You’ve played Catan dozens of times. The base game is great, but you’re ready for more. The question is: which Catan expansion should you buy first?
With four major expansions, multiple 5-6 player extensions, and various spin-offs, the Catan universe has grown significantly since Klaus Teuber designed the original in 1995. Each expansion adds unique mechanics and complexity—but not all expansions suit all players.
Here’s your complete guide to every Catan expansion, what they add, and which one deserves your money.
Quick Answer: Which Expansion to Buy First
For most players, Seafarers is the best first expansion. It adds boats and island exploration while keeping the core Catan experience intact. The rules are intuitive, setup isn’t overwhelming, and it breathes new life into the game without adding heavy complexity.
If you want a bigger gameplay overhaul with more strategic depth, go for Cities & Knights—but expect a steeper learning curve.
The Four Major Catan Expansions
1. Seafarers of Catan
What it adds: Ships, gold rivers, pirate, and island exploration scenarios
Complexity increase: Low
Best for: Players wanting more variety without complex new rules
Seafarers expands Catan onto the water. Ships function like roads but travel across sea hexes, allowing you to colonize distant islands. The pirate works like a robber for sea routes. Gold river hexes let you choose which resource to collect.
The expansion includes multiple scenarios ranging from simple (just adding ships to the standard map) to elaborate (discovering fog-covered islands). This progression lets you gradually increase complexity.
Pros:
- Easy to learn—ships work almost identically to roads
- Multiple scenarios add tremendous replay value
- Combines seamlessly with other expansions
- Bigger maps mean less crowding and more exploration
Cons:
- Setup takes longer with more pieces
- Some scenarios feel like “more of the same” rather than genuinely new
- Ships can make Longest Road calculations confusing at first
2. Cities & Knights
What it adds: City improvements, commodity cards, knight units, barbarian attacks
Complexity increase: High
Best for: Experienced players wanting more strategic depth
Cities & Knights transforms Catan from a race-to-build into a civilization-development game. Cities now produce three new commodities (paper, cloth, coin) alongside standard resources. You invest commodities into three progress tracks, unlocking powerful abilities.
The barbarian ship advances each turn, periodically attacking Catan. Players must deploy knight units to defend—whoever contributes most to defense earns rewards, while the weakest contributor loses a city. This adds genuine tension and player interaction beyond trading.
Pros:
- Dramatically increases strategic depth
- Progress abilities create satisfying long-term goals
- Barbarian mechanic forces cooperation and creates drama
- Knights add new blocking and tactical options
Cons:
- Significantly longer setup and game time (90-120 minutes)
- Steep learning curve—expect a slow first game
- Can feel overwhelming for casual players
- Luck factor increases with three decks of progress cards
3. Traders & Barbarians
What it adds: Five mini-scenarios and four variants you mix and match
Complexity increase: Variable (low to medium depending on what you use)
Best for: Players wanting modular additions rather than one big change
Unlike other expansions, Traders & Barbarians is a collection rather than a single cohesive experience. It includes:
Variants (small rule tweaks):
- Friendly Robber: Can’t rob players with 2 or fewer victory points
- Catan Event Cards: Replace dice with cards for more predictable resource distribution
- Harbormaster: New special victory point card for harbor-focused play
- 2-Player Rules: Official variant for two-player games
Scenarios (bigger additions):
- The Fishermen of Catan: Fish for bonus resources
- The Rivers of Catan: Build bridges across rivers
- The Caravans: Deliver goods along trade routes
- Barbarian Attack: Cooperate to build a wall against invaders
- Traders & Barbarians: The signature scenario combining several mechanics
Pros:
- Incredible flexibility—use what you want, ignore the rest
- Friendly Robber alone makes it worthwhile for families
- Event Cards fix the frustrating dice variance problem
- Scenarios work alone or combined with other expansions
Cons:
- Feels less cohesive than dedicated expansions
- Some scenarios are better than others
- Box organization is a nightmare
4. Explorers & Pirates
What it adds: Modular ships, missions, fish, spice, crew members, and discovery
Complexity increase: Medium-high
Best for: Players wanting a significantly different Catan experience
Explorers & Pirates is the most radical departure from base Catan. Ships aren’t roads—they’re modular units that move, carry cargo, and explore. You discover hidden island tiles, complete missions by delivering goods, and encounter pirates instead of the robber.
The expansion introduces a mission-based victory system alongside traditional point scoring. Different scenarios emphasize different missions: discovering islands, delivering fish to villages, trading spice, or capturing pirate lairs.
Important note: Explorers & Pirates is largely incompatible with other expansions. It’s essentially a standalone game using Catan components.
Pros:
- Feels fresh and different from standard Catan
- Exploration mechanics are genuinely exciting
- Mission variety keeps games interesting
- Less downtime—moving ships gives you more to do
Cons:
- Doesn’t combine with other expansions easily
- Longest Road is removed entirely
- Purists may feel it’s “not really Catan”
- Setup and rules explanation take significant time
Expansion Comparison Table
| Expansion | Complexity | Game Length | Combines With Others? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seafarers | Low | 75-90 min | Yes (excellent) | First expansion, exploration lovers |
| Cities & Knights | High | 90-120 min | Yes (with Seafarers) | Strategy gamers, experienced groups |
| Traders & Barbarians | Variable | 60-90 min | Yes (most modules) | Families, modular customization |
| Explorers & Pirates | Medium-high | 90-120 min | Limited | Players wanting something different |
5-6 Player Extensions
Every expansion (and the base game) has a corresponding 5-6 Player Extension. These add pieces for two additional players and extra tiles to accommodate larger groups.
Important: Extensions are NOT standalone expansions. To play 6-player Catan with Seafarers, you need:
- Catan base game
- Catan 5-6 Player Extension
- Seafarers expansion
- Seafarers 5-6 Player Extension
The 5-6 player rules also add a “Special Building Phase” between turns, letting everyone build during each turn cycle. This prevents the long waits that would otherwise occur.
Recommended Buying Order
If you plan to collect multiple expansions, here’s my recommended purchase sequence:
- Seafarers — The natural first step. Low learning curve, big replay boost.
- Traders & Barbarians — Get the Event Cards and Friendly Robber variants. The scenarios are bonus content.
- Cities & Knights — When you’re ready for more complexity. Combines beautifully with Seafarers for epic games.
- Explorers & Pirates — Only if you want a different experience. Skip if you prefer classic Catan.
For 5-6 player support, buy the base game extension first. Only get expansion extensions if you regularly play that expansion with large groups.
What About Catan Scenarios and Spin-offs?
Beyond the major expansions, Catan has numerous smaller products:
Scenario packs like “Frenemies” or “Crop Trust” add single scenarios to the base game. These are fun additions but not essential.
Standalone Catan games include Star Trek Catan, Game of Thrones Catan, and Catan Junior. These use Catan-style mechanics but aren’t compatible with standard Catan expansions.
Catan Histories products like “Settlers of America” and “Rise of the Inkas” are complete games with unique settings. Great if you love the Catan system but want historical themes.
Tips for Choosing Your Expansion
Still unsure? Consider these questions:
- How experienced is your group? New-to-intermediate players: Seafarers. Veterans: Cities & Knights.
- How long do you like games to run? Keep it under 90 minutes: Seafarers or Traders & Barbarians scenarios. Okay with 2+ hours: Cities & Knights or Explorers & Pirates.
- Do you hate dice luck? Get Traders & Barbarians for the Event Cards—they smooth out resource distribution dramatically.
- Do you play with kids? Seafarers works well with ages 10+. The Friendly Robber variant from Traders & Barbarians helps younger players stay competitive.
- Do you want ONE expansion or plan to collect? If only one, Seafarers offers the best value. If collecting, start with Seafarers and add Cities & Knights for maximum variety.
Common Mistakes When Buying Expansions
- Buying a 5-6 Player Extension thinking it’s an expansion: Extensions only add player pieces—they don’t add new gameplay.
- Starting with Cities & Knights: It’s excellent but overwhelming for groups new to expansions.
- Expecting Explorers & Pirates to combine with everything: It’s largely a standalone experience.
- Ignoring Traders & Barbarians: The variants alone make it worthwhile, even if you never touch the scenarios.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need the base game to play expansions?
Yes. All expansions require the Catan base game. The only exceptions are standalone products like Star Trek Catan.
Can I combine multiple expansions?
Seafarers, Cities & Knights, and most Traders & Barbarians content combine well. Explorers & Pirates is largely standalone and doesn’t mix easily.
Which expansion adds the most replay value?
Seafarers, with its multiple scenarios and combination potential, offers the most variety per dollar. Traders & Barbarians is a close second due to its modular nature.
Are expansions worth the price?
If you play Catan regularly, absolutely. One expansion can feel like buying several new games. If you only play occasionally, the base game has plenty of life in it first.
What’s the best expansion for two players?
Traders & Barbarians includes official 2-player rules. However, Catan fundamentally works best with 3-4 players regardless of expansion. For more details, see our guide to playing Catan with 2 players.
If you’re still learning the base game, make sure you’ve mastered our complete Catan beginner’s guide before adding expansion complexity. And for competitive play, check out our Catan strategy tips to dominate game night—expansions included.
