Who goes first in Anachrony?
Mindclash English Essential Edition rules, copyright 2021
With standard setup, whoever most recently experienced déjà vu goes first.
Official tie-break or fallback
The standard déjà vu criterion has no stated tie-break. In the Starting Asset Draft variant only, a tied total is broken in favor of the player holding the lowest-numbered card.
Rule details
Place that player’s banner beside the World Council spaces. Action turns proceed clockwise.
The optional Starting Asset Draft replaces this criterion: add the numbers on your four selected cards, and the lowest total starts the first Era.
The same player starts the next Era unless somebody has taken the relevant World Council action.
This entry covers the multiplayer Essential Edition. Its separate solo and expansion rules are outside this answer.
Source & edition
- Anachrony: Mindclash Games rulesMindclash Games · Cover; player setup step 16; Action Rounds; Next Era; Starting Asset Draft; credits and edition scope; PDF pages 1, 6, 10, 11, 20, 26, 27 · Checked 2026-09-23Printed page references: 6, 10, 11, 20, 26, 27
Image: © Mindclash Games and any credited cover artist · Mindclash Games
More starting rules
Browse available game rulesGames with a similar starting rule
AntinomyThe player who most recently experienced déjà vu starts; the other player deals.
Into the BlueThe player who swam most recently starts the game.
IwariWhoever traveled most recently takes the first turn.
CanvasWhoever painted most recently goes first.
Die Zausel vom ZauberwaldThe player who most recently stumbled starts.
Free game-night tools: score keeper · turn timer · dice roller · all tools
Found a different instruction in your edition? Send a correction with the game, edition, and source.