Finding and recruiting crew in Starfield involves visiting various settlements and spaceports, interacting with characters offering their services, and sometimes completing specific quests for them before they agree to join your team.
So, you’re venturing across the vast expanse of space in Starfield and quickly realize you need a team. It’s not just about having an extra gun in a firefight; it’s about managing your ship, carrying cargo, and making sure your expeditions are well-supported. The question of how to find and recruit crew in Starfield pops up quite often.
Therefore, a crew is essential for any serious spacefarer. Luckily, the game presents ample opportunities to bolster your ranks. Your choices will influence your journey. This guide will show you how to get started.
Starfield How to Find and Recruit Crew
Exploring the vast universe of Starfield is much more fun when you have a capable crew by your side. These folks aren’t just there to look pretty; they each bring unique skills and abilities that can help you in all sorts of situations. Finding and recruiting them isn’t always a walk in the park, though. This guide will give you the lowdown on where to find potential crew members, how to convince them to join you, and what to expect once they’re on board. We’ll also cover some of the more skilled and special crew members that are in the game, and where you might find them. Get ready to assemble your dream team!
Understanding Crew Roles and Benefits
Before you start your recruiting drive, it’s good to know what different roles crew members play and why they’re beneficial. Each crew member has their own set of skills. Some might be great at piloting spaceships, while others excel at combat or research. Understanding these roles helps you build a well-rounded team that can tackle any challenge.
Piloting: Crew members with piloting skills enhance your ship’s speed, maneuverability, and combat capabilities. They’re essential for dogfights and safe navigation through space.
Combat: Combat experts improve your ship’s weapon systems or can be powerful allies in ground combat. They can make a big difference in tough battles.
Engineering: Engineers help keep your ship running smoothly. They can repair damage quickly and improve system efficiency.
Science and Medicine: Scientists boost your research output, while those with medical skills can keep your crew healthy and aid in exploration.
Outpost Management: Some crew members have skills that boost resource production and efficiency of your outposts.
Having a crew provides several advantages. They help you in ship combat, they provide bonuses to your ship and your personal abilities, they help with outpost management and research tasks. The right crew can make your journey easier and more enjoyable!
Where to Look for Crew Members
Starfield is a big place, so where do you begin your search for crew? Here are some of the most common places you’ll encounter potential recruits:
Bars and Taverns: These are the most common places to find crew. Check out establishments in major cities like New Atlantis (Jemison), Akila City (Akila), Neon (Volii), and Cydonia (Mars). Look for NPCs (Non-player characters) with unique names and dialogue options hinting at their skills.
Spaceports: Often, you will find people looking for work while hanging out at spaceports. Speak to various NPCs and listen for hints. Some may even seek you out to offer their services.
Mission Boards: Completing specific missions, which you can find on boards scattered around settlements, may lead you to opportunities to recruit unique individuals as crew.
Faction Quests: As you play through the different faction questlines, you will sometimes be offered an opportunity to recruit characters with specific skills.
Specific Locations: Certain characters are located in specific places that are often quest or story related. This might include a derelict research station, a secret research lab or a planetary survey point.
Random Encounters: While exploring the various planets and stars, you may find people who are in distress or who will simply offer you their services. These encounters can be very useful.
Remember, not everyone you meet in these places is recruitable. Look for characters with unique dialogue and options to ask about joining your crew.
The Importance of Dialogue
When you meet someone who seems like they could be a potential crewmate, pay close attention to their dialogue. Here are some common indicators that they might be recruitable:
Dialogue Options: Check if dialogue options include lines asking about their background or if they’re looking for work.
“Looking for a Crew” Dialogue: If they straight up say they are looking for work, they’re probably a recruitable character.
Quests: If they give you a mission that includes a reward, be sure to do it, the result could be a new crew member.
Listen for Clues: Some NPCs will mention their skills or their desire to travel the stars. These are often good candidates.
Sometimes, you’ll need to do a small task or pass a skill check to convince someone to join your crew. Be ready for some mini-quests!
How to Recruit Crew Members
Recruiting crew members isn’t always straightforward; sometimes, you’ll need to do a bit of work. Here’s a general idea of how recruitment works:
1. Initiate Dialogue: Talk to the character you want to recruit.
2. Listen and Learn: Pay attention to their story and skills to know if they’re a good fit.
3. The Pitch: Select the dialogue option that shows your desire to have them join your crew.
4. Complete the Quest: If there is one, complete it. If not, they may just join you.
5. Enjoy Your New Crew Member: After successful recruitment, they will join your crew.
You will often need to pay a fee to hire crew members. This fee can range from a few thousand credits to tens of thousands of credits for the most skilled individuals.
Skill Checks
Sometimes, the character will make you pass a Persuasion challenge to prove you are a good leader. This might involve a speech check, or they may ask you to fulfill a small task, maybe to find a person they know, or deal with a troublesome situation on their behalf. Skill checks will rely on your own skills, and will require your character to have invested skill points in specific attributes. The higher your skill, the better your chances.
Payment
Most crew members will expect payment for their services. Be sure you have credits on hand to pay. Sometimes, you may need to haggle a little bit to get a better deal!
Unique Crew Member Recruitment
There are some crew members that you will recruit as a reward for completing certain missions. For instance, some characters are found in faction quests for the Freestar Collective, the UC Vanguard, Ryujin Industries and the Crimson Fleet. There are other characters who you will find as a result of specific quests for certain people, or while traveling in particular locations.
Managing Your Crew
Once you have a crew, you need to manage them effectively. Here’s how to do it:
Assigning Roles: You assign each crew member to a specific job on your ship or in your outposts.
Ship Crew: Go to your ship’s menu, and assign crew members based on their skills, and the needs of the ship. If your ship needs a better pilot, assign someone with Piloting skill. If your ship needs additional engineering, add an engineer.
Outpost Crew: Head to the outpost management computer, and assign your crew members to the positions where they can provide the most benefit. If you need more resources, choose someone who has a bonus for mining.
Crew Limits: You can’t have an endless number of crew members. The maximum number of people that you can have assigned to your ship is dependent on a few different factors, such as your ship size, and your skill perks. As you level up, you can increase the size of your crew. Outpost crew limits are different, and tend to be more lenient.
Crew Happiness: Even though your crew members won’t leave if they are unhappy, it is still good to try to keep their morale up.
Give Them a Voice: Be sure to respond to your crew and give them opportunities to speak their minds. This helps to keep morale high.
Listen to Their Stories: Crew members will sometimes give you background information on themselves. Listening to these stories will often improve the overall feel of your ship.
Reward Good Work: Be sure to reward your crew for good service. This may include giving them gifts, giving them preferential treatment or just praising them for their hard work.
Skill Progression: As you and your crew gain experience, their skills will also improve. Keep an eye on their perks, and reassign your crew members when necessary.
Having a well-managed crew is critical for success in Starfield. A good crew can make you more effective and make your life in the game easier, and a little less lonely!
Notable Crew Members
Some crew members are better than others, and some are very unique. Here are some specific crew members that many players seek out:
Vasco: This robot is your first companion. He is very capable in a variety of roles, and can be upgraded.
Sarah Morgan: The leader of Constellation is often cited as one of the best overall companions. She has skills in Leadership, Astrodynamics, and Botany.
Sam Coe: The Freestar Collective’s representative in Constellation. He has skills in Piloting, Rifle Certification and Payloads.
Andreja: The mysterious representative in Constellation. She has skills in Stealth, Particle Beams, and Energy Weapons Systems.
Barrett: The odd-ball inventor in Constellation. He has skills in Gastronomy, Particle Beam Weapons, and Starship Engineering.
Omari Hassan: One of the most highly regarded engineers in the game. He is located on the planet Cydonia.
Sophia Grace: A top-tier medical expert, who also has other useful skills, like being an accomplished shooter. She is located in the town of New Homestead.
Gideon Aker: A very unique character who offers some of the very best outpost management perks in the game. He is located in the town of The Rock.
Marika Boros: A top tier crew member that can be recruited from the Broken Spear Bar in Cydonia. She has an excellent set of combat skills and can improve ship weapons.
Mickey Caviar: Found at the Viewpoint bar in Neon. He excels at ship stealth.
These are just a small sampling of the many unique and helpful crew members you can find in Starfield.
Tips for Finding Crew Members
Here are some final tips to help you find the best crew members:
Explore Widely: Visit all the major cities and space stations. The more you explore, the more chances you have to find people.
Be Patient: Finding the perfect crew takes time. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t find the right people right away.
Listen to Rumors: Sometimes, NPCs will give you hints about where to find skilled people.
Try Different Locations: Check every bar, every spaceport, every quest location. You never know who you will find.
Prioritize Skills: Focus on recruiting crew members with skills that match your play style and current needs.
Check Frequently: Bar and spaceport workers come and go. Be sure to check in often to see what new people have arrived.
Read the Signs: Some NPC’s will explicitly state that they are looking for work. These characters are usually good bets for recruitment.
These tips will help you find, and keep, a good crew of capable companions in the game. Having a good crew can make a big difference in how well you navigate the dangers of space.
Building a great crew in Starfield is a crucial part of the game. With a little patience, attention to detail, and some good luck, you’ll gather a talented group of individuals that can help you in all areas of the game. Don’t be afraid to talk to people, complete missions, and explore the vast reaches of space. Soon you will have your perfect crew!
How To Recruit Crew Members In Starfield
Final Thoughts
Finding crew in Starfield involves visiting bars, completing missions, and sometimes, random encounters. Evaluate potential crewmembers by their skills and perks before recruiting. ‘Starfield how to find and recruit crew’ requires careful attention to these elements.
Recruit diverse crew to enhance ship operations and outpost management. Proper crew management boosts your gameplay. A well-chosen crew becomes a must for a successful journey.
