The strategy notebook · 9 free tools
Less guesswork.
More good decisions.
Catan strategy calculators for the questions that come up around the table. Change the numbers, compare the trade-offs and see how the maths works.
For base Catan, also known as Settlers of Catan, and compatible Colonist settings. Independent resources by Archipelago; no affiliation with CATAN or Colonist. Check each tool’s assumptions for variants and balanced dice.
Start here · opening comparison
Two openings. What will they produce? ↗
Compare two starting settlement pairs by resource production and number coverage. Explore the original interactive comparison.
Probability
Dice & droughts
Will your number show up?
Calculate Catan dice odds, the chance of a number appearing across several rolls, and the chance of a drought with two fair dice.
Development cards
What are your chances of drawing it?
Explore the odds of drawing knights or victory points from a Catan development-card pool, including several draws without replacement.
Production
City or settlement?
Upgrade here, or expand there?
Compare the extra production and resource cost of upgrading a Catan city versus building a new settlement with connecting roads.
Robber impact
Which hex would you block?
Compare two Catan robber targets by expected resource production blocked, including the cost of blocking your own settlements and cities.
Planning
Building shopping list
What does your next plan cost?
Plan Catan roads, settlements, city upgrades and development cards. Add your resource hand to calculate the exact shortage for a building plan.
Seven & discards
How exposed is your hand?
Check how many resource cards to discard on a seven in base Catan, how many remain, and the probability of a seven over several fair rolls.
Plan your ten points
Where will your ten points come from?
Count Catan settlements, cities, victory-point cards and awards. Separate visible points from your own total and see the gap to ten.