Carcassonne expansions
Inns & Cathedrals vs Traders & Builders
Short answer: buy Inns & Cathedrals first. Inns & Cathedrals is the first Carcassonne expansion to buy. It adds a sixth player and bigger scoring without changing the game's feel.
Pick Traders & Builders first instead if this sounds more like your table: Traders & Builders is the natural second box. It adds goods and a builder that make turns more interesting.
| Question | Inns & Cathedrals | Traders & Builders |
|---|---|---|
| Our label | Buy this first | Worth it |
| Buy order | #1 for Carcassonne | #2 for Carcassonne |
| What it adds | 18 tiles with inns and cathedrals, a big meeple, 6th-player pieces and 50/100 point tiles. | 24 tiles, goods tokens, builder (extra tile turns), pig for farms, and a cloth bag for tiles. |
| What it fixes | Lets a sixth player join and adds big-score gambles without much extra rules. | Adds reasons to finish cities and more scoring depth. |
| Type | Expansion | Expansion |
| Players | 2–6 players | 2–6 players |
| Rules load | About the same rules load | Adds more rules |
| Best for | Best for casual groups | Fine for any group |
| You need first | Just the base game | Just the base game |
| Price guide | — | — |
| More | Inns & Cathedrals details | Traders & Builders details |