Before Setup
Choose which version of Catan you will be playing. Not all versions of Catan are recommended. "World Wonders" should work best with the following:
- The Settlers of Catan Basic Game
- The Seafarers of Catan: Heading to New Shores, The Four Islands, Fog Island, and New World scenarios.
- Traders & Barbarians: The Harbormaster, The Fisherman of Catan (please use the Lake-Free variant that I have included), The Rivers of Catan (the Nile is known to flood, so use the Marshlands version of the Great Pyramids I have included)
- Cities & Knights and the other Seafarers or Traders & Barbarian scenarios are theoretically possible, but are not recommended due to their involved natures.
Setup
During the initial building phase, place your first settlement and road as normal.
The second time around, place a city and a road. You get one card for each hex your city touches. You may now begin the game.
Game Play
A Wonder may be started at any time during your turn, as long as you meet the Prerequisite and pay the first stage building costs. Take the Wonder Card into your possession and place the Wonder Coin gray-side-up on the matching hex.
The Colossus and Lighthouse are on land, not on water, so it is possible to have two Wonders on the same hex. For the Colossus, if you have a choice between two different hexes, the player may decide which one the Wonder Coin will be placed on.
To mark your progress on the Wonder Card, please either use an extra piece, such as a road, or one of the tool chits that I have included with the game cards.
You may build as many Wonders per city as you meet the prerequisites for. For example, if your city borders a lumber, brick, and sheep hex, you may start The Hanging Gardens, The Illustrious Walls, and The Gilded Statue with the same city. Once a player starts a Wonder and takes the Card, no other player can start the same Wonder. They may, however, seize a partially-completed Wonder.
Upgrading Wonders
You must progress through all four stages before your Wonder is complete. To do so, pay the resource cost for the next stage and move your marker up one. You may only upgrade each Wonder once per turn.
As you upgrade, you gain abilities listed on the card. These abilities are cumulative, and are not lost when you upgrade. These abilities may also be stacked and used in conjunction with one another.
The Robber
In addition to blocking resource production on a hex, the robber will prevent Wonder upgrades. It does not prevent a player from building the first stage on that hex. If the Robber has not moved from the desert since the beginning of the game, it blocks upgrading on the Pyramids until it is moved.
Certain Wonder abilities will also upgrade the robber to the "Renegade", "Raider", or "Corsair". These abilities may be combined. The Renegade, which is the first stage ability of the Great Pyramids, may not be used on completed Wonders. It also may not be used to block Victory Points. Finally, The Pharos Lighthouse's Searchlight blocks all effects of the robber, including the upgrade prohibition.
Seizing wonders
At any point in the game, a Wonder may be seized from an opponent, but this comes at a high price.
You must play 3 Knight Development Cards simultaneously. These do not count towards Largest Army, and must be reshuffled into the deck.
The Wonder comes with all of the abilities still intact. Completed Wonders may not be seized.
Completing wonders
When the fourth stage of the Wonder is complete, please turn the Wonder Coin over to its color side. This Wonder cannot be traded or stolen.
The "Raider" ability (The Great Pyramids) can no longer be used against this Wonder.
End of the Game
Add +7 to the target Victory Point total. For a Basic Game, that means that a player wins when they reach 17 Victory Points.
If the original total is 13, then you must reach 20 victory points to win.
The Wonders
The Hanging Gardens
Based on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon-Originally made as a gift of a king to his homesick queen, these gardens housed tiers of lush plants and trees. It is hard to know which is more impressive, the engineering or the beauty. You will need access to many forests in order to collect the necessary plants.
The Illustrious Walls
Based on the Walls of Babylon, specifically the Ishtar Gate-These walls were so immense that two chariots could pass by each other on top without slowing down. The served as the ultimate deterrent for would-be invaders, but the inner gates were known for their craftsmanship and adornment. Vast amounts of brick will be needed to construct this.
The Gilded Statue
Based on the Statue of Zeus at Olympia-Made from a mix of ivory and gold, this statue was so lifelike that visitors swore it was about to stand up and walk away. Sheep were offered in sacrifice to this statue every day, especially when the god's favor was sought.
The Royal Mausoleum
Based on the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus-In honor of her late king, a queen invited artists from far and wide to create the best monument… no expenses spared. The tomb ended up as a grand art museum, but the influx of artists severely taxed the city's grain supplies.
The Marble Temple
Based on the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus-Said to be the most beautiful of the wonders, dedicated to the goddess of the hunt. This temple was supported by the jewelry sales of local silversmiths, so a vast supply of ore will be needed to complete the temple.
The Towering Colossus
Based on the Colossus of Rhodes-We don't know if the Colossus really straddled the harbor, but we do know that it was over 30 meters high, inspiring awe from even the most grizzled of sailors. This Wonder will be sure to steal trade from all of the surrounding harbors.
The Pharos Lighthouse
Based on the Pharos of Alexandria-Fire by night and clouds of smoke by day made this lighthouse viewable for miles around. It allowed faster travel and deterred would-be pirates and robbers.
The Great Pyramids
Based on the Great Pyramids of Giza-The king of the Wonders-more mysterious than practical. Gather your lumber and brick for the outside, and use your tools to shape the ins
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