How to Play the Catan 5–6 Player Extension
The Catan 5–6 Player Extension is an add-on, not a standalone game — you play it on top of the base set. It supplies the extra hexes, number tokens, harbors, resource cards, and player pieces needed to seat five or six people around a larger island.
Its cleverest addition is the special building phase, which lets everyone build between turns so a bigger table doesn’t mean endless waiting.
Last reviewed 2026-07-27
What's in the box
- Requires the Catan base game to play
- 2 extra terrain hexes and additional sea/harbor frame pieces
- Extra number tokens
- Wooden pieces for two additional players
- Additional resource and development cards
Setup
- Combine the extension’s hexes and tokens with the base game to build the larger island.
- Add the extra sea frame and harbors so the bigger board is fully enclosed.
- Deal player pieces so all five or six players are equipped.
- Set up starting settlements and roads exactly as in the base game, in snake order.
How to play — the rules
It builds on the base rules
Everything from the base game still applies: rolling for production, building costs, the robber on a 7, trading, development cards, and racing to victory points.
The extension only changes what a larger table needs — a bigger board and one important new phase.
The special building phase
After a player finishes their normal turn, a special building phase goes around the table: each other player, in clockwise order, may buy and build (roads, settlements, cities, or development cards) — but may not roll, trade, or play development cards.
This keeps everyone engaged and prevents the long waits that six players would otherwise create between their real turns.
Winning target
The victory-point goal remains 10. Some groups raise it slightly for six players to lengthen the endgame, but the extension does not require it.
A turn, step by step
- Take your normal Catan turn: roll, produce, trade, and build.
- Pass to the next player — then run the special building phase.
- During that phase, each other player in clockwise order may buy and build only.
- Play then continues with the next player’s full turn.
How to win
As in the base game, the first player to 10 victory points on their turn wins. The special building phase does not let you win outside your own turn, so you still close the game out on your normal turn.
With more players competing for the same resources, denying key numbers and harbors becomes an even bigger part of winning.
Strategy tips
- Use the special building phase every round — free building between turns adds up fast over a long game.
- On a crowded board, secure a harbor early; 2:1 trades matter more when resources are stretched across six players.
- Expect more 7s to hurt: with six hands, someone is almost always over seven cards, so keep yours lean.
- Watch the whole table for the win — with six players, two people can be one turn from ten at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play the Catan 5–6 extension on its own?
No. It is an expansion that adds components to the base game; you must own and combine it with the base Catan set to play.
What is the special building phase?
After each player’s turn, every other player in clockwise order gets a chance to buy and build (but not roll, trade, or play development cards). It keeps a big table from stalling.
Does the extension change the victory condition?
No — you still race to 10 victory points. The extension only enlarges the board and adds the special building phase.
Do you need the Seafarers or Cities & Knights base to use it?
You need the standard base game. There are separate 5–6 player extensions for the bigger expansions if you want to play those with six players.
House-rule ideas
- Cap the special building phase to one purchase per player to speed up very long six-player games.
- Raise the target to 11 or 12 points so the larger board plays out more fully.
- Use a turn timer to keep a six-player session moving.
Buy Catan 5–6 Player Extension
Catan 5–6 Player Extension
Adds the pieces and cards to seat five or six players (base game required).
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.