Board Game Arena

I have played a lot of Catan on this site, and since the new season has adopted the friendly robber rule, the game play has declined steadily. You now have players who's whole strategy is to accumulate as many kight cards as they can before earning any points because no one can attack them. this blocks the whole tile and puts the person who gets the first point at a disadvantage because they can't steal back reasources on a 7 or a knight card.

I just finished playing back to back games where someone intentionally didn't get the points and it really ruins the game play. I understand the reason is to help everyone get going, but what if you just say the first 3 turns for each player the robber is friendly, that would help people to start, while still keeping the mechanics of the game fair, and stop this truly boring strategy of hording knights.

In every game, the "best" strategy may change depending on the settings, number of players, etc. Using a good strategy for one variant may not be very effective when playing a different variant. You probably prefer some variants over others, but that doesn't "ruin" the game, it just means you have some particular preferences.

In any case, Arena settings are chosen by the gurus, and game-specific topics are better discussed in game-specific forums.

Wasn't there a time when the friendly robber worked until someone had two (or three) development cards? I thought that was fair. Don't mind the friendly robber, but this dev card hoarding has to be addressed.

cojome wrote: ↑29 November 2025, 09:25... since the new season has adopted the friendly robber rule, the game play has declined steadily.

One simple solution is to avoid tables with the Friendly Robber option activated.

Even better, become a paying member and open your own tables without the Friendly Robber option.

My tables don't have Friendly Robber, but they do have Easy Start. I can't stand Friendly Robber, but I like Easy Start. It doesn't hurt anyone, and it makes the beginning of the game a little easier for everyone.

desertman wrote: ↑06 January 2026, 21:44

cojome wrote: ↑29 November 2025, 09:25... since the new season has adopted the friendly robber rule, the game play has declined steadily.

One simple solution is to avoid tables with the Friendly Robber option activated.

Even better, become a paying member and open your own tables without the Friendly Robber option.

My tables don't have Friendly Robber, but they do have Easy Start. I can't stand Friendly Robber, but I like Easy Start. It doesn't hurt anyone, and it makes the beginning of the game a little easier for everyone.

Unfortunately is not enough.

I have opened my table, no FR and still people play FR without even asking.

I will tell you what happens if I roll 7 before anyone has 3 points.

https://boardgamearena.com/4/catan?table=787245575

I agree that I dislike Friendly Robber for similar reasons. Easy Start is definitely the best way to go. We can only hope that the gurus vote for Easy Start in the next arena season instead of Friendly Robber or play enough that we become gurus to vote on it. I do think it ruins Arena games and the constant ask for FR when it wasn't in the settings to begin with is annoying.

Hi, familiar with Catan in real life, but only played a couple games on here. Not heard of "Friendly Robber" or "Easy Start" until reading about them here. Any one happy to explain what they mean?

trevorcoultart wrote: ↑19 January 2026, 18:41 Hi, familiar with Catan in real life, but only played a couple games on here. Not heard of "Friendly Robber" or "Easy Start" until eating about them here. Any one happy to explain what they mean?

Friendly Robber means you can't block a hex with a settlement of someone who only has 2 points.

Easy start means re-rolling sevens for the first few turns.

Yeah I think a lot of people don't understand that friendly robber ruin the balance of the game, I didn't know easy start but that sound like a better option for sure... How many games you think I will need to become a guru ? I might give it a try

Jontia wrote: ↑19 January 2026, 20:27

trevorcoultart wrote: ↑19 January 2026, 18:41 Hi, familiar with Catan in real life, but only played a couple games on here. Not heard of "Friendly Robber" or "Easy Start" until eating about them here. Any one happy to explain what they mean?

Friendly Robber means you can't block a hex with a settlement of someone who only has 2 points.

Easy start means re-rolling sevens for the first few turns.

Thanks. Don't like the sound of either of those options.