Who goes first in Z-Man Games games?
18 starting-player rules checked against Z-Man Games sources. Open an answer for its edition and cited passage.
- ArboretumThe player who last watered a plant starts.
- Archaeology: The New ExpeditionThe first player is the person who last put their feet in the sand.
- Beyond Baker StreetWith Character cards, the player holding the lowest-numbered Character card starts. In the first game, when no Character cards are used, the player who most recently read a Sherlock Holmes story starts.
- BlueprintsIn the first round, the player who most recently visited a building under construction goes first.
- Campaign Manager 2008The player who first finishes building their Campaign Strategy deck may go first. With the preconstructed starting decks, the player closest to their 18th birthday may go first.
- Carcassonne: AmazonasStart with whoever most recently took a boat ride. The rulebook also permits the youngest player to start instead. Play proceeds clockwise.
- Carcassonne: Hunters and GatherersThe youngest player takes the first turn. Continue clockwise.
- ChinatownThe player who most recently visited a Chinatown takes the First Player card.
- CitadelsThe oldest player takes the crown. The crowned player is first to choose a character card.
- Dragon FarkleThe player who brought the most snacks starts the game.
- Love LetterFor the opening round, the person who most recently wrote a letter by hand starts. Turns proceed clockwise.
- PandemicLook at the City cards in your opening hands. Whoever holds the card showing the largest city population takes the first turn.
- Pandemic Legacy: Season 1Take all the pawns and blindly draw one. That pawn’s player goes first.
- Pandemic Legacy: Season 2Take all the players’ pawns and randomly select one. That pawn’s player takes the first turn, then play proceeds clockwise.
- Pandemic: Rapid ResponseThe player who most recently traveled by plane starts. Continue clockwise.
- SmileThe last player to have seen a firefly starts.
- Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter GameWhoever most recently rescued a friend starts the first round. Turns proceed clockwise.
- World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich KingStart with the player who has traveled furthest north. Turns continue clockwise.
Each answer is our reviewed summary of the cited edition’s published rules. Sources include rulebooks and official online references. Open a game for its source and setup details. Or pick a starting player at random.
