A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from a copy of the forum saved in October 2015, so pages it didn't save are missing. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings, the rulebooks and the Rules Archive may differ.
A player, 8 July 2009
Is going first an option?and if it is, is it possible to pass the first turn to the other player?
Example: Me and Yogo Bob are just about to begin a match at our local tourney. I am playing lion using the Central Castle with a Starting Family Honor of 7 and Yogo Bob playing scorpion using Hidden Moon Dojo with a starting Family Honor of 1. I have decided that I dont want to go first so I tell Yogo Dude that I am waiving the the option to go first in the game and giving it to him instead.
Thank you very much for you assistance.
Brook Cunningham (rules official), 8 July 2009
Is going first an option?and if it is, is it possible to pass the first turn to the other player?
No, it is not.
Also, this is a good time to mention, that when opponents have the same Family Honor, the starting player is to be determined randomly. I have often seen players in such a situation roll a die or flip a coin, and the winner of the roll or flip choose whether he goes first or second, which is also incorrect.