Already love Catan? Here's what to buy next, and in what order.
Catan's base game is great, but its expansions genuinely transform the experience. The key question isn't whether to buy an expansion — it's which one to buy first, and which to avoid until you're ready. This guide ranks all four major Catan expansions by accessibility, strategic depth, and replay value. We've also included a comparison table, advice on combining expansions, and answers to the most common questions new buyers have. New to Catan? Read the full rules first.
The short answer: Seafarers for most people, Cities and Knights if your group has outgrown the base game. Seafarers is the gentlest on-ramp — it adds new mechanics without reinventing the game. Cities and Knights is a substantial overhaul that rewards experienced players but can overwhelm beginners. Traders and Barbarians and Explorers and Pirates are excellent but niche. Buy those after you've been through the first two.
Expansion | 3-4 players (5-6 with extension)
Seafarers is the best Catan expansion and the most logical first purchase for any Catan fan. It introduces ships (which act like roads on water), new island hex tiles, gold fields that act as wild resources, and a collection of 10+ scenario maps that give each game a different goal and layout. The core loop of Catan stays intact — you're still trading, building settlements, and accumulating victory points — but Seafarers adds exploration and an objective that varies from game to game. The scenarios range from simple (build to a new island first) to complex (chain multiple island landings), so the expansion scales with your group's experience. You'll never feel like you've "solved" the board because the boards keep changing. If you've played the base game a dozen or more times and crave variety without complexity, this is your answer. The 5-6 player extension is sold separately and well worth it for larger groups.
Expansion | 3-4 players (5-6 with extension)
Cities and Knights is the most strategically complex Catan expansion, and for many experienced players, it's the definitive version of the game. It adds three major systems: commodities (paper, cloth, and coin, harvested from cities on the right terrain), city improvements (three development tracks that unlock powerful abilities), and the barbarian attack (a shared threat that periodically attacks Catan, rewarding players who contribute knights to its defense). Each of these systems creates new decisions on every turn and new ways to interact with your opponents. Games run 30-60 minutes longer than base Catan, and the strategy depth increases substantially — it's almost a different game wearing Catan's clothes. If your group has mastered the base game and finds it too predictable, Cities and Knights will re-engage you for dozens more sessions. Not recommended for new players; the learning curve is real.
Expansion | 3-4 players (5-6 with extension)
Traders and Barbarians is Catan's variety pack: one box with five separate scenarios and a handful of variant rules that can be mixed into almost any game. The scenarios include a merchants route system (caravan wagons carry goods across the board), a barbarian invasion that attacks weaker settlements, a Fishermen of Catan variant (fishing tokens add a new resource), a Caravans scenario, and a Rivers of Catan map. Rather than one big mechanic added to every game, Traders and Barbarians gives you a toolbox of different ways to play. It's the best expansion for groups who get bored with repetitive play patterns and want to try something new each session. The downside is that none of the individual scenarios transform Catan as dramatically as Cities and Knights does — it's breadth over depth. Excellent value if variety is your priority.
Expansion | 3-4 players (5-6 with extension)
Explorers and Pirates is the most campaign-like Catan expansion, built around five linked scenarios that each add a new layer of exploration and missions. You send ships out to explore an unknown ocean board, establish harbors and outposts, trade with new settlements, and fight off pirate lairs. Unlike Seafarers, which keeps the core Catan economy intact, Explorers and Pirates introduces mission-based victory conditions, a gold coin resource, and new ship types (war galleys, spice ships). The scenarios build on each other if you play them in order, giving a sense of narrative progression rare in Catan. The downside: it cannot be combined with Cities and Knights, and it plays differently enough from base Catan that some groups feel like they're learning a new game. Best for groups who want something fresh and story-driven rather than more of the same.
PC / Mobile / Browser | Free base, DLC expansions
Catan Universe is the official digital version of Catan, available on PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. It's the best way to try expansions before buying the physical versions, or to play with friends who are geographically separated. The base game is free; expansions like Seafarers and Cities and Knights are available as paid DLC. The AI opponents are decent for solo practice. Online matchmaking lets you play against strangers when your physical group isn't available. If you travel frequently or want to learn the rules of an expansion before committing to a purchase, Catan Universe is genuinely useful. It's not a replacement for the physical experience, but as a companion app for Catan fans, it's well-made and regularly updated.
Extension | Adds support for 5-6 players
Not a true expansion — this adds components to support two more players in groups of five or six. If you regularly play with more than four people, you need the 5-6 player extension that matches your expansion. There are separate 5-6 extensions for the base game, Seafarers, Cities and Knights, and the others. Games with five or six players run significantly longer and add a "special build phase" after each player's turn that keeps everyone engaged. Buy this only if your group size demands it — with four or fewer players, you don't need it.
| Expansion | Best For | Complexity Added | Price | Combines With |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seafarers | Exploration fans, beginners | Low-Medium ⭐⭐ | ~$45 | Cities & Knights |
| Cities & Knights | Strategy veterans | High ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ~$50 | Seafarers |
| Traders & Barbarians | Groups wanting variety | Medium ⭐⭐⭐ | ~$45 | Base game only |
| Explorers & Pirates | Narrative/campaign play | High ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ~$50 | Base game only |
| 5-6 Player Extension | Larger groups | None (adds players) | ~$30 each | Matching expansion |
Yes — but only certain pairs work, and Catan's publisher (Catan Studio) officially supports only a few combinations. Here's the honest rundown:
General advice: Don't combine expansions until every player at the table is fluent with each expansion individually. Adding complexity on top of unfamiliarity is the fastest way to kill a game night.
Only if you regularly play with five or six people. Here's what you need to know:
Seafarers if you want more Catan with exploration added. Cities and Knights if your group wants a deeper, more complex game. Don't try to combine multiple expansions until you're comfortable with each one individually — they each add significant rules overhead.
Seafarers. It adds new mechanics (ships, islands) without dramatically changing the core game. Cities and Knights is more complex and better suited to experienced players who've played the base game many times.
No. All Catan expansions require the base game. They add components and rules on top of the core game but do not include hexagonal terrain tiles, resource cards, basic settlements, cities, or roads.
Cities and Knights adds the most rules complexity. It introduces commodities, three separate city development tracks, knights, and the barbarian attack mechanic. Games run 30-60 minutes longer than base Catan.
The only officially supported combination is Seafarers + Cities and Knights. Explorers and Pirates cannot be combined with Cities and Knights. Traders and Barbarians works best standalone, though some scenarios layer into base Catan.
There are four major expansions: Seafarers, Cities and Knights, Traders and Barbarians, and Explorers and Pirates. Each also has a matching 5-6 player extension. There are also themed editions (Catan Histories) and Catan Universe (digital version).