San Juan (Second Edition) FAQ

46 questions players ask · Updated Nov 12, 2026 · Full rulebook

Search questions

Game Contents and Setup Game Play The Roles Round and Game End The Buildings The New Buildings

Game Contents and Setup

What changed between the first and second edition of San Juan?
Did the Library change in the second edition?
Which production buildings do I remove to play without The New Buildings?
Can I use the first edition Event cards with the second edition?

Game Play

In a 2-player game, can the Governor use the Library on both roles they pick?
In a 2-player game, can the Library be used by the player who picks only one role in a round?
Must a player perform the action of the role they choose?
What happens when the draw pile runs out during the game?

The Roles

Must a player sell goods when they choose the Trader role?
Can only the player who picks Prospector use it?
How much does the Builder pay for a city building with a Quarry and a Library?
Can the Library let me build two buildings in one Builder phase?
Are there extra roles in the second edition?

Round and Game End

Do Chapel deposits happen before the hand limit is applied at the start of a round?
In what order do start-of-round building effects resolve?
Can a Chapel or Bank be used in the final round of the game?
When does the game end, and can a 13th building be built?

The Buildings

How does the Gold Mine work?
Do Gold Mine and Goldsmith still trigger when another player picks Prospector?
Does the Quarry reduce the cost of production buildings?
If a Crane covers my Chapel, do the cards under it still score?
How does the Crane work, and can a Crane be built over?
Can I own two copies of the same monument, or of any city building?
Do the Triumphal Arch and City Hall count other players' buildings?
Does the Poor House draw a card if I did not build in this Builder phase?
Does the Aqueduct's extra good need an empty production building?

The New Buildings

When does the Hut's Trader-phase ability draw a card?
How does the Harbor work when I sell goods in the Trader phase?
When the Goldsmith reveals a building in the Prospector phase, can I build it right away?
Does selling a Customs Office good count against my Trader sale limit?
Does the Customs Office replace the Councillor action?
Can a Customs Office good go under a Harbor?
Does the Tavern draw a card if its owner did not build in this Builder phase?
Does the Tavern pay out when I tie for the fewest buildings?
Can a Tavern pay out in the round I build it?
What is the Caritas card called in the second edition?
What is the hand limit at the start of a round with a Guard Room or Tower?
How does the Cathedral score at game end?
What if more than one player wants the Cathedral in the same Builder phase?
Does the Cathedral count for City Hall or Guild Hall?
Are violet-bordered cards city buildings?
How does the Park work with a Crane?
If I build over a Bank or Harbor, do the cards stored under it still score?
Can I use a Bank's one-time ability again if I rebuild a Bank?
Should I separate The New Buildings cards out for my first games?
How many cards does The New Buildings add, and how many of each production building are there with it?