What is the best Starfield crew? There are those among us who prefer a life of solitude – wandering lonely as a cloud from gas giant to barren planet, relying on themselves, safe in the knowledge that they can’t be let down if they simply don’t trust anyone. Because the Settled Systems can be a barren, hostile place, though, it’s the company of others that can make your trip worthwhile, and if you want to build something that lasts, you’re going to need some help.
Starfield crew mates can include any number of random NPCs you meet throughout the universe, including Starfield companions – as long as you’ve got the money to pay them. The different is that you can have more of a relationship with companions – or even a Starfield romance, if you play your cards right – but when you get sick of having them on aboard your Starfield ship, you can always put them to work at an outpost and leave them there.
How to hire crew
Once you’ve met a crew member you can hire, you are prompted to assign them a role. This won’t always be the first time you meet someone, especially with those that double as companions. If you wish to see to whom you can currently assign work, or reassign somebody, follow these steps:
- Open the main menu and select the ‘ship’ section.
- Select the crew option at the bottom of the screen.
- Scroll through your list of personnel and press the assign button (E) to give them work or change their current job.
The only options that show will be those available to you. If your ship is the only available assignment, you can build an outpost to assign workers to and get them off your ship. Check your crew members’ skills before setting them to work though, as their unique skills offer perks in certain areas.
Best Starfield crew
As with most best lists, the best Starfield crew members depends somewhat on which skills you want to prioritize – and who you find on your travels. However, here are some of the best Starfield crewmates to look out for:
- Heller
- Marika Boros
- Rafael Aguerro
- Supervisor Lin
- Barrett
- Amelia Earhart
Heller
- Geology (level one)
- Outpost Engineering ( level three)
As an expert in outpost engineering and the mining of resources, Heller is a vital crew member if you want to colonize your own little corner of the Settled Systems. Put him to work at on of your outposts and he’ll keep things running smoothly while you’re away. Find out more about Heller and when you first meet him in our Starfield Heller crewmate guide.
Marika Boros
- Ballistics (level two)
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems (level one)
- Shotgun Certification (level one)
If you need someone to watch your back when you’re on a dangerous mission, there are few crew members more capable in a fight than Marika Boros. They are experts with traditional ballistic weapons, especially shotguns, and will likely be able to shred your enemies before you’ve even had a chance to raise your Starfield gun. That said, she’s a pretty solid ally to have aboard your ship. We’ve got more information on this crew member in our Starfield Marika Boros guide.
Rafael Aguerro
- Starship Engineering (level two)
- Outpost Engineering (level one)
- Outpost Management (level one)
As you can see from his skills, Rafael is another excellent crew mate to hire for manning an outpost. Thanks to his outpost skills, you can build much better outposts, with improved modules and more cargo links.
Supervisor Lin
- Outpost Management (level three)
- Demolitions (level one)
As you can probably tell by now, we’ve put together this list based on a mix of crew mates that are good on your ship and others that can be put to work at outposts. Supervisor Lin is another of the latter, with a tier three Outpost Management skill, meaning additional crew can be placed at her outpost. We already know from the earliest Starfield missions that Lin is a pretty good team leader, so it makes sense.
Barrett
- Starship Engineering (level four)
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems (level three)
- Robotics (level two)
- Gastronomy (level one)
Aside from being as a cool as a cucumber, Barrett knows how best to use them too, as he’s the only Starfield crew mate we’ve come across so far who’s talented in Gastronomy. That said, hire him on your ship to cook up some restorative grub for you and the rest of your crew. He’s also handy with robotics, ship, and weapons engineering, so there really is no better all-rounder to have on board. Find out more about what Barrett has to offer in our dedicated Starfield Barrett companion guide.
Amelia Earhart
- Piloting (level two)
- Rifle Certification (level two)
Yep, we found out what happened to Amelia Earhart. Turns out she wound up on a distant planet and has been living there ever since. Nearly 400 years since her disappearance, you can find Amelia Earhart on the planet Charybdis. Fine, it’s not technically Amelia Earhart, it’s a clone, just like all the other famous clones that call this planet home. While Amelia is the only one you can recruit, you might meet Genghis Khan, Queen Amanirenas, and even Franklin Roosevelt.
Naturally, Earhart is a great crew mate to hire on your ship, as she excels in, surprise surprise, piloting. Plus, she’s just pretty cool.
Every Starfield crew member
Here is every currently known Starfield crew member and where to find them:
- Adoring Fan: is recruited after picking the Hero Worshipped trait.
- Amelia Earhart: can be recruited on the planet of Charybdis.
- Andreja: is hireable after completing the Into the Unknown main quest.
- Barrett: can be recruited by completing main quests, specifically Back to Vectera, when he offers to join your crew.
- Betty Howser: We don’t know where to find Betty yet, but we do know she’s voiced by legendary horror actress Adrienne Barbeau in the Starfield cast.
- Heller: is able to be hired as part of the Back to Vectera main quest.
- Marika Boros: can be hired from The Viewport spaceport.
- Matteo Khatri: can be found at The Lodge in New Atlantis.
- Mickey Caviar: is found at The Astral Lounge in Starfield Neon City.
- Moara Otero: can be recruited from Cydonia after completing the The Old Neighborhood mission.
- Noel: is located at The Lodge in New Atlantis.
- Omari Hassan: is found in Starfield Akila city, where he can be hired for a price.
- Rafael Aguerro: can be invited to join you after the Entangled quest, by meeting with him at The Viewport on Jemison.
- Rosie Tannehill: can be paid to join your crew by speaking with her in Akila City.
- Sam Coe: can be hired from New Atlantis after completing the The Empty Nest mission.
- Sarah Morgan: can be recruited from her office in New Atlantis once you have completed the The Old Neighborhood quest.
- Supervisor Lin: can be hired upon completing the Back to Vectera quest.
- VASCO: can be officially hired by speaking with him at The Lodge once you have completed the One Small Step mission. Of course, he follows you around from the start anyway.
- Vlad: We know Vlad was once a Crimson Fleet pirate, and is now part of Constellation, but we’re not yet sure where to recruit him.
Now you have the rundown of the best Starfield crew, you can decide for yourself who you want on your ship, or in your outpost, in your effort to build a better world. Having a good crew is only half of the battle – you’ll also have to work on yourself if you want to survive out there, so read up on Starfield traits and Starfield backgrounds, so you’ll have your own safe haven in space.
Still looking for more? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.
Additional contributions by Paul Kelly.