Complete first-game guide
How to play Hexed
Build settlements and cities, connect them with roads, trade for the resources your plan needs, and reach the victory-point target. This guide covers the full base-game loop used by Hexed.
- 01
- RollMatching number tiles produce resources
- 02
- TradeWith players, the bank, or a port
- 03
- Build or playSpend toward the position you want
- 04
- End turnCheck your hand and the next threat
Win by reaching the match's point target
Hexed's standard target is 15 victory points in 1v1 and 10 in three- or four-player games. The match settings show the exact target; unrated custom games can vary it. Buildings, awards, and victory-point development cards all count.
- Settlement
- 1 pointAlso produces one resource from an adjacent matching tile
- City
- 2 pointsReplaces a settlement and produces two
- Longest Road
- 2 pointsBegins with a continuous road of at least five
- Largest Army
- 2 pointsBegins with at least three played knights
- Victory-point card
- 1 pointCounts automatically while it remains hidden
Open with two settlements and two roads
Players place one settlement and an attached road in order, then place a second pair in reverse order. A settlement must be at least two intersections away from every other settlement or city. After your second settlement, you receive one resource from each adjacent non-desert hex.
Produce resources when the dice match
After the roll, each settlement beside a matching number takes one resource from that hex; a city takes two. The robber blocks production on its hex. If the bank cannot meet the table's total demand for one resource, nobody receives that resource for the roll.
Pay the exact build cost
A legal location and available piece are required in addition to the cards. Roads extend your network. A new settlement must connect to your road and respect the spacing rule. A city upgrades one of your settlements.
- Road
- 1 wood + 1 brickBuild on a legal edge connected to your network
- Settlement
- 1 wood + 1 brick + 1 sheep + 1 wheatAdds production and one point
- City
- 3 ore + 2 wheatUpgrades your settlement to two points and double production
- Development card
- 1 sheep + 1 wheat + 1 oreDraws the top card from the remaining deck
Trade with players, the bank, or a port
During your main phase, you can offer resources to other players. You can also trade matching sets to the bank. A port improves the rate only after you build on one of its two coastal intersections.
- Bank
- 4:1Give four of one resource for one of another
- General port
- 3:1Give three of one resource for one of another
- Resource port
- 2:1Give two of the pictured resource for one of another
A seven interrupts production
No hex produces on a seven. Anyone above the match's hand limit discards half, rounded down. Standard three- and four-player games use a limit of seven; Hexed 1v1 uses nine. The active player then moves the robber to a different hex, blocks it, and steals one random resource from an eligible adjacent opponent.
Development cards create hidden options
You may play no more than one action development card in a turn, and an action card cannot be played on the turn it was bought. Victory-point cards count automatically rather than being played by hand.
- Knight
- Move the robberPlayed knights count toward Largest Army
- Road Building
- Up to two free roadsLimited by your remaining pieces and legal edges
- Year of Plenty
- Take two resourcesThe chosen cards must be available in the bank
- Monopoly
- Name one resourceOther players give you every card of that type
- Victory point
- 1 hidden pointCounts toward your total immediately
Road and army awards can change hands
The first qualifying continuous road of at least five earns Longest Road. The first player with at least three played knights and a clear lead earns Largest Army. Each award is worth two points; another player must beat the holder's total to take it. A settlement can also split an opponent's road.
Example: turn resources into one useful action
Suppose you roll an 8. A settlement beside a wheat hex marked 8 produces one wheat, and a city beside an ore hex marked 8 produces two ore. You trade four spare wood to the bank for one sheep, spend sheep, wheat, and ore on a development card, then end the turn. If it is an action card, it waits until a later turn.
Use the replay to learn the rule in context
After your first game, reopen the match and find the turn where your plan changed. A supported replay can add an evaluation curve and candidate moves, but the board state is the place to start.
First-game questions
Do I need to memorize every rule before playing?
No. Learn the target, setup, turn loop, and build costs first. Hexed shows legal actions, and the interactive tutorial lets you practice them on a working board.
Can I play a development card as soon as I buy it?
Not if it is an action card. It must wait until a later turn. A victory-point card counts automatically.
Why did a numbered hex not produce?
Check whether the dice matched, whether the robber blocked the hex, whether your building touched it, and whether the bank had enough of that resource for the table's full demand.
Is AI practice ranked?
No. AI practice is unrated, and bot seats are labeled.
Learn by playing one complete game
Keep this guide open for costs and special cases, then let the board show you the decisions in order.