The official website for The Settlers of Catan

General Questions

• Hand limit - How is my hand limit affected if I'm allowed to draw cards during my turn?

  It is not affected at all.

• Hand limit and drawing cards - How is my hand limit affected if I'm allowed to draw cards during my opponent's turn?

  It is not affected at all. Each player mustn't observe the hand limit until the end of his turn.

• Heroes - What are heroes?

  Each unit whose text box shows the words "Unit - Hero" has hero status.

• Metropolises (in general) - Can Metropolises be attacked by an Arsonist?

  No.

• Placed cards - How many times during a turn can I use an expansion?

  During your turn, you can use most expansions as often as you like and can pay for (if payment is required). Some expansions of the Theme Sets can only be used once per turn, which is explicitly stated on the respective cards.

• Placed cards - May the expansions in a city swap places?

  • The upper two expansions may swap places with each other, and the lower two expansions also may swap places with each other.
  • An upper and a lower expansion may not swap places with each other.

• Placed cards - Must a building which requires another building be built in the same city?

  No.

• Placed cards - What happens with a card whose placement requires another card if the required card is removed afterwards?

  The card stays where it is and retains its effect. Requirements must only be met when playing the card; afterwards, they are irrelevant.

• Placed cards - When does the removal of certain buildings affect the receipt of resources and victory points?

  In most cases, immediately. Exceptions are explicitly stated on the cards or in the game rules.

• Playing cards - May I play action cards as often as I want?

  Played action cards are placed on the discard pile. There are various ways to get them back into your hand, and each time you succeed in doing so, you may play the card again.

• Playing cards - May I play action cards that do not have any effect?

  No. If you know that an action card can't have any effect, you are not allowed to play it.

• Playing cards and placed cards - During the action phase, may I perform the actions "expanding," "playing action cards," and "trading" several times each or only one time each?

  You may perform all actions as many times as you want and can pay for (if payment is required), unless the rules of the expansions used contradict it.

• Playing cards and placed cards - If there are several cards of the same building, may I build that building several times?

  In principle, yes - unless the buildings are marked with "(1x)."

• Region expansions - How much does it cost to build region expansions?

  Some region expansions are for free but have certain requirements. You may place them as soon as you meet the requirements. On other region expansions, the building costs are displayed in the top left corner or in the text box.

• Region expansions - May I attack region expansions with an Arsonist?

  No.