What’s the Difference Between Starfield Story Companions and NPC Companions?

In Starfield, you are able to recruit both Constellation members and NPCs you meet on planets to join your space adventures. Your followers can add new perks to your ship, provide romantic relationships, and even fight alongside you in battle. However, what is the difference between Starfield Companions and crew members? Here’s what you need to know.

Difference between Companions and crew members in Starfield

From the very beginning of the game, the lines between Starfield Companions and crew members get a little blurry. At a glance, you are able to recruit both as soon as you go to the beginning area, New Atlantis, and ask them to follow you. However, there are some pretty big differences between the two classes of character.

Crew members are random characters in Starfield that can be assigned to your ship and be used as active followers after you hire them with a one-time payment. However, they are generic NPCs when compared to story Companions. In contrast, Companions are much more fleshed-out protagonists that have backstories and side quests. Some Companions can even be romanced!

Below is a list of all the differences between companions and crew members in Starfield:

Starfield Companions

• Can be married (there are only four Starfield romance options).
• Follow you into battle (when set as an active Companion).
• Personal side quests (unlockable after raising a character’s affection meter enough).
• More fleshed-out personalities (extensive dialogue with a backstory).
• Can be assigned to ships and Outposts (they are recruited through the story and don’t cost money).

Starfield Crew Members

• Cost money to recruit (can be assigned to your Starfield ship after a one-time payment).
• Can’t be romanced (relationships are not as deep as companions).
• Follow you into battle (some crew members won’t leave your ship if they aren’t combat-focused).
• Less personality (they are closer to randomly generated NPCs than actual main characters).
• Can be assigned to Outposts.

Although they may seem lackluster at first, crew members are meant to be used as a tool to boost the skills you are currently lacking. For example, you can recruit a ballistics expert if you find yourself getting beaten in space fights and don’t have the skill points to invest in your perk tree. In my playthrough, I recruited a bounty hunter NPC who was specifically strong with weapons so that I could explore a higher-level planet. My follower then helped me defeat enemies that I had previously struggled against.

Overall, the biggest difference between the two follower types is that Companions feel like main characters in your story. They have actual plots written for them and have more depth. So, you should really only be using crew members as a way to improve your ship or to tag along for certain combat scenarios. While they can be a useful tool, they are not a replacement for the story-rich Companions you encounter throughout your adventures.

Starfield is available now on the Xbox Series X and PC.