Settlers of Catan Variants
maintained by SneakyBison
I've broken these down into various components. Rules about robbing, port use, placement, sitting, building, trading, and a special final section. All games on the ladder server are ladder games by default and must follow reporting rules. If a variant element is not listed in the game title or agreed to by the table, the default rules for that element. See also the full Ladder rules on this site.
RR7/4 has been added to RR7 5/1/2007
RULES ABOUT ROBBING
Full Rob (DEFAULT) — When rolling a 7 or playing a knight, you can place the knight anywhere and steal from whomever.
RR/Reverse Robber — When rolling a 7 or playing a knight, you have to put the robber on an empty hex or one that is yours exclusively. If that is not possible, then you have to put the robber on one of your shared hexes, which allows you to make a legal steal. If you break this rule once, you must immediately trade back the resource lost due to your failure — do not attempt to use the resource. If you break this (or any) rule twice in a game... you should be beaten about the head.
RR7/Reverse Robber on 7 — When rolling a 7, you have to put the robber on an empty hex or one that is yours exclusively. If that is not possible, then you have to put the robber on one of your shared hexes, which allows you to make a legal steal. If you break this rule once, you must immediately trade back the resource lost due to your failure — do not attempt to use the resource. If you break this (or any) rule twice in a game... you should be beaten about the head. You may place the robber anywhere on a knight, and steal at will.
Note: RR7/4 is an ancillary variant. Knights may not be used against any player with fewer than 4 points. Soldiers may be placed on a hex shared by players with under 4 points and 4 points and above, but the resource must be stolen from the player who has at least four points.
RRK/Reverse Robber on Knights — When playing a knight, you have to put the robber on an empty hex or one that is yours exclusively. If that is not possible, then you have to put the robber on one of your shared hexes, which allows you to make a legal steal. If you break this rule once, you must immediately trade back the resource lost due to your failure — do not attempt to use the resource. If you break this (or any) rule twice in a game... you should be beaten about the head. You may place the robber anywhere on a 7, and steal at will.
Wandering Robber — Robber must be moved to any adjacent hex. Can move any direction and keep toggling back and forth for a while, but the landing hex must touch the previous hex. If you break this rule once, you must immediately trade back the resource lost due to your failure — do not attempt to use the resource.
Consecutive Robber — Robber must be moved on 7s and knights to the next higher number. (i.e., starts on desert, moves to 2, moves to 3, moves to 4, etc. After 12, it moves back to the desert and starts over again).
7-K+/7 backwards, Knights forward — On a 7, you must steal from the person who rolls before you (so green would rob pink, pink robs blue, etc.) On a knight, you must steal from the person who rolls after you (so green would rob yellow, etc.). You can place it on a shared hex, but the appropriate target must be stolen from. If the appropriate target is out of resources, you must still place it on one of their hexes, but can legally steal the resource from elsewhere. If you break this rule once, you must immediately trade back the resource lost due to your failure — do not attempt to use the resource.
ROL/Robber on Leader — On a Knight or a 7, the Robber must be placed on the leader (based on showing points, not VPs) and the leader must be stolen from. The hex selected may be a shared hex. If there is a tie, robber must be placed as with Reverse Robber. When playing the a knight that would give you Largest Army, those two points count BEFORE the placement. Leader must place robber on self, even if there is an open hex. If the leader is forced to rob, they may keep the resource.
Bacalao 2/12 — On the roll of a 2 or a 12, the diceholder selects another player to rob of all resources held, and indicates what the player gets in return. If player A rolls a 2, and player B has 10 resources, player A states "Player B Sheep". Player B initiates a trade of the 10 resources for the one sheep. If Player A has no resources on the 2/12, and does not have a knight/mono/year of plenty to play, they miss the opportunity. Bacalao is a cod fish served on special occasions, but is also the name for a legendary island on 16th century maps (most likely Newfoundland).
Note: Extreme 2/12 is an ancillary variant. Rolling a 2/12 entitles the roller to the resources from the three other players instead of just the one.
1RFT Ascending/1 Resource Forced Trade Ascending/Go Fish! — The roller of the "magic number" (starting with 2, skipping 7 through 12 and then back to 2 again) can force a single resource trade attempt with one other player. For example, Player A rolls a 2 at the beginning of the game, and offers Player B one wood for one ore. If Player B has ore, B MUST accept the trade. Otherwise, B will tell Player A they do not have said resource and Player A winds up with nothing new. The person who rolls a 3 after that would repeat this process.
RULES ABOUT PORT USE
Full Port Use (DEFAULT) — If the computer will let you make the 4:1, 3:1, or 2:1 port trade, go for it.
Port "Block"/Pirate — When the robber is on a hex adjacent to a 3:1 or a 2:1 port, the player on the port cannot use that port until the robber is moved. If the player is on two 3:1 ports, blocking one does not block the other. Example: robber placed on hex touching the wheat port. Player with settlement on wheat port cannnot convert wheat at 2:1, but can at 3:1 only if they have a 3:1 port; otherwise, conversion must be done at a 4:1 rate. Mayfair calls this variant "Pirate", but Port Block is much simpler.
Canary — Players may not convert 4:1 for a resource that they "own" a hex of. For example, if Player A is on Wood, Wheat, Ore, and Sheep, he may convert 4:1 for Clay, but NOT the other 4 resources. If Player A has a 2:1 or 3:1 port, he may convert to any resource, but must use that resource on that turn if he has a hex of that resource. If he does not have a hex of that resource, he may save it. This variant is named for the people of the Canary Islands, who will not trade for goods they themselves produce.
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RULES ABOUT PLACEMENTPlace Anywhere (DEFAULT) — You can place your first two settlements anywhere allowed by the computer.
First Placement Ore — First placement must be on an ore. If all the ore is somehow blocked, first placement must include the desert. Why not sheep, wood, etc.? After figuring the permutation, and watching strategies, some players don't select ore with either placement, going solely for resources that would help them build that first settlement. This levels things out, and makes everyone have a shot at making a city and increases the purchase of cards.
MSS/Must Settle Sheep — On either placement, one of your choices must include a sheep hex. If sheep is unavailable on your turn, you must include the desert.
1st Coastal — First placement must be on a coastal area. Second placement can be anywhere. If you mess up your first placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you. Should be played with RR7 or Full Rob.
2nd Coastal — Second placement must be on a coastal area. First placement can be anywhere, including the coast. Everyone should wind up with no more than 2 resources to begin a game. If you mess up your second placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you. Should be played with RR7 or Full Rob.
Double Coastal — Both placements must be one a coastal area. Everyone should wind up with no more than 2 resources to begin a game and a lot of inward facing roads. If you mess up either placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you. Should be played with Full Rob.
CoD/Coast or Desert — First or Second placement (usually second) must be placed on the coast or on the desert. If you mess up your restricted placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you. Should be played with RR7 or Full Rob.
One Coastal — First or second placement must be on a coastal area. Other placement can be anywhere, including the coast. If you do not place one settlement on the coast, the game is void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you.
Reverse Coastal/No Coastal — Neither the first nor second placement may be on the coast. If you mess up your restricted placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you.
No Port — Neither first nor second placement may be on a port of any sort (2:1 or 3:1). If you mess up your placement, the game is immediately void. It's a good idea for you not to join the restart. Don't be shocked if people are a little hostile with you.
Blind Pick — Players announce, in order, exactly where they plan to place their settlements before the hexes are "flipped". Person who starts the table selects who goes first in the picking. This one takes a bit of logistics, and should be played only by folks who trust one another.
30 second placement — Players must place their settlement within 30 seconds. If player violates this, the placement must go on the worst desert spot available. If desert is full, then the worst #2 spot, worst #12 spot. If none of these are available, you should have restarted the game and be shameful that so many screwups occured. Second pick gets a maximum of 30 seconds — you can't save your time from the first pick. Player #4 is expected to make the first pick within 30 seconds, and that the clock restarts for the return pick. And really gang, you should be taking no more than 30 seconds a pick anyway. This isn't rocket science, nor will lives be saved by your carefulness.
Screw Thy Neighbor — Your three opponents choose your initial placements, with the restriction that you must get 2 resources out of each pick. For example, choosing the 11/12/coast is legal, choosing the 12/coast is not. Player gets to choose the road direction. All three players should come to an agreement beforehand. The game usually will resemble double coast or desert to begin.
RULES ABOUT SITTING
Open (DEFAULT) — Any registered ladder player not in the penalty box may play.
Minimum X Games/X Wins — The anti-newbie game. Catan geezers will use this after a series of frustrating games either losing to newbies, or having newbies repeatedly foul up variants. Table creator is responsible for checking player eligibility before hitting start game. If you are not eligible for a game, don't sit. If you do somehow accidentally sit and you aren't eligible, please quit the table when the table creator asks you to.
Maximum X Games/X Wins — The pro-newbie game, anti-geezer game. Don't want to get your butt kicked by a 2000+ game player again? Restrict the number of wins/games by setting a cap. Table creator is responsible for checking player eligibility before hitting start game. If you are not eligible for a game, don't sit. If you do somehow accidentally sit and you aren't eligible, please quit the table when the table creator asks you to.
Name 1/Name 2/X/X — An invite table. The two, three or four players named in the table game have reserved spots at the table. While colors aren't reserved in this manner, some players have distinct preferences. Do not sit without asking if you don't see all the names listed seated. It's better if at least one seat is left unassigned.
Note: Setting a table by rank or demanding only players of a certain rank is not allowed — any registered ladder not in the penalty box may play.
RULES ABOUT TRADING
Full Trade (DEFAULT) — You are allowed to offer as many trades per round as you think you can get away with without thoroughly annoying the rest of the table.
NT/No Trade — No trading. Don't even think about it. You will be scoffed at.
One Trade — You are allowed to offer one trade per round. If it doesn't get accepted, tough nuggets. Finish your turn and pass the dice and hang your head in shame.
Trade with Partner — You are allowed to trade only with the player who is diagonal to you on the board (blue/green; yellow/pink). A team game usually, with losing team reporting to winning team. Can be played without the team aspect, but why?
RULES ABOUT BUILDING
Build Anywhere (DEFAULT) — If you've got the resources and a proper space, build it.
DCM/Development Card Madness— All 25 Development Cards must be bought before building settlements, cities, or playing cards. Roads may be built at any time. The person buying the last card may immediately build and/or play a development card. Usually played as a no trading, full rob game.
No cities/"Peasant" — You are not allowed to build cities at all. Game play continues until one player reaches 10 (through road, largest army, and victory points) or until all development cards are used and no more settlements can be built, longest road and largest army are secured. At that point, player with the most points overall wins. If there is a two-way tie, each winner gets one report from one of the other two — the two non-winning players must report only one loss.
"Bourgeoisie/Reverse Peasant" — You are not allowed to buy development cards of any sort, and you may have no more than 2 settlements at any time. Winner will have 4 cities and 2 settlements or 4 cities and longest road (or possibly 4 cities, longest road, and a settlement, but that involves 11 points). This variant should be played no trade/full robber.
2OCTW/2 On Coast To Win — In order to be declared the winner, a player must have 10 points AND must have at least 2 settlements or 2 cities or 1 city and 1 settlement on the coast. In order to win, a player does not need to begin with settlements on the coast but must fulfill the conditions by the time the game ends. If a player reaches 10 points and does not have 2 on the coast then the player with the next highest number of points with 2 on the coast will be declared the winner. Victory Points from development cards are included in this calculation and may be verified by swapping seats after the game. If 2 players have the same number of points then the player with the most settlements on the coast will be declared the winner. If 2 players have the same number of points and number on the coast then the player who would have been next to roll will be declared the winner.
8/3— In order to be declared the winner, a player must have 10 points AND at least 8 roads AND at least 3 development cards in hand to win. Roads do not need to connect (first 2 placed do count towards the 8). The three cards may be a combination played knights or unplayed cards (e.g. mono, discovery, etc. do count only if unplayed.) Usually played as NT RR7.
RULES ABOUT RULES
Regular (DEFAULT) — Regular. Full trade, full rob, place anywhere, take as long as you want to place. If you need this one explained to you, go back and play the bots for a few more days. This is the full default in each category.
WDNNSR — "We don't need no steekin' rules". This is a NON-ladder variant; cheating is allowed but I won't say how.
File last modified March 24, 2010
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