Starfield Starter Traits Guide

Our Starfield Traits Guide will go over every trait you can choose during character creation, and highlight some that are always worth considering.

Starfield Traits Explained

After the brief opening section, you have the option to create your character. While physical features have no effect on gameplay, and your background only determines starting Skills, Traits give certain benefits — and drawbacks — that cannot be earned later in the game.

You can pick up to 3 Traits in total, including choosing none at all if you feel like it. Most come with both positive and negative effects, while others will lock you out of specific Traits if chosen.

All Starfield Traits

Alien DNA

Given increases Health and Oxygen (used for sprinting and jumping), while lowering the effects of healing item and food.

Dream Home

You'll start off with a house on Nesoi in Olympus, but must pay back a hefty 125,000 Credit mortgage in weekly increments. You'll be locked out of the house if you miss one of those payments, but you wont lose the property straight away.

Payments can be made at GalBank in the Commercial District of New Atlantis (the first major city, which you'll visit early on in the story). You also have the option to foreclose, removing the debt if you don't want to keep the house.

Empath

Increases damage after performing acts your current Companion likes, but lowers it if you do the opposite. Generally free damage, assuming you don't go on an innocent-killing spree.

Extrovert

Reduces Oxygen use while travelling with a Companion, but increases it if not. The main story generally has you travelling with Companions, and you can usually have one with you at all times, making this an okay Trait choice.

Locks you out of using the Introvert Trait.

Freestar Collective Settler

Give you access to unique dialogue choices (usually for topics related to the Freestar Collective), along with better rewards for most quests given by this faction.

Lock you out of using the Neon Street Rat and United Colonies Native Traits.

Hero Worshipped

Adds the Adoring Fan Companion, who becomes available when you visit New Atlantis for the first time. He's mildly annoying, but can be ignored most of the time and offers free stuff while on your ship.

Introvert

The opposite of the Extrovert Trait — reduces Oxygen use while not travelling with a Companion, but increases it if you are. Good for a loner playstyle, though you are sometimes forced to have a Companion for quests.

Kid Stuff

Adds your character's parents as NPCs, who can be visited at their home. However, you lose 2% of your Credits each week. Fun for roleplaying purposes, though the lost credits adds up over time.

Neon Street Rat

Gives you access to unique dialogue choices (usually for topics related to Neon), along with better rewards for some quests given on that planet.

Lock you out of using the Freestar Collective Settler Traits.

Raised Enlightened

Gives you access to a chest at the House of the Enlightened in the "Well" of New Atlantis, along with some unique dialogue choices there. The chest contains some religious texts, healing items, and a unique outfit.

Locks you out of using the Raised Universal and Serpent's Embrace Traits.

Raised Universal

Gives you access to a chest at the Sanctum Universum in the Commercial District of New Atlantis, along with some unique dialogue choices there. The chest contains some religious texts, healing items, and a unique outfit.

Locks you out of using the Raised Enlightened and Serpent's Embrace Traits.

Serpent's Embrace

Unlike the other religious Traits, this one does not provide a bonus set of items. Instead, you gain a temporary Health and Oxygen boost after grav jumping using your ship. However, both are negatively affected if you don't grav jump for a while.

More of a novelty Trait, one that punishes you for staying in one place for too long.

Locks you out of using the Raised Universal and Raised Enlightened Traits.

Spaced

Increased Health and Oxygen while in space, less when on a planet.

Lock you out of using the Terra Firma Trait.

Taskmaster

Crew have a chance to automatically repair ship systems they're trained in, when said system is reduced below 50% Health. However, all recruitable crew costs twice as much to hire.

Terra Firma

The opposite of Spaced — increased Health and Oxygen while on a planet, less when in space. Probably the better of the two, considering how much more time you spend on planets overall.

Lock you out of using the Spaced Trait.

United Colonies Native

Gives you access to unique dialogue choices (usually for topics related to the United Colonies), along with better rewards for some quests given by that faction.

Lock you out of using the Freestar Collective Settler and Neon Street Rat Traits.

Wanted

Occasionally get attacked by mercenaries when on planets. In return, you get a damage boost at low health. Not the worst tradeoff, since more enemies equals more experience.

Best Starfield Traits

The Raised Enlightened and Raised Universal traits essentially have no drawbacks, giving you access to a handful of free items early on. Same with Hero Worshipped, if you can put up with the Annoying Fan.

Any of the faction-related traits are also a good choice. Each one comes with the downside of increasing the bounty you get for committing crimes related to the other factions, though having any bounty would get you in trouble anyway.

As for the rest, it's mostly up to personal taste as they come with varying downsides. Wanted isn't too bad if you're fine with extra enemies, while Extrovert is worth it since you'll want to keep companions nearby to unlock their quests.

That's everything you need to know about Starfield Traits! Make sure to check out more of our guides below.