Traits

Starfield traits serve as character enhancers, offering unique boosts and quirks to your interstellar traveller. However, they’re a double-edged sword, providing fascinating perks while saddling you with some challenging downsides. These traits span a variety of options, from affiliations with certain political or religious groups to personality facets like being an introvert, an empath, or even having an uncomfortably devoted fan.

Given the trade-offs inherent in each trait, it’s essential to carefully consider which ones resonate with your dream Starfield character. Opting for no traits is also a viable choice. To guide you in this character-building journey, we’ve broken down all available Starfield traits, highlighting their functions and standout picks.

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How many traits can you have at once in Starfield?

You can choose anywhere up to 3 traits at once in Starfield, although you can opt for less if you’d prefer. Let’s take a look at them:

All Starfield traits

Here are all 17 Starfield traits: 

• Alien DNA
• Dream Home
• Empath
• Extrovert
• Freestar Collective Settler
• Hero Worshipped
• Introvert
• Kid Stuff
• Neon Street Rat
• Raised Enlightened
• Raised Universal
• Serpent’s Embrace
• Spaced
• Terra Firma
• Taskmaster
• United Colonies Native
• Wanted

Alien DNA

Pros: Increased health and oxygen.

Cons: Healing items are less effective.

Dream Home

Pros: You start with a fancy, customisable house on a safe planet.

Cons: You have to pay off a 125,000-credit mortgage. Must be paid weekly.

Empath

Pros: Performing actions that your companion approves of grants a temporary increase in combat effectiveness.

Cons: Performing actions that your companion disapproves of grants a temporary decrease in combat effectiveness.

Extrovert

Pros: Actions that use oxygen (e.g. sprinting) consume less oxygen when you have a human companion following you.

Cons: Actions that use oxygen consume more oxygen when you don’t have a companion.

Don’t forget: Can’t be combined with Introvert trait.

Freestar Collective Settler

Pros: Gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options and better faction rewards during relevant missions.

Cons: Crime bounties towards other factions are greatly increased.

Don’t forget: This is a faction allegiance trait and can’t be combined with any other allegiance traits for factions.

Hero Worshipped

Pros: You get an Adoring Fan who can join your ship’s crew and will give you gifts.

Cons: The Adoring Fan will show up randomly and “jabber at you incessantly”.

Don’t forget: Having the Adoring Fan on board as part of your ship’s crew seems to keep them at bay, making them a convenient no-cost crew addition.

Introvert

Pros: Actions that use oxygen consume less oxygen when you don’t have any companions following you.

Cons: Actions that use oxygen consume more oxygen when you have a human companion following you.

Don’t forget: Can’t be combined with Extrovert trait.

Kid Stuff

Pros: You can visit your parents at their home in the Pioneer Tower in New Atlantis. Go to your bedroom to collect the High School Backpack, which adds 10kg to your maximum Starfield carrying capacity while worn.

Cons: You automatically send 2% of all your credits to your parents each in-game week.

Don’t forget: The High School Backpack, which can be found in your childhood bedroom, boosts your Starfield carrying limit by 10kg when equipped. Plus, brace yourself for some nostalgic blushes as your parents might drop by the Lodge to meet your new Constellation buddies.

Neon Street Rat

Pros: Access to special dialogue options and better rewards for some missions on Neon.

Cons: Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased.

Don’t forget: This is a faction allegiance trait and can’t be combined with any other allegiance traits for factions.

Raised Enlightened

Pros: Gain access to a special chest of items in the House of the Enlightened in New Atlantis.

Cons: Lose access to the Sanctum Universum chest.

Don’t forget: This is a religion trait and cannot be combined with other religion traits. The chest can be found in the Enlightened church in New Atlantis. This pack is stocked with med packs and a few other items, though its utility dwindles as the game progresses. Grab it early on when you land on Jemison for an initial advantage.

Raised Universal

Pros: Gain access to a special chest of items in the Sanctum Universum in New Atlantis.

Cons: Lose access to the House of the Enlightened chest.

Don’t forget: This is a religion trait and cannot be combined with other religion traits. The chest can be found in the Universal church in New Atlantis. This pack is stocked with med packs and a few other items, though its utility dwindles as the game progresses. Grab it early on when you land on Jemison for an initial advantage.

Serpent’s Embrace

Pros: Grav jumping in your ship provides +25 boost to your health and oxygen. You also unlock special dialogue options with the Va’Ruun zealot faction.

Cons: Health and oxygen are reduced if you don’t grav jump regularly – once every four hours in real time.

Don’t forget: This is a religion trait and cannot be combined with other religion traits. You can see a timer under your character’s Status Effects telling you when the Serpent’s Embrace buff runs out, so do a grav jump to reset it back to four hours.

Spaced

Pros: Health and oxygen are increased when in space.

Cons: Health and oxygen are decreased when on the surface

Don’t forget: Can’t be combined with the Terra Firma trait.

Terra Firma

Pros: Health and oxygen are increased when on the surface.

Cons: Health and oxygen are decreased when in space,

Don’t forget: Can’t be combined with the Spaced trait.

Taskmaster

Pros: If you have a crew member trained in a certain ship system, that system will occasionally repair itself automatically to full health whenever it is below 50% health.

Cons: All crew members cost twice as much to hire.

United Colonies Native

Pros: Gain access to special United Colonies dialogue options and better faction rewards during relevant missions.

Cons: Crime bounties towards other factions are greatly increased.

Don’t forget: This is a faction allegiance trait and can’t be combined with any other allegiance traits for factions.

Wanted

Pros: Deal extra damage when your health is low.

Cons: Armed mercenaries will randomly appear and attack you.

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Best Starfield traits

After pouring countless hours into Starfield, here are the traits that we think most players will find value in:

Kid Stuff

Having parents in the game is a sweet touch. You can pop over to their apartment, share tales of your space escapades, and bask in the pride when they’ve caught wind of your latest news highlight. But they’re not just there for show. Every now and then, they’ll drop you messages with an invite over or hand you some really nifty gear. Plus, as you journey across the galaxy, don’t be too surprised if you spot them making their own mark in the cosmic playground.

Hero Worshipped

It’s always nice to have a fan. Granted, his banter leans on the eerie side, but after facing consecutive defeats from the Crimson Fleet, his words surprisingly pep you up. If you’re in a cheeky mood, you can even make him cough up some credits for the sheer joy of your company—a tad shady, we admit. Or, if you’re immersing yourself in a villain role, you can just wail on him. Remember kids bullying is bad (unless it’s in a video game. In which case, go nuts).

Dream Home

For those with an interior designer’s heart but not a builder’s patience, this trait offers the perfect solution: a blank canvas of a home on a picturesque planet, waiting for your decorative touch. But, be warned: that cosy space comes with a mortgage that could make your eyes water. However, a quick chat with the banker might introduce you to some, let’s say, ethically grey methods to settle that debt. 

Empath

Being an empath means every kind deed or word boosts your self-worth—how wholesome! This feel-good vibe lasts for a solid two in-game hours, upping your odds at landing critical hits and bossing speech challenges—a perfect match with a high Persuasion skill. But, life’s not all sunshine and rainbows; slip up, and you’re hit with a debuff. Not only will you get a judgmental “Sam didn’t like that,” but you’re also slapped with a “you’ve lost self-esteem” notification. Nice try, Bethesda – like we had any self-esteem to begin with!

Introvert

For those who’d rather roam solo than have a shadow trailing behind, the Introvert trait is right up your alley. Beyond the sweet perk of faster oxygen regeneration—ideal for planet hopping—there’s a nifty loophole: while the trait’s fine print says ‘no human companions’, it doesn’t mention our trusty mechanical buddy, Vasco. So, team up with the bot, get your speed boost, and explore the stars your way.

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How to remove Traits in Starfield

Want to ditch a trait? You’ve got options. The quickest (albeit hack-ier) route is using Starfield console commands—handy for tweaking your background and skills, too. But if you’re keen on sticking to the in-game experience, there’s an immersive way to shake off those traits. Each trait has its unique removal method. Some are straightforward, like a brief visit to a galactic doc, while others need a bit more engagement or the passage of time. We’ve compiled a list of removal methods:

• Dream Home: Over that fancy abode? Let Galbank take it back. Just pop over to New Atlantis, chat with the mortgage holder, and hand over your keys.
• Freestar Collective Settler: Need a change of scenery? The mayor in Akila City is the one to see.
• Hero Worshipped: If your number one fan is getting too much, a simple “time to leave” should do the trick. But, if all else fails, well… a more permanent solution exists.
• Kid Stuff: Feel like cutting the financial cord? Have a heart-to-heart with your folks and let them know the money train has left the station. Trait gone.
• Terra Firma: Feeling space sick? There’s a cure! Meet up with the doc in New Atlantis. A quick procedure, and you’ll be floating like a pro.
• Spaced: The ground’s nice too. Visit the doc in New Atlantis in the same way.
• Wanted: If you’ve made some… questionable choices, and bounty hunters are cramping your style, hit up the bars. A cool 3,000 credits and your past sins are forgotten.
• Raised Enlightened: Chat with Andy Signh over at the Church of the Enlightened. You’ll find him hanging out in The Well on Jemison.
• Raised Universal: Speak to Keeper Aquilis in New Atlantis.
• Serpent’s Embrace: Speak to Mir’za in the UC Security Office by the New Atlantis Space Port.
• Empath: Empathy? Who needs it! Speak to any doctor in a medical facility to remove the trait.
• Extrovert: Chat with Andy Signh over at the Church of the Enlightened. You’ll find him hanging out in The Well on Jemison.
• Introvert: Chat with Andy Signh over at the Church of the Enlightened. You’ll find him hanging out in The Well on Jemison.
• United Colonies Native: Speak with Administrator Rookes in the Colonial Health and Human Resources office in New Atlantis’ MAST district.
• Neon Street Rat: Speak with the bartender of Madam Sauvage in Ebbside.
• Taskmasters: Speak to Andy Signh in the Church of the Enlightened, found in The Well on Jemison.
• Alien DNA: Maybe being 100% human isn’t so bad, after all. Speak to any doctor in a medical facility to remove the trait.

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