There are four major factions in Starfield, and they’re all worth completing. But they’re also exceptionally time-consuming, with sprawling quests that will push you to strategize and make hard choices. So, which Faction should you finish first in Starfield?
What Faction Questline Should You Complete First in Starfield – Answered
I’m very happy to say that I’ve completed each of the Faction quests in Starfield and I genuinely love them all. They’re the highlight of the game for me, and they each provide a series of unique rewards. But which should you tackle first?
There will be zero story spoilers in this article. But I will be discussing the rewards you’ll get. Diving right in, here’s the order you should tackle the factions in Starfield.
1. United Colonies
The United Colonies is the first faction you’ll encounter in the game. This questline can be triggered in the MAST District in New Atlantis, literally in the MAST Building. Speak to John Tulsa behind the front desk to get started.
This is easily the best faction quest to start with for a multitude of reasons. In terms of story, it introduces you to the other factions, the current day politics, and the history of the galaxy. It’s also more combat focuses, leading you to gain some excellent weapons and equipment, while helping you grind out levels.
But its ultimate rewards, the penthouse in the Residence District, and a permanent discount in New Atlantis, are what really make it worthwhile. No other house in the galaxy is as good as this penthouse, and the discount is excellent for early game.
2. Freestar Collective
While the storytelling of the Freestar Collective isn’t as tight as the United Colonies, it’s a questline that focuses heavily on exploration. You’ll see many new areas in the galaxy, which will open you up to dozens of new side quests.
You can trigger the Freestar Collective Faction questline by completing the main mission in Akila City with Sam Coe. He’ll then prompt you to introduce yourself to Emma in The Rock, which is the Freestar Collective bar. This will jumpstart your journey with the Freestar Collective.
The Freestar Collective quest has you dabble in both combat and social skills. And while it has some intrigue, it’s a little lackluster compared to the United Colonies. But I still recommend it, as it’s very easy to complete, and it leads to an excellent ship, the Star Eagle.
3. The Crimson Fleet
The Crimson Fleet, despite seeming like a one-note gang, offers what might be the best faction storyline. It has you pursuing a treasure across the galaxy and getting into all sorts of shenanigans in a variety of distinct locales.
To start it, you’ll need to steal something and be caught. SysDef will then hard-press you into becoming a mole in the Crimson Fleet. This will jumpstart a series of quests that will have you working out your ability to steal, murder, and… steal some more.
But the rewards for completing this faction quest are middling at best. Primarily, you’ll get credits. 240,00 Credits, in fact. But along the way, you’ll grab some unique weapons.
The real reason why I don’t recommend this faction quest early is because the final mission can be quite difficult for someone just starting out.
4. Ryujin Industries
Okay, perhaps I’m biased. I love this faction questline. It has you playing an operative in a cutthroat corporation that will do anything, and I mean anything, to get ahead of the competition.
To jumpstart this quest, you’ll need to be in Neon, or possibly New Atlantis. Hang out near the red Ryujin terminals, and you’ll hear an announcement saying that Ryujin is looking for new employees. You can then fill out a resume at one of these terminals.
Ryujin Industry questlines are completely unique from the others because they’re almost entirely combat-free. In fact, they’re complex stealth-based missions, particularly at the end. And you’ll spend a lot of time sneaking and lockpicking. To be successful at these missions, you’ll need quite a few points in Stealth and Security. Likewise, these are easily the hardest faction quests in the game.
The rewards are also the worst. Completing this questline will get you around 16,000 credits (depending on a few factors), a point in the Social skill Manipulation, and an office on the Operations floor of Ryujin Industries.
It’s not a penthouse… but it’s still pretty nice.
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