Catan Scenarios: Helpers of Catan

Description

--- **Helpers of Catan** is a mini-expansion for CATAN introducing strategic character cards to balance player advantages. Key mechanics include: - *Character cards* Ten unique cards, each granting a special ability usable once or twice before trading for another. - *Acquisition process* Players claim a card upon building their second settlement, in player order with increasing utility to offset first-player edge. - *Ability usage* Must activate a card's power before turning it in; players strategically choose from available options. - *Example ability* Marianne allows taking any one resource card after a non-7 roll that yields no resources. - *Compatibility* Fully integrates with CATAN base game, Seafarers, 5-6 Player Expansion, and Seafarers 5-6 Player Extension. Helpers of Catan is a mini-expansion for the CATAN base game, explicitly compatible with CATAN: Seafarers, CATAN: 5-6 Player Expansion, and CATAN: Seafarers – 5-6 Player Extension. It features ten character cards, each providing a distinct special ability that a player can employ once or twice prior to trading it for a replacement. For instance, the Marianne card enables a player to acquire any single resource card following a dice roll other than 7 that fails to produce resources from settlements or cities. Cards are distributed sequentially as each player constructs their second settlement, adhering to player order, with abilities calibrated to offer progressively higher approximate utility—thus mitigating the inherent advantages of earlier turn positions. Players are required to exhaust a card's ability before surrendering it but retain the strategic flexibility to select any desired card from those available at acquisition time, introducing meaningful decision-making layers to gameplay. ---