Starfield is much bigger than Skyrim and Fallout combined. We surely miss the good old days when we only had to choose between the Stormcloaks and Imperials. The new Bethesda title offers a plethora of galaxies and planets to explore, each governed by one of the five major factions.
Furthermore, each faction offers unique questlines and rewards you generously for completing these missions. So, players can easily feel overwhelmed, as they want to own every powerful item. Fortunately, Starfield is far more tolerant than any of the previous games in terms of factions. So, you can join any faction that you want or even join all of them at once. This article explains all factions in Starfield, how to join them, and the consequences attached to them.
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Can You Join All Factions?
Factions in Starfield are basically different government systems that control various planets. Each faction has a unique lore and is based on eloquent ideology. Moreover, you can join different factions to unlock main and side quests, earn valuable rewards, and even learn something new about the Starfield lore.
These factions are divided into various sub-groups according to their impact on the world. The basic idea is that there are two types, i.e., Major factions and Minor factions. There are 5 major factions in Starfield, and you can side with any one of them or even all of them at once. On the contrary, minor factions are relatively incompetent, with little to no impact on the world, and you can’t join any of them without a bit of modding.
Major Factions:
The 5 Major factions in Starfield control almost all planets in the game. Moreover, some of them even have authority in outer space. Here is a list of all Major factions that you can join:
- Constellation
- Crimson Fleet
- Freestar Rangers
- Ryujin Industries
- UC Vanguard
Minor Factions:
Minor factions have authority over almost negligible areas in Starfield. You can’t join any of these factions, but they will surely confront you at one point in the game. Furthermore, you can unlock special dialogue options and even gain some valuable loot by interacting with them.
Lastly, some of the best traits, like Raiser Universal and Raised Enlightened, grant you access to special chests. Here are all the Minor factions in Starfield that you can’t join:
- Ecliptic Mercenaries
- House of the Enlightened
- House of Va’Ruun Zealots
- Sanctum Universuum
- Spacers
- The Trade Authority
- Trackers
How to Join All Factions in Starfield?
Now that you understand the basic classification of factions, you are ready to learn a bit more about the concept. As you know, you can join any one of the 5 Major factions and even all of them simultaneously. The game doesn’t penalize you for joining opposing factions; most of them plan to kill you anyway.
However, you must carefully choose the dialogue options after joining two conflicting factions. For example, UC Vanguard and Crimson Fleet are arch-rivals. The Vanguards aim to establish law and order by bringing everyone under the flag of the state. Crimson Fleet, on the other hand, are space pirates who oppose the idea of space government.
Still, if you wish to play for both teams, the game won’t stop you at all. So, here’s how to join every Major faction in Starfield:
How to Join Constellation?
Constellation is the base faction in Starfield. Most of your main story quests revolve around this faction. So, you will automatically side with them, even if you don’t like their ideas. However, you must pay special attention to their dialogues and quests, as they will lead you to the endgame sequence.
You will automatically join Constellation after leaving Vectera. Once you reach New Atlantis, head to the MAST District and find Sarah Morgan. After speaking with her briefly, she will initiate you as a rookie member. Moreover, she will also accompany you for a while as you try to learn more about mysterious artifacts. The good news is that none of the other factions contradict Constellation.
How to Join UC Vanguard?
Vanguards are the Marines of New Atlantis. Their main goal is to bring everyone under the law, either through persuasion or by force. So, if you join this faction, you will be siding with the good guys in their fight against spacers, bandits, and space pirates.
You can easily join UC Vanguard by seeking their headquarters in New Atlantis. Head to the MAST Headquarters, right above the transit line. Next, go inside and speak with Commander John Tuala. After you show some interest in joining the Marines, he will send you to the training hall for initiation.
Fortunately, the exam mission is optional, so you can skip it to save your time. However, you must pass the flight test to officially join the Vanguard fleet. Moreover, you can also explore the museum area to learn more about the Starfield lore. Finally, as you earn respect in the Marines, you will get the chance to join UC SysDef and defeat the Crimson Fleet.
How to Join Crimson Fleet?
Crimson Fleet is a band of space pirates who renounce all forms of space government. According to their ideology, space is a universal property, and no one should have any claim or authority in it. Moreover, they even have a Nassau-like system and their own laws. As a result, they are the arch-rivals of UC Vanguard. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t join both of them simultaneously.
There are two ways to join the Crimson Fleet. Firstly, you can earn their trust by getting arrested in the UC space. However, doing so will affect your standing in UC Vanguard if you already joined them.
Secondly, if you wish to play it safe, you can take the legal path. Avoid getting arrested until you join UC SysDef in Vanguard. Next, start the Deep Cover quest, where you must join the Crimson Fleet as an undercover agent.
In any case, you must complete stereotypical pirate stuff like theft, murder, and blackmail to gain their trust. Still, you can become an active member of both teams without hurting the other. However, some of your actions and decisions will affect your standing. So, make sure to save the game or create multiple files before every quest.
How to Join Freestar Rangers?
Freestar Rangers is perhaps the most controversial faction in Starfield. They are self-proclaimed detectives who solve crimes and hunt down the criminals on their own. However, they offer the most rewarding quests and bounty hunts in the game. So, if you want to make money fast, you should definitely join the Freestar Rangers.
During the Empty Next main quest, you will visit Akila City. Here, try to diffuse the bank situation without killing any of the hostages. Next, visit The Rock in Akila’s main district and speak with Emma at the bar. She will ask you to complete a bounty hunt as a test of your skills.
Head to the terminal and choose any of the available hunts. Almost all of these missions are equally challenging, so choose the highest-paying option. Once you complete the quest, again speak with Emma at The Rock to join the Freestar Rangers.
How to Join Ryujin Industries?
Ryujin Industries gives a capitalist touch to the Starfield formula. It is a unique faction with no conflicting interests with the rest of the groups. So, your main enemies will be the Minor factions, most of whom you won’t join anyway. In short, if you are looking for a full-time job, you should join Neon’s major industry group.
To join the Ryujin Industries faction, head to the commercial district of Neon in Volii Alpha. Here, you will find a red kiosk in front of the GalBank and interact with it to start your job application. Finally, answer the questions; they don’t really matter, so go nuts.
Next, enter the industry’s headquarters, ride the elevator, and speak with the receptionist about joining the group. That’s it, simply find and speak with your new boss, Imogene. After you complete the coffee job (killing the ambusher is acceptable), you will be promoted to the Operative rank.
The Best Faction in Starfield:
All fractions in Starfield have their good and bad sides, just like the real world. So, there are no good or bad factions, i.e., it all depends on how you wish to pursue the game. However, you must stick to the Constellation missions as they are the only quests to reach the endgame phase.
Apart from them, you should focus on your role-playing ideas. For example, if you join the Vanguards, you will be a national hero whose sole purpose is to bring order to society. Similarly, siding with the Crimson Fleet makes you the savior of the weaker faction. If you stay consistent, you can become the next Edward Kenway or even the legendary Blackbeard of the space.
Speaking of the remaining two factions, they have their own side of the picture. For instance, Ryujin Industries may seem like a normal corporate job, but they will make you do all the dirty work. You will quickly learn about their anti-human and anti-society formulas to take over the whole universe.
Lastly, Freestar Rangers are heroes without cloaks. They hunt down criminals, solve crime cases, and even help the needy members of society. However, as the story progresses, you will learn that it’s all a big conspiracy theory, and you are now at the center of chaos.
Still, if you think about it with rewards in mind, each faction offers highly rewarding quests. So, if you set aside your role-playing requirements, the best faction in Starfield is the one that offers the highest rewards.
Conclusion:
There are 12 Major and Minor factions in Starfield. While you can join all of the Major factions, the Minor ones are only present as fillers in the story. The good news is that, unlike Skyrim, Starfield doesn’t penalize you for siding with two conflicting groups. However, your choices and actions may affect your standing in the other team. So, this article explains how to join all factions at once in Starfield, their requirements, conflicts, and the best faction in the game.
