Mind: You win by managing the positioning of multiple low-HP bots.
The Transfer: Many cards allow you to "jump" your focus or relocate summons, turning the battlefield into a puzzle where you are always in the right place at the right time. 2. Best Build: The Swarm Master
While some players attempt a "Melee Tank" build, the most consistent way to play Prism is the Swarm Master approach, focusing on overwhelming action economy. Key Level 1 Cards
Mechanical Prototype (Top): Your bread and butter. It provides a reliable summon that acts as your primary proxy.
Remote Control (Bottom): Essential for moving your bots into position without burning their own turns.
Transfer of Consciousness: The ultimate "get out of jail free" card, allowing you to swap positions when a bot is about to be destroyed. Essential Perks
Ignore Scenario Effects: Standard for all Frosthaven classes to ensure consistency.
The "Replace +0 with +1 Heal 1" Perk: This provides much-needed sustain for your fragile summons.
Remove Negative Modifiers: Thinning the deck is vital because your bots often perform many small attacks rather than one big one. 3. High-Level Strategy Early Scenario (Setup)
Don’t rush into the fray. Spend the first two rounds summoning your core bots. Use your bottom actions to move them forward while you remain safely in the back. Your goal is to create a "wall" of plastic between the monsters and your allies. Mid Scenario (Value)
Utilize cards with "Target All Adjacent" or multi-target attacks. Because you have multiple summons, you can often trigger these effects from different points on the map in a single turn. Focus on Applying Conditions (Wound and Muddle) to mitigate the damage your summons take. The "Big Turn" (Burst)
Look for opportunities to use your Loss cards that allow all summons to attack. With 3 or 4 bots on the board, a single "All Summons Attack" card can deal 12–20 damage, effectively deleting a boss or an elite mob. 4. Recommended Equipment
Hand Item: Weighted Net or Stun Powder – Anything that adds crowd control to your multi-target attacks. The Prism (spoiler name: H
Body Item: Cloak of Pockets – You need many small items (potions) to keep your bots alive.
Small Items: Healing Potions are mandatory. Also, look for items that grant Bless to maximize your high volume of attacks. 5. Final Verdict
The Prism is a High Complexity class. You will likely feel weak during your first two scenarios as you learn the "tempo" of summoning. However, once you master the art of the swap, you become the most versatile member of any Frosthaven party.
The Prism (spoiler name: H.I.V.E.) is an 11-card, high-complexity (5/5) class in Frosthaven
that revolves around managing various mechanical "Modes" and summons. Unlike traditional summoners, you can "Transfer" your consciousness between your summons, effectively changing your character's position and current abilities on the fly. Core Gameplay Mechanics
Modes & Transfer: You start each scenario in a specific "Mode" (usually a persistent summon). Use "Transfer" actions to swap places with one of your active summons. When you transfer, you remove the summon from the map, teleport your character to that hex, and then place a new summon (your previous mode) back on the map.
Summon Management: While your summons are technically "loss" cards, they are "soft losses." You can use cards like Reassemble to return them from your active area to your discard pile or even rescue one from the loss pile once per rest.
Acting Order: Your summons act first in the order they are placed in your active area, followed by your character. It is critical not to rearrange their order in your active area. Popular Playstyles
Ranged Summoner: Focuses on keeping multiple ranged turrets active and using granted movement or transfers to keep them in range of enemies.
Melee Tank/Brawler: Uses high-HP summons like the Armored Tank to soak damage, often staying close to summons to "tank" for them using specific items.
The Mobility Engine: By chaining "Transfer" and move actions, you can achieve massive mobility, sometimes traveling 11+ hexes in a single turn without loss actions. Recommended Starting Strategies (Level 1)
Turn 1 Setup: A common opener is playing Continuous Health and Crushing Weight to establish your baseline.
Early Combos: Use Coiled Limbs (top) to place the Leaper, then Remote Control (bottom) to move it 6 hexes. On Turn 2, use Faceless Entity at low initiative (12) to swap into it and Launch Pad to throw a tank at an enemy.
Card Swaps: Many players recommend removing Unbreakable (Shield persistent) for Fortitude, which provides a stronger early-game attack. Key Item Recommendations
According to community guides on Reddit, these items significantly boost Prism's effectiveness:
Item 199: Essential for tanking damage on behalf of your summons. Item 122: Provides Shield 2 for a summon when attacked.
Item 148 / Item 45: High-value items for granting Ward to your summons frequently.
Item 94: A Range 5 heal that is perfect for rescuing summons that have wandered too deep into enemy lines.
For a deep dive into specific level-up builds, the H.I.V.E. Wiki on Reddit hosts multiple detailed user-submitted guides.
The Prism (Hive) is one of Frosthaven’s most intricate and adaptable classes, defined by its ability to transfer its consciousness between various mechanical summons. Often described as a "mental challenge," playing the Prism effectively requires balancing your physical location with your active "Mode" to maximize damage, mobility, and survivability. Core Mechanics: Modes & Transfers The Prism’s gameplay revolves around two unique concepts:
Modes: Many of your summon cards act as "Modes" when you transfer into them. While in a mode, you gain persistent bonuses like Shield 1 or Heal 2 every turn.
Transfers: Using "Transfer" icons allows you to move your focus from your current body to a summon on the board. This grants you the summon’s positioning and often triggers powerful "on-transfer" effects.
Soft Losses: Unlike other summoners, the Prism can use cards like Reassemble to move lost summons back into their discard pile, mitigating the stamina drain typical of summon-heavy classes. Top Level-Up Card Choices
The Prism (H.I.V.E.) in Frosthaven is a high-complexity class utilizing a unique Mode and Summon mechanic to switch between tank, ranged, and support roles by inhabiting active summons. Key strategies involve managing summons through "soft losses" like Reassemble, utilizing specific build paths for ranged damage or melee tanking, and focusing on perks that enhance summon mobility and longevity. For a complete guide, visit
(also known as the ) is a complex, high-utility class in Frosthaven
that functions by transferring its consciousness between various mechanical summons (modes) The Shattered Prism Jekserah’s fingers trembled as she
. Unlike standard summoners, your current "mode" is considered your character's physical body, while other summons act independently. Core Gameplay Mechanics Transferring Modes
: You can switch between active summons using "Transfer" abilities. When you transfer, you inherit the current health and conditions of the summon you move into. Summon Management
: Summons take their turns immediately before yours in the order they were played. Strategic play involves moving yourself to protect low-HP summons, as they are often fragile. Initiative Weaving
: The class features a mix of high-initiative summon cards and low-initiative mode/attack cards, allowing you to manipulate turn order effectively. Top Build Strategies
The Prism (also known by its spoiler-safe name, H.I.V.E.) is one of Frosthaven’s most complex and rewarding advanced classes. Represented by a patterned diamond symbol, it features a unique "Mode" mechanic where your character essentially teleports its consciousness between different mechanical summons on the battlefield. Core Class Mechanics
Summon vs. Mode: Every summon card in your deck has two functions. You can play it as a standard summon, or you can use a "Transfer" action to inhabit its body.
The Player Miniature: When you inhabit a summon, it becomes your "Mode." You replace the summon's standee with your player miniature. While in a Mode, you gain specific persistent bonuses or penalties based on that machine's blueprint.
Transferring: You use Transfer actions to hop between your active summons. This allows you to reposition instantly across the map or swap your active buffs to suit the immediate threat. Key Build Paths
The Prism is highly adaptable, typically falling into two main playstyles: 1. The "Machine Gun" (Ranged/Multi-Target)
This build focuses on staying in the backline and using summons like the Machine Bolter or Sniper Turret.
Strategy: Combine the Sniper Turret mode with the Machine Bolter to turn single-target melee attacks into powerful range 2, target 2 attacks.
Combo: At Level 4, players often use a "Ratata" combo—launching multiple attacks with range and advantage to decimate half a room in two quick turns. 2. The Tank/Frontliner
Because you can grant yourself permanent Shield bonuses through certain Modes, the Prism can serve as a primary tank.
(also known as the ) is a complex, tactical class in Frosthaven
centered around the use of mechanical summons and a unique "Transfer" mechanic Core Mechanics Modes & Summons
: Most summon cards for the Prism can be used in two ways. You can either summon the unit to the board as a standard ally, or you can occupy the summon's card as a , granting your character permanent passive bonuses (like positive 1 positive 1
: This mechanic allows you to swap positions with one of your summons. When you transfer, you effectively "jump" into the robot's body. The robot then becomes a summon in your previous hex, and you take on the robot's location and any active benefits associated with that specific card. Soft Losses
: While Prism's summons are "Loss" cards, they are often referred to as "soft losses" because cards like Reassemble
allow you to return a summon from the board to your discard pile, effectively extending your stamina and allowing for repositioning. Playstyles & Builds
Title: Prismatic Precision: A Comprehensive Guide to the Prism Class in Frosthaven
Introduction In the frozen, unforgiving landscape of Frosthaven, where the remnants of civilization cling to survival against the encroaching cold, the mercenaries of the outpost rely on diverse skills to secure their future. Among the most intellectually stimulating and tactically complex of these heroes is the Prism. Unlocked through the aspirations of the Clockwork Solstice, the Prism is a "summoner" class unlike any other in the Gloomhaven universe. Rather than commanding a horde of minions, the Prism commands a single, modular construct—a towering amalgamation of mirrors, lenses, and arcane machinery. This essay serves as a comprehensive guide to the Prism, exploring the mechanics of the Construct, the nuances of deck building, and the strategic paradigms required to master this luminous class.
The Core Mechanic: The Modular Construct At the heart of the Prism’s identity is the Construct. This summon does not act autonomously with a fixed attack deck; rather, it acts immediately after the Prism on every turn, performing attacks dictated entirely by the Prism’s played cards. The defining feature of the Prism is the ability to "socket" cards into the Construct. By spending one light or one dark element, the Prism can attach a card to the Construct, granting it a persistent passive buff or a powerful alternative attack option that can be repeated in subsequent turns.
Understanding the socket system is vital. The Prism is not merely playing two cards per turn; they are programming an engine. Once a card is socketed, it remains in the Construct until replaced or destroyed. This creates a tension between immediate impact and long-term efficiency. A player must decide whether to use a card for its strong top-row action immediately or socket it to provide a passive bonus (such asShield or Retaliate) or a recurring attack for future rounds. Managing these sockets is the key to the class’s rhythm, transforming the Construct from a passive object into a swirling storm of glass and magic.
Deck Archetypes: The Path of Reflection The Prism’s card selection allows for distinct playstyles, though the most effective strategies generally fall into two categories: the "Big Turn" build and the "Sustain/Control" build.
The "Big Turn" build revolves around assembling a combination of sockets that maximize damage output in a single, explosive round. This often involves socketing cards that grant bonuses to attack actions, such as adding Range, Target, or status effects like Disarm and Immobilize. When combined with the Prism’s high-damage top actions, this allows the player to decimate elite enemies in a single activation. Cards like Refracted Rays or Shard Volley become nukes when properly augmented.
Conversely, the "Sustain/Control" build focuses on the Construct’s defensive capabilities. The Prism has access to cards that grant the Construct Shield, Retaliate, or the ability to generate elements automatically. By socketing these cards, the Prism creates a bulwark that holds the front line, absorbing hits that would devastate squishier allies. This build is particularly effective in scenarios
There are three distinct ways to play the Prism. Choose based on your party composition and prosperity level.
Reaching level 5 changes everything. You stop being a "support who can fight" and become "the fight."