Terrain types

Coast

A coast is where a terrain hex borders the sea. A road can be built along a coast. Settlements can be built on intersections bordering the sea. The disadvantage here is that the zone of influence will only extend to 2 terrain hexes or even a single hex and this will result in lower resource production.

Desert

The desert is the only hex that produces no resources. Only the robber feels at home in the desert, as he is located there at the start of the game. Any player who builds a settlement or a city next to the desert hex must be aware that he will receive production from 2 terrain hexes only.

Field

Grain is cultivated in fields. There are 4 field terrain hexes on the game board.

Fog

In certain scenarios, terrain hexes are hidden under fog banks. As soon as a player approaches a fog-covered hex with his ship or road, the fog clears and, with a little luck, a new region is discovered. If a resource-producing hex has been discovered, the player who discovered the terrain will receive a resource from that hex as a reward.

Forest

The forest produces lumber. There are 4 forest terrain hexes in the game.

Gold Field

Gold is obtained on the gold field hexes: Gold may be traded for any type of resource.

Hills

Hills produce brick. There are 3 hill terrain hexes on the game board.

Mountains

Ore is obtained from the mountains. There are 3 mountain terrain hexes in the game.

Pastureland

Sheep in the pasture hexes produce wool. There are 4 pasture terrain hexes in the game field.

Resources

Brick

Brick is obtained from the hill terrain hexes and is required to build roads and settlements.

Gold

Gold is obtained from the gold field terrain hexes. However, the resource gold is not used to construct buildings, but instead, it is to be used only as a trade currency. If the sum of a gold field terrain hex is thrown, the players with settlements or cities next to the gold hex may choose which type of resource they want to receive.

Grain

Grain is obtained from field terrain hexes and is required to build settlements and cities and to buy Development Cards.

Lumber

Lumber is the resource obtained from forest terrain hexes. Lumber is required to build roads and settlements.

Ore

Ore is the resource the player obtains from the mountain terrain hexes. Ore is required to build cities and to buy Development Cards.

Wool

Wool is obtained from the sheep in the pasture terrain hexes. Wool is required to build settlements and to buy Development Cards.

Trade

Generic Harbor

When the player settles at a generic harbor he will receive a trade advantage for all resource types and can exchange with the bank at a ratio of 3:1 instead of 4:1.

Harbor

There are 9 harbors in the game, of which 4 are generic harbors and 5 are special harbors for specific resources. When a player owns a harbor, he will benefit from trade advantages when trading with the bank. With a generic harbor the player receives an exchange ratio of 3:1 from the bank for all resources, but with a special harbor he will receive a ratio of 2:1 for the relevant resource.

Maritime Trade

The player can trade with the bank whereby he can exchange 4 identical resources for 1 resource of his choice. This ratio lowers to 3:1 if he owns a harbor (generic harbor) or 2:1 (special harbor).

Trade

Players can exchange resources amongst themselves. To initiate a trade, the player must first submit an offer to the other players in the trade menu. There is always the option of trading with the bank if no players are interested in the offer.

Development Cards

Knight Card

The Knight Card allows the player to move the robber to another hex and to steal a resource from a player who owns a settlement or city by that hex. The player who has played the most Knight Cards acquires the Largest Army. There are 14 Knight Cards in the game. Knight Cards are the only type of Development Card that can be played before rolling the dice.

Monopoly

A player who plays this Progress Card chooses a resource type and all the other players must then hand over their entire supply of that resource to him. Any player who does not own that resource will give nothing. There are 2 Monopoly Cards in the game.

Road Building

When the Road Building Card is played the player may build two roads without having to use any resources. There are 2 of these Progress Cards in the game.

Victory Point Card

You will receive an additional Victory Point when you have a Victory Point Card. Victory Point Cards remain hidden and are only revealed at the end of the game when a player reaches a total of 10 Victory Points (including his Victory Point Cards).

Year of Plenty

The Year of Plenty Card is a Progress Card that allows the player to select 2 resources of his choice.

Buildings

City

You need 3 ore and 2 grain to upgrade a settlement to a city and the city will then replace the settlement. The number of resources you can obtain from the bordering hexes will then double. A city is worth 2 Victory Points. Each player can build a maximum of 4 cities.

Roads

Roads are connections between settlements or cities. Roads are built on paths. You need 1 brick and 1 lumber to build a road. Roads can only be constructed along the border between two adjacent terrains or along the coast and can only border your own settlements, roads or cities.

Settlement

A player needs 1 brick, 1 lumber, 1 wool and 1 grain to build a settlement. Settlements can be built on open intersections and must observe the distance rule. A settlement can only be placed on its own road. Each settlement earns 1 Victory Point and a player can build a maximum of 5 settlements.

Ship (build)

To construct a ship you will need 1 wool and 1 lumber. Ships are placed in the same manner as roads and cannot sail. However, ships may only be placed on the edges of sea hexes or coasts. A settlement or city must be chosen as the starting point for a ship route. The player is not allowed to connect a ship to a road directly. Ships extend roads when they are connected by means of a settlement or city and are therefore included in the Longest Road calculation.

Rules

Blockade

A blockade refers to a situation in which a player is blocked by a robber or pirate. The robber will cause a resource blockade. As long as the robber is on a hex, that hex will not produce any resources. The pirate, on the other hand, will block the adjacent ships of a player. These ships may not be moved, nor may a new ship be built on the edges of the blocked hex.

Building

The player has various buildings to choose from in the building menu. A specific combination of resources is required to build each type of building.

Building Costs

A specific combination of resources is required to build each type of building. A road costs 1 brick and 1 lumber. A player needs 1 brick, 1 lumber, 1 wool and 1 grain to build a settlement and requires 3 ore and 2 grain to upgrade a settlement to a city.

Development Cards

There are 3 types of Development Cards: Knight, Progress and Victory Points. Development Cards can be acquired during a turn in exchange for 1 ore, 1 wool and 1 grain. A player can buy as many Development Cards as he can afford. In the game however, the player can only play a Development Card for the first time in the next turn. A maximum of one Development Card can be played in one turn. A Development Card is removed from the game once it has been played.

Dice

These are rolled at the start of each turn. The sum of the throw determines which terrain hexes yield production.

Distance Rule

A settlement can only be founded on an open intersection if the three bordering intersections are not occupied by a settlement or a city.

Foreign Islands

In scenarios with several islands, the islands on which a player has not yet built a settlement in the set-up phase are referred to as Foreign Islands.

Harbormaster

In the scenario "The Harbormaster", the harbors play a particularly important role. A settlement adjacent to a harbor is worth one, a city worth two harbor points. The first player to receive 3 harbor points will receive 2 Special Victory Points for the title as "Harbormaster". A player can lose his title as Harbormaster to another player as soon as that player has more harbor points.

Home Islands

In scenarios with several islands, the islands on which a player has already built a settlement in the set-up phase are referred to as Home Islands.

Intersection

Intersections are vertices at which up to 3 terrain hexes meet. Settlements can only be established on intersections.

Largest Army

The player who is first to play his 3rd Knight Card receives the Largest Army. However, once another player plays one more Knight Card the title will pass on to him. The Largest Army is worth 2 Victory Points.

Longest Road

The player who is first to create a continuous road (not counting forks) of at least 5 road pieces receives the Longest Road and acquires 2 Victory Points. Once another player builds a longer road the title, along with 2 Victory Points, must pass to him.

Paths

Paths are defined as the edges where two hexes meet. Paths therefore run along the border between terrain hexes or between terrain and the sea frame. Roads can be built on paths.

Pirate

Like the robber, the pirate is activated when a 7 is thrown or when a Knight Card is played. The pirate may only be placed on sea hexes. A player may decide whether he would like to play the robber or the pirate. Whoever plays the pirate may steal a resource from a player who owns an adjacent ship. A ship located on the edge of the hex with the pirate on it may not be moved. New ships may not be built on the edges of the occupied hex.

Probability

There are various outcome variables when the 2 dice are thrown. The dice roll odds can be found in the statistics view when playing a game and should be taken into consideration when selecting locations for buildings.

Resource Depletion

In the "Greater Catan" scenarios (scenarios 15 and 16) the resources on Catan itself become scarce. As soon as a player's ship reaches the edge of one of the small island terrain hexes, then that terrain hex is assigned a number token. The first 4 (with 3 players) or 5 (with 4 players) number tokens are taken from the supply. Once the supply is exhausted, the active player must remove a number token from the main island. However, at first he may only choose a number token that meets the following 3 requirements:

1. The number token must come from a terrain hex on which the active player has a settlement or city.

2. Each settlement or city on the main island must remain adjacent to at least one terrain hex with a number token.

3. The numbers 6 and 8 may not lie adjacent to each other on a small island.

Should it not be possible to fulfill all three requirements, then the active player may break them in order from 1 to 3.

Resources

Resources are needed to build settlements, roads and cities and to buy Development Cards. A player can obtain resources from the various terrain hexes if the number on the hex is thrown.

Robber

The robber is located on the desert hex at the start of the game. The robber is activated when a 7 is thrown and the players receive no resource production. Any player who owns more than a total of 7 resources must discard half of his resources. The player who has thrown the 7 must move the robber to another hex to enable him to steal a resource from a player who owns an adjacent settlement or city. A terrain hex will yield no production for as long as the robber remains on it. The robber can, however, be moved using a Knight Card.

Set-up phase

Each player must first build a settlement and a road in the set-up phase. All the players can then build another settlement and another road in reverse order of player turns. The first resources are allocated for the second settlement: every player receives a resource from each bordering hex.

Ship (move)

Unlike roads, ships can be moved to new locations. To do so, it is essential that the ship is the last ship of a ship route. In addition, only one ship may be moved per turn and it may not be a ship that has been built during that player's turn. Additional costs do not arise when moving ships.

Special Harbor

There is a special harbor for each resource type (the harbor icons are identical). The most favorable exchange ratio of 2:1 only applies to the resource marked on the harbor and does not influence the exchange ratio for any other resources, thus it is strategically important at which harbor a player settles.

Special Rules

In certain scenarios, additional special rules apply. You can find out which rules these are in the scenario briefing.

Special Victory Points

All scenarios offer the opportunity to receive 2 Special Victory Points each by achieving the Longest Road and the Largest Army. In some scenarios additional Special Victory Points can be achieved for settling in foreign regions and for becoming Harbormaster. Learn more about the Special Victory Point rules in the description of the individual scenario.

Tactics

Brick and lumber are particularly important at the start of the game, as both are necessary to build roads and settlements. A player should therefore have at least 1 brick or 1 lumber hex at the start of the game. The value of harbor locations should not be underestimated; a player who owns settlements or cities by good grain hexes should secure the "Grain" harbor location. When the player builds his first two settlements, he must make sure he owns enough hinterland to allow him to expand without being blocked by any other players. He who trades regularly will receive better opportunities; you can also make counter offers from time to time.

Terrain Hexes

There are 5 terrain types each producing different resources. The desert is the only terrain that yields no production. The robber is located in the desert at the start of the game.

Treasures

In some scenarios, treasures are hidden under fog-covered hexes. To retrieve a treasure, you must reach the intersection with the treasure using one of your ships or a road. Whoever discovers a treasure will be rewarded with gold, resources or a Development Card or may construct new roads or ships.

Turn

A turn always begins with a player rolling for resource production (the result applies to all players); the player can then build and trade. There is no restriction on the number of buildings the player can build, provided he has adequate resources available. The player can also play one of his Development Cards at any time.

Victory Points

The game objective is to be the first player to reach 10 Victory Points and thus become Lord of Catan. There are several ways of receiving Victory Points. A settlement is worth 1 Victory Point, a city 2 Victory Points and 2 Victory Points are awarded each for the Largest Army and the Longest Road. Victory Point Cards are always worth 1 Victory Point.

Cities & Knights

Barbarian Ship

When the Barbarians attack Catan and win, the players who contributed the lowest activated Knight Strength will each lose a City. You can see on the left edge of the screen how many steps away the Barbarians are. The strength of the Barbarian army corresponds to the number of Cities built on Catan, and the strength of Catan's Knights corresponds to the number of Fleur-de-lis Symbols on the shields of the activated Knights. If the Barbarians attack and lose, the player who contributed the most Fleur-de-lis Symbols to the victory will receive a "Defender of Catan" Victory Point Card. If several players are tied for the title, each will only receive a Progress Card.

City Improvement

City Improvements are made for one of the 3 Commodities. The first upgrade costs 1 Commodity, the second 2, and so forth. Each upgrade shows which number you need on the red dice to get a Progress Card; it increases with each upgrade level. From the third upgrade level on the Player receives the following additional benefit for the rest of the game: Guildhouse (yellow) - trade Commodities at a 2:1 rate. Fortress (blue): They can promote Strong Knights to Mighty Knights. Aqueduct (green): If they didn't get any Resources when rolling the dice, they will get a Resource of their choice.

City Walls

A City Walls increases the maximum number of Resources that a player can hold by 2 when rolling a 7. They cost 2 Brick. City Walls can only be built for Cities.

Commodities

There are three types of Commodities: Cloth, Coin, and Paper. You get them from Cities that border on Mountains, Forest or Pasture hexes. Commodities are needed to upgrade the Cities, Cloth giving you Trade, Coins giving you Politics, and Paper giving you Science.

Knight

You need Knights to protect your own Roads and Resources. To hire a Knight, pay 1 Ore and 1 Wool and place a Basic Knight on an unoccupied intersection on your own Road. You can promote Knights by paying 1 Ore and 1 Wool. Each player can have a maximum of two Knights per level, these being: Basic Knight, Strong Knight and Mighty Knight. You can only create a Mighty Knight once you have the third level Politics (blue) City Improvement. A Knight's strength is indicated by the Fleur-de-lis Symbols on his shield. To use a Knight you must first activate it with 1 Grain. Only activated Knights can be moved and are counted in Barbarian Attacks. When you move a Knight to an intersection, weaker Knights are displaced; if they have nowhere to go, they are removed from the game. A Player can displace the Robber with his activated Knight, if the Robber is on one of the three neighboring land hexes. The Knight becomes "inactive" after any kind of action.

Merchant

The Merchant does not enter the game until a player has played the "Merchant" Progress Card and placed him on a hex next to one of his settlements. This player may trade to the Resource of that hex at a 2:1 rate for as long as the Merchant is on that hex. The Merchant can only be moved by playing a "Merchant" card. The Merchant is worth one Victory Point.

Metropolis

The first player who upgrades a building to the fourth level in one of the three City Improvement areas can make one of his Cities a Metropolis. A City that has become a Metropolis counts four Victory Points (2 for the City, 2 for the Metropolis). You can only lose a Metropolis if another player reaches the fifth upgrade level of the same area before you do. A City can only become a Metropolis in one area.

Progress Card

Progress Cards have certain properties and influence the game. To get them you must meet the following conditions: 1. You must possess at least one City Improvement. 2. The event die must show the City Gate in the same color of your City Improvement. 3. The number on the red die must match the number shown on one of your City Improvements.

Seafarers Variant

When playing with the Seafarers variant, you should be aware that certain actions which apply for roads are also possible with ships. Also, the Pirate is governed by the same rules as the Robber. The number of Victory Points indicated for each scenario should be increased by 2. A City on a Goldmine hex will only ever produce Resources, but never Commodities. You may not place the Merchant on a Gold River hex.

Progress Cards

Science (green)

Alchemist

Play this Card before rolling the dice and pick the result for the production dice. Then roll the event die as normal, and perform the event.
When you play this Card, you can pick the result you want from the number dice. You can even make the dice roll "7." In that case the event has to be performed first. Only then may you receive your production as normal. You may not play this Card after you roll the dice.

Crane

You can build a City Improvement for 1 Commodity less than normal in this turn.
The Crane can only be used to reduce the cost in the turn you played the Card. This benefit only applies to City Improvements (Market, Town Hall, etc.) and it only lets you build a single City Improvement; this may also be your first City Improvement, of course. Building a City still costs the normal amount of Resources.

Engineer

You may build one City Wall for free.
Take a City Wall and put one of your Cities inside it. A City Wall increases the number of cards you can safely hold in your hand by 2 cards when a "7" is rolled. Each city can only have 1 City Wall, and you cannot have more than 3 City Walls at a time. Settlements may not have City Walls.

Inventor

Swap two Number Tokens of your choice, but not 2, 12, 6, or 8.
Improve your production! You may choose any two Number Tokens (except 2, 12, 6, or 8), and swap their places on the board. You do not have to have a Settlement or City next to the hexes with the numbers you are swapping. If you choose a "9" and an "11" for example, take the "9" Token and put it in the hex where the "11" Token is. Take the "11" Token and put it in the hex where the "9" Token was. You can choose to swap a token that is in the same hex as the Robber.

Irrigation

Collect 2 Grain for each Fields hex adjacent to at least one of your Settlements or Cities.
You receive 2 Grain for each Fields hex next to any of your Settlements and Cities. Unlike normal production, Cities do not increase this bonus.
Example: You have two Cities next to a Fields hex. You have a Settlement next to a different Field. If you play the Irrigation card, you will receive 4 Grain.

Medicine

You may upgrade a Settlement to a City for 2 Ore and 1 Grain.
When you play this card, you save 1 Ore and 1 Grain. You may not use (combine) two of these cards at the same time.

Mining

Collect 2 Ore for each Mountains hex adjacent to at least one of your Settlements or Cities.
You receive 2 Ore for each mountains hex next to any of your Settlements and Cities. Unlike normal production, Cities do not increase this bonus.
Example: You have 2 Settlements next to a Mountains hex, and a City next to a different Mountains hex. If you play the Mining card, you will receive 4 Ore.

Printer

This card awards you 1 Victory Point.
You must play this card face up in front of you. You may not keep Victory Point Cards in your hand. Like all Progress Cards, they do not count when the Robber appears.

Road Building

This card allows you to build 2 roads for free immediately. (For Seafarers: also 2 Ships, or 1 Road and 1 Ship)
The Roads you build do not have to be together. These Roads cost you nothing to build. You can only build Ships if you are playing the Seafarers expansion. In that case you may also build 2 Roads, 1 Road and 1 Ship, or 2 Ships.

Smith

You may promote 2 of your Knights 1 level each for free (observe condition for level 3). You may not promote "Mighty" Knights. You may promote up to 2 active or inactive Knights. You may only promote a "Strong" Knight (level 2) if you have built the "Fortress" City Improvement (Politics-blue). The status of the Knight (active or inactive) does not change. You may only promote a Knight one level per turn.

Politics (blue)

Bishop

Move the Robber. Draw 1 Resource or Commodity from each player who has at least one Settlement or City next to the Robber’s new hex.
When you use this card to move the Robber, you can steal 1 card from each player who has a Settlement or City next to the hex that you move to, instead of stealing from only 1 player. If a player has more than 1 Settlement or City here, you can still only steal 1 card from that player.

Constitution

This Card awards you 1 Victory Point.
You must play this Card face up in front of you immediately when you draw it, even if it is not your turn. You may not keep Victory Point Cards in your hand. It does not count against your hand limit of 4 Progress Cards, and it may not be stolen by the Spy.

Deserter

Choose another player. That player must remove one of his Knights from the board. You may then place one of your own Knights, of equal strength, on the board for free.
When you play this Card, your opponent chooses which of his Knights to remove from the board. If he chooses a Knight that you do not have available (for example, if he removes a "Strong" Knight and both of your "Strong" Knights are already on the board), then you may instead place a "Basic" Knight. If you cannot place any Knights, your opponent must still remove one of his Knights, but you will not be able to place a Knight. If your opponent removes a "Mighty" Knight, you may place one of your "Mighty" Knights even if you have not yet built the "Fortress" City Improvement (politics-blue).
The Knight you place has the same status (active or inactive) as the Knight your opponent removed.

Diplomat

You may remove an "open" Road (without another Road or other piece at one end). If you remove your own Road, then you may immediately place it somewhere else.
An "open" Road means a Road that is at the beginning or end of a chain of Roads which does not have any Knight, City, Settlement, Road or Ship (with Seafarers) at one end. If you remove an opponent's road, it returns to his supply. If you remove your own road, then you may place it immediately on the board, free of charge (following the normal building rules - connected to your own road or settlement/city). Only if you remove your own Road may you place it somewhere else for free. You may not remove an oppoent's Road and place your own.

Intrigue

You may displace an opponent's Knight. The Knight must be on an intersection connected to at least one of your Roads or Shipping Lines.
With this Card you can displace an opponent’s Knight without using a Knight of your own. You can play this Card even if you have no Knights of your own. Of course a new Knight can be built in the same place the displaced one was (by either player). The displaced Knight must be moved to an empty space. If there is no space, then remove him from the board (return it to its owner).

Saboteur

When you play this card, each player who has as many or more Victory Points than you must discard half of his cards (Resources and/or Commodities).
If the number is uneven, you round down as usual (with 9 Resources and/or Commodities, you need to give up 4).

Spy

Look at another player’s hand of Progress Cards. You may choose 1 Card to take and add to your hand.
You may even steal another Spy and play it immediately. You cannot steal Victory Point Cards.

Warlord

When you play this Card, activate all your Knights without paying any Grain. Remember that a Knight may not perform any actions during the turn after he is activated, but he can be activated after performing an action that turn.

Wedding

Each of your opponents who has more Victory Points than you must give you 2 Resources or Commodities of their choice.
If one of these players only has 1 card in hand, they must give you that card. If they have no cards, then they owe you nothing.

Trade (yellow)

Commercial Harbor

You may offer each of the other players a Resource. In return they must exchange it for any 1 Commodity of their choice, if they have any.
You may use this ability for as long as it's your turn. However, you may only force each player to make this trade with you once that turn. Your opponent chooses which Commodity to give you. If you offer a Resource to a player who has no Commodities, then you take your Resource back and the trade is void. You do not have to give this player the Resource.

Master Merchant

Choose another player who has more Victory Points than you do. Look at the player’s hand of Resources and Commodities and choose 2 cards to take and add to your hand.
None of your opponents can defend themselves against this "theft", even if they have just one more Victory Point than you.

Merchant

Place the "Merchant" in any land hex next to one of your Settlements or Cities. As long as the Merchant remains here, you may trade the type of Resource produced in this hex at a 2:1 rate.
Place the Merchant in any land hex next to one of your Settlements or Cities. As long as the Merchant remains here (under your control), you may trade the type of Resource produced in this hex with the supply at the 2:1 rate. As usual, you may also exchange these Resources for Commodities.
The Merchant counts as one Victory Point for the player who controls him. If another player plays a Merchant Card, then they take control of the Merchant, receive the trade advantage, and the Victory Point. The Robber does not affect the Merchant.

Merchant Fleet

You may use one Resource or Commodity of your choice to make any number of 2:1 trades with the Supply during the turn that you play this Card.
For the rest of the turn, you may trade one Resource or Commodity of your choice at a 2:1 rate. You can make as many such trades as you wish. As usual, you may exchange Commodities for Resources and vice versa.

Resource Monopoly

Name a Resource. Each player must give you 2 of that type of Resource if they have them.
If a player only has 1 of that Resource, he must give it to you.

Trade Monopoly

Name a Commodity. Each player must give you 1 of that type of Commodity if they have them.
You may name any of the 3 Commodities (Coin, Paper, or Cloth). Each player must give you 1 of the named Commodity if he has them.