Depends on your group
- Our take
- Explorers & Pirates is for groups that already love CATAN and want a campaign-style twist. It can't be combined with Cities & Knights.
- What you need first
- Just the base game
CATAN · Expansion
Explorers & Pirates
- What it adds
- Ships that move freely, hidden islands, and missions: fight pirate lairs, haul fish, and trade spices.
- What it fixes
- Open sandbox play feels aimless; adds missions, exploring and pirates.
Compare it
Sources
- therulebook.com (opens in a new tab)
- catan.com (opens in a new tab)
- catanshop.com (opens in a new tab)
- en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
Last checked 2026-09-27. Spot a mistake? Tell us.