Painting miniatures for Gloomhaven is one of those projects that sounds overwhelming until you start. The figures are detailed enough to reward painting but not so fine that they require an experienced hand. A batch-painting approach works well: prime all figures of a type together, base coat in one session, wash with army painter strong tone, drybrush highlights, done.

You do not need expensive paints. Vallejo and Army Painter both produce excellent results at reasonable prices. A starter set of 12-15 colors covers everything you need for Gloomhaven's palette, which skews toward earth tones, stone, and undead green.

The payoff is significant. Painted figures make the dungeon tiles feel like a game rather than cardboard. The investment of time creates attachment to the characters. My Brute has paint chipping from carry case bumps and I am irrationally pleased about this.