Settlers of Catan FAQ
Q: How is the order for placing settlements and roads decided?
A: Each player would roll two dice. The one with the highest total begin placement. If tied, the two (or three) players would roll the dice again until a victor is decided. Following that, the first player would place a single settlement and a single road, and the turn would pass on to the player on the left, to place one settlement and one road, and proceed clockwise.
Q: What about the second settlement and road?
A: When the last player placed his first settlement and road, he would then begin the placement of his second settlement and road. Said road MUST be attached to the second settlement. He would also collect resources based on the hexes next to his second settlement. Turn then proceeds anti-clockwise, ending with the player who started first (in placing first settlement and road).
Q: What about the first settlement? Doesn’t it generate starting resources too?
A: No. Only the second placed settlement would grant the player starting resources.
Q: Can trading be done at any time?
A: No, trading could only be performed during the player’s turn. He could initiate the trade at any time during his turn AFTER rolling the two dice. However, he could trade and buy as many times as he wishes during the turn.
Q: What about trading with the bank?
A: Trading with the bank could only be performed in a 4:1 ratio, where the player sacrifices 4 of any product to receive one of any product. The only exception is when the player owns a settlement or city adjacent to a port. He could then trade using the port’s given advantages.
Q: Does 2:1 icon (sheep) mean I could trade two sheep for any one resource, or two of any one resource for a sheep?
A: The former. You could trade two sheep for any one resource.
Q: When are cards discarded?
A: Cards will be discarded ONLY when a 7 is rolled. Only players with 8 or more cards will have to discard cards of his choice (rounded down). Cards are not discarded when a soldier card is played.
Q: Must the robber be moved when a 7 is rolled or a soldier card is played? When can I play the soldier card?
A: Yes. The robber MUST be moved. The soldier card could be played even before dice rolling, as long as it is that person’s turn. However, the soldier card cannot be played immediately after purchase, as with the rule with development cards.
Q: I can only play development cards one turn after I buy them?
A: Yes. With the exception of victory point cards (which can be played immediately along with any other VP cards), all development cards can only be played the next turn.
Q: Can I play a settlement and immediately upgrade it into a city?
A: Yes, you could perform as many build and buy actions as you want during your turn, as long as you have the resources to do so. That includes upgrading a settlement bought during the same turn.
Q: Can someone ‘block’ my roads by building a settlement in the middle of my chain?
A: If the building was constructed in the middle of your chain, you could continue building along the same chain on either sides of the settlement. However, if the settlement is placed in the end of your chain, you could no longer build roads from your opponents’ settlement. Note though, that while you can continue building road links in the former case, the chain is considered disrupted or cut, meaning that counting (for longest road) could only be done on either side of the settlement. This also means that the longest road award may be removed from a player if another player’s road chain exceeds his at that point.
Q: Can I play any number of development cards during my turn?
A: Yes, as long as they were not bought on the same turn (with the exception of VP cards).
Q: What if there are not enough resources to be distributed?
A: While unlikely, under such a circumstance all players who are supposed to benefit from that resource would receive none of that resource.
FAQs for
- Ticket to Ride
- Blokus
- Dividends
- Sudoku
Rules and Guidelines for Settlers of Catan
