Starfield features many different companions to assist you in adventuring across the universe, just like other Bethesda games.
However, Starfield goes a little further, as you can also select a crew and assign potential companions to outposts. There are multiple different jobs that a companion can do, and each of them has different skill sets.
Being a crew member is different than being a companion, too, and it does matter who you choose for what jobs. It doesn’t just mean providing company—characters have specific Companion Skills that dictate what jobs they are best suited for.
How do companion skills work in Starfield?
Starfield Companions pull from the skills available to players from the five skill trees—Physical, Social, Combat, Science, and Tech. Whenever you recruit a new companion, you will see all that companion’s skills on the right side of your screen, with stars indicating which of the four tiers they have training in.
The way skills operate for companions is slightly different than for players. Companion skill options are identical to player skill options, but there isn’t any way to access its description from the companion themselves. Still, after reading the name of a talent a companion has, you can find it in the Skills Menu for your character and read about its effects.
How to see your Starfield companions’ skills
You can see their skills after a companion has been recruited on your menu. Go to Ship on the bottom left of your menu, then press C to access your Crew page. You can see all available companions and the skills and rank each brings.
A companion’s skills will make them more effective in combat or benefit a ship’s crew or an outpost worker. If a companion has a skill that helps outposts or ships, assigning them to an outpost or ship will apply that benefit as though the player had it.
Personal skills for companions
Companions can have skills that only affect them. For example, Sam Coe has rank three in the skill Rifle Certification. This means Sam is good with rifles, not the player. Bringing him around will not magically make your character skilled at using a gun.
All Combat and Physical skills apply to the companion only and do not affect the player—a firm companion with the Weight Lifting skill means they can carry more weight, not you.
The exception to Physical companion skills is Stealth. While a sneaky companion will not make your character better at sneaking, a clunky companion will certainly make them worse. If you plan on using stealth often and don’t want your companion blowing your cover, pick someone like Andreja, who has rank four in Stealth.
Outpost/Ship skills for companions
All Science and Tech skills benefit the player, provided the companion is stationed correctly. If a companion on a ship’s crew has the Piloting skill, that means your ship behaves as though you have that skill. Selecting the right crew greatly benefits your ship, as companions can unlock weapon options, increase your Cargo Hold capacity, and even make it much more durable and easier to repair.
When you look at a ship’s maximum crew size, companion skills are limited. The Frontier has a crew size of two, but if you have five available companions, you’ll notice that all five will physically appear on board the ship, provided they are not assigned elsewhere.
However, only the two companions assigned to your ship’s crew will have their skills applied to the ship.
Social skills can go either way, depending on the skill itself, but a good rule of thumb is Starfield won’t give companions useless skills. For example, Lin has rank three in the Outpost Management skill, which allows for additional Cargo Links, Robots, and Crew at outposts.
To benefit from Lin’s Outpost Management, players must assign her to a specific outpost, which will then specifically receive the buff, but the others won’t. If Lin is on your ship, she offers nothing other than calling you Dusty.
Sarah Morgan Skills
- Astrodynamics: Tier 4
- Lasers: Tier 3
- Leadership: Tier 2
- Botany: Tier 1
Players will want to assign Sarah to their ship as her Astrodynamics skill can assist with the Grav Drive’s fuel cost. Explorers or those who lack such skills should include Sarah when traveling the Settled Systems.
Sam Coe Skills
- Piloting: Tier 4
- Rifle Certification: Tier 3
- Payloads: Tier 2
- Geology: Tier 1
Sam is another companion that should be assigned to one’s ship. His piloting skill increases the ship’s speed, and his payload skill increases carrying capacity. Sam Coe can also hold his own in a fight, so you won’t have to stray away from confrontation.
Barrett Skills
- Starship Engineering: Tier 4
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems: Tier 3
- Robotics: Tier 2
- Gastronomy: Tier 1
Barrett is a must for a player’s ship. His proficiencies in Starship Engineering and Particle Beam Weapon Systems greatly benefit those traveling. The former increases ship repair speed, and utilizing the latter lets you deal more damage with particle beams.
Andreja Skills
- Stealth: Tier 4
- Particle Beams: Tier 3
- Energy Weapons Systems: Tier 2
- Theft: Tier 1
Andreja isn’t only a fan-favorite companion; her proficiencies support both space exploration and a player’s sneaky, thieving ways. Players taking on the Ryujin questline should take a look at Andreja, but beyond that, those with proficiency for sticky fingers will get along with her just fine.
