From the publisher’s rulebook

Who goes first in Abyss?

Bombyx original English US base-game rulebook

Randomly determine the starting player. Play then proceeds clockwise.

Official product image showing the Abyss game box

Source & edition

All 4 Bombyx starting rules

Image: © Bombyx; artwork by Xavier Collette · Bombyx · Editorial fair use (Reduced packaging image used to identify the cited game edition in an independent first-player-rule reference; it does not substitute for the game or the artwork.)

If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.

Rule details

The rulebook does not prescribe a particular random selection method.

This answer covers the base game, not the Kraken, Leviathan, or De Profundis expansions.

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