Catan: Cities & Knights

1 Overview

Catan: Cities and Knights is the most popular expansion for Catan, adding significant depth and complexity. It introduces Commodities (Paper, Cloth, Coin), a city improvement track (three metropolis paths), Knights that defend Catan from periodic Barbarian attacks, and Progress Cards replacing the base game's Development Cards.

Cities and Knights extends game length to 90 to 150 minutes and is recommended for experienced Catan players. It is widely considered the best Catan expansion -- it transforms Catan from a relatively light game into a genuinely deep strategic experience.

For 3 to 4 players (requires base Catan). Ages 12+.

2 New Components

• Commodity cards (Paper, Cloth, Coin)
• City improvements board (3 tracks x 5 levels)
• Metropolis pieces (4 special city buildings)
• Knight pieces (3 per player)
• Progress cards (36 cards across 3 decks)
• Event die (rolled alongside the regular dice)
• Barbarian ship track

3 Commodities

Cities (not settlements) now produce two types of output:

• A city on Forest produces 1 Lumber + 1 Paper
• A city on Pasture produces 1 Wool + 1 Cloth
• A city on Mountain produces 1 Ore + 1 Coin

Commodities (Paper, Cloth, Coin) are used to advance along the city improvement tracks. They are separate from resources and cannot be traded.

4 City Improvements

Three city improvement tracks -- Science (Paper), Trade (Cloth), and Politics (Coin) -- each have 5 levels. Advancing costs 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 Commodities respectively per level. Benefits:

• Each track at level 3+: access to that track's Progress Cards
• First player to reach level 5 on any track: takes the Metropolis piece for that track (worth 2 VP, can be stolen if another player surpasses your level)

5 Knights and the Barbarians

The Event die (rolled every turn) occasionally advances the Barbarian ship. When the ship reaches Catan, an attack occurs. The total strength of all active Knights across all players is compared to the number of cities in Catan. If Knights are outnumbered, the player with the fewest active Knights loses a city (downgraded to a settlement). If Knights win, the player with the most Knights gets a Progress Card.

Knights are activated by playing them (costs 1 Grain + 1 Ore). Activated Knights can also move, displace the Robber, or displace another player's knight.

6 Progress Cards

Progress Cards replace Development Cards. They come in three decks (Science, Trade, Politics) and are earned through city improvements. Much more varied and powerful than base game Development Cards. Examples: Inventor (swap two number tokens), Spy (steal a Knight), Engineer (build a wall for 1 Brick).

7 Winning

First to 13 Victory Points wins (vs. 10 in base game). Additional VP sources: each Metropolis piece is worth 2 VP. Knights grant the Defender of Catan bonus (1 VP) to whoever contributed most during the Barbarian attack victory.

8 Strategy

• Upgrade cities fast. Cities produce Commodities; settlements don't. Getting to 3+ cities early gives a massive Commodity advantage.
• Pick one improvement track and go deep. Spreading across all three tracks is slower than reaching level 5 on one track and claiming a Metropolis.
• Keep at least 2 active Knights. Being the weakest defender during a Barbarian attack loses a city -- devastating. Maintain defensive parity.

9 FAQ

10 Common Mistakes

Not Activating Knights Before Barbarian Attacks

Knights must be activated (costs 1 Grain and 1 Ore) to count toward Barbarian defense. Many beginners place Knight pieces on the board but forget to activate them, then are surprised when a Barbarian attack finds them with zero defense strength. Activating costs resources and an action, so plan ahead. Do not wait until the Barbarian ship is one space away.

Treating Commodities Like Resources

Commodities (Paper, Cloth, Coin) cannot be traded with other players or at ports. They can only be used to advance city improvement tracks. New players sometimes offer Commodities in trades and are confused when opponents decline. Keep your Commodity pile separate from your Resource pile to avoid confusion.

Spreading City Improvements Equally Across All Three Tracks

Advancing one level in each of the three tracks (Science, Trade, Politics) gives you nothing. You only unlock Progress Cards at level 3, and the Metropolis bonus at level 5. Spreading evenly means you get no benefits for a long time. Focus one track until you reach level 3 to unlock Progress Cards, then decide whether to push for the Metropolis or branch out.

Forgetting the Event Die

The Event die is rolled every turn alongside the number dice. Its results advance the Barbarian ship and occasionally grant other effects. New players frequently forget to roll it or ignore its results. Make it a habit to resolve the Event die result before any other action each turn.

11 Advanced Strategy

Science Track Advantage

The Science improvement track (Paper/Forest cities) unlocks the most powerful Progress Cards, including Alchemist (set the dice to any numbers you want for one turn) and Medicine (build a city for reduced cost). If you can secure a city on Forest hexes with good numbers, rushing the Science track is often the strongest opening strategy.

Defending vs. Winning the Barbarian Battle

There is a meaningful difference between having enough Knights to avoid losing a city and having the most Knights to win the Progress Card reward. Sometimes you want to let a weaker player lose a city (gaining you a relative VP advantage) while you invest resources elsewhere. Assess whether winning the Barbarian battle is worth the Knight activation cost compared to other uses of your Grain and Ore.

Metropolis Denial

If an opponent is one level away from claiming a Metropolis (2 VP), it may be worth investing in the same track to deny them even if you do not plan to use that Metropolis path strategically. Removing 2 VP from an opponent's total can be as valuable as gaining 2 VP yourself in a tight game.