From the source rules
Who goes first in The Resistance: Avalon?
Indie Boards & Cards official Dized rules · English
Randomly select a player and give them the leader token; they are the leader at the start of the game.
Rule details
At the end of each round, the leader token passes clockwise to the next player.
With the Lady of the Lake variant, the Lady of the Lake token starts with the player on the leader's right.
Source & edition
- The Resistance: Avalon: Setup, 2. Deal character cards and tokens (Dized official rules)Indie Boards & Cards (Indie Game Studios) / Dized · Setup, step 2; How to Play, End of round, step 4 · Checked 2026-09-25
Image: © Indie Boards & Cards · Indie Boards & Cards
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.
Related games and editions
Browse available game rules
Games with a similar starting rule
The Lord of the Rings: The Card GameChoose a first player and give them the first-player token. If the group cannot decide, select the first player randomly.
Beyond the HorizonChoose the first player randomly and give them the First Player token. Play proceeds clockwise.
Battlestar Galactica: The Board GameRandomly choose a player to be the first player and give them the current player token. That player chooses their character first and takes the first turn.
EarthChoose the starting player randomly and give them the First-player and Active-player tokens. They choose the first action; the Active-player token passes clockwise.
SuburbiaRandomly choose a start player and give them the start-player marker.
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