How do you make Settlers of Catan work well for 2 players? (Problems and play-tested solution described, alternatives requested)

Question

The basic Settlers of Catan game is designed to work for 3-4 players (or more with 5-6 Player Extension). No 2 player variant is suggested by the rules, and for good reasons:

1. Trades (an exciting part of the regular game) rarely make sense
2. No slow-the-leader mechanisms like trade embargoes or coordinated robber placement
3. The normal board setup offers too little constraint/competition
4. An early game non-moving robber too strongly influences game outcome

Normal rules/setup therefore result in quick but dull games where whoever gains the early lead wins over 90% of the time.

The question is how do you modify Settlers of Catan to make it good for 2 players, without including auto-generated additional players?

I provide one such answer below that we've used in many games, but I'm totally open to suggestions for improvements on my answer, and/or alternative play-tested systems developed by other Catan enthusiasts.

Answer 1

Take a look at my YouTube video for a great 2 Player Settlers of Catan version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcK5WhjRWio

“Settlers of Catan” is designed for 3 or 4 players. When played by 2 players, the game has issues that affect play if standard rules are used. Here are some of the concerns:

• There is less competition for territory because there is more land per player. Solution? Less Territory!

• In a 2 player game, once a player gets ahead in resource gathering potential (settlements and cities in good locations), it is nearly impossible for the other player to catch up. This isn't as big of a problem in a 3 or 4 player game, since the other players tend to "gang up" on the leading player. With only 2 players, one player can run away with the game in the early stages. Solution? Robin Hood Robber!

• Because there are only 2 players, there are fewer chances between turns to get Resources than when playing with 3 or 4 players. Solution? Special features to increase chances to get Resources!

• Player/player trading doesn't happen, since any trade helps your ONLY competitor. Solution? Proportionally more Ports in Play!

TWO PLAYER GAME SETUP

Build the game border upside down so that no ports are showing. This will leave a Water Border, and Ports will be placed later.

Resource Tiles: TAKE ONE OF EACH RESOURCE TILE AND TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN. The Game Board uses the following Resource Tiles: • 3 Forests • 3 Fields • 3 Pastures • 2 Hills • 2 Mountains • 1 Desert • 5 Water Cards (the upside down Resource Tiles mentioned above )

Placing Resource Tiles on the Game Board: Take the 13 resource tiles and the desert tile, shuffle well, and place them in one pile, face up. Place the Water tiles (the 6 unused Resource Tiles, upside down) in another pile. Start placing tiles using the “Variable Set-Up” method as per the standard Rules, but randomize the Resource and Water cards by rolling a single die: • Roll of 1 or 2, place an Water tile • Roll of 3 to 6, place a Resource tile

Number Tokens: Remove one each of the 3, 4, 10 and 11 number tokens. In this game, combine the 2 and 12 number tokens and use them in tandem on one Resource hex. All other number tokens are used on the remaining individual Resource hexes (Desert Tiles and Water tiles do NOT get numbered). NOTE: Using the 2 and 12 token combination on one resource gives the same odds as rolling a 3 or 11.

Place all number tiles using the “Variable Set-Up” method as per the standard Rules, remembering that the Red number tokens (the 6’s and the 8’s) CANNOT be next to each other.

HEX LAYOUT EXAMPLES:

Port Placement: 9 loose port tiles are used- Five “2:1” Port for each of the 5 Resources, plus Four “? 3:1” Port. Use the standard Port Placement locations from the regular game, with the following exceptions: if a port cannot be used because a water tile is there, then move the port to another tile with water frontage following these rules: • Isolated single hexes are given ports first • Ports are placed on the “Flat” of a hex pointing to water • Ports must be a minimum of 2 flats away from each other • No individual hex can have more than 1 port • No “Cove” Ports (have a U shape with 3 hexes and the port at the bottom of the u) • New Port locations are placed one at a time by alternate players • No port can be placed on a single landlocked water hex • Ports may be placed in an inland lake of 2 hexes or more.

Rule Modifications

• New Set Up: Game Board is set up differently (see “Game Set-Up” section)

• Bridge Building: Bridges can be built to connect land over water. Ore and Wood make a Bridge. Bridges can be up to two spans in length, maximum.

• Robin Hood Rule: When a 7 is rolled, then the player with the fewest victory points controls the robber (Robin Hood). When players have the same number of victory points, the player who rolled the dice controls the robber. Do NOT count Victory points hidden in Development Cards. Giving control of the robber to the trailing player helps prevent the other player from running away with the game.

• No Robber in play until each player has 3 Victory Points (not counting Victory Points hidden in Development Cards): If a 7 is rolled during this phase, re-roll.

• No Player Trades: Players may only trade with the bank (4:1 turn-ins) or at a sea port. No trades between players, since with only 2 players against each other it is rare to agree on trades. Since there are less resource tiles, port ratio increases.

• Cards in Hand: The limit for the number of cards a player can hold when the robber is activated is increased from 7 to 9. In the four player game there is ample opportunity to trade with other players between turns. In this variant, players tend to accumulate more cards between turns, so the limit was increased accordingly.

Hope you like it!

Answer 2

Online I found some unofficial rules for 2 player which were easy to use and remember. You set up the game as normal and the play is modified like this:

1. Each player rolls twice per turn.
2. If the robber is rolled, the player with the lowest number of victory points places the robber. If victory points are tied then whom ever rolled the 7 places the robber.
3. No trading
4. Play to 10 victory points

The double roll equalizes the lack of resources by only having 2 people. Robber will always strive to slow the person in the lead. Trading doesn't make sense with two people so you just get rid of it.

The other modification we tend to do is to deal the number chits face down during setup. Then after initial placements are made turn them over to finish the start board. It throws an element of randomness into the game and eliminates playing the number odds. Instead you end up playing the resources and hope for good numbers. This does backfire from time to time but makes for interesting games.

Answer 3

My boyfriend and I play Cities and Knights 2 player all the time. I feel like that game makes a very balanced 2 person game.

The randomness of getting Progress cards and the fact that you're not dealing with the same objectives in regular Catan make the game quite fun.

no alterations to the rules other than the barbarians don't attack on the first time the ship reaches Catan, and the robber is also delayed till then as well. everything else we play by normal rules of C&K and we haven't reached a snag yet.

Answer 4

The Traders and Barbarians expansion includes an official two player varient that involves having two fake players (one of whom will build at the same time as a real player does) and tokens (gained by building in unfavourable locations, such as by the desert) that can force trades and make the robber flee.

A copy of the rules is available from BGG.

Answer 5

We've played many enjoyable games with the following system that does nothing to deal with the loss of trading, but handles the other issues raised above quite well:

1. Change hex setup to barbell shape (see picture)
2. 3 of each resource hex (ores always placed as shown with 3-8-11, rest randomized)
3. 8 randomized ports (5 2:1, 3 3:1)
4. A set of randomized numbers on either side of barbell (set 1: 4,5,8,9,10,11) (set 2: 2,3,5,6,9,10)
5. 12 victory points
6. 7's get rerolled for the first 6 rounds of play (we call this "Robber Delay")
7. Use Robber Equalizer rule:

The Robber Equalizer rule is our slow-the-leader mechanism, and it works by making rolls of 7 less and less likely to stick the further behind you are. First determine how far behind you are by counting up victory points in the normal manner for settlements and cities (but don't include longest road or largest army). Then add 1/3 for each played soldier, each road link, and each unplayed development card.

A 7 rolled by someone who is behind always counts. Each time a 7 is rolled by the player who is ahead, reroll the dice and the 7 sticks if the roll is high enough according to the chart - for example if you're ahead by 1 and 2/3, you need to roll 6 or higher for the robber to stick:

Point  Minimum
Diff.  Roll
1/3    2
2/3    3
1      4
1 1/3  5
1 2/3  6
2      7
2 1/3  8
2 2/3  9
3      10
3 1/3  11
3 2/3  12

If the robber does not stick, then then the dice must be rerolled, and only a number other than 7 will count.

We've played dozens of games with these rules and the games are fairly balanced thanks to the Robber Equalizer rule, though the rule does lead to not being so afraid about having to discard half your hand later in the game as the 7 may not stick, which can be an advantage to the player in the lead.