The Science Progress Card is one of the three types of Progress Cards introduced in Cities & Knights.
Appearance
As with all card decks, English and international cards are different in size, with English size using the bespoke “Catan size” (54mm x 80mm) cards and international sets using the mini European size cards (43mm x 67mm). Up until the English 6th edition and 4th international edition, the card backs are different between English and international sets, though both use a green version of the common card back for all progress cards. Because of this, Science Progress Cards are sometimes known by their color as green progress cards.
Since the English 6th edition and 4th international edition, both English and international decks share the same back, notwithstanding the differences in card size. The cards are now in dark green, to better associate them with the paper commodity and lumber resource.
Gameplay
Science Progress Cards are gained by a player whenever the science face is rolled on the event die, and the red die rolled for production is one of those indicated by the player’s city improvement board. Once obtained, they are treated no differently from any other Progress Card in a player’s possession.
Alchemy: This card can only be played at the start of a player’s own turn, before the dice are rolled for production. When this card is played, the faces of both dice may be chosen for production instead of rolled.
This card was known as Alchemist before the English 6th edition.
The Event die must still be rolled and resolved before production is resolved; this card must be played before the Event Die is rolled.
Crane: This card allows a player to build a city improvement for one less commodity than normal
The first level city improvements (market, town hall, and abbey) may be built at no cost with the effects of this card.
A player may not combine the effects of two or more Crane cards to reduce the cost of building a city improvement by multiple commodities.
Engineering: This card allows a player to build a City Wall at no cost.
This card was known as Engineer before the English 6th edition.
A player may not use this card if they are unable to place a City Wall, as it would constitute discarding a card for no effect.
Invention: This card may be used to exchange two Number Discs (except 2, 6, 8, or 12) on the board.
This card was known as Inventor before the English 6th edition.
A player is not required to exchange Number Discs that are adjacent to their own settlements or cities.
A player may exchange the Number Disc on the hex with the robber with a different Number Disc.
Irrigation: This card may be used to take 2 grain from the supply for each fields hex adjacent to a player’s own settlements or cities.
This is not considered production; cities do not increase the amount of grain received
Players with multiple settlements or cities adjacent to a single fields hex do not receive additional grain.
Medicine: This card may be used to upgrade a settlement for one less grain and one less ore.
A player may not combine the effects of multiple Medicine cards to further reduce the cost of upgrading a settlement.
Mining: This card may be used to take two ore cards from the supply for each mountains hex adjacent to a player’s own settlements or cities.
This is not considered production; cities do not increase the amount of ore received.
Players with multiple settlements or cities adjacent to a single mountains hex do not receive additional ore.
Printer: When this card is drawn, it is immediately flipped face-up. This card awards the player who obtains it one victory point.
Road Building: This card may be used to build two roads at no cost.
The roads that are built do not have to be connected to each other, but they must abide by all other building rules in effect.
If a player has only one road in their supply, only one road is built.
A player may not play this card if they have no roads in their supply, as it would be considered discarding a card for no effect.
With Seafarers, a player may substitute one or both of their roads for ships. All other normal building rules apply.
Note that this does not apply to Explorers and Pirates, due to the different mechanics of ships therein.
Smithing This card may be used to promote up to two knights at no cost.
This card was known as Smith before the English 6th edition.
Strong knights may only be promoted if a player has a fortress.
Because a knight may only be promoted once per turn, this card cannot be used to promote a single basic knight twice to a mighty knight.
Similarly, a player may not use two Smith cards to promote a knight twice in one turn.
As with normal promotions, the activation status of a knight being promoted does not change.
A player may play this card if only one of their knights is able to be promoted. A player may not play this card if none of their knights are able to be promoted, as that would constitute discarding a card for no effect.
A player may, however, choose to promote only one knight even if multiple knights may be promoted; the second promotion is always optional.
Manifest
The Science deck consists of 18 cards, consisting of: