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Before you read this article, you will need to know the following terms and definitions:
| Game(-s): | Noun. Singular or Plural. A standalone version of Settlers of Catan, which can be played right out of the box without making additional purchases. There is only one standalone (base) game of Catan. |
| Expansion(-s): | Noun. Singular or Plural. An Catan game that cannot be played by itself. It must be used in conjunction with a standalone (base) game. The 5 & 6-player expansions are a good example of this. |
| Scenario(-s): | Noun. Singular or Plural. A small set of playing pieces and instructions that can be added to normal Catan gameplay. It cannot be played by itself--it must be used in conjunction with a standalone (base) game. The "Oil Springs" scenario is a good example of this. |
| Variant(-s): | Noun. Singular or Plural. A set of instructions for using the pieces from a Catan game or expansion in a new way. Most variants are fan-generated and require printing and cutting out new pieces. |
Meet some of the most influential and helpful people on Catan! They are offering their skills and experience to help you with your building plans.
It is important to remember that you will always have 1 (and only 1) helper in front of you at all times in the game—no more, no less. Each helper offers you a special advantage. You can use this advantage whenever you wish, as long as you follow the specific rules for each helper. A full description of all the helpers and the advantages they each provide are explained throughout this instruction manual, in relevant sections. The helpers’ advantages are also summarized on their respective cards, with the same text on both the “A” and “B” sides.
At the beginning of your turn, you have 3 options:
Keep
If you already have a Helper in front of you, you may choose to keep your Helper in front of you for the remainder of your turn.
You may use your Helper’s advantage at any point during your turn (unless otherwise stated), you may use your Helper’s advantage. Note that you can never use your Helper more than once during a turn, and you can never use your Helper during Phase 15: Conduct Special Purchases.
Once you have used your Helper’s advantage, you must do one of the following:
- If your Helper is on his or her “A” side, flip the Helper over to his or her “B” side, and keep him/her in front of you. Now, other players will be viewing the Helper’s “A” side. You will have the opportunity to use the Helper a second time on a subsequent turn.
- Note that the “After Use” text at the bottom of each Helper card has been changed. The old text on the “A” side read, “After Use: You may turn this helper over, or exchange him/her with 1 from the display.” This now should read, “After Use: You must flip this helper over.”
- Example: Mike has the helper “Jean.” He uses Jean’s advantage during his turn. Jean is on her “A” side, so Mike flips Jean over to her “B” side. He may not use her advantage again during this turn.
- If your Helper is already on his or her “B” side when you use their advantage, you must place the Helper in the display alongside the board. On your next turn, you will have the opportunity to draw a new Helper.
- Note that the “After Use” text at the bottom of each Helper card has been changed. The old text on the “B” side read, “After Use: You must exchange this helper with 1 from the display.” This now should read, “After Use: You must discard this helper into the display.”
- Example: Mike has the helper “Jean.” He uses Jean’s advantage during his turn. Jean is on her “B” side, so Mike places “Jean” into the display. Mike may not select a new Helper until his next turn.
Exchange
If you are unsatisfied with the Helper you currently have, you may return your Helper to the display (“A” side up) and choose one of the other available Helpers from the display (no, you cannot take back the one you just placed on the display). Place your new helper “A” side up in front of yourself.
You can never use a helper during the same turn that you received him.
Example: Mike has the helper “Jean.” He sees that “Sean” is available in the Helper display along the board. He decides to exchange his Helper. Mike places “Jean” into the display, and takes “Sean” from the display, placing him “A” side up in front of himself.
Draw
If you do not currently have a Helper, you may choose one of the available Helpers from the display (you are allowed to select one that you placed on the Display during your previous turn). Place your new helper “A” side up in front of yourself.
You can never use a helper during the same turn that you received him.
Example: During his last turn, Mike placed his helper “Jean” in the display. On this turn, he sees that “Marianne” is available in the Helper display along the board. He decides to take “Marianne” from the display, placing her “A” side up in front of himself.
Helper of Catan: Lin
Lin is a seasoned expert in the transfer of ownership. For this, she mostly relies on the surprise effect when she and her band of outlaws suddenly appears out of nowhere and – politely but firmly – relieves the well-heeled travelers of all their valuables. Although the aggrieved parties simply call her a robber's bride, Lin insists that she is nobody’s bride, and much less that of a robber!
Actually, she emphatically denies any similarity to robbers. She rather sees herself as an enforcer of poetic justice, someone who appropriately redistributes wealth. After all, she is good-hearted, which is why it isn't uncommon for her to give generous gifts to the needy. She deeply loathes robbers who want all the stolen goods only for themselves, and she sends them to the desert whenever she can.
Maybe there's also a little bit of pragmatism involved in that — the more robbers of the common kind are eliminated, the less competition exists for Lin and her band.
Repel Robber: This card does not apply to the Privateer. Use this advantage only 1 time during your turn. You may use it before or after turning over the top Event Card from the Event Card Deck. If the Robber is on the board, you may move the Robber to a blank desert hex.
After moving the Robber this way, you receive 1 resource card of the type produced by the vacated hex. If the hex was a gold hex, you receive 2 gold. In other words, you may take one resource corresponding to the Robber’s previous location. Example: If the Robber vacated a Hill hex, you receive a brick. After using Lin’s advantage, you do not get to take a resource/commodity card from a player with a settlement or city adjacent to the desert hex to which the Robber was moved. “Before or after resolving your production roll” means that once draw the top Event Card, you cannot use Lin’s advantage until after you have resolved the production number and taken your resource/commodity cards/tokens (if any).
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