Who goes first in Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game?
Plaid Hat Games English rulebook, 2014
The player whose group leader has the highest influence value takes the first player token and takes the first turn.
Rule details
Group leaders are chosen during setup: each player is dealt 4 survivors, keeps 2, and makes one of them their group leader.
Player turns go clockwise (to the left), starting with the first player.
At the end of each round, the first player passes the first player token to the player on their right.
The first player also breaks all ties during the game.
Source & edition
- Dead of Winter: A Crossroads Game: RulebookPlaid Hat Games · Page 4, First Player Token; page 6, Game Setup steps 9–14; page 8, Player Turns; page 13, Pass First Player Token; copyright on PDF page 20 · Checked 2026-09-25Printed page references: 4, 6, 8, 13, credits page
Image: © Plaid Hat Games and credited cover artists · Asmodee USA
If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.
If there’s a tie
The rulebook doesn’t say. If you need a tie-break, pick a player at random.
More starting rules
Browse available game rulesFree 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.