Map #SO
Plan around limited ore.
Interactive Settlement & Road Draft
Choose a three- or four-player table and your seat, then record each settlement and its initial road in normal snake order. Occupied and adjacent blocked intersections are removed, while settlement and road recommendations update after every completed turn.
Board Read
The classic board view marks intersection quality directly on the map and reveals adjacent initial-road choices during each interactive draft turn.
Best Remaining Spots
The numbered spots stay visible during settlement selection and update after every completed settlement-and-road turn.
Best Remaining Pairs
Pairs update as opponents take spots; after your first pick they anchor to it.
Initial Board Assessment
For your two settlements, look at I39 + I45. City upgrades will need trades for ore. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I45 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
How To Approach It
- The board produces relatively little ore, brick; secure a source or a way to trade for it.
- The board has more wood production than most other resources; check whether a matching harbor fits your opening.
- These are starting plans, not promises: dice, the robber and other players can change them.
- Compare the numbers as long-run averages, not a countdown to your next build.
Best Immediate Read
I42 Sheep 10 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5
Overall 17.85, production 12.00, road 10.21, city 8.78.
Best Starting Intersections
These are the best single-settlement openings before you account for draft order or pair timing.
| # | Spot | Read | Overall | Future | Port |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I42 | Sheep 10 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5 | 17.85 | 7.27 | - |
| 2 | I45 | Sheep 10 / Wood 6 / Brick 5 | 17.55 | 6.57 | - |
| 3 | I39 | Brick 9 / Wheat 8 / Sheep 4 | 17.24 | 5.54 | - |
| 4 | I44 | Wood 6 / Brick 5 / Ore 3 | 17.11 | 7.42 | - |
| 5 | I08 | Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 | 15.94 | 5.43 | - |
| 6 | I35 | Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3 | 15.62 | 6.03 | - |
| 7 | I01 | Wood 9 / Wood 8 | 15.07 | 5.19 | 3:1 |
| 8 | I09 | Ore 11 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 | 14.64 | 3.92 | - |
| 9 | I32 | Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5 | 14.59 | 6.65 | - |
| 10 | I02 | Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8 | 14.36 | 5.40 | - |
Top Opening Pairs
These pair scores reflect combined production, coverage, number overlap, port help, and long-term flexibility.
Top pair
Score 53.19City upgrades will need trades for ore. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I45 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
Pair 2
Score 52.63These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I44 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 ore.
Pair 3
Score 52.18These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I42 second to start with 1 brick, 1 sheep, 1 wheat.
Pair 4
Score 52.07These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I44 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 ore.
Pair 5
Score 51.47These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I39 second to start with 1 brick, 1 sheep, 1 wheat.
Pair 6
Score 50.92City upgrades will need trades for ore. This opening leans toward roads and new settlements. Place I45 second to start with 1 wood, 1 brick, 1 sheep.
Seat Plans
Your place in the turn order affects which settlements may still be available. Compare the suggested starts and the second settlements that work with them.
3-player game
Placement order reverses after everyone has chosen once: the last player picks twice in a row, and the first player waits longest. These examples compare four opponent play styles, not the odds of a spot staying open.
Player 1
You choose first, then wait until everyone else has placed both settlements.
Priority: Choose a useful first settlement without relying on one particular second pick.
Recommended starts
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I45 Sheep 10 / Wood 6 / Brick 5Opening score 46.25 · Best pair score 53.19You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I33 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I39 Brick 9 / Wheat 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 45.67 · Best pair score 53.19You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I32 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I42 Sheep 10 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5Opening score 45.08 · Best pair score 52.18You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I32 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I45 + I33Sheep 10 / Wood 6 / Brick 5 + Wheat 12 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5
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I39 + I32Brick 9 / Wheat 8 / Sheep 4 + Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5
Player 2
Other players choose between your two turns, so your preferred second spot may disappear.
Priority: Take a useful mix of resources and leave yourself more than one follow-up.
Recommended starts
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I35 Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3Opening score 45.44 · Best pair score 50.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I08 Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 44.02 · Best pair score 50.67This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I32 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I32 Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5Opening score 43.11 · Best pair score 48.19This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I35 + I08Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3 + Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4
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I08 + I32Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 + Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5
Player 3
Your two settlement picks are consecutive, so you can choose them as a pair.
Priority: Use your consecutive picks to cover missing resources or support one building plan.
Recommended starts
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I08 Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 46.38 · Best pair score 50.67This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I35 Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3Opening score 45.44 · Best pair score 50.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. These settlements produce all five resources, giving you several ways to build.
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I09 Ore 11 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 43.75 · Best pair score 50.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I44 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I08 + I44Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 + Wood 6 / Brick 5 / Ore 3
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I35 + I08Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3 + Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4
4-player game
Placement order reverses after everyone has chosen once: the last player picks twice in a row, and the first player waits longest. These examples compare four opponent play styles, not the odds of a spot staying open.
Player 1
You choose first, then wait until everyone else has placed both settlements.
Priority: Choose a useful first settlement without relying on one particular second pick.
Recommended starts
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I42 Sheep 10 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5Opening score 44.21 · Best pair score 52.18You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I21 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I39 Brick 9 / Wheat 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 43.96 · Best pair score 53.19You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I21 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I08 Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 42.28 · Best pair score 50.67You can choose this spot now. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I42 + I21Sheep 10 / Wheat 8 / Brick 5 + Wood 5 / Sheep 4 / Brick 2
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I39 + I21Brick 9 / Wheat 8 / Sheep 4 + Wood 5 / Sheep 4 / Brick 2
Player 2
Other players choose between your two turns, so your preferred second spot may disappear.
Priority: Take a useful mix of resources and leave yourself more than one follow-up.
Recommended starts
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I08 Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 42.28 · Best pair score 50.67This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I02 Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8Opening score 41.25 · Best pair score 52.18This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
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I35 Wood 5 / Brick 5 / Ore 3Opening score 39.47 · Best pair score 50.62This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I26 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I08 + I26Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 + Brick 9 / Sheep 6
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I02 + I26Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8 + Brick 9 / Sheep 6
Player 3
You pick late in the first round and early in the second; look for complementary resources.
Priority: Compare what your second settlement adds, not just how strong it looks on its own.
Recommended starts
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I08 Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4Opening score 42.92 · Best pair score 50.67This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I02 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Road building will need trades for brick.
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I02 Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8Opening score 41.48 · Best pair score 52.18This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I32 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. Without sheep production, new settlements and development cards will need a trade.
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I26 Brick 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 41.35 · Best pair score 45.57This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I02 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for wheat.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I08 + I02Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4 + Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8
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I02 + I32Ore 11 / Wood 9 / Wood 8 + Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5
Player 4
Your two settlement picks are consecutive, so you can choose them as a pair.
Priority: Use your consecutive picks to cover missing resources or support one building plan.
Recommended starts
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I26 Brick 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 41.93 · Best pair score 45.57This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I27 Brick 9 / Sheep 6Opening score 41.93 · Best pair score 45.40This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
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I32 Wheat 12 / Wood 5 / Brick 5Opening score 41.28 · Best pair score 48.19This spot stayed open until your turn in all 4 scenarios checked, but another player can still take it. After this pick, I08 was the most common second settlement in the scenarios checked. City upgrades will need trades for ore.
Settlement pairs to consider
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I26 + I08Brick 9 / Sheep 6 + Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4
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I27 + I08Brick 9 / Sheep 6 + Wheat 10 / Wood 8 / Sheep 4
Resource Profile
Scarcity & Abundance
Best Harbor Starts
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I01 Wood 9 / Wood 8Port 3:1, score 13.13
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I40 Brick 9 / Sheep 4Port Ore, score 8.98
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I10 Wood 8Port 3:1, score 8.53
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I28 Sheep 6Port 3:1, score 8.53
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I29 Sheep 6Port 3:1, score 8.53