Tabletop Monthly Scenario Instructions compatible with Catan

This page includes instructions for many of the scenarios and hexes created by Tabletop Monthly. If you have any questions, please reach out and let us know.

 

Amalgam Hex

The Amalgam Hex may replace the desert or a pasture, and a number chit is added to the hex.

When the Amalgam is rolled, each player with a settlement or city will collect resources based on the side played (rules below). Cities produce 2 of the same resource type. If played with Cities & Knights, a city will produce commodities as usual if a player collects from a pasture, mountain or forest.

Side with Numbers:
Each player with a settlement or city will roll one die to determine the resources produced, one player at a time in clockwise order. The resources' numbers are assigned per the chart on the right.

Side without Numbers:
Each player receives the resource on which they are built.

1	Brick
2	Wood
3	Sheep
4	Wheat
5	Ore
6	Sheep

 

 

Caverns

Cavern hexes should be placed at a distance from each other and can be on separate islands or even otherwise unconnected maps. No numbers are placed on the portals.

Using the Cavern Network
To use a cavern, build a road into the center of the cavern then build an additional road exiting any other cavern. The two roads do not need to be built on the same turn.

Settlements and cities may be built on a cavern but are not required to utilize the network. Up to 6 roads may be built into each cavern.

Roads in and out of caverns create a continuous road and count towards the Longest Road.

If playing with 3 or more caverns, you may use the single entrance point to access any and all caverns in the network.

When arriving on a new island by cavern, the player does not receive a reward for discovery.

 

Cornucopia Thanksgiving Scenario

Place the Thanksgiving hex on the board with a number chit.

When the Thanksgiving hex is rolled, settlements adjacent to the hex may discard a resource of their choice to receive any resource from the bank. Cities may discard and receive up to two resources.

When discarding multiple resources, the discarded and received resources may be different. For example, a player may discard a sheep and wheat and receive two bricks or one brick and one wood.

A player may opt out of the exchange if so desired. If a player has no resources, then no exchange may take place.

 

Dragon Awakens

Variant modeled after the Drachenkampfer Scenario

Setup: The Volcano replaces the Desert hex. The robber is removed and replaced with the Dragon. The Treasure Tokens are placed on the Volcano hex. There is no Largest Army bonus.

The Dragon Wakes: When a player roles a 7, the Dragon awakens. The player will roll a single die twice to determine where the Dragon travels.

First Roll: The Dragon will travel in the direction that is clockwise to the number rolled relative to the numbers on the Volcano hex. For example, a roll of 6 will have the Dragon travel in the direction between the 6 and the 1 on the Volcano.

Second Roll: The Dragon will move the number of hexes equal to the roll of the die, skipping the Volcano hex, If the Dragon flies off one end of the board, it reappears on the opposite end of the board and continues in the indicated direction.

The Dragon Attacks: When the Dragon lands, any player with at least one Knight and a settlement or other building on the occupied hex may attempt to slay the Dragon (See Slaying the Dragon below), If the Dragon is not slain, then the Dragon will attack. Each player with a settlement or city on the occupied hex loses one resource card per structure. This card is chosen at random from the player to their left. The stolen card is then placed on the Volcano.

Slaying the Dragon: When the Dragon lands or during a player's turn, a player with at least one Knight and a settlement or other building on the occupied hex may attempt to slay the Dragon. When landing, if more than one player wishes to attack the Dragon, the player with the most Knights in play goes first. In case of a tie, the player with the least Victory Points goes first.

To slay the Dragon, the player will roll one die, If their number of Knights is equal to or greater than the number rolled the Dragon in vanquished back to the Volcano and no resources are stolen from other players. The player may then choose up to 3 resource cards from the Volcano and one Treasure token worth 1 Victory Point If the player is unable to slay the Dragon, they keep their Knights and can try again during their turn.

 

Thar be Dragons (Seafaring Variant): If the Dragon lands on a sea hex with a shipping route the player may choose to bribe the Dragon or fight the Dragon.

• Bribing the Dragon: To bribe the Dragon, the player will add two resources of their choosing to the Volcano, The Dragon will then return with the resources back to the Volcano, Otherwise, the ships must fight the Dragon or risk being lost at sea.
• Fight the Dragon: To fight, the player rolls a die. Add the number of ships on the hex minus 1 to the number rolled.
  For example, if you have 3 ships on the hex and roll a 2, then you would have a 4 (3 ships-1=2+2 roll=4). If that number is equal to or greater than the number of Treasure Tokens remaining on the Volcano then the Dragon is vanquished.
  
  If the ships fail to vanquish the dragon, then one ship (regardless of the number on the hex) is destroyed.
  • If an Open Shipping Route is broken into two segments, the ships all sail back a space toward their homeport so that no ships are left stranded in the open seas.
  • Closed Shipping Routes that are broken into two become two Open Shipping Routes.

Flooding Island: A Disaster Scenario

Setup: Set up the board as usual.

The Flood
Flooding occurs after each roll. Players collect resources, and then the roller places a Flood Marker on a hex adjacent to water with a number token matching the number rolled.

Losing a Hex
A coastal hex is lost if it receives 5 Flood Markers. An inland hex is lost with 3 Flood Markers. Remove the number token and flip the hex.

Losing Improvements
Remove any settlements, cities, or roads on a hex completely surrounded by lost hexes.

The Robber
The Robber may not be placed on a coastal hex with four Flood Markers or an interior hex with two Flood Markers. If the Robber is at a location that later meets this condition, immediately move the robber to the desert.

Game End
If 7 hexes are lost (3-player game) or 8 hexes lost (4-player game), then the player with the most VP wins. Otherwise, the game ends at 10 points.

 

Gold River Hex

When played with the standard game, settlements and cities built on a Gold River Hex produce the resource(s) of the player choice. When played with expansions such as Catan's Explorers & Pirates, these hexes produce gold coins.

 

Icebergs

When the Iceberg is rolled, the ice will shift. Roll one die. Vessels on the number are destroyed and return to the player’s stock. It may be rebuilt later at the normal cost.

If an Open Shipping Route is broken into two segments, the ships all sail back a space toward their homeport so that no ships are left stranded on the open seas. Closed Shipping Routes that are broken into two become two Open Shipping Routes.

The Iceberg replaces a sea hex and a number chit is added to the hex. The Pirate may not be placed on the Iceberg.

 

Lost Jungle

The Lost Jungle replaces a standard game hex. A number chit is added to the hex.

When the Lost Jungle is rolled, nearby settlers discover lost treasures in the Jungle. Settlements adjacent to the hex receive one Discovery Token and cities receive two tokens.

Using Discovery Tokens
When making a purchase (Development Card, Road, Settlement, City, etc.), Discovery Tokens may be redeemed with the bank for a resource of the player’s choosing. While in token form, tokens do not count towards a player’s hand size and may not be stolen by the robber.

There is no limit to the number of Discovery Tokens that may be used on a purchase.

 

Love Letters Valentine's Day Scenario

Place the Valentine’s hex on the board with a number chit.

When the Valentine’s hex is rolled, players with buildings adjacent to the hex receive one heart, regardless of the number of settlements or cities built on the hex. If there are not enough hearts to distribute, players take turns rolling a die.  The highest number receives a heart. Repeat this process as necessary until all hearts are distributed. If all hearts are with players when the hex is rolled, then no hearts are distributed.

Using the Hearts
Sending a Love Letter: On your turn, you may play your heart to publicly declare your love for an opponent (don’t worry, it’s only a game). That player will become instantly enamored with you!

As a show of mutual admiration, the opponent must display their hand of resource cards to you and allow you to choose a resource card as a gift.

 

Mysterious Portal

Portal hexes should be placed at a distance from each other and can be on separate islands or even otherwise unconnected maps. No numbers are placed on the portals.

Using the Portal Network
To use a portal, build a road into the center of the portal then build an additional road exiting any other portal. The two roads do not need to be built on the same turn.

Settlements and cities may be built on a Portal Hex but are not required to utilize the portal network. Up to 6 roads may be built into each portal.

Roads in and out of portals create a continuous road and count towards the Longest Road.

If playing with 3 or more portals, you may use the single entrance point to access any and all portals in the network.

When arriving on a new island by portal, the player does not receive a reward for discovery.

 

Plantation

The Plantation replaces a pasture hex, and a number chit is added to the hex. When the Plantation is rolled, settlements on the hex may discard a resource of their choice to receive any resource from the bank. Cities may discard and receive up to two resources. The resources discarded and received do not have to be the same. For example, a player may discard a sheep and wheat and receive two bricks, or they could receive one brick and one wood.

A player may opt out of the exchange if so desired. If a player has no resources, then no exchange may take place.

 

Rat Thief: A Robber Scenario

Replace the robber with a single rat. When rolling a 7 or playing a Knight, the roller/Knight player may discard one or more wheat to grow the rat swarm. For each wheat discarded, add one rat to the swarm (6 rats maximum).

Before the max hand limit occurs, move the rats to a single hex as a swarm. Once moved, starting from the player clockwise of the mover, players may discard a stone, two bricks, two woods, or both a brick and wood to exterminate a single rat.

After every player has a chance to discard, hand limits take effect.

If all rats are exterminated, a single rat returns to the desert, and no cards are stolen. Otherwise, the roller/Knight player steals an equivalent number of cards as rats remain. If more than one player is on the hex, stealing may be split between players.

Hexes with one or more rats do not produce resources.

When playing a Knight, the Knight gains the trait Pied Piper and may move the swarm to any other hex without harming them.

 

Thieves' Guild

The Thieves’ Guild replaces either the desert hex or a pasture hex. A number chit is added to the hex. When the Thieves’ Guild is rolled, each settlement on the hex receives the resource from the location of the robber. Cities receive 2 resources. If the robber is at the Guild when rolled, players may choose the resource(s) of their choice.

Thieves’ Guild Alternate Rules [Original Wedding Tower Rules]
The Wedding Tower replaces the desert hex. When a 7 is rolled, the robber is moved by the roller and each settlement at the Wedding Tower receives the resource from the hex where the robber is placed. Cities receive two resources. Once the Robber has left the Wedding Tower it may not return.

 

Trick-or-Treat Halloween Pumpkin Scenario

Place the Halloween hex on the board with a number chit.

When the Halloween hex is rolled, settlements adjacent to the hex receive one pumpkin, and cities receive two pumpkins. If there are not enough pumpkins to distribute, players take turns rolling a die. The highest number receives a pumpkin. Repeat this process as necessary until all pumpkins are distributed. If all pumpkins are with players when the hex is rolled, then no pumpkins are distributed.

Using the Pumpkins
Treat: Pumpkins may be redeemed at any time with the bank for a resource of the player’s choosing.

Trick: When a 7 is rolled, hand limit rules apply first. Any player with a pumpkin must discard one card per pumpkin. If a player does not have enough cards to discard, they must return the equivalent number of pumpkins to the bank.

 

Volcano (Single Hex)

Required Supplies:

• Catan Game
• Volcano Hex

Setup:

• Replace the Desert Hex with the Volcano Hex.
• Initial settlements may not be built on the Volcano Hex.

Instructions:

• Production: The volcano produces resources when a 7 is rolled. Players with a settlement receive one resource of their choice. Cities produce two resources (the two resources must be the same). After producing, the volcano erupts.
• Eruption: Roll one die. Any settlement built on that number of the volcano is destroyed and any city there is reduced to a settlement.
• If the player has no remaining settlements, then the city is laid on its side and works as a settlement unless it is upgraded again, or a settlement becomes available.
• City walls, if applicable, are destroyed with the city.
• If there is a metropolis on the city, move it to another city. When no other cities are available, return the metropolis temporarily to your stock. It can be placed back when a city is built if another player has not yet taken it.

 

Volcano (Multiple Hexes)

Required Supplies:

• Catan Game
• 2+ Volcano Hexes
• 1x Number Token per Volcano

Setup:

• Replace standard game hex(s) with Volcano Hex(es)
• Place Number Token on each Volcano Hex
• Initial settlements may not be built on the Volcano Hex(es)

Instructions:

• Production: The volcano produces resources when it is rolled. Players with a settlement receive one resource of their choice. Cities produce two resources (the two resources must be the same). After producing, the volcano erupts.
• Eruption: Roll one die. Any settlement built on that number of the volcano is destroyed and any city there is reduced to a settlement.
• If the player has no remaining settlements, then the city is laid on its side and works as a settlement unless it is upgraded again, or a settlement becomes available.
• City walls, if applicable, are destroyed with the city.
• If there is a metropolis on the city, move it to another city. When no other cities are available, return the metropolis temporarily to your stock. It can be placed back when a city is built if another player has not yet taken it.

Whirlpool Portals

Place whirlpool hexes at a distance from each other. Whirlpools may be landlocked or placed anywhere in the sea.

Using the Whirlpool Network
To use a whirlpool, build a ship into the center of the whirlpool then build an additional ship exiting any other whirlpool. The two ships do not need to be built on the same turn. Up to six ships may be built into each whirlpool.

 

Wizard's Castle

The Wizard’s Castle may replace any hex. When a 6 and 1 combination is rolled, the Wizard’s Castle produces Development or Progress Cards. Settlements built adjacent to the hex produce one card. Cities produce two cards.

The Wizard’s magic prevents the robber from being placed on the Wizard’s Castle.