New Card Stacks

The cards of the Basic Game are distributed over 4 Expansion Card stacks. 2 separate stacks are formed with the cards of the respective Theme Sets. Some sets contain Center Theme Cards that are exhibited separately below the Center Cards (Settlement, City, and Road).

Rule Changes

In principle, the game is played according to the rules of the Basic Game. There are only few exceptions:

1. Some Theme Sets contain cards with buildings that can be placed in the opposing principality.
2. You may remove (tear down) buildings or units from your own principality. Cards that have been removed from the principality go to the deposit stack.
3. However, you may not remove your opponent's cards from your own principality.
4. The Expanded Basic Game ends when a player has reached 13 victory points.

In the following, short descriptions for the individual sets are given; they should be sufficient for you to try your first game. If you want further information, you can find detailed descriptions for each set on the Catan Online World website.

Knights & Merchants

This Theme Set contains new Knight units and cards to make trading more powerful. It is a simple set and very suitable for players who want to make their first attempt at playing an Expanded Basic Game.

Science & Progress

The Center Theme Card of this set is University. Many Action Cards can only be played - and many buildings can only be built - after a University is established. The two University cards are exhibited below the Center Cards. Each player can place only one University in his/her principality.

Politics & Intrigue

The Center Cards of this set are Churches and Town Halls. Many Action Cards can only be played - and many buildings can only be built - after building a Church or Town Hall. The two Church cards and the two Town Hall cards are exhibited as Center Theme Cards below the Center Cards. Each player can build only one Church and one Town Hall in his/her principality. Also new is the Metropolis; it creates new building sites for units in the cities.

Trade & Change

The Center Theme Card of this set is Counting House. Many Action Cards can only be played - and many buildings can only be built - after a Counting House is established. The two Counting House cards are exhibited as Center Theme Cards below the Center Cards. Each player can place only one Counting House in his/her principality.

Wizards & Dragons

This set contains a new Center Card: Citadel. Below the Center Cards “Settlement,” “Road,” and “City,” there is a stack with 5 Citadels. A Settlement can also be expanded to a Citadel instead of a City. If you have a Citadel, you can put up Wizards in your principality. Wizards convert the resources of neighboring regions into Magic Power. With Magic Power, you can pronounce spells that provoke an accelerated development of your principality or affect events.

Barbarians & Traders

The Center Cards of this new set are Harbor and Triumphal Arch. Many Action Cards can only be played - and many buildings can only be built - after building a Harbor. Once you have rected the Triumphal Arch, victories over the barbarian hordes or campaigns against the barbarians earn you victory points; they are collected via the Triumphal Arch. The two Harbor cards and the two Triumphal Arch cards are exhibited as Center Theme Cards below the Center Cards. Each player can build only one Harbor and one Triumphal Arch in his/her principality.

Artisans & Benefactors

The Center Cards of this set are House of the Benefactor, Aqueduct, and Public Feeling. Especially the new attribute "Public Feeling" brings many new possibilities to the game. Improve the mood of your people through Feeding of the Poor (action) or the acquisition of various works of art - your people will thank you for it. That way, you become immune to Civil War, build roads and settlements more favorably and even reactivate already discarded cards. In your principality, you can only build one House of the Benefactor and one Aqueduct. Each player starts with one Public Feeling.

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Please note: The Card Overview is currently only available in German.