Alchemist - Can I combine the Alchemist with the Wheel of Time?
Yes. In this case, you determine both dice roll results.
Alchemist - Can I wait for the Event Die roll result before deciding to play the Alchemist?
No. First you use the Alchemist, and then you roll the Event Die.
Aqueduct - How many regions does my Aqueduct protect from the Plague?
All regions in your principality.
Arsonist - Burned-down Buildings whose effect I can make use of only once per turn and which I have already used before they were burned down – can I use them once more during the same turn after having rebuilt them?
Yes.
Arsonist - Can I attack Region Improvements with an Arsonist?
Yes.
Arsonist - Can I play the Arsonist against Foreign Cards in my principality?
Yes.
Note: Foreign Cards are part of the CATAN Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Arsonist - Can I play the Arsonist against my own Buildings?
No.
Arsonist - Can I play the Arsonist to burn down a Building that carries a Witch?
Yes, if the building can be burned without a Witch.
Note: Witches belong to the theme set "Wizards & Dragons". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Arsonist - Does a Fire Brigade, Archdiocese, or Triumphal Arch carrying a Witch or Pawnbroker lose its immunity against the Arsonist?
No.
Note: All mentioned cards are part of the Catan Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Arsonist - If I draw a Building Card that was “burned down” by the Arsonist back into my hand, do I have to immediately discard a card?
- If you are the active player: no.
- If you are the passive player: yes.
Arsonist - My Arsonist targets a Building of my own principality because a “6” is rolled. But I only have Buildings that are protected by a Fire Brigade. Do I have to draw a Building Card into my hand anyway?
No.
Note: The Fire Brigade belongs to the theme set "Science & Progress". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Arsonist - When playing the Arsonist, do I have to announce which Building I want to target before rolling the die?
No.
Benjamin the Loyal Vassall - Does Benjamin affect regions I received after the dice roll?
Yes.
Bishop - Do I have to play the Bishop before my opponent rolls the dice?
Yes.
Brigands - Do I have to announce before the dice roll which resources I want to steal?
No.
Caravan - Can I take back one of the discarded resources?
Yes.
Cities - Can I switch the positions of the expansions inside a city for optical reasons?
As long as this doesn’t have any effects other than strictly optical ones: yes.
Cities - If I build a city on top of a settlement, does the settlement’s victory point still count (i.e., a total of three victory points)?
No. The city is worth two victory points, including the settlement.
Civil War - Can I abstain from selecting one of my opponent’s Units?
No.
Civil War - Can I select a Knight if, in the event of a Civil War, the Fleet I selected is protected by Sigmund?
No. At that point, it is no longer possible for you to change your mind.
Note: Sigmund the Sea Hero belongs to the theme sets "Barbarian & Traders". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Civil War - Can the Knight Token or the Windmill Token already change ownership when the passive player has removed a Unit but the active player still has to remove one?
No. The consequences are resolved only after both players have selected a Unit.
Civil War - In what order are the individual actions performed when the event “Civil War” occurs?
- The active player selects a card from the passive player's principality.
- The passive player takes this card back into his hand and discards one card of his choice if his hand limit is exceeded.
- The passive player selects a card from the active player's principality.
- The active player takes this card back into his hand.
Civil War - What happens if only one player can lose a Unit and the other player can't?
In this case, only one player loses a Unit and the other one doesn’t.
Conflict - The text on the Conflict card says, “… and returns them to the bottom of an expansion stack of his choice.” Can I place the two cards under two different stacks, or do they really have to be placed under one and the same stack?
Under one and the same stack.
Conflict - When can I add the cards to my hand that were lost through the Conflict?
At the end of your turn at the latest. But as the active player, you can use all possibilities that provide you with more cards for your hand during your turn.
Counting House - Can I place two Counting Houses?
Only in the Tournament Game: in the Base Game you are not able to do it, and in the Expanded Base Game you are not allowed to do it.
Note: A second Counting House belongs to the theme set "Trade & Change". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Garrison - Does a Garrison protect from the Action Card “Brigands?”
No, it only protects from the die roll event.
Garrison - What’s the combined effect of the Garrison and the Court of Justice?
See under “Court of Justice.”
Harbor - Do only the Trade Fleets in the city with the Harbor receive the additional commerce point?
No. It doesn’t matter where the Harbor is.
Harbor - How many commerce points are my Fleets worth if I own two Harbors?
Each Harbor increases the worth of each Trade Fleet by one commerce point.
Harbor - How many Harbors can I build in the Base Game and the Expanded Base Game with sets other than Barbarians and Traders?
As much as you have.
Irmgard the Keeper of the Light - Can my opponent take Irmgard away from me?
No. The only risk is that he might be the first one to place Irmgard.
Irmgard the Keeper of the Light - Do I receive the resource from the bank?
Yes.
Master Builder - Can I renounce my right to exchange a card?
Only indirectly, by returning the selected card to the bottom of a stack.
Master Builder - If I am the passive player, can I select a card from the stack under which the active player has placed his discarded card?
Yes. But you may not search the stack that has already been searched by your opponent.
Master Builder - If I have less than the allowed number of cards in my hand, do I also have to discard a card?
Yes.
Master Builder - In a Tournament Game, can I also select cards from my game partner’s stacks?
No.
Master Builder - In the Expanded Base Game, can I place the card I have to discard at the bottom of one of the Theme Set stacks?
Yes.
Master Builder - What do I do if I have no cards in my hand?
You'd probably pull a wry face: you may select a card but have to discard it again.
Merchant - Can I give one of the resources I received from my opponent back to him?
Yes.
Merchant - Who determines from which regions the resources are taken?
The player who hands over the resources. The player who receives them only determines the resource type.
Plague - Do regions bordering on a Citadel lose one resource in the event "Plague" occurs?
They lose the resource only if they also border on a city that is not protected against the Plague – and in this case, they lose it because of the city, not because of the Citadel.
Note: Citadels are part of the CATAN Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Plague - Do regions bordering on a Metropolis also lose a resource if the event “Plague” occurs?
Yes.
Note: The Metropolis belongs to the theme set "Politics & Intrigue". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Plague - Does a region bordering on two cities lose two resources if the event “Plague” occurs?
No.
Production Buildings - If I own two resources in a region next to a Production Building, what happens if the number of this region is rolled?
You only receive one resource.
Production Buildings - In a city, do I have to place a production booster card directly adjacent to the region card or may I also place it on the 2nd building site, diagonally above or below the region card?
The card may also be placed on the 2nd building site.
Production Buildings – Do Production Buildings also affect events and actions – for example, when I can select any one resource of my choice or take one resource away from my opponent?
No.
Productive Year - Do I get two resources for a region located between two Garrisons?
Yes.
Progress - Do I also receive two resources for two cards of the same type?
Yes.
Regions - Can I move resources of the same type within my own principality?
Only by means of the Livery Stable.
Note: The Livery Stable belongs to the theme sets "Trade & Change". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Regions - When building a settlement, can I place the two regions wherever I want?
Yes. But once you made your decision, you can no longer change their positions.
Regions - Why is there an odd number of Region Cards?
So that one region is left, which assures that the Scout can still be played when the last settlement is built.
Roads - Can I remove a road if I don’t need it?
No.
Settlements - If all settlements are built and already some cities too, can I continue building settlements by using the settlements that are placed under the cities?
No. The total number of localities you can build (Metropolises, settlements, cities, and Citadels) is limited to nine.
Note: Metropolises and Citadels are part of the CATAN Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Smithy - What is affected by the Smithy?
Knights and Cannons.
Note: Cannons belong to the theme sets "Science & Progress". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Spy - Can a Spy steal Buildings?
No.
Spy - Can a Spy steal Wizards, Magic Actions, Magic Books, and Dragons?
Spys can only steal Action Cards and Units: Magic Actions are Action Cards and Dragons are Units, which is why the Spy can steal them. Wizards are Region Improvements and Magic Books are a card type of their own: both can not be stolen by Spies.
Note: All mentioned cards are part of the CATAN Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Spy - Can I also play a Spy to steal a Spy?
Yes.
Spy - Can I immediately replenish the cards in my hand if a card was stolen from me with the help of a Spy?
No.
Spy - Can I immediately use a card that I stole with the help of the Spy?
Yes, provided that you don’t violate some other rule.
Spy - Can I play a Spy if my game partner owns a Great Wall and a Watch Tower?
Yes, but it makes no sense.
Note: Great Wall and Watch Tower belong to the theme sets "Science & Progress" and "Knights & Merchants". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Spy - Can I play the Spy if I know my opponent doesn’t have a card in his hand that I could take from him?
Yes.
Spy - Can I play the Spy if my opponent doesn’t have cards?
No.
Spy - Do I get my Spy back if my opponent has only Buildings in his hand?
No.
Spy - If a Spy played by my game partner fails because of my Great Wall or my Watch Tower, do I nevertheless have to show him the cards in my hand, only that he can’t steal any from me?
No. A failed Spy played by your game partner has no effect on you.
Note: Great Wall and Watch Tower belong to the theme sets "Science & Progress" and "Knights & Merchants". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Spy - If I play the Spy to steal a card from my opponent, can I place the card without paying the cost?
No.
Spy - If my opponent plays a Spy, do I have to show all my cards or only those he can steal?
All your cards.
Spy - What happens with the card I received from my opponent by means of a Spy?
The same things that also happen with cards you received in other ways.
The Black Knight - Can I play The Black Knight if there is no card in my opponent’s principality that could be attack with him?
No.
The Black Knight - Can I use The Black Knight to attack one of my own Knights?
No.
The Black Knight - Do I have to announce before the dice roll which Knight I will attack?
No.
The Black Knight - Who can I attack with The Black Knight?
Dragons, Cannons, and Knights. Only Walter the Minstrel is immune against The Black Knight.
Note: Dragons, Cannons and Walter the Minstrel are part of the CATAN Card Game, which can be found in the Ludography.
Town Hall - I built two Town Halls. Can I select cards from the stacks for free now?
No. Only if you have the Assembly Hall, you can draw cards for free when replenishing your hand.
Note: The Assembly Hall belongs to the theme sets "Science & Progress". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Town Hall - If I have a Town Hall, can I select various cards per turn?
With each card you draw, you can decide again - independently from your previous decision - whether you want to draw the card blindly or use the function of the Town Hall and, in each case, pay one resource for it.
Trade Fleets - Can a Trade Fleet perform various trades per turn?
Yes.
Trade Fleets - Can I use an Ore Fleet to trade two ore for one ore, in order to receive commodities for the Coin Merchant’s Residence?
No.
Note: The Coin Merchant’s Residence belongs to the theme set "Barbarian & Traders". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
What are Special Cards?
Special cards are cards which, on occasions such as the annual game fair in Essen/Germany, have been published in honor of Klaus Teuber's family or people who contributed to the success of the CATAN games. Only 500 copies of each card have been printed, all of them signed by Klaus Teuber. Some of the motifs on these cards were painted by Klaus Teuber himself and others by Franz Vohwinkel - except for the last one, which was painted Franz Vohwinkel's colleague Klaus Scherwinski. These cards do not belong to the regular card pool, and both players or, if applicable, the organizers of a tournament must agree to include these cards in the game. The cards have been published in German only. Some of them can be downloaded from the CATAN GmbH website.
The following cards have been published in the context of the old Card Game:
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Johanna, die Kriegerin (Johanna the Warrior-Maiden), published in 2002. The card could only be downloaded by players who finished the Prof. Easy Tutorial for the Card Game, and it is the only card that comes in two versions.
The text on version 1 for the base game and the expanded base game read as follows:
Each knight of your opponent is worth one strength point less. Requires: Church.
Version 2 - which was also printed for the expanded base game with Science & Progress and the Tournament Game - displayed a different text:
Each of your opponent's Cannon is only worth two strength points. Johanna is immune against Lady Imelda and Bribery. Requires: Church, and no Citadel.
In 2003 the card was added to the new Barbarians & Traders Theme Set (English version published in 2006), and its effect was extended to the Dragons of the Wizards & Dragons Theme Set. -
Guido, der große Diplomat (Guido the Great Diplomat), published in 2003:
If your opponent has more victory points than you and you play this card at the beginning of your turn (before rolling the dice), retrieve the topmost attack action card in the opponent's discard pile. May not be targeted by the Spy.
In 2006, the card was slightly changed and added to the new Artisans & Benefactors Theme Set (English version published in 2009), and in 2010 - again slightly changed - the card was included as Guido the Ambassador in The Rivals for Catan. -
Benjamin, der treue Vasall (Benjamin the Loyal Vassal), published in 2004:
You once more receive the resource of each region whose number you rolled at the beginning of your turn.
In 2010 the card was included as Benjamin the Traveling Scholar in The Rivals for Catan. -
Irmgard, Bewahrerin des Lichts (Irmgard, Keeper of the Light), published in 2005:
If your opponent plays a Merchant or successfully plays the Brigands card, you receive any one resource of your choice.
In 2010, after changing its function the card was included in The Rivals for Catan. -
Emi'Ly, Bewahrerin der Harmonie (Emi'Ly, Keeper of Harmony), published in 2006:
You may repeat each of your production die rolls exactly one time. If you roll an odd number, you draw Emi'Ly into your hand or pay one gold.
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Arnd, der findige Knappe (Arnd, the resourceful Squire), published in 2007:
Place a knight on this card. Both cards now count as one knight unit and are protected against Lady Imelda, Civil War, and Bribery. If the knight is removed, Arnd is placed on the discard pile.
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Gustav und Reiner, Helfer der Ratlosen (Gustav and Reiner, Helper of the Helpless), published in 2008:
If you have at least three victory points less than your opponent, you may immediately start another turn.
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Franz vohm Winkel, published in 2009:
Pay the building costs and place this card on a Church. Both cards together are worth two victory points. If the Church is removed, Franz is also lost.
All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Year End - Can I use the Better World to remove the Year End?
No.
Note: The Better World belongs to the theme set "Wizards & Dragons". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Year End - Can I use the Guardian of Fate to move the Year End?
Yes.
Note: The Guardian of Fate belongs to the theme set "Wizards & Dragons". All expansions of the CATAN Card Game can be found in the Ludography.
Year End - Does the Year End have any other effect apart from causing that the Event Card stack is reshuffled?
In the Expanded Base Game with "Barbarians & Traders" and in the Tournament Game, the Year End has still another function: players owning a Winery receive any two resources of their choice.
Year End - If the card “Year End” is revealed, is it shuffled into the Event Card stack?
Yes.
Year End - In the Tournament Game, can I select a Year End as “guest card” for my four Event Cards?
No. Only one Year End can be used in the game.