During your time in the character creation suite at the beginning of Starfield, you'll have the opportunity to choose up to three traits that give you various boons and quirks to your build that can aid you on your journey through the game.
Traits are totally optional, you can skip them if you want, but we reckon it's definitely worth spending some time browsing through your choices here and, looking back after tens of hours in-game, there a few we've highlighted as our own personal best choices now that we've got a handle on the universe and how everything works. Let's take a look.
Starfield: The Best Traits To Start With
All Traits List
As you can see there's quite the choice here and it can be tempting to just skip it to be honest, but after spending time playing some of these stand out as nice little boons. Of course, if you know what faction you want to go for it's a little easier to spot some right off the bat.
Let's take a look through all of them, then we can scroll down and see which ones we've chosen as the most useful.
Alien DNA
You volunteered for a controversial experiment that combines alien and human DNA. As a result, you start with a higher health pool and greater endurance, but healing items aren’t as effective.
Dream Home
You own a luxurious, customizable house on a peaceful planet! Unfortunately, it comes with a 50,000 credit mortgage with GalBank that has to be paid weekly.
Empath
You are deeply connected to the feelings of others. Performing actions your companion likes will result in a temporary increase in combat effectiveness. But, performing actions they don’t like will have the precise opposite effect.
Extrovert
You’re a people person. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions, but more when going alone. (Can’t be combined with Introvert.)
Freestar Collective Settler
You gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. But, crime bounty towards other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
Hero Worshipped
You’ve earned the attention of an annoying “Adoring Fan” who will show up randomly and jabber at you incessantly. On the plus side, he’ll give you gifts…
Introvert
You really need your alone time. You have more endurance when adventuring alone, but less when adventuring with other human companions. (Can’t be combined with Extrovert.)
Kid Stuff
Your parents are alive and well, and you can visit them at their home. But 2% of all the money you earn is deducted automatically and sent to them.
Neon Street Rat
You grew up on the mean streets of Neon. You gain access to special dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions on Neon. Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
Raised Enlightened
You grew up as a member of the Enlightened. You gain a significant discount at the organization store, but lose access to Sanctum Universum store. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Raised Universal
You grew up as a member of the Sanctum Universum. You gain a significant discount at the church store, but lose access to the Enlightened store. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Serpent’s Embrace
You grew up worshipping the Great Serpent. Grav jumping provides a temporary boost to health and endurance, but health and endurance are lowered if you don’t continue jumping regularly – like an addiction. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Spaced
Your body has become acclimated to space. Health and endurance are increased when in space, but decreased when on the surface. (Can’t be combined with Terra Firma.)
Taskmaster
Occasionally, if you have crew trained in a certain ship system, that system will automatically repair itself to full health whenever it is damaged below 50%. However, all crew cost twice as much to hire.
Terra Firma
You’ve never acclimated to space. Health and oxygen are increased when on the surface, but decreased when you’re in space. (Can’t be combined with Spaced.)
United Colonies Native
You gain access to special United Colonies dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. However, crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
Wanted
Someone put a price on your head, and word has spread. Occasionally, armed mercenaries will show up and try to kill you, but being cornered gives you an edge — when your health is low, you do extra damage
Our Picks For Best Starting Traits
So, having spent a whole bunch of time playing, going back to the choices here we would absolutely rock with the following:
Dream Home
This one's a no-brainer we reckon. The weekly installment that you need to pay in-game is very low, so low that you'll not even miss it, and having a house is great way to enjoy lots of different aspects of the game that involve gathering up fun items and designing your own interior. Further to this, houses are fairly expensive, especially nice big ones such as this, so grab it for free while you can and give yourself a sweet crib to hang out in between sorties.
Introvert/Extrovert
Hard to choose between these two but having some help with oxygen management saves a lot of frustration at times. Going with Introvert is our preference if pushed, but you'll be forced to have companions quite a bit in the early game so Extrovert will be of more benefit during this period. Either way, slowing down your use of oxygen is a big boost and another easy choice for us.
Wanted
It might sound a little scary, having bounty hunters showing up to gun you down randomly, but the scraps are never too tough, you get to hoover up all the merc's gear when you've murderized them all and having a boost to your attack power in emergencies is absolutely 100% worth it.
How To Remove Traits
Finally, you may at some point wish to rid yourself of a trait you've chosen, we sure can't wait to get rid of Spaced, and each trait has its own unique way to be disposed of, all of which you can find below.
Also note that you can't replace traits in the game, once you've chosen them you have to stick with them or later have them removed, there's no way to stick another one in the empty slot!
Alien DNA
Speak to the Doctor and perform a medical procedure for 10,000 Credits to remove the trait
Empath
Speak to the Doctor, who will perform a medical procedure for the removal
Extrovert
Speak to Andy Singh of the Church of Enlightened
Dream Home
Go to Galbank and foreclose your home; they will take the house back
Freestar Collective Settler
Speak to the mayor of Akila City
Hero Worshipped
Speak to the Adoring Fan, Kill him, or remove him from your crew
Introvert
Speak to the leader of the Church of Enlightened
Kid Stuff
Speak to your parents to remove the trait
Neon Street Rat
Speak to the Bartender in Neon City
Raised Enlightened
Speak to Andy Singh in the Church of Enlightened, within The Well
Raised Universal
Speak to Keeper Aquilis in the Sanctum Universum, New Atlantis
Serpent’s Embrace
Find and interact with Mir’za; you can remove the trait after some dialogue
Spaced
Speak to the Doctor, who will perform a medical procedure for the removal
Taskmaster
Speak to Andy Singh, and you will get counseling, after which the trait will be removed
Terra Firma
Speak to the Doctor and perform a medical procedure for 10,000 Credits to remove the trait
United Colonies Native
Go to Colonial Health and speak to Administrator Rookes about the removal
Wanted
Speak to the bounty hunter to remove your trait for 3,000 Credits
Comments 7
Some of these might be outdated.
The Dream Home mortgage has been adjusted to 125k credits.
So I picked Kids Stuff and Dream Home. I love Kids Stuff, don’t want to spoil anything but this is a lot more than just visiting your parents. Highly recommend!
Also for Dream Home the cost at least for me is $125,000.00 credits. However you have to pay this in full! If you want to use the home until you have enough credits to buy it you pay weekly installments of $500.00 interest only 😜
I am happy with both Traits!
I am living the space dream. What an amazing game! 🥰
Wow, that dream house surely is expensive! Thankfully, I can confirm that getting the Professor background doesn't come with the requirement to pay for your student loans 😜
And you can see that this game was made in the USA because you have to pay for healthcare...
I got dream home but got overwhelmed by all the custimisation you need to do straight from the game plus you can obtain other homes and you get your own room at the lodge.. I went to galbank and defaulted on it haha. Kid Stuff is a very rewarding trait. I also chose Empath. I am excited to try the other in another playthrough!
Does anyone know if you can hire a home decorator or option to furnish a home? That would be great to pay for some basic set up and then tweak later especially early in the game when trying to get some resources going.
I’ve put my 3 traits as:
Hero Worshipped - I think having the Adoring Fan as part of the crew will be great (at least at first) who will be unique with his dialogues and giving you gifts but if he ever annoys me too much then I could always put one in between his eyes and be done with him haha.
Kid Stuff - I feel this adds a bit of a personal touch to your character, being able to visit your parents. Although paying 2% to them whenever I earn credits, I sure hope I can help myself to whatever I want in their house and able to sleep there whenever I visit.
Introvert - Seeing as I’ve always played as a lone wolf in the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games I thought this trait would make sense for my play through with this game, I may as well benefit from it once I’m able to explore on my own.
I was thinking of putting Dream Home but GalBank taking $500 credits weekly, which doesn’t pay towards paying the house off has put me off the trait but then I don’t know if $500 is even that much in Starfield and that if I’ll even notice the money is gone if credits are in abundance? But are we really going to be spending much time in these homes when there’s a universe to explore?
@Kaloudz you're welcome pal!
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