Final Girl - All 20+ Feature Film Boxes Compared!
Reading time approx. 10–12 minutes
Last updated: August 18, 2026
You're interested in Final Girl – but which of the 20+ Feature Film boxes is right for you?
Every box brings its own killer, location, and unique mechanics.
This overview combines official rules with community experiences and my own gameplay impressions. The goal is to lay out the strengths, quirks, and differences of each Feature Film box in a way that gives beginners and veteran players alike a practical way to orient themselves.
How these ratings are built: Rule mechanics and verifiable claims are checked against the official rulebooks wherever possible. The ratings themselves blend community experience with my own play sessions and editorial judgment. Because Final Girl leans so heavily on killer, location, and Final Girl combinations, difficulty and feel can vary a lot from game to game.
Table of contents
- All 20+ boxes – overview matrix (location tier / killer level / minions)
- Final Girls – full overview (S1–S4·F1–F4 verified)
- Killer ranking – complexity and fun
- Which box is right for me?
- Cross-combinations – what works, what doesn't
- Final Girls cross-play – every character with HP and playstyle
- Promo Final Girls & character packs – special releases
- Vignette killers – flexible with any location
- Buying recommendation by player type and series
- Game terminology glossary
- At a glance – highlights and warning
- Purchase order by budget and experience
- Conclusion – which boxes are worth it?
1. All 20+ Boxes – Overview Matrix
The matrix compares every Feature Film box by location, killer complexity, and special mechanics. Rule details come from the official rulebooks wherever available.
Ratings factor in community experience and, for boxes I've played myself, my own impressions. S4·F5 (Isla Lagarto) is not yet fully verified.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| S·F | Box / Killer / Location | Final Girls | Location Tier | Killer Level (Editorial) | Core Special Mechanic (from the rulebook) | Notes (assessment/community) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 · Films 1–5 | ||||||
| S1·F1 | The Happy Trails Horror Hans the Butcher / Camp Happy Trails |
Laurie & Reiko | B – solid proving ground | Beginner | No additional killer-specific rules; follows the core rulebook directly. | That's exactly why it's the recommended starting point: nothing distracts from learning the core mechanics. |
| S1·F2 | The Haunting of Creech Manor The Poltergeist / Creech Manor |
Alice & Selena | A – one-way streets, few connecting paths | Advanced | No health point system for the killer; the goal is finding and rescuing Carolyn rather than combat; the Poltergeist can't be defeated by regular damage. | The location's one-way streets make maneuvering harder still, according to player reports. |
| S1·F3 | Slaughter in the Groves Inkanyamba the Avenger / Sacred Groves |
Barbara & Adelaide | C – has its own Divine Wrath track | Expert | The killer's own Wrath track on top of the location's Divine Wrath track; both tracks act on the game simultaneously. | Community consensus says this pairing with Sacred Groves is very harsh; playing it on another location is noticeably more manageable. |
| S1·F4 | Carnage at the Carnival Geppetto the Puppet Master / Carnival of Blood |
Asami & Charlie | B – strong theme, traps feel a bit passive | Advanced | 3 puppet minions; Immortal Master rule (Geppetto can't be defeated while all 3 puppets remain in play); terror and item traps. | Can feel too easy if the puppets are wiped out early, according to player reports. |
| S1·F5 | Frightmare on Maple Lane Dr. Fright the Dream Doctor / Maple Lane |
Nancy & Sheila | C – dead ends, the Convince action is tedious | Medium | Dream world / Boiler Room mechanic; the Convince action card is required to enter occupied houses. | Community opinion is split; often called the mechanically weakest S1 box, but it has its fans. |
| Series 2 · Films 1–5 | ||||||
| S2·F1 | Into the Void The Evomorph / USS Konrad |
Ellen & Jeanette | S – keycards, airlocks, and self-destruct | Advanced | Develops across 3 stages (Hatchling → Youngling → Adult); goes into hiding after the first victim and attacks from ambush. | Considered especially versatile for cross-combinations since the mechanic works regardless of location. Community take: a manageable rule set – once understood, it's easy to remember and run. |
| S2·F2 | Panic at Station 2891 The Organism / Station 2891 |
Kate & Uki | B – helicopter rescue instead of exits; Frostbite mechanic | Advanced | Victims are continually tested for infection; infected victims can turn into independent killers. | Sometimes described as high-upkeep; other voices push back – the two extra systems (infection test, bloodlust tracker) are said to be manageable once understood, nowhere near as heavy as H.U.N.T.E.R. or Volk'ar. |
| S2·F3 | A Knock at the Door The Intruders / Wingard Cottage |
Ava & Ginny | A – best multi-killer format; crafting system | Advanced | 3 simultaneous killers, one of whom is always the shifting "active killer"; its own crafting system for weapons. | Despite three killers, it's surprisingly easy to track, according to player reports – never overwhelming. |
| S2·F4 | Once Upon a Full Moon The Big Bad Wolf / Storybook Woods |
Red & Gretel | D – too simple, not enough depth | Beginner+ | Two killer modes (Track/Slay) with different actions; the smallest board of any box. | Considered a good second killer after Hans – the two modes create a nice organic ramp-up in difficulty. |
| S2·F5 | Madness in the Dark The Ratchet Lady / Wolfe Asylum |
Heather & Veronica | A – Pills/Amped system; "Final Girl 2.0" card | Advanced | Heals with no cap as long as she isn't attacked; Amped Cards (boosted action cards) obtained through a pill system. | Frequently described as "swingy"/unpredictable – heavily dependent on how early she's confronted. |
| Series 3 · Films 1–5 | ||||||
| S3·F1 | The Killer from Tomorrow The H.U.N.T.E.R. / Sunnydaze Mall |
Kat & Tali | D – Savior mechanic is luck-dependent | Expert | Two phases (Mark V → Mark X) with different stats; Cybernetic Parts tokens are stripped away by damage before the transition to the next phase; a VIP victim called "The Savior" must be protected. | Frustrating on its own location, per the community, since the Savior rescue depends heavily on dice luck; stronger on other locations. Also ranked among the most rules-heavy killers overall – noticeably more to track than most others. |
| S3·F2 | Hell to Pay Razorface / Hellscape |
Kenzie & Christie | S – modular tiles; strongest S3 entry point | Medium+ | Afflictions serve as additional, optional objectives alongside the standard win condition. | Community favorite as an S3 starter – considered "Introductory Plus": challenging without being overwhelming. |
| S3·F3 | The Falconwood Files The Slayer / Falconwood |
Octavia & Janelle | A – mission system + mirror dimension; high replay value | Advanced | A hidden mirror dimension exists as a parallel version of every space; mission system with selectable rewards. | Praised for high replay value, since mission selection makes every game play out differently. |
| S3·F4 | The Marrek Murders The Tormentor / Marrek Warehouse |
Mandy & Cassie | A – locked exits; shelf movement system | Medium | The Tormentor doesn't appear on the board until the finale; before that, only death traps need defusing. | The community often rates defusing traps before the finale as not very rewarding. |
| S3·F5 | Don't Make a Sound The Eyeless / Utopia |
Ronda & Meghan | C – sand worms act like a second killer | Medium | Noise mechanic: your own actions generate noise that draws the killer's attention and activates it. | Considered an interesting concept, but the community feels it isn't pushed far enough. |
| Series 4 · Films 1–5 ✓ F1–F4 verified against the official rulebook PDF | F5: rulebook PDF not yet released | ||||||
| S4·F1 | Bad Times at Buddyland Billy the Bear / Buddyland |
Gwynn & Rena | B – 4 arcade spaces act as a tactical hotspot | Medium | Buddies are minions with their own HP/initiative/attack value; Billy can't be attacked while a Buddy stands in his space; heals on a heart symbol as long as at least 1 of 4 Power Source tokens is active (can be disabled by spending time); the Epic Finale "Power Surge" spawns a second killer, Boris – both must die to win. | Nicknamed "the Camp Happy Trails of Series 4" – a good proving ground for a new killer or newcomers to S4. |
| S4·F2 | A Rotten Harvest Grimlash / Shady Acres |
Vicky & Joy | A – children act as independent enemies | Medium | Harvest Madness track: a heart symbol either heals OR lowers Harvest Madness (not both); levels 1–3 grant a selectable bonus (draw 2 cards, keep 1); crossing level 3 (the skull space) is an instant loss; the children (enemies, not minions) abduct victims to the altar of the old gods. | The risk/reward tension of the Harvest Madness track is frequently praised. |
| S4·F3 | A Demon in the Shadows Berith the Fallen Angel / L'armes Abbey |
Rita & Lindi | S – Malice token + Blessed/Cursed dice system | Advanced | Two-part win condition: defeat the possessed nun Ursula, then also revive her via Divine Blessings (revealing Final Health tokens); Malice spaces swap in the Cursed die for Horror Rolls; placing all 14 Malice tokens is an instant loss. | Considered the most atmospheric S4 killer, and the location is rated among the best overall. |
| S4·F4 | The Green Terror The Volk'ar / Pesadilla Verde |
Dakota & Alois | A–S – river system, trainable soldier victims | Expert | Hidden Movement via a deck of movement cards (Path); Concealed/Visible status leads to different killer actions; a successful attack reveals the path automatically, while a missed attack triggers the Ambush penalty from the last movement card. | As the only Hidden Movement killer in the game, it's described as delivering an especially tense cat-and-mouse feel. Community take: the hidden movement stacks on top of an already-complex hide-and-seek loop (similar to the Evomorph) – combined with Pesadilla Verde's board, which is seen as particularly hard to read, this makes it one of the most demanding killers rules-wise. |
| S4·F5 | The Raptor Games The Raptors / Isla Lagarto |
Christina & Maud (Maud's name: community source/Kickstarter announcement) Player reports · preliminary |
B–A – electric fences, volcanic eruption Player reports · preliminary |
Advanced Player reports · preliminary |
Pack HP equals the number of raptors, with no cap; individual raptors stop at victims instead of attacking; the "Pack Conditioning" Dark Power lets raptors count toward the pack simply by being adjacent to it. The T-Rex can't be defeated, moves 2 spaces per round, and eats in a fixed priority order: victims, then raptors, then the Final Girl, then the killer. Three electric fences (A/B/C) block movement and ranged sightlines; a die roll during Upkeep determines which are active. Rescuing costs an extra 1 time per victim due to the bounty incentive. VRG preview video (pre-production) · preliminary, since the box hasn't been released yet |
|
| Special Releases outside the numbered series – standalone Special Feature Films, each including miniatures in the box | ||||||
| Special | The North Pole Nightmare Krampus / Christmas Village (Santa's Village) ⬥ outside the series – released Dec. 2023, between S2 and S3 |
Mrs. Claus & Cindy (the elf) (names confirmed via components) | B – a village with a Christmas tree at its center Player reports · preliminary |
Medium Player reports · preliminary |
Present token system: elves (victims) automatically reveal presents lying around (random good/bad effect); players may also risk opening presents themselves; comes with its own vehicle (reindeer miniature). Per a community source (fan wiki, not the original card): Krampus starts with 10 HP and Horror Level 4, and there are two 4-card present decks. | The only box besides Shriek that includes miniatures by default. |
| Special | Shriek Mort the Teenage Dirtbag / Mega Boardgame Convention ⬥ outside the series – released alongside Series 4, GenCon 2025 |
Adrianne & Maureen not photo/PDF-verified |
B – a GenCon parody, exhibition-hall setting Player reports · preliminary |
Advanced Player reports · preliminary |
Mort doesn't start on the board – he's hidden among 10 randomly placed Suspect miniatures (dressed as famous Final Girl killers); Interrogate/Coerce action cards gradually reveal clues that eliminate suspects, until only one remains; until he's fully unmasked, certain terror cards trigger an "Everybody's a Suspect" symbol that lets a random, not-yet-eliminated suspect act as the killer for a moment; victims don't panic until he's unmasked. | A tongue-in-cheek Ghostface/Scream homage; being the most recent release, there's still limited community experience with it. |
S = Best locations | A = Very good | B = Solid | C = Has drawbacks | D = Not recommended | – = No verified player experience yet
*S4 Final Girls (F1–F4) are verified against the official rulebook PDFs: Gwynn & Rena (Buddyland), Vicky & Joy (Shady Acres), Rita & Lindi (L'armes Abbey), Dakota & Alois (Pesadilla Verde). S4·F5 (Isla Lagarto/Raptors) still has no official rulebook for the killer or location – its entries remain preliminary. The two special releases, The North Pole Nightmare and Shriek, don't belong to any numbered series – they're standalone "Special Feature Films" that combine freely with any killer/location pairing and, unlike regular Feature Film boxes, include miniatures directly.
2. Final Girls – Full Overview (S1–S4·F1–F4 Verified)
Character names and abilities come from sources of varying reliability – from scans of the original cards to official rulebook PDFs to community data. The // mark after each name shows which source the entry is based on. Ultimate Abilities are described in simplified form; exact wording is only guaranteed for scan-verified cards.
Source key – how Final Girls are marked:
- Scan-verified – The original card was scanned front and/or back. This currently applies to Laurie, Reiko, Asami, Charlie (Series 1), Dakota and Alois (Series 4), and the promo card Paula. Name, HP, and ability text can be checked directly against the original card.
- PDF-verified – Name and HP are shown in official Season 4 rulebook PDFs. This applies to Gwynn, Rena, Vicky, Joy, Rita, and Lindi.
Since the full ability text isn't included there, it's still partly sourced from the community. - Not verified – Neither a card scan nor an official PDF source is available. The data therefore comes from community or secondary sources and isn't officially confirmed.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| S·F | Box | Final Girl 1 | Strength / Ultimate | Final Girl 2 | Strength / Ultimate | Starter Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 | ||||||
| S1·F1 | Happy Trails Horror | Laurie | Verified: whenever she deals damage while sharing a space with an enemy, she deals 1 additional damage – applies against any enemy, not just Hans; aggressive melee style | Reiko | Verified: once per Action phase, move for free into the space of an enemy within 2 spaces – a mobility/control ability, not a search or card bonus | Laurie for a direct playstyle |
| S1·F2 | Creech Manor | Alice | Chooses an action that's always resolved with 5 dice, regardless of Horror Level; only 4 HP | Selena | +2 dice on Search actions; excellent on any location for finding weapons quickly | Selena as a universal pick |
| S1·F3 | Slaughter in the Groves | Barbara | Can lead victims through the killer's space (normally forbidden); 7 HP; ideal at bottlenecks | Adelaide | Chooses between a full HP heal OR action cards worth up to 6 time; very versatile | Adelaide for flexibility |
| S1·F4 | Carnage at the Carnival | Asami | Immune to Item Traps; draws an extra item card on a search and picks the better one | Charlie | Takes 3 damage to draw the Critical Blow action card; risky but strong in the finale | Asami for beginners |
| S1·F5 | Frightmare on Maple Lane | Nancy | On losing health: reveal and optionally swap her Final Health Token; a strategic edge against any killer | Sheila | +2 time when discarding action cards for time; optimizes time management | Nancy for a survival strategy |
| Series 2 | ||||||
| S2·F1 | Into the Void | Ellen | Searches also draw from unused item cards belonging to other boxes; considered one of the most powerful Final Girls overall | Jeanette | Extra hand slot + tracking marker for limited-use items; universally versatile | Ellen is a top pick anywhere |
| S2·F2 | Panic at Station 2891 | Kate | +1 die at full HP; Flamethrower: damage equals current HP; upends the usual low-HP strategy | Uki | Strong attack options; Furious Strike as a starting bonus | Kate on healing-friendly locations |
| S2·F3 | A Knock at the Door | Ava | May reroll a 1 (fail) result; significantly cuts down on bad luck | Ginny | Selects 2 base actions and permanently boosts their effect; upgrades zero-cost cards; steady in any scenario | Ginny as a steady all-rounder |
| S2·F4 | Once Upon a Full Moon | Red | Moves automatically when an enemy is within 2 spaces; a reactive evasion strategy | Gretel | Turns a 2 (fail) into a success by discarding a card; dice control | Gretel for dice control |
| S2·F5 | Madness in the Dark | Heather | Strong survival abilities; good for defensive play | Veronica | Sets the time marker to 7 (instead of 6) at the end of the Planning phase; ideal for time-intensive, complex locations | Veronica on complex locations |
| Series 3 | ||||||
| S3·F1 | The Killer from Tomorrow | Kat | +2 damage with firearms; signature item Boomsticks (no discard penalty on a 1); 4 HP | Tali | Strong survivability; complements Kat's aggressive style | Kat for a firearms focus |
| S3·F2 | Hell to Pay | Kenzie | 5 HP; a strong offensive fit for the aggressive Hellscape | Christie | Support abilities; good for controlled play | Kenzie as an S3 entry point |
| S3·F3 | The Falconwood Files | Octavia | Track system: damage reduction grows with rescued victims/failed rolls | Janelle | Track system: attack bonus grows with rescued victims/failed rolls | Janelle for offensive builds |
| S3·F4 | The Marrek Murders | Mandy | Bonus damage without a weapon; ideal for boxes with weak item decks; the chainsaw unlocks her Ultimate for free | Cassie | The axe unlocks her Ultimate for free; victims in her space panic while the axe is equipped | Mandy in weapon-poor boxes |
| S3·F5 | Don't Make a Sound | Ronda | Survival abilities tuned to the noise mechanic | Meghan | Complementary abilities; the detailed descriptions aren't fully documented yet | Still limited community data |
| Series 4 · Films 1–4 Names & HP verified against the official rulebook PDF | ||||||
| S4·F1 | Bad Times at Buddyland | Gwynn · 5 HP | Defensive/flexible; ability detail not included in the available component PDF (ability description: player report, HP verified) | Rena · 6 HP | Save-reward system: after rescuing a victim, choose or roll for a reward (Guard card, item card, or 1-space movement) | Rena for reliable resource management |
| S4·F2 | A Rotten Harvest | Vicky · 5 HP | Aggressive/movement-focused; exact ability not spelled out in the component PDF (ability description: player report, HP verified) | Joy · 6 HP | Defensive; community reports mention a once-per-round damage-ignore effect; exact text not in the component PDF (ability description: player report, HP verified) | Joy as the safest pick |
| S4·F3 | A Demon in the Shadows | Rita · 5 HP | Collects rescued victims on her card (up to 6, then flips/upgrades); save-reward die: 1–2 no reward, 3–4 one Group A reward, 5–6 one Group A and one Group B reward | Lindi · 5 HP | Save-reward die after a rescue: 1–2 no reward, 3–4 the "covered" reward once, 5–6 the "covered" reward twice | Rita for predictable rewards |
| S4·F4 | The Green Terror | Dakota · 6 HP | Verified (original card): "When making a Horror Roll you may reroll all 1s and 2s until none remain in the final Horror Roll result." – repeated rerolling of every failure until none remain, one of the strongest dice-control abilities in the game. Save-reward: "Decrease Horror Level by 1" for every further rescue. | Alois · 5 HP | Verified (original card): "Roll 6 dice for Horror Rolls, regardless of the Horror level." – guarantees a constant 6 dice regardless of Horror Level; aggressively oriented. Save-reward row (self-damage, unpreventable): 2× 1 HP, 2× 2 HP, 1× 3 HP per rescued victim. | Both are universally strong for an aggressive playstyle |
| Series 4 · Film 5 – community analysis · rulebook PDF not yet released | ||||||
| S4·F5 | The Raptor Games | Christina | Flexible; 5 HP, 5 rescue slots; a binoculars signature item for keeping an eye on the situation across Isla Lagarto VRG preview video · preliminary |
N/A | Not documented yet rulebook PDF pending |
Still incomplete |
| Special Releases outside the numbered series · all entries from player reports, not photo/PDF-verified | ||||||
| Special | The North Pole Nightmare | Mrs. Claus (name confirmed) · 6 HP (community source) | Per a community source (fan wiki): her Ultimate Ability unlocks after 4 rescues; each further rescue heals 1 HP – letting her heal past her 6 HP starting value (effectively removing the normal cap). Community source, not the original card |
Cindy (name confirmed) · 5 HP (community source) (the elf) | Per a community source, movement-oriented: her Ultimate Ability unlocks after 4 rescues, +1 time per further rescue. Community source, not the original card |
Ability text still unconfirmed by original cards |
| Special | Shriek | Adrianne · 6 HP | Verified via original card photo: every time a victim is rescued, gain a heart and place the victim on the card, then roll a die. If the result is lower than the number of victims on the card, it may be flipped (victims remain on the card afterward). Per a community source (TV Tropes): afterward, discard 1 victim for +2 time/heal 1/move 1 space, or discard 2 victims for horror -1/+1 damage on the next attack/+1 die on the next Horror Roll. | Maureen · 5 HP | Verified via original card photo (5 HP): the same unlock mechanism as Adrianne – on every rescue, the victim is placed on the card and a die is rolled; if the result is lower than the number of victims on the card, it may be flipped (victims remain). Per a community source (fan wiki), she can then discard 1 or 2 stored victims, once per Action phase, to play any action card from the tableau as if it were in her hand – discarding just 1 victim removes the card from the game afterward. | Still incomplete – only recently released (GenCon 2025) |
3. Killer Ranking – Complexity and Fun
Here too, we separate rules from ratings: the Core Mechanic column describes what the rulebook actually says. The Level rating factors in rule complexity, community feedback, and, for boxes I've played myself, my own impressions. The Rule Weight column shows two compact tags side by side: one for the rulebook's own complexity, one confirming what the community discussion says. Personal play experience gets added as it becomes available – no box has been rated from personal experience yet.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Killer | Box | Level (Editorial) | Rule Weight (rulebook · community) | Core Mechanic (from the rulebook) | Assessment (community) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 – Box Quality Ranking (Beginner to Expert) | |||||
| Hans the Butcher | Happy Trails Horror | Beginner | Rulebook: None Community: – |
No additional killer-specific rules. | The perfect killer to learn on; also a great second box for cross-combinations. |
| Geppetto the Puppet Master | Carnage at the Carnival | Medium | Rulebook: Low Community: – |
3 puppet minions spawn each Killer phase and take the full killer action; the Epic Dark Power card "Immortal Master" additionally makes Geppetto invincible as long as all 3 puppets remain on the board – this rule only applies once that card is revealed, not from the start. | A good second pick for newcomers; his low HP can occasionally make him feel too easy. |
| Dr. Fright the Dream Doctor | Frightmare on Maple Lane | Medium | Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
Boiler Room / dream-world mechanic; the Convince action card is required to enter occupied houses. | Maple Lane is often called the weakest S1 box, though opinion is split – some consider it a favorite. |
| The Poltergeist | Creech Manor | Advanced | Rulebook: Low Community: – |
No health-point system; the goal is finding and rescuing Carolyn rather than combat. | A unique win condition in the whole lineup; the location's tight one-way streets are considered an additional challenge. |
| Inkanyamba the Avenger | Slaughter in the Groves | Expert | Rulebook: High Community: – |
His own Wrath track stacks on top of the location's Divine Wrath track. | Considered hyper-hard with Sacred Groves; noticeably more manageable when paired with other locations. |
| Series 2 – Complexity Spectrum | |||||
| Big Bad Wolf | Once Upon a Full Moon | Beginner+ | Rulebook: Low Community: – |
Two killer modes (Track/Slay) with different actions. | Considered the best step up after Hans, thanks to an organic ramp in difficulty. |
| The Intruders | A Knock at the Door | Advanced | Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
3 simultaneous killers, one of whom is always the shifting active killer. | Despite three killers, easy to track according to player reports; delivers especially exciting games on other locations. |
| The Ratchet Lady | Madness in the Dark | Advanced | Rulebook: High Community: – |
No health cap; heals at certain Bloodlust increases and becomes fully invulnerable via an Epic Dark Power as long as Maniacs remain on the board. Maniacs are minions with several exceptions (no Bloodlust increase on spawning/dying, movement penalty scales with how many share a space, hard cap of 6, revert via Calm cards). On top of that, there's a full pill/side-effect/Amped/Stunned system with four pill types. | Frequently described as "swingy"/unpredictable – heavily dependent on the group's playstyle. |
| The Evomorph | Into the Void | Advanced | Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
3 development stages; goes into hiding after the first victim, ambush attacks. | Considered the best killer for cross-combinations with other locations; the rule set itself is seen as manageable once understood. |
| The Organism | Panic at Station 2891 | Advanced | Rulebook: Very high Community: – |
Ongoing infection test of the victims; infected victims can turn into independent killers. | Sometimes described as high-upkeep; other voices push back – the two extra systems (infection test, Bloodlust tracker), once understood, are manageable compared to H.U.N.T.E.R. or Volk'ar. |
| Series 3 – Quality Ranking (Rank 1 = strongest experience per the community) | |||||
| 1. Razorface | Hell to Pay | Medium+ | Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
Afflictions must be fully purged before Razorface's Final Health Token can even drop – purging can happen whenever you like, but the objective itself isn't optional. | The S3 favorite ("Introductory Plus"), consistently recommended by the community as an S3 entry point. |
| 2. The Slayer | The Falconwood Files | Advanced | Rulebook: High Community: – |
A hidden mirror dimension exists as a parallel version of every space, with its own dimension tracker: separate targeting rules for ties, meeple-substitution logic including a fallback rule for missing markers, rescues only possible through exits in your own dimension, and a cross-dimensional exception for reaction cards. | Considered a top pick for cross-combinations – intuitive and popular. |
| 3. The Tormentor | The Marrek Murders | Medium | Rulebook: High Community: – |
Doesn't appear on the board until the finale; until then, special rules apply for effects tied to the killer's position. Two separate death-trap decks (4 Final Girl traps, 7 victim traps) with multi-step resolution; chained traps can lead to an instant loss if replacements run out. | Mixed feedback – disarming traps is often rated as not very rewarding. |
| 4. The H.U.N.T.E.R. | Killer from Tomorrow | Expert | Rulebook: Very high Community: Very high Second most frequently cited killer for rule weight in player discussions. |
Two phases (Mark V → Mark X); Cybernetic Parts tokens get stripped away by damage; a VIP victim named "The Savior" must be protected. | Much better received on other locations than his own, according to the community. Also considered one of the most rules-heavy killers overall – clearly more to track than most others. |
| 5. The Eyeless | Don't Make a Sound | Medium | Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
Noise mechanic: a Noise marker climbs with every action card played and affects which target the killer chooses. | A strong concept, but player reports describe the execution as underdeveloped. |
| Series 4 · Films 1–4 – Detailed Profiles verified against the official rulebook | |||||
| Billy the Bear | Bad Times at Buddyland | Medium | Rulebook: High Community: – |
Four parallel subsystems: hidden, shuffled Bloodlust-track tokens that only get revealed once that level is reached; four Power Source tokens that can be disabled by spending time, tying Billy's healing to at least one active source; Buddy cards (minions with their own HP/initiative/attack/movement/kill reward) that spawn one after another and make Billy unattackable while a Buddy shares his space; the Epic Finale "Power Surge" spawns a second killer (Boris) – both must die to win. | A good proving ground for entering Series 4, comparable to Happy Trails Horror in Series 1. |
| Grimlash | A Rotten Harvest | Medium | Rulebook: Very high Community: – |
A 3-tier Harvest Madness track: reaching a new tier draws 2 cards and keeps 1 (a permanent bonus, such as more max HP or a reroll trick). Heart symbols either heal normally OR lower Harvest Madness by 1 tier per heart – a genuine choice. Crossing tier 3 (the skull space) is an instant loss. On top of that, the children of Shady Acres act as independent enemies (not minions!) with their own action timing ahead of minion and killer actions, and can abduct and sacrifice victims at the altar. | The risk/reward tension of the Harvest Madness track is frequently praised. |
| Berith the Fallen Angel | A Demon in the Shadows | Advanced | Rulebook: High Community: – |
A fight against the possessed nun Ursula (the killer meeple represents her physical body). After her "death," Berith leaves the body – but the game isn't won until enough Final Health Tokens revealed on the Divine Blessings sheet show hearts and Ursula is revived. The sheet has two selectable difficulty sides (Heavenly/Hellish). On top of that, a Malice Token system: Malice spaces swap in the Cursed die for Horror Rolls; placing all 14 Malice tokens is an instant loss. | Considered the most atmospheric S4 killer, and one of the highest-rated locations overall; the two-stage win condition is unique in the whole game. |
| The Volk'ar | The Green Terror | Expert | Rulebook: Very high Community: Very high Cited alongside Mort as the most rules-heavy killer. |
No standard movement value – instead, movement follows a hidden "path" built from movement cards. While Concealed (invisible), a different killer action resolves than while Visible. It's unmasked by a Reveal symbol, by the sixth movement card in the path, or as soon as any attack is attempted against it (hit or not) – after which the entire path is resolved card by card. | The only Hidden Movement killer in the entire game; player reports say it also works well on other locations, like Creech Manor. Community take: the hidden movement stacks on top of the hide-and-seek loop (similar to the Evomorph, but more complex) – combined with Pesadilla Verde's board, which is seen as particularly hard to read, this makes it one of the most demanding killers rules-wise. |
| The Raptors | The Raptor Games | Advanced Rulebook not yet released |
Can't be rated without an official rulebook | Pack HP equals the number of active raptors; individual raptors stop at victims instead of attacking (skittish). The T-Rex breaks out unstoppably and eats in a fixed priority order: victims → raptors → the Final Girl → the killer. Achievement: having the T-Rex eat Hans is an instant win. Player reports · preliminary |
No reliable assessment is possible yet without an official rulebook. Known items from the preview: a shotgun (splits damage evenly between its own and an adjacent space), a burning torch (weapon, or ignores 1 damage), a first-aid kit (heals 3 HP). VRG preview video · preliminary, icons/details may still change in the final version |
| Special Releases – outside the numbered series | |||||
| Krampus | The North Pole Nightmare | Medium Player reports · preliminary |
Rulebook: Medium Community: – |
Photo-verified: 3 Finale cards, 1 Epic Finale card, 3 Dark Power cards, 1 Epic Dark Power card, 4 Krampus Presents cards, 4 Santa Presents cards, 16 terror cards, 1 killer board, 3 miniatures, 18 tokens; the Santa's Village board comes with 10 event, 8 terror, and 18 item cards plus 1 reindeer miniature. The Presents mechanic is now confirmed by the special rules page: a die roll plus the panic numbers on Krampus's space determine where a hidden present token gets placed. The Final Girl may voluntarily reveal a present (even in passing); a victim in the same space triggers it automatically. An automatically triggered harmless Santa Present just gets kept by the victim; a Krampus Present instead draws a card from a separate Krampus Presents deck – all effects act on the Final Girl even if she's not in the same space. Santa's Village itself has only one slim special rule (a time penalty for entering a space already occupied by victims). Killer board stats: 10 HP, starting Horror Level 4, an 8-tier Bloodlust track – photo-verified. | The only box besides Shriek that includes miniatures by default. Player reports · preliminary |
| Mort the Teenage Dirtbag | Shriek | Advanced Player reports · preliminary |
Rulebook: Very high Community: Very high Most frequently named as the rules-heaviest box. |
A deduction mechanic replaces the usual known-killer identity from the start: 10 Suspect miniatures (dressed as familiar Final Girl killers) are scattered across the convention floor, and Interrogate/Coerce action cards gradually reveal clues that eliminate suspects. Until he's unmasked, randomly drawn suspects briefly take over killer actions whenever an "Everybody's a Suspect" symbol comes up. | The most recent release in the whole lineup; a tongue-in-cheek Scream/Ghostface homage, released at GenCon 2025. Player reports · preliminary |
4. Which Box Is Right for Me?
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| I'm looking for / I am... | Recommendation | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| My very first box | The Happy Trails Horror (Hans the Butcher / Camp Happy Trails) S1·F1 | No special rules. Every core mechanic is learnable without distractions. The mandatory rulebook starting point. |
| Second box, a gentle step up | Once Upon a Full Moon (The Big Bad Wolf / Storybook Woods) S2·F4 or Carnage at the Carnival (Geppetto the Puppet Master / Carnival of Blood) S1·F4 | Big Bad Wolf = an organic ramp-up in difficulty. Geppetto = a great theme with moderate complexity. |
| Series 3 entry point | Hell to Pay (Razorface / Hellscape) S3·F2 | S-tier location + the series' most accessible killer. Confirmed as the S3 starter by every source I checked. |
| Series 4 entry point | A Demon in the Shadows (Berith the Fallen Angel / L'armes Abbey) S4·F3 or Bad Times at Buddyland (Billy the Bear / Buddyland) S4·F1 | L'armes Abbey = the S-tier top pick. Buddyland = a simple proving ground, similar to Happy Trails. |
| A different win condition | The Haunting of Creech Manor (The Poltergeist / Creech Manor) S1·F2 · A Demon in the Shadows (Berith the Fallen Angel / L'armes Abbey) S4·F3 | Creech Manor: the killer can't be defeated – rescue the child instead of killing anything. L'armes Abbey: beating the killer isn't enough – you also need to revive the possessed Ursula via Divine Blessings. |
| Sci-Fi / space horror | Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 · Panic at Station 2891 (The Organism / Station 2891) S2·F2 | USS Konrad = one of the best boards in the game (Alien). Station 2891 = The Thing, with more to manage than most other killers. |
| Multiple killers / minions | A Knock at the Door (The Intruders / Wingard Cottage) S2·F3 · Carnage at the Carnival (Geppetto the Puppet Master / Carnival of Blood) S1·F4 · Bad Times at Buddyland (Billy the Bear / Buddyland) S4·F1 · The Raptor Games (The Raptors / Isla Lagarto) S4·F5 | Intruders = the best multi-killer format. Geppetto = puppet minions. Billy the Bear = Buddy minions with an initiative system. Raptors = a pack plus a T-Rex. |
| Crafting / a unique system | A Knock at the Door (The Intruders / Wingard Cottage) S2·F3 | The only box with an item-crafting system. Build your own weapons. |
| Hidden movement / tactical cat-and-mouse | The Green Terror (The Volk'ar / Pesadilla Verde) S4·F4 | Volk'ar = the only Hidden Movement killer across the entire Final Girl lineup. |
| Best locations for cross-combinations | USS Konrad · Hellscape · L'armes Abbey | The three S-tier locations. They elevate almost any killer. The highest replay value across all combinations. |
| Highest replay value | The Falconwood Files (The Slayer / Falconwood) S3·F3 · Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 · Madness in the Dark (The Ratchet Lady / Wolfe Asylum) S2·F5 | Mission systems / free-form play / Amped cards + "Final Girl 2.0" reshape every game. |
| Maximum challenge | Slaughter in the Groves CROSS-combined (!) · Panic at Station 2891 · A Rotten Harvest | Don't play Inkanyamba on Sacred Groves together (hyper-frustrating). Grimlash risks an instant loss for crossing Harvest Madness level 3 – risk/reward taken to the extreme. |
5. Cross-Combinations – What Works, What Doesn't
The special thing about Final Girl is that killer, location, and character are all freely mixable. If you own multiple boxes, you can put Hans on the spaceship, chase victims with the Evomorph through a mansion, or send the Poltergeist to Hellscape – any combination is fair game. This list covers recommended pairings, interesting alternatives, and matchups that can be especially demanding.
Note: These assessments are based on player reports, community experience, and a comparison against the relevant rules. My own experience factors in for combinations I've played myself. Difficulty and feel can vary widely depending on how a group plays.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Combination | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Recommended – because the rules mesh well | ||
| Hans → USS Konrad | Highly recommended | Hans is the simplest killer with no special rules of his own – which is exactly why this pairing works so well. The Konrad's many systems (collecting keycards, opening the airlock, triggering self-destruct) take center stage without the killer getting in the way. A great entry point into cross-combining. |
| Hans → Sacred Groves | Recommended | The simplest killer on one of the hardest locations. The location itself already demands enough attention – Hans doesn't get in the way. If you want to learn Sacred Groves without also managing a difficult killer, this is the right pick. |
| Slayer → any location | Universally usable | The Slayer brings along a mirror dimension – a second, invisible copy of every space. That mechanic works the same on any board, because it carries its own complete rule set and doesn't change the location itself. Every location automatically becomes a mirror version of itself. |
| Evomorph → any location | Universally usable | The Evomorph develops through three stages and hides after the first victim – that loop works equally well on any board. Searching for and tracking the killer is part of the game regardless of location. |
| Intruders → any location | Highly recommended | Three killers at once on an unfamiliar board sounds chaotic, but rarely causes trouble in practice. The Intruders bring their own self-contained rules and never overload the game. Player reports say they deliver especially exciting games on unfamiliar locations. |
| H.U.N.T.E.R. → any location except Sunnydaze Mall | Recommended | On its own board, the H.U.N.T.E.R. quickly turns frustrating due to the Savior mechanic. On other locations that stress factor disappears, letting the two-phase arc (Mark V → Mark X) shine much more. |
| Geppetto → Hellscape | Recommended | Hellscape randomly rearranges its tiles every Killer phase. That means the puppets aren't the only thing moving – the whole board changes shape too. Planned routes to victims or weapons can shift from one round to the next, which keeps warding off the puppets tense. |
| Poltergeist → any location besides Creech Manor | Recommended for experienced players | Rescuing Carolyn on unfamiliar ground changes the game fundamentally: different starting points, different paths, no familiar patterns. Especially interesting on the USS Konrad – you'll need to gather keycards while guiding Carolyn through an unfamiliar spaceship. |
| Ratchet Lady → Falconwood | Recommended | The Ratchet Lady heals the longer you wait. Falconwood's missions take time to complete. That creates a double urgency: chase the missions and you give the Ratchet Lady too much time; attack right away and you neglect the missions. A nicely balanced tension. |
| Any killer → Hellscape, Falconwood, or L'armes Abbey | Always worth a try | The three best boards in the game make almost every killer more interesting. Hellscape rearranges itself randomly, Falconwood offers missions and a mirror dimension, and L'armes Abbey has its Blessed/Cursed dice system plus a Malice Token system. Almost no killer gets worse on these boards than on their home turf. |
| Heavy killers → Buddyland | Good for practice | Buddyland is a simple board with little going on (just 4 arcade spaces as a special rule) – ideal for learning a new or difficult killer calmly, without having to manage a complicated board at the same time. One less thing to worry about while learning. |
| Recommended – based on player reports | ||
| Razorface → USS Konrad | Widely played | Razorface's extra objectives on the Konrad – one of the most common recommendations in the community. The killer loses none of his threat on the spaceship, but gains extra depth from the airlocks and keycards. |
| Intruders → Hellscape | Popular | Three killers on a board that changes shape every round. Chokepoints appear randomly and can flip your entire strategy from one turn to the next. For anyone looking for a real challenge. |
| Hans → Wolfe Asylum | Recommended | The asylum's pill and Amped system takes center stage since Hans doesn't add rules of his own. A good next step after your first game – learn a new location without also having to learn a new killer. |
| H.U.N.T.E.R. → Hellscape | Recommended | Without the frustrating Savior mechanic tied to its home board, the H.U.N.T.E.R. really shines on Hellscape. Several players report it feels fairer and more exciting here than at home. |
| Big Bad Wolf → USS Konrad | Recommended | The Wolf has simple rules but is one of the fastest killers in the game. On the Konrad you learn the keycards and airlocks without much distraction – and the Wolf still keeps up plenty of pressure. |
| Hans or another simple killer → a new, unfamiliar location | A proven method | Playing a new location with Hans is the easiest way to learn a fresh board. You learn the location's quirks without also having to figure out an unfamiliar killer. The reverse works too: try out a new killer on Camp Happy Trails before taking it to a different board. |
| Evomorph → Station 2891 | Recommended for experienced players | An Evomorph egg gets smuggled into the arctic station before it can be examined, and hatches there. You get the Evomorph's evolution and vanishing mechanics on the Station 2891 board, complete with helicopter and frostbite rules — but not the victim-testing mechanic, which stays exclusive to the Organism. A nice hidden gem for players who've already run through the standard pairings and want something the core rules alone don't offer. |
| Intruders → Wingard Cottage | Intense and fast | Three killers in a cramped vacation cottage – things move fast. If you're after a short, intense game, this is it. The cottage has little space, and the Intruders take full advantage. Player reports sum it up well: "It was all over in a flash." |
| Best avoided – frustrating or unbalanced | ||
| Inkanyamba + Sacred Groves | Warning – the original pairing! | This box was designed to be played this way, but it's still hard to recommend: Inkanyamba has his own Wrath gauge, and so does the board. Together they're too frustrating for most players – even experienced groups often lose. If you own this box, consider playing Inkanyamba on a different location instead. |
| H.U.N.T.E.R. + Sunnydaze Mall | Warning | Protecting an unpredictable teenager while fighting a two-phase killer is too much at once. Many games end within the first few rounds because the teenager wanders into danger. On other locations, the H.U.N.T.E.R. is considerably more fun. |
| Heavy killers → Sacred Groves or Utopia | Warning | Both boards have their own mechanics that already make the game demanding without a difficult killer. Combined with a complex killer, it feels like fighting two opponents at once. For starting out, pick a familiar, simpler killer on these locations. |
| Ratchet Lady + Shady Acres | Warning | Shady Acres has children acting as independent enemies who abduct victims to the altar. The Ratchet Lady grows stronger the longer you wait. Together they pile up more things to track at once than most experienced players can comfortably manage. |
| Intruders → Marrek Warehouse | Warning – very hard | The warehouse locks several doors at the start – some areas stay off-limits for at least three rounds. Meanwhile, the Intruders escalate fast and kill victims before you can save them. Multiple players report very short, frustrating games. |
| Zombies (vignette) → Storybook Woods | Warning – very hard | Storybook Woods is the smallest board in the game. Zombies get stronger as more victims die – and on this board, victims die fast because there's nowhere to run. The exits are far apart. Many players lose within the first few rounds. |
| Poltergeist → Maple Lane | Warning | Maple Lane has plenty of dead ends and a special action for convincing residents. Guiding Carolyn to the rescue door on this board is a real slog given the restricted paths. Players describe this combination as one of the hardest in the game. |
| Poltergeist → Hellscape | Warning – experienced players only | Hellscape rearranges its spaces randomly every round. Finding Carolyn, protecting her, and bringing her to the door, all while the door might have moved by next round – sounds exciting, but is deeply frustrating for most groups. Only recommended with plenty of experience. |
| Series 4 combinations (the rating itself remains player judgment) | ||
| Volk'ar → Creech Manor | Recommended | The Volk'ar moves in secret – players never know exactly where it is. In Creech Manor, with its one-way streets, that becomes especially tense: sometimes the path to a rescue is blocked, without you knowing whether the killer is lurking behind it or not. |
| Billy the Bear → difficult locations | Recommended | Billy has special rules around Deathlust/Buddy activation, but the Buddy protection mechanic (unattackable while a Buddy shares his space) makes him fairly predictable. On demanding boards like Hellscape or L'armes Abbey, the Buddy defense adds an interesting extra layer without overloading the game. |
| Hans → Isla Lagarto | A hidden win path Player reports |
There's a special win path: if the T-Rex eats Hans, you win instantly. Whether that actually happens in a given game is a matter of luck – but you never know. Player reports |
| Series 4 warnings (Isla Lagarto not yet checked against the official rulebook) | ||
| Raptors → small, cramped locations (Creech Manor, Wingard Cottage) | Warning Player reports |
The raptor pack grows fast. On small, cramped locations with few routes, the pack quickly becomes overwhelming – there's barely any room to dodge. Better to try it out on a larger location first. Player reports |
| Grimlash + Shady Acres, played inexperienced | Warning | Mistiming the Harvest Madness decision (heal OR lower the tier) quickly leads to crossing level 3 (the skull space) and an instant loss. Combined with the independently acting children (enemies, not minions), the original pairing turns out surprisingly unforgiving for beginners. |
6. Final Girls Cross-Play – Who Shines Where?
Final Girls from Series 1–4 (Films 1–4) with hit points (HP), a playstyle profile, and recommendations for use outside their home box. HP values are verified through either official rulebook PDFs or scans of the original cards. Laurie and Reiko (S1·F1) aren't listed in the summary rulebook PDF; their values and ability text were confirmed via scans of the original cards.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Final Girl · HP | Home Box | Strength / Ability (simplified) | Cross-play – concrete recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 – Laurie, Reiko, Asami, and Charlie are photo-verified; the rest are not (see key above) | |||
| Laurie · 5 HP | Happy Trails Horror S1·F1 |
Verified (original card): "Whenever you are in the same space as an Enemy and inflict damage, do an additional [damage]." – applies against any enemy, not just Hans; aggressive melee | Hellscape, Falconwood, Carnage at the Carnival – anywhere melee combat while sharing a space with an enemy dominates, the damage bonus is a steady advantage (works against any killer/minion, not just the main killer). Good for beginners. |
| Reiko · 6 HP | Happy Trails Horror S1·F1 |
Verified (original card): "Once per Action phase if an Enemy is within 2 spaces, you may move to that Enemy's space for free." – free mobility/control, not a search or card bonus | Large, winding locations with lots of killer movement options (Pesadilla Verde, Falconwood, Sacred Groves) – free instant movement onto an enemy lets you corner them early without spending a regular action card. |
| Alice · 4 HP | Creech Manor S1·F2 |
Chooses an action that's always resolved with 5 dice – regardless of Horror Level; only 4 HP | Against the Evomorph, the Organism, Inkanyamba – against the toughest killers, a guaranteed 5-dice action per round is often decisive. High risk from 4 HP – experienced players only. |
| Selena · 6 HP | Creech Manor S1·F2 |
+2 dice on Search actions; the most reliable weapon-finder in the entire game | Anywhere – one of the most universally useful Final Girls. Especially valuable in L'armes Abbey (relics against Malice tokens) and Storybook Woods (weak item deck). A beginner-friendly cross-play pick. |
| Barbara · 7 HP | Slaughter in the Groves S1·F3 |
Can lead victims through the killer's space (otherwise forbidden); highest HP in S1 | Creech Manor, Wingard Cottage, Marrek Warehouse – on boards with bottlenecks and one-way streets, this ability makes the crucial difference when rescuing victims. |
| Adelaide · 6 HP | Slaughter in the Groves S1·F3 |
Chooses between a full HP heal OR action cards worth up to 6 time; very flexible | Usable everywhere. Adapting to the situation makes her valuable in almost any scenario. Especially beginner-friendly, since the ability is always useful. |
| Asami · 5 HP | Carnage at the Carnival S1·F4 |
Immune to Item Traps; draws an extra item card on a search and picks the better one | Marrek Murders, Madness in the Dark – in boxes with dangerous item decks or trap tokens, her immunity protects against nasty surprises. Her search bonus is valuable everywhere. |
| Charlie · 7 HP | Carnage at the Carnival S1·F4 |
Takes 3 damage to draw the Critical Blow action card; a risky but powerful finisher; highest HP in S1 | Against killers with low HP reserves in the finale (Hans, Geppetto). Her high HP (7) cushions the self-damage risk. Less effective in S3/S4 boxes with high killer HP. |
| Nancy · 4 HP | Frightmare on Maple Lane S1·F5 |
On losing health, reveal and optionally swap her Final Health Token for a better one; a strategic survival edge | Universal – usable against any killer. Final Health Token manipulation grants a strategic edge regardless of scenario. |
| Sheila · 6 HP | Frightmare on Maple Lane S1·F5 |
+2 time when discarding action cards for time; optimizes time management | Into the Void, The Falconwood Files – in time-intensive boxes with many expensive actions, the time bonus is the difference between one more action or none. |
| Series 2 – no Final Girl here is photo- or PDF-verified; all data comes from community sources | |||
| Ellen · 4 HP | Into the Void S2·F1 |
Searches also draw from unused item cards belonging to other boxes | Anywhere – considered one of the most powerful Final Girls in the whole game. Finds items that the current box doesn't normally include. Very strong despite only 4 HP. |
| Jeanette · 7 HP | Into the Void S2·F1 |
Extra hand slot + tracking marker for limited-use items; highest HP in S2 | Universal – more room and more durability are beneficial anywhere. 7 HP makes her one of the toughest Final Girls in the game. |
| Kate · 4 HP | Panic at Station 2891 S2·F2 |
+1 die at full HP; Flamethrower: damage equals her current HP total | Healing-friendly boxes (Madness in the Dark, Creech Manor) – flips the usual low-HP strategy. Here, actively healing beats adrenaline-rushing. |
| Uki · 6 HP | Panic at Station 2891 S2·F2 |
Starts with 2× Guard and Furious Strike; immediate defensive capability from round 1 | Against aggressive killers (Inkanyamba, Ratchet Lady, Evomorph) – Guard cards from the very start provide immediate safety against killers with strong early damage potential. |
| Ava · 5 HP | A Knock at the Door S2·F3 |
Can reroll a fail (1/blank) once per roll; significantly reduces bad luck | Sacred Groves, Utopia, Storybook Woods – on high-variance boards with frequent bad-luck cascades, Ava's reroll softens the worst outcomes. Beginner-friendly. |
| Ginny · 6 HP | A Knock at the Door S2·F3 |
Chooses 2 base actions (Walk, Short Rest, Focus, etc.) and permanently boosts their effect | A steady all-rounder for any box. Upgrading zero-cost cards works in every scenario. An excellent beginner pick for cross-play. |
| Red · 5 HP | Once Upon a Full Moon S2·F4 |
Moves automatically whenever an enemy is within 2 spaces; a reactive evasion strategy | Creech Manor, Wingard Cottage – on small, cramped locations with little room to dodge, automatic reactive movement makes escaping much more reliable. |
| Gretel · 6 HP | Once Upon a Full Moon S2·F4 |
Turns a 2 (blank) into a full success by discarding a card; dice control via hand management | Into the Void, Madness in the Dark – in complex boxes with lots of cards in hand, converting partial successes is especially valuable. |
| Heather · 5 HP | Madness in the Dark S2·F5 |
Strong defense-oriented survival abilities; versatile, good for controlled play | Hellscape, Falconwood – in S3 boxes with constant damage pressure, Heather's defensive lean creates more room for tactical decisions. |
| Veronica · 5 HP | Madness in the Dark S2·F5 |
Resets the time marker to 7 instead of 6 at the end of the Planning phase; extra time for complex actions | Into the Void, Falconwood, Station 2891 – in time-intensive boxes with expensive action chains, the extra time buffer is the difference between one more action or none. |
| Series 3 – no Final Girl here is photo- or PDF-verified; all data comes from community sources | |||
| Kat · 4 HP | The Killer from Tomorrow S3·F1 |
+2 damage with firearms; signature item Boomsticks, no discard penalty on 1s; only 4 HP | Falconwood, Station 2891, Creech Manor – in boxes with strong firearms in the item deck (flamethrowers in Falconwood/Station 2891), her damage potential multiplies dramatically. |
| Tali · 6 HP | The Killer from Tomorrow S3·F1 |
Starts with 2× Guard; a defense-oriented profile with a solid 6 HP | Against aggressive S2/S3 killers (Evomorph, Ratchet Lady, Razorface) – Guard cards from the start provide instant safety in aggressive killer scenarios without any extra investment. |
| Kenzie · 5 HP | Hell to Pay S3·F2 |
Aggressive; strong offensive alignment for direct combat scenarios | USS Konrad, Marrek Warehouse – in boxes with plenty of good weapon options, Kenzie's direct combat style reaches its full potential. |
| Christie · 5 HP | Hell to Pay S3·F2 |
Support and control abilities; a solid, flexible playstyle | Falconwood, Wingard Cottage – Christie's control abilities pair well with boxes that reward tactical positioning and mission management. |
| Octavia · 5 HP | The Falconwood Files S3·F3 |
Track-based damage reduction grows with rescued victims and failed rolls | Happy Trails Horror, Once Upon a Full Moon – in boxes with plenty of rescuable victims, Octavia's track fills up fast, turning her into a melee tank. |
| Janelle · 5 HP | The Falconwood Files S3·F3 |
Track-based attack bonus grows with rescued victims and failed rolls | Carnage at the Carnival, Hellscape – in boxes with an aggressive endgame and rescuable victims, Janelle's attack power climbs continuously into a strong finisher. |
| Mandy · 6 HP | The Marrek Murders S3·F4 |
Bonus damage in melee without a weapon; the chainsaw unlocks her Ultimate for free | Sacred Groves, Storybook Woods, Utopia – in boxes with few or weak melee weapons in the item deck, Mandy's unarmed damage bonus keeps her independent of random finds. |
| Cassie · 5 HP | The Marrek Murders S3·F4 |
The axe unlocks her Ultimate for free; NOTE: victims panic while the axe is equipped | Into the Void, Creech Manor – in boxes where rescuing victims is less central (the Carolyn mission, escaping the Void), the victim-panic drawback matters much less. Experienced players recommended. |
| Ronda · 6 HP | Don't Make a Sound S3·F5 |
Survival abilities tuned for the noise mechanic; a good 6 HP for durability | Creech Manor, Wingard Cottage – Ronda's sturdy profile (6 HP) and defensive lean fit well with small, cramped locations that offer barely any room to dodge. |
| Meghan · 5 HP | Don't Make a Sound S3·F5 |
Can use movement effects even when the primary condition isn't met; a flexible movement profile | Sunnydaze Mall, Storybook Woods – in boxes with unpredictable movement restrictions, Meghan's ability to bypass conditions makes moving around more reliable. |
| Series 4 · Films 1–4 – Names & HP PDF-verified (ability text is partly community-sourced) | |||
| Gwynn · 5 HP | Bad Times at Buddyland S4·F1 |
Per the community, defensive/flexible; exact ability not described in the component PDF | Boxes with fast Horror escalation (Inkanyamba, Evomorph, H.U.N.T.E.R.) – a defensive profile helps anywhere Horror climbs quickly. |
| Rena · 6 HP | Bad Times at Buddyland S4·F1 |
Save-reward system: after a rescue, choose or roll for a reward (Guard card, item card, 1-space movement) | Boxes with plenty of rescuable victims (Happy Trails, Once Upon a Full Moon) – the more rescues, the more her reward system kicks in. |
| Vicky · 5 HP | A Rotten Harvest S4·F2 |
Per the community, movement-focused/aggressive; exact ability not described in the component PDF | Sprawling locations with lots of victims (USS Konrad, Sacred Groves, Falconwood) – movement strength pays off especially well on large boards. |
| Joy · 6 HP | A Rotten Harvest S4·F2 |
Per the community, defensive with a damage-ignore trait; exact ability not described in the component PDF | Anywhere – a community favorite for defensive players. Highest HP (6) among the S4·F1–F4 Final Girls. |
| Rita · 5 HP | A Demon in the Shadows S4·F3 |
Collects rescued victims on her card (up to 6, then flips); save-reward die with a Group A/B choice | Boxes with plenty of rescuable victims (Happy Trails, Once Upon a Full Moon, Creech Manor) – the more rescues, the more her rewards trigger. |
| Lindi · 5 HP | A Demon in the Shadows S4·F3 |
Save-reward die after a rescue (single/double "covered" reward) | Aggressive killers with high damage potential (Evomorph, Razorface, Ratchet Lady) – a reliable reward system helps build up resources against constant pressure. |
| Dakota · 6 HP | The Green Terror S4·F4 |
Verified: rerolls every 1 and 2 on any Horror Roll, as many times as needed – near-guaranteed successes with enough dice. Her save-reward also lowers the Horror Level with every further rescue. | Anywhere for an aggressive playstyle – highest HP among the Volk'ar Final Girls makes her sturdy for offensive builds. |
| Alois · 5 HP | The Green Terror S4·F4 |
Verified: her Ultimate Ability guarantees 6 dice on every Horror Roll, regardless of Horror Level; every rescue costs her own health in return (2× 1, 2× 2, 1× 3, unpreventable) – a high-risk, high-reward profile | Boxes with a few but important rescues (e.g. Terror From Above, Terror From Destiny) – if you don't rescue every chance you get, self-damage stays low while you still benefit from the guaranteed 6-dice roll. |
| Series 4 · Film 5 – Community analysis · rulebook PDF not yet released | |||
| Christina · – HP Player reports · preliminary |
The Raptor Games S4·F5 |
Flexible; 5 HP; binoculars as a signature item for a better overview of Isla Lagarto Player reports · preliminary |
Hard-to-read locations (Sacred Groves, USS Konrad, Pesadilla Verde) – the binoculars advantage and flexible orientation help wherever it's hard to keep track of killers and victims. Player reports · preliminary |
| Maud · – HP (name: community source/Kickstarter announcement) | The Raptor Games S4·F5 |
Ability not documented – the publisher says the box ships around 08/30/2026 | Still incomplete |
| Special rule: the "Final Girl 2.0" Amped Card (Wolfe Asylum / S2·F5) | |||
| The "Final Girl 2.0" Amped Card from Wolfe Asylum | Draw a second Final Girl card from your whole collection and use both Ultimate Abilities at once | All boxes. Strongest synergy pairings: Ellen + Selena (double search), Nancy + Veronica (survival + time), Kat + Janelle (guns + attack track). | |
For collectors: the 5 most universal Final Girls for cross-box play
- Ellen (Into the Void) – finds items from other boxes; a top pick anywhere
- Selena (Creech Manor) – +2 search dice; the most reliable weapon finder
- Ginny (A Knock at the Door) – boosts base actions; useful in any situation
- Adelaide (Sacred Groves) – full heal or a 6-time card haul; flexible for any situation
- Nancy (Maple Lane) – Final Health Token manipulation; a universal survival edge
7. Promo Final Girls & Character Packs – Special Releases
Beyond the Final Girls in the Feature Film boxes, Van Ryder Games has released additional Promo Final Girls, through Kickstarter stretch goals, conventions like GenCon and Essen, and accessory boxes like the Box of Props and the Guest Stars Box. These characters aren't tied to a specific killer or location and can be freely combined. That's why they don't appear in the box matrix, but they're still part of the full Final Girl roster.
Note: This data comes from official product descriptions and Kickstarter updates from Van Ryder Games, along with additional community sources. Not every Promo Final Girl has full ability text publicly available. Wherever data is missing or unverified, it's marked accordingly.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Final Girl / Pack | Origin & Source | Available via | Ability / Notable Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone promo cards (playable with any killer/location) | |||
| Paula · 5 HP | Real content creator Paula Deming (Things Get Dicey / her own YouTube channel); the first official Final Girl promo card, from the Series 1/2 era | A standalone card, still sold regularly in the Van Ryder shop (roughly $5–7.50) | Verified via original card photo (5 HP): "Things are getting dicey. Anytime you would roll only 1 die, roll two instead. If a single number result is needed, you choose which die to use." A near-permanent safety net on any single roll (like reaction cards) – simple, but useful in every box. Save-reward choice: item card / ignore an attack / +2 time / heal / move up to 2 spaces; plus an additional +2 time for every further rescue. |
| Santa Hat Paula ("Holiday Paula") | An alternate-art version of the Paula promo card (Santa hat), a Series 3 Kickstarter stretch goal | Part of the Guest Stars Box (Series 3) | Identical to Paula – a pure alt-art variant, no rule changes. |
| Agnes · 4 HP | A promo Final Girl from the Box of Props (Series 2 accessory box, 2022) | Box of Props (card only, no mini/envelope); mini + Secret Envelope also come with the Guest Stars Box/Guest Stars Miniatures (Series 3) | Verified via original card photo: "Gain 2 Ultimate Dice of your choice." – permanently unlocks 2 Ultimate dice of any color as a substitute for the usual Ultimate Ability; save-reward: +1 time per further rescue. Front-side reward options: heal / 2× heal / move 1 space / 2× time / 2× time / ignore an attack. |
| Layla · 5 HP | A promo Final Girl from the Box of Props (Series 2 accessory box, 2022) | Box of Props (card only, no mini/envelope); mini + Secret Envelope also come with the Guest Stars Box/Guest Stars Miniatures (Series 3) | Verified via original card photo: "Choose a Signature Action card from out of play and take it into your hand." – retrieves any Signature Action card (even from other boxes) back to hand; save-reward: +1 heart per further rescue. Front-side reward options: heal / 2× time / move 1 space / take an action card (max. 2 time) / ignore an attack. |
| Julia · 6 HP | A promo Final Girl from the Box of Props (Series 2 accessory box, 2022); a crossover character with Van Ryder's co-op release "The Dark Quarter" (Lucky Duck Games) – based on the character Julia Paris from that game | Box of Props (card only); since the Series 4 campaign, she also has her own miniature (designed like in "The Dark Quarter," with a square rather than round base) plus a duplicate card in the Mausoleum Box (Series 4) | Verified via original card photo: "You may kill a Victim in your space to choose one of the following: Recover ALL ❤ / Inflict [damage] on an Enemy and recover ❤ / Immediately move 2 spaces, ignoring any movement penalties. Then, flip this card back over." – sacrifice a victim in her space for one of three powerful effects (full heal, attack+heal, or unimpeded 2-space movement); a risky resource choice. |
| Constance · 5 HP | A promo Final Girl from the Box of Props (Series 2 accessory box, 2022); a crossover character with "The Dark Quarter" (Lucky Duck Games) – based on the character Constance Moreau from that game | Box of Props (card only); since the Series 4 campaign, she also has her own miniature (designed like in "The Dark Quarter," with a square rather than round base) plus a duplicate card in the Mausoleum Box (Series 4) | Verified via original card photo: "You may use any weapon in your hand from range 0-2." – lets her use any hand weapon at a distance (0–2 spaces), not just in her own space; save-reward: +2 time per further rescue. Front-side reward options: heal / 2× time / move 1 space / take an action card (max. 2 time) / take the top item card. |
| Jamie | Real content creator Jamie Haughn (host of Foster the Meeple, now Director of Marketing at Van Ryder Games); a Series 3 Kickstarter stretch goal, 2024 | Card + mini + Secret Envelope in the Guest Stars Box (Series 3) | Exact ability text isn't publicly documented. |
| Character Packs – standalone Final Girls with special rules (Series 3) | |||
| Carolyn's Revenge (Teenage Carolyn) | Character Pack, a Series 3 Kickstarter stretch goal 2024. A grown-up version of Carolyn from The Haunting of Creech Manor, returning to take revenge on the Poltergeist | Its own Character Pack (cards, action cards, item cards, Secret Envelope, optional miniature) – part of the Guest Stars Box | Standalone special rules: psychic attacks, teleportation, and "psychically charged" weapons/items for bonus damage. Against the Poltergeist, the usual rescue mission (finding Carolyn's item) is replaced entirely – instead, you build up psychic damage on the killer and banish it to Limbo forever with the "Psychic Expulsion" action card. Playable against any killer on any location. |
| Grandma's Grudge (Grandma) | Character Pack, a Series 3 Kickstarter stretch goal 2024. Red's grandmother from Once Upon a Full Moon, taking on the Big Bad Wolf (and any other killer) | Its own Character Pack – part of the Guest Stars Box | Only 1 hit point (frail) and can't sprint or rest – but stays permanently in "adrenaline mode": +1 die on every Horror Roll, for the whole game. Magnet mechanic: panicking victims move toward her instead of fleeing. Can call victims to her via the Rally action card and uses signature items like knitting needles and knickknacks. An extremely risky but thematically unique high-risk, high-reward build. |
| Premium Promo Packs – Series 4 (card + miniature + Secret Envelope) | |||
| Julie (with her cat "Mazzy") | Real game designer Julie Ahern (Sr. Director of Operations at Van Ryder Games; designer of Once Upon a Full Moon S2·F4 and the Character Pack Grandma's Grudge); GenCon 2025 | Julie Promo Pack (foil card, Julie & Mazzy miniature, Secret Envelope) – still sold regularly in the official Van Ryder shop ($14.99). | Exact ability text isn't publicly documented. Per the publisher's description, "charming but tough as nails." |
| Meg (with her dog "Mipha") | Real content creator "Professor Meg" (YouTube); GenCon 2025 | Meg Promo Pack (foil card, Meg & Mipha miniature, Secret Envelope) – currently sold out in the official Van Ryder shop; listed as a preorder with third-party sellers with expected delivery around September 30, 2026. | Exact ability text isn't publicly documented. |
| Jen | Real content creator Jen (a solo-gaming YouTuber who also supports Van Ryder Games at conventions like UKGE/Essen Spiel) | Jen Promo Pack (Series 4, Kickstarter/preorder), expected to ship around September 2026 | Exact ability text isn't publicly documented. Her signature item is said, per the announcement, to relate to her handmade Final Girl bracelets. |
| Iris | Real content creator Iris (a regular presence at UKGE and Essen Spiel); Series 4, 2026 | Iris Promo Pack (Series 4, Kickstarter/preorder), available separately from the S4 Ultimate Box | Exact ability text isn't publicly documented. |
Notes for collectors
- Not required for the core game: None of these promo girls are necessary to play Final Girl fully – they're pure bonus/collector content.
- Most interesting to actually play: Carolyn's Revenge and Grandma's Grudge, since they (unlike the plain promo cards) come with their own special rules and win conditions instead of just an alternate ability.
- Easiest to get: Paula, since she's still regularly sold as a standalone card in the Van Ryder shop. The rest are tied to Kickstarter campaigns, conventions, or accessory boxes (Box of Props, Guest Stars Box) and are sometimes only available on the secondary market.
- The Series 4 trend: starting in 2025, Julie, Meg, Jen, and Iris establish "Premium Promo Final Girls" with a foil card, their own miniature, and a Secret Envelope – each one named after a real community member.
- Best documented: Agnes, Layla, Julia, and Constance are photo-verified (original cards exist) – Jamie, Julie, Meg, Jen, and Iris still lack publicly documented ability text.
- Julia & Constance – update: both are getting their own officially announced miniatures with the Series 4 Mausoleum Box (styled after "The Dark Quarter"), plus duplicate cards for anyone who doesn't own the Box of Props.
The Box of Props – The Four Final Girls in Detail
The Box of Props (Series 2, 2022) introduced four complete promo Final Girls at once: Agnes, Layla, Julia, and Constance. All four are scan-verified – the data comes directly from scans of the original cards (front and back), not from secondary sources.
Turn your phone sideways for easier reading.
| Final Girl | Back-side Ability (Original Text) | Save-Reward & Front-Side Options | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes · 4 HP | "Gain 2 Ultimate Dice of your choice." – permanently unlocks 2 Ultimate dice of any color, replacing the standard Ultimate Ability. | Save-reward: +1 time per further rescue. Front side: heal / 2× heal / move 1 space / 2× time / 2× time / ignore an attack. | The lowest HP of the four (4), but the most predictable dice ability – good for players who prefer consistent odds over luck. |
| Layla · 5 HP | "Choose a Signature Action card from out of play and take it into your hand." – retrieves any Signature Action card, even from other boxes/characters, back to hand. | Save-reward: +1 heart per further rescue. Front side: heal / 2× time / move 1 space / take an action card (max. 2 time) / ignore an attack. | The only Final Girl in the whole game who can deliberately "borrow" a Signature card from another character – especially fun for cross-box collectors. |
| Julia · 6 HP | "You may kill a Victim in your space to choose one of the following: Recover ALL ❤ / Inflict [damage] on an Enemy and recover ❤ / Immediately move 2 spaces, ignoring any movement penalties. Then, flip this card back over." | No classic save-reward system – the card instead triggers by sacrificing a victim, then flips over (a single use per flip). | The highest HP of the four (6), but morally the most controversial concept: killing a victim grants one of three powerful effects. A crossover character with Van Ryder's co-op game The Dark Quarter (Lucky Duck Games), based on the character Julia Paris. |
| Constance · 5 HP | "You may use any weapon in your hand from range 0-2." – lets her use any hand weapon at a distance (0–2 spaces), not just in her own space. | Save-reward: +2 time per further rescue. Front side: heal / 2× time / move 1 space / take an action card (max. 2 time) / take the top item card. | Practically turns any melee weapon into a ranged weapon – especially strong paired with high damage. Also a crossover with The Dark Quarter, based on the character Constance Moreau. |
8. Vignette Killers – Flexible with Any Location
Beyond the Feature Film boxes, Final Girl has another product category: vignettes. Each contains a killer or a group of minions, plus a Final Girl, but no location of its own. Their titles all start with "Terror from..." Playing one requires a location from a regular Feature Film box. Vignettes are therefore designed for cross-combining from the start.
Note: The mechanics data in this table comes directly from each vignette's rulebook. Melanie's and Patsy's names, HP, and Ultimate Abilities have since been verified via scans of the original cards.
| Vignette / Killer | Included Final Girl | Mechanic & Notable Feature | Location Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terror From Above (Birds) 1st vignette, Series 1, 2021 · An homage to Hitchcock's "The Birds" |
Melanie (photo-verified) 5 HP |
No killer board; instead, a Bloodlust track plus a bird-spawn card, with Horror Level starting at 4. Birds are minions that attack as a group (damage equals the number of birds in the space, with victims prioritized) and can be removed individually through damage. Win condition: before the game starts, pick a difficulty – Easy (1), Normal (2), or Hard (3) Special Victims must be rescued to win. Verified via original card photo: Melanie's Ultimate Ability unlocks after 6 rescues; each further rescue heals 1 HP. Ultimate Ability, verbatim: "Once per Action phase, you may lose 1 Health to deal 2 damage divided as you choose among Enemies in your space." – especially effective against the 1-HP birds. | Large, open boards with plenty of spaces (USS Konrad, Sacred Groves, Falconwood). Not recommended: Storybook Woods – too few spaces, letting bird swarms quickly overrun the small board. |
| Terror From the Grave (Zombies) 2nd vignette, Series 2 · A zombie-apocalypse homage |
Patsy (photo-verified) 6 HP · visually reminiscent of "Night of the Living Dead" (1990) |
Zombies are minions and get added in groups based on the Bloodlust tier; without a target in range, they only shuffle 1 space instead of attacking. If 3 or more zombies gather in one space, they merge into a horde with its own, unlimited-growth health track at the end of the Killer phase. Victory only comes from destroying every zombie and horde; loss occurs on a fourth simultaneous horde or the Final Girl's death. Every location has exactly one fixed vehicle: Camp Happy Trails = motorboat, Creech Manor = helicopter, Sacred Groves = cable car, Carnival of Blood = golf cart, Maple Lane = police car, USS Konrad = super loader, Station 2891 = skidozer, Wingard Cottage = scooter, Storybook Woods = raft, Wolfe Asylum = gurney. Patsy's Ultimate Ability (original card): once per Action phase, spend 2 time to deal 1 damage to an enemy in her space – the killer can't lose its Final Health Token from this effect. Rescue rewards: move 1 space, move 1 space, decrease Horror Level by 1, gain 3 time, recover 1 health. | Smaller, winding boards (Wingard Cottage, Creech Manor) – that's where the zombie horde's siege feel shines most. Warning: per the community, pairing this with Storybook Woods is very hard, since victims die fast and the zombies grow correspondingly stronger. |
| Terror From Destiny (Destiny) 3rd vignette, Series 3, 2023 · An homage to "Final Destination" |
Gabrielle | Conceptually unique: no killer board, and no Horror Level starting point via the usual killer track (Horror Level instead starts at 5). Instead of an opponent, 5 Fated Victims must be rescued in a hidden, fixed order (the Death Order card); ignoring the order triggers Consequence/Punishment cards. The terror deck is built specially from 5 Fated Death terror cards plus 8 regular cards into a 13-card deck instead of the usual 10. | Works well on virtually any board, since the Fated Victims mechanic runs independently of location. Especially fun on boards that already lean into puzzle-solving, like Falconwood (mission system) or L'armes Abbey (Malice tokens), for double the mental load. |
Notes for collectors
- An affordable entry into cross-combining: vignettes are noticeably smaller and cheaper than full Feature Film boxes, but instantly bring a new killer or challenge and a new Final Girl.
- Terror From Above and Terror From Destiny both skip a classic killer board – Terror From Above's goal is rescuing Special Victims, while Terror From Destiny is about a fixed, hidden rescue order. Both feel closer to a puzzle or time-pressure experience than a classic chase.
- Terror From the Grave remains the only one of the three vignettes with a standard destroy-everything win condition (defeat all the zombies and hordes).
9. Buying Recommendation by Player Type and Series
| Player Type | Recommended Order |
|---|---|
| Series 1 – Starting Out and Building Up | |
| Very first box | The Happy Trails Horror (Hans the Butcher / Camp Happy Trails) S1·F1 No special rules, every core mechanic is learnable – there's no sensible starting point without this box. |
| Second box, a gentle step up | Once Upon a Full Moon (The Big Bad Wolf / Storybook Woods) S2·F4 or Carnage at the Carnival (Geppetto the Puppet Master / Carnival of Blood) S1·F4 Big Bad Wolf has two modes and is a great next step. Geppetto's puppet mechanic adds a bit more tension. |
| Fully exploring Series 1 | The Haunting of Creech Manor (The Poltergeist / Creech Manor) S1·F2 → Frightmare on Maple Lane (Dr. Fright the Dream Doctor / Maple Lane) S1·F5 → Slaughter in the Groves (Inkanyamba the Avenger / Sacred Groves) S1·F3 Creech Manor with a completely different win condition (rescue rather than kill). Frightmare with its dream-world mechanic. Slaughter in the Groves only on other locations – don't start with Inkanyamba on Sacred Groves. |
| Series 2 – More Complex Mechanics | |
| Mechanic explorer | A Knock at the Door (The Intruders / Wingard Cottage) S2·F3 → Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 → Madness in the Dark (The Ratchet Lady / Wolfe Asylum) S2·F5 Three killers at once (Intruders) → a spaceship with keycards and airlocks (Evomorph) → boosted cards and a pill system (Ratchet Lady). |
| Sci-fi / space fan | Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 → Panic at Station 2891 (The Organism / Station 2891) S2·F2 → The Killer from Tomorrow (The H.U.N.T.E.R. / Sunnydaze Mall) S3·F1 Alien on the spaceship → The Thing with an infection test → Terminator at the mall. Note: The Killer from Tomorrow plays better on other boards than his own. |
| Multiple killers at once | A Knock at the Door (The Intruders / Wingard Cottage) S2·F3 The only Feature Film with three simultaneously active killers and its own weapon-crafting system. If you like the multi-killer concept, you can expand it later with Bad Times at Buddyland (Billy the Bear, Buddy minions) or The Raptor Games (The Raptors / Isla Lagarto) S4·F5. |
| Series 3 – For Experienced Players | |
| Getting to know Series 3 | Hell to Pay (Razorface / Hellscape) S3·F2 → The Falconwood Files (The Slayer / Falconwood) S3·F3 → The Marrek Murders (The Tormentor / Marrek Warehouse) S3·F4 → Don't Make a Sound (The Eyeless / Utopia) S3·F5 Razorface and Hellscape as the most accessible S3 entry point. Then Falconwood with its mission system and mirror dimension. Then Marrek (a Saw homage) and Don't Make a Sound with its noise mechanic. |
| Silent tension / noise as a rule | Don't Make a Sound (The Eyeless / Utopia) S3·F5 Every action has a noise consequence – too much noise activates the killer. If you like A Quiet Place or want an entirely different playstyle, this delivers a unique experience. |
| Series 4 – The Newest Material | |
| Getting into Series 4 | Bad Times at Buddyland (Billy the Bear / Buddyland) S4·F1 → A Rotten Harvest (Grimlash / Shady Acres) S4·F2 → A Demon in the Shadows (Berith the Fallen Angel / L'armes Abbey) S4·F3 Buddyland is the S4 starter box (just like Happy Trails for S1), including a verified Buddy minion system. Then Grimlash with its Harvest Madness risk escalation. Then Berith, on one of the best boards in the game, with a two-stage win condition. |
| Risk and reward | A Rotten Harvest (Grimlash / Shady Acres) S4·F2 Grimlash escalates via the Harvest Madness track: every new tier grants a selectable reward, but crossing level 3 means an instant loss. Great for players who like tense moments and risky decisions. |
| Hidden cat-and-mouse | The Green Terror (The Volk'ar / Pesadilla Verde) S4·F4 The Volk'ar is the only killer in the whole game that moves secretly via a deck of movement cards – you never know exactly where it is. A completely different feel. Also recommended on Creech Manor for double the tension. |
| Dinosaurs / pack attacks | The Raptor Games (The Raptors / Isla Lagarto) S4·F5 Instead of a single killer, you're up against a growing raptor pack. There's also an unstoppable T-Rex that eats through everything – victims, raptors, the Final Girl, and even the killer. A treat for Jurassic Park fans. The rulebook PDF for the killer and location isn't officially available yet. |
| Themes and preferences – across every series | |
| Horror film classics | Every box takes inspiration from a well-known horror subgenre – see the full breakdown right after this table. |
| Maximum challenge | Slaughter in the Groves (Inkanyamba the Avenger / Sacred Groves) S1·F3 on other boards · Panic at Station 2891 (The Organism / Station 2891) S2·F2 · Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 with the Evomorph · A Rotten Harvest (Grimlash / Shady Acres) S4·F2 Inkanyamba on other boards is very demanding without his home board's frustrating Wrath track. The Organism has more to manage than any other killer. The Evomorph on the Konrad is the toughest home-board pairing in the game. Grimlash risks an instant loss if the Harvest Madness decision is mistimed. |
Which Horror Classic Inspired This?
Many Feature Film boxes echo well-known horror movies – sometimes obviously, through the killer's design, sometimes more subtly, through the location or theme. These pairings come from a community research effort by BlueJen99 on the official BGG forum, and aren't statements from Van Ryder Games. For Slaughter in the Groves, even that research couldn't pin down a clear cinematic source.
| Box | Horror Film Inspiration(s) |
|---|---|
| Series 1 | |
| The Happy Trails Horror | Friday the 13th (1980) & Halloween (1978) |
| The Haunting of Creech Manor | Poltergeist (1982) |
| Carnage at the Carnival | Puppet Master (1989) |
| Slaughter in the Groves | no clear inspiration identified |
| Frightmare on Maple Lane | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) |
| Terror From Above (vignette) | The Birds (1963) |
| Series 2 | |
| Into the Void | Alien (1979) |
| Panic at Station 2891 | The Thing (1982) |
| A Knock at the Door | The Strangers (2008) & You're Next (2011) |
| Once Upon a Full Moon | Little Red Riding Hood & Hansel and Gretel (fairy tales) |
| Madness in the Dark | Silent Hill (2006) & One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) |
| Terror From the Grave (vignette) | The zombie genre in general |
| Special Release | |
| The North Pole Nightmare | Krampus (2015) |
| Series 3 | |
| The Killer from Tomorrow | The Terminator (1984) |
| Hell to Pay | Hellraiser (1987) |
| The Falconwood Files | Stranger Things (2016) |
| The Marrek Murders | Saw (2004) |
| Don't Make a Sound | A Quiet Place (2018) & Tremors (1990) |
| Terror From Destiny (vignette) | Final Destination (2000) |
| Special Release | |
| Shriek | Convention culture in general & Scream (1996) |
| Series 4 | |
| Bad Times at Buddyland | Willy's Wonderland (2021) & Five Nights at Freddy's (2014) |
| A Rotten Harvest | Pumpkinhead (1988) & Children of the Corn (1984) |
| A Demon in the Shadows | The Nun (2018) & The Exorcist (1973) |
| The Green Terror | Predator (1987) |
| The Raptor Games (unreleased) | Jurassic Park (1990) & The Hunger Games (2008) |
Note: The same community source also lists a fourth vignette called Terror from Beyond, said to draw on Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978). Since we don't have a rulebook to verify this against yet, it isn't included in this overview. It will be added to Section 8 once the details can be confirmed against a primary source.
10. Game Terminology Glossary
Final Girl uses a range of specific terms throughout its rules. This glossary collects the most important ones in one place for quick reference.
| Term | Meaning / When It's Relevant |
|---|---|
| Phases of a turn | |
| Action Phase | Phase 1 – carry out your own actions |
| Planning Phase | Phase 2 – buy cards, reset time to 6, return cards from the discard pile to the tableau |
| Killer Phase | Phase 3 – the Killer Action from the Finale card resolves first, then the terror card is drawn & resolved |
| Panic Phase | Phase 4 – victims panic if a victim died this round |
| Upkeep Phase | Phase 5 – check for the Finale, prepare the next round |
| Dice rolls and results | |
| Horror Roll | The dice roll used for nearly all action cards (5–6 = success) |
| Success / Partial Success / Failure | 5–6 / 3–4 / 1–2 on the die roll |
| Horror Level | Determines dice count; the green zone with 3 dice is the goal |
| Cards and resources | |
| Action Card | Played from your hand; costs time to buy |
| Terror Card | Drawn during the Killer phase, after the Finale card's Killer Action has resolved |
| Event Card | Drawn at the start of the game; remains in effect for the whole game |
| Reaction Card | Guard / Retaliate – blue background; playable only when the killer attacks |
| Zero-Cost Card | Marked with a gold hourglass symbol showing "0"; costs no time |
| Setup Card | Shows the starting positions of every figure; drawn randomly |
| Dark Power Card | Revealed at a specific Bloodlust tier; a permanent killer bonus |
| Amped Card | A more powerful action card; obtained via the pill system (Madness in the Dark) |
| Player board and items | |
| Final Health Token | Placed face-down; decides whether you survive at 0 HP |
| Backpack | A storage slot; items here can't be used directly |
| Hand / Hand Slot | Equipped items; max. 2 hands (1 item each) + the backpack |
| Ultimate Ability | Unlocked once every rescue slot on the Final Girl card is filled |
| Item Trap | Hidden in the item deck; a negative effect when drawn (Carnage) |
| Killers and enemies | |
| Bloodlust | Rises when victims die; makes the killer stronger and faster |
| Minion | A killer's helper; e.g. puppets (Geppetto), Intruders, raptors, Buddies (Billy the Bear) |
| Enemy (not a minion) | Acts independently of minion rules, with its own action timing; e.g. the children in Shady Acres |
| Hidden Movement | The killer moves secretly; players have to guess its location (Volk'ar) |
| Immortal Master | Geppetto: invincible as long as all 3 puppets remain on the board; a similar principle applies to Billy the Bear (unattackable while a Buddy shares his space) |
| Board and positions | |
| Exit Space | A green space; victims here can be rescued |
| Search Space | Marked with an orange search symbol; items can be found here |
| One-Way Space | A space marked with an arrow; movement only possible in one direction (Creech Manor) |
| Victim | An NPC on the board; rescuing one grants a bonus on your Final Girl card |
| Finale Revealed | Terror deck empty → reveal the Finale card → the killer gets stronger, and no more terror cards are drawn |
| Adrenaline Rush | +1 die (or +2, if both sides are down to their final health token) when the Final Girl or the killer is on their final health token |
11. At a Glance – Highlights and Warning
12. Purchase Order by Budget and Experience
| Budget / Situation | Recommended Box(es) | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out – Series 1 | ||
| 1 box – the absolute starting point | The Happy Trails Horror (Hans the Butcher / Camp Happy Trails) S1·F1 | No special rules, every core mechanic is learnable. There's no sensible starting point without this box. |
| 2 boxes – your first combination | + Into the Void (The Evomorph / USS Konrad) S2·F1 | Hans on the USS Konrad is your first cross-play experience and delivers right away. The Konrad is one of the best boards in the game – and Ellen is one of the strongest Final Girls overall. |
| 3–4 boxes – the core experience | + Carnage at the Carnival (Geppetto the Puppet Master / Carnival of Blood) S1·F4 + Hell to Pay (Razorface / Hellscape) S3·F2 |
Geppetto brings puppets and traps – a noticeable step up in difficulty. Hell to Pay adds Hellscape as a second top-tier board and Razorface as the most accessible S3 killer. Four boxes, maximum variety. |
| 5–6 boxes – building a collection | + A Knock at the Door (The Intruders / Wingard Cottage) S2·F3 + Madness in the Dark (The Ratchet Lady / Wolfe Asylum) S2·F5 |
A Knock brings three simultaneous killers and the only weapon-crafting system in the game. Madness in the Dark adds boosted cards and the "Final Girl 2.0" effect. All the major mechanics are now represented. |
| Expansion – rounding out Series 1 and 2 | ||
| 7–8 boxes – rounding out Series 1 | + The Haunting of Creech Manor (The Poltergeist / Creech Manor) S1·F2 + Once Upon a Full Moon (The Big Bad Wolf / Storybook Woods) S2·F4 |
Creech Manor is the only box without combat as the win condition – an entirely different feel. Once Upon a Full Moon with the two-phase Big Bad Wolf is a good gentle step and closes out S2 nicely. |
| 9–10 boxes – exploring Series 3 further | + The Falconwood Files (The Slayer / Falconwood) S3·F3 + Don't Make a Sound (The Eyeless / Utopia) S3·F5 |
Falconwood with its mission system and mirror dimension has the highest replay value in S3. Don't Make a Sound is conceptually unique – noise draws the killer in. |
| 11–12 boxes – filling gaps | + The Marrek Murders (The Tormentor / Marrek Warehouse) S3·F4 + Frightmare on Maple Lane (Dr. Fright the Dream Doctor / Maple Lane) S1·F5 |
The Marrek Murders (a Saw homage) with traps and the Tormentor in the finale. Frightmare on Maple Lane for Elm Street fans – Dr. Fright is especially fun played on unfamiliar locations. |
| 13–14 boxes – complex killers | + Panic at Station 2891 (The Organism / Station 2891) S2·F2 + The Killer from Tomorrow (The H.U.N.T.E.R. / Sunnydaze Mall) S3·F1 |
The Organism has more to manage than any other killer – infection tests, helicopter rescues. The H.U.N.T.E.R.'s two-phase arc plays better on other locations than on Sunnydaze Mall. |
| 15 boxes – the biggest challenge | + Slaughter in the Groves (Inkanyamba the Avenger / Sacred Groves) S1·F3 | Inkanyamba on other boards is one of the hardest experiences in the game – without the frustrating double Wrath track of his home board. Only recommended once you have experience. |
| Series 4 – Introducing It Step by Step | ||
| Series 4 entry point | Bad Times at Buddyland (Billy the Bear / Buddyland) S4·F1 → A Rotten Harvest (Grimlash / Shady Acres) S4·F2 → A Demon in the Shadows (Berith the Fallen Angel / L'armes Abbey) S4·F3 |
Buddyland is the S4 starter box (the simplest mechanics, a verified Buddy system). Then Grimlash with its Harvest Madness risk escalation. Then Berith on L'armes Abbey – one of the best boards in the game, with a two-stage win condition (defeat the killer + revive Ursula). |
| Series 4, advanced | + The Green Terror (The Volk'ar / Pesadilla Verde) S4·F4 + The Raptor Games (The Raptors / Isla Lagarto) S4·F5 |
Green Terror with the game's only hidden-movement killer (verified against the rulebook PDF) – a completely different feel. Raptor Games with a growing pack and an unstoppable T-Rex; no official rulebook for the killer or location exists yet. |
| Full collection | ||
| Full collection S1–S4·F1–F4 | Ultimate Box S1 + S2 + S3 + Series 4 boxes F1–F4 | Every board, killer, and Final Girl from S1–S3, plus the four verified S4 boxes, plus vignettes and Bonus Features. The highest replay value thanks to the sheer number of possible killer/location pairings. The Raptor Games (S4·F5) can be added once the official rulebook is out. |
13. Conclusion: Which Box Is Worth It?
Final Girl isn't a game you buy once and then fully know. The real appeal is the mixing: freely combine killer, location, and Final Girl for a different game every time. Once you've learned the core rules with Hans the Butcher at Camp Happy Trails, you'll quickly see how much more the system has to offer.
If you only want to buy a second box, Into the Void from Series 2 is a safe bet: the USS Konrad opens up plenty of options for cross-combinations, and Ellen is considered one of the stronger Final Girls. For entering Series 3, Hell to Pay is a solid choice – Razorface stays accessible, while Hellscape opens up plenty of interesting killer combinations. In Series 4, A Demon in the Shadows with L'Armes Abbey is among the especially recommended options; its underlying rule mechanics have since been verified against the official rulebook.
One takeaway that shows up again and again in player reports: demanding locations don't automatically become more interesting when paired with complex killers. Often, a simpler killer on a demanding location works better, because the location's own mechanics get more room to breathe.
You can find the full playthrough guides and glossaries for individual boxes in the overview of all quick-start guides.
Here's the link to the original rulebook.
Disclosure: This is an independent fan overview and isn't affiliated with Van Ryder Games. Tier ratings, killer rankings, and combination recommendations are based on community experience, rules analysis, and, where available, my own gameplay. Difficulty and feel can vary widely depending on the combination and how a group plays.
We take no responsibility for the content of linked pages.
Original text and compilation: © ReDesign.
