The official website for The Settlers of Catan

The “Age of Darkness” Expansion

• Contest of the Heroes - Must the hero I choose for the Contest of the Heroes have strength points?

  No. However, strength points increase the chances of winning.

• Contest of the Heroes - Who chooses the resource the winner receives from his opponent - the winner or his opponent?

  The text on the card reads "The winner receives 1 resource and may demand another 1 resource from the loser." This says it all.

• Good Neighbors - For how long do the cards remain face up?

  The cards remain face up until a player takes them or until the game ends.

• Good Neighbors - If one player or both players have a Pilgrimage Site, are the resources distributed first or are the cards revealed first?

  First the cards are revealed, then the resources are distributed.

• Good Neighbors - What does "has" mean? Is it required that the card already be placed in the principality, or is it sufficient to have the card in one's hand?

  "Having" always means that the card has been placed in the principality. Therefore, it is not sufficient to have the buildings in one's hand.

• Hergild the Master Merchant - How often during my turn may I use Hergild's function?

  As often as you can and want to.

• Hergild the Master Merchant - If I only have a Large Trade Ship, and Hergild the Master Merchant allows me to choose a resource for trading, may I trade resources from regions not adjacent to the Large Trade Ship?

  No, it is not possible to apply Hergild to the Large Trade Ship.

• Hergild the Master Merchant - Is it allowed to trade various resource types at a 1:1 rate?

  No, you have to choose a resource type for which you have a ship.

• Heroes (discarded after using their special effect) - Can Godfrey and Olaf be driven off by the Archer, missionized by the Missionary, or infatuated by Marie?

  Yes and no. Godfrey can be driven off by the Archer and taken over via Marie. Olaf has no strength point and thus is immune to the Archer, but he can be bewitched by Marie. However, in these cases the opponent determines which hero to remove or to offer you, provided that he placed various heroes.

• Heroes (discarded after using their special effect) - If I have taken over Godfrey, Marie, and Olaf by means of the Missionary, may I activate them immediately?

  No. You may activate them during your next turn at the earliest.

• Heroes (discarded after using their special effect) - In order to use Godfrey and Olaf, must the requirements of similar action cards be met?

  No.

• Heroes (discarded after using their special effect) - To defend myself against activated heroes that have "special effects," can I use the protective actions that are effective against the corresponding attack-action?

  No. Although Godfrey's effect resembles a Traitor's effect, being an intriguer allows Godfrey to get past the Lookout Tower and Heinrich the Sentinel. Also the Grove of Peace cannot be used against these cards.

  Note: The Grove of Peace belongs to the Age of Enlightenment

• Lighthouse - Can a Lighthouse simultaneously affect various ships?

  Yes and no.

  • The Lighthouse protects all trade ships from the Storm.
  • However, a Lighthouse only improves the rate of the trade ship right above or below it.

• Lighthouse - Can I improve the rate of my Large Trade Ship via the Lighthouse?

  Yes.

• Marie the Shieldmaiden - Do I have to pay the building costs for the received unit?

  No.