Friendly robber limits the arena game

[Parténope y Ulises]

In my opinion, friendly robber in arena game limits the game. Why? Because brick, wood and roads are not as important as cards or cities. This inclines the balance in favour of cards and cities and reduce the number of strategies to play.

Thanks

[Kaladry]

I agree, but you just need to learn to take advantage of it by building roads to block others from building somewhere if you can before you get 3 points for them to use the robber against you. I like to build up my hand to prepare a bit and try not to be the first to 3 points because then you’ll be the only one getting blocked at first.

It just slows the game down though when 7s are continuously rolled and nobody is getting anything and you can’t even steal/block. It’s useless in that regard so I don’t care if others roll a 7 while I’m at 2 points but I don’t want to roll a 7 lol

[Jontia]

Aren't the Arena games still 3 players?

[BusterVA]

I hate forced friendly, especially if you get to 3 first. Then everyone destroys you with the robber and you are helpless to defend.
Friendly should almost be no robbing until ANYONE reaches 3 points. Then fair game on everyone. I dunno.

I just prefer not to play friendly even though it is to my disadvantage at times. I hate having my hands tied behind my back.

[DVC]

Aren't the Arena games still 3 players?

Yes, this hasn't changed since the game first appeared (apart from a few weeks at the very beginning), which is patently ridiculous and the reason I won't play Arena. Every adjustment since then has made the game even worse - random numbers, friendly robber and now easy start. All the worst options for a competitive game. Sadly, even though I play regularly, it's never been enough to become a guru and vote for changes.

[Kaladry]

Yes, this hasn't changed since the game first appeared (apart from a few weeks at the very beginning), which is patently ridiculous and the reason I won't play Arena. Every adjustment since then has made the game even worse - random numbers, friendly robber and now easy start. All the worst options for a competitive game. Sadly, even though I play regularly, it's never been enough to become a guru and vote for changes.

On the contrary I love 3 player Catan, I won't play Arena if it moves to 4 player. With 4 players the board is too crowded and you can't do anything, it's not fun.
While I'm not a fan of friendly robber either I got used to it in Arena, you just have to learn to work with it so that you're not the first to 3 points openly. The best scenario for Arena in my opinion will be to get rid of Friendly Robber and only have Easy Start.

[Jontia]

On the contrary I love 3 player Catan, I won't play Arena if it moves to 4 player. With 4 players the board is too crowded and you can't do anything, it's not fun.

Everyone's got their own personal preferences. The difficulty of doing exactly what you want is the thing that makes 4-player fun for me. It requires much more compromise with your strategies and inevitably requires more trading as you can't get resources that you want. It is more competitive, in the sense that you have to engage and compete more with the other players rather than doing entirely your own thing.

That's why real-life Catan tournaments are always four-player and it honestly feels weird that BGA's "competitive" mode has ignored that.

[NEROx3]

DELETE FRIENDLY OPTION! This is such BS, ruins many games as unsavory players just sit and build 6-8+ DV cards, then easily win. This is NOT the intension of CATAN.....please remove it.

[Jellby]

players just sit and build 6-8+ DV cards, then easily win.

Looks like they found a winner strategy

[dannyb463]

There is NO reason to have "friendly" or "easy" robber in arena play. Those are settings intended for games with your friends in which you want to institute "house rules" or in games with beginner players, which is the opposite of arena play.

Further, as many have stated, 3-player Catan is also pointless for arena play. There are enough "quality" spaces to permit people playing BINGO rather than Catan. The number of trades are drastically reduced because all players can grab 6/8/9 (or something similar). The point of arena is to be competitive, not to play a fancy version of "Can't Stop" or "Yahtzee".

There are plenty of arena games that require 4 players to start, and they do. Catan, which likely has one of the largest groups of players, would have no problem.