Choosing the Best Faction in Starfield

With its vast open world and intricate faction system, Starfield offers players many options when it comes to aligning themselves in the game universe. As a passionate gamer who has already logged over 40 hours exploring the cosmos, I‘ve gotten to know the factions well. There are five major groups you can join, each with their own beliefs, territories, quest lines and rewards. So which one should you pick to match your playstyle?

An In-Depth Overview of Starfield‘s Factions

Before deciding on a faction, it‘s important to understand what each one represents in the world of Starfield. Here‘s a deeper dive into their backgrounds, moral codes and reputations:

Constellation

• Exploration-focused organization that discovers new planets across the Starfield universe
• Prizes science, truth and understanding above all else
• Split into two divisions:
  • The Advent board funds major expeditions into uncharted space
  • The Surveryors study planets and life discovered by Advent
• Politically neutral and more concerned with expanding knowledge
• Home base is The Lodge space station in New Atlantis

United Colonies

• Massive democratic alliance between Earth, multiple colonies and alien allies
• Values unity, equality, justice and transmission of human culture
• Maintains large fleets, army regiments and peacekeeping forces
• Tensions exist between UC leadership and resistant colonies
• Capital is the ecumenopolis planet Jemison in Alpha Centauri

Ryujin Industries

• Ruthless megacorporation founded on Mars that produces consumer goods and technologies
• Prioritizes profits and shareholder returns above all else
• Maintains a massive industrial army and fleet to protect assets
• Criticized for dangerous products and unethical testing procedures
• Headquarters stationed in the neon metropolis Pephka on planet Io

Crimson Fleet

• Infamous syndicate of pirates and smugglers led by ruthless Queen Midnight
• Values personal freedom, adventure and self-determination
• Members come from varied backgrounds but share roguish sensibilities
• Enemies of order and hated by authorities across the Settled Systems
• The Fleet roams aboard The Key – a mobile base hidden in the Kryx Nebula

Freestar Collective

• Loose confederation of frontier colonies on the Settled Systems‘ edge
• Prizes independence, resilience and self-reliance above all
• Mistrusts the United Colonies and corporate ambition
• Relies on militia squadrons and outfitted transport ships over a standing navy
• De-facto capital is Akila Prime though colonies mostly govern themselves

How Factions Impact the Game

Joining a faction isn‘t strictly necessary, but it comes with some key benefits for your adventures in Starfield:

• Access to exclusive, intricate faction quest lines with memorable characters and amazing rewards. I still fondly remember my impossible heist mission for the Crimson Fleet…
• Discounts up to 20% off at stores and traders aligned with your faction. Faction gear tends to be discounted too.
• Ability to explore faction-controlled star systems without hostility from NPC ships.
• Faction member companions can join your crew. I love having my Ryujin bodyguard watching my back on dangerous worlds.
• Special faction-themed armor sets, unique weapons and cosmetic items to customize your look.

However, factions can also come into conflict as you unravel their deeper stories. For example, my efforts stabilizing struggling colonies clashed with Freestar‘s anarchic tendencies at times. Tensions could spill over into confrontations, so choose allies carefully!

How to Join Factions in Starfield

To officially enlist with a faction, you‘ll need to complete a series of initiation quests at their main base of operations:

• United Colonies – New Atlantis on Capital Megacity Jemison
• Ryujin Industries – Stellar HQ in Neon District on Io
• Crimson Fleet – The Key mobile base in the Kryx Nebula
• Freestar – Akila City on Planet Akila

I remember touching down on raging Io, braving acid storms to reach Ryujin‘s stronghold. The opening missions familiarize you with key characters, resources, secrets and enemies.

As you build faction reputation, you unlock exclusive gear from sponsors and gain access to new star systems under their control. I was excited exploring Crimson Fleet‘s lawless hideouts they opened to me.

Side quests are open to any faction usually. But certain high-level operations will play out differently depending on your alignment. I once hijacked a UC frigate for Crimson Fleet, sparking a fierce manhunt. Tensions can erupt if loyalties conflict, so invest wisely!

Choosing Based on Playstyle and Personality

When deciding which faction to support long-term, consider what fits your interests and character build best:

• Explorers/Scientists may enjoy Constellation‘s frontiers of knowledge or Freestar‘s far reach.
• Combat focused characters can find targets galore with the Crimson Fleet pirates.
• Diplomats might thrive in the UC‘s political landscape.
• Engineers/Inventors can develop cutting-edge tech with Ryujin Industries.

I leaned towards factions valuing self-determination, but ended up aligned with all major groups after over 40 hours completing missions. You can explore multiple story arcs if desired.

The Crimson Fleet – Best for Action-Craving Players

Of all the factions, the notorious Crimson Fleet provide the most exhilarating and dangerous adventures for daredevil players. Their chaotic nature and piratical exploits fuel non-stop action as you raid mighty corporations, plunder forgotten treasuries and battle ruthless mercenaries across the frontier worlds.

As a Crimson Fleet cadet, Queen Midnight and her dashing rogues will take you on thrilling missions letting you:

• Lead crack boarding teams onto disabled capital ships
• Dogfight squadrons of system authority Z-95 Headhunters
• Plan elaborate heists of corporate research facilities
• Uncover hidden troves of ancient alien artifacts
• Carouse in hidden pirate pleasure dens between adventures

The Fleet also grants access to their remarkable mobile base The Key. This colossal space station is hidden within the roiling Kryx Nebula, allowing lightning raids before disappearing into the storms. For gamers craving swashbuckling adventures across the stars, the Crimson Fleet is the definitive faction of choice.

The Freestar Collective – Ideal for Explorers

For players compelled to traverse every unexplored world, no faction provides more discovery opportunities than the hardy Freestar Collective. Comprised of self-reliant colonies and privateers chafing under UC regulations, Freestar prizes independence above all.

As a Freestar privateer you can:

• Captain modular starrunners customized for exploration
• Survey untouched solar systems hidden behind nebula clouds
• Extract mineral resources from asteroids with few bureaucratic delays
• Uncover Prothean/Vhe‘Xna ruins on long dead worlds
• Link up frontier settlements into a thriving trade consortium

Freestar also grants earlier access to all-terrain vehicles like the Colossus Crab for long range planetary roving. When you want to explore uncharted alien biospheres or disappear into a procedurally generated galaxy, Freestar offers enterprising adventurers a perfect home among the stars.

United Colonies – Most Versatile Faction

While groups like the Fleet and Freestar cater to specific mentalities, the United Colonies offer the most flexible and nuanced faction path. As the greatest interstellar power, they have stakes in every aspect of human civilization – from stimulating economies to cultural transmission and warfare.

Serving the UC grants:

• Prestige and privileges across hundreds of member worlds
• Cutting-edge prototype weapons before mass production
• Officer training within renowned Solar Marines academy
• Lucrative missions from system executives and alien emissaries
• Chance to guide UC‘s future political direction

You also become part of an aspirational saga – the expansion of human values and culture across a million worlds. The UC isn‘t perfect, but it represents the hope, courage and determination that captains the light of consciousness ever deeper into the great stellar abyss.

Other Notable Factions

While less involved than the major groups above, these minor factions also offer unique story opportunities:

Constellation

As the premier scientific body exploring Starfield‘s mysteries, Constellation missions unlock insight into quantum-scale oddities, scans of black hole interiors or the ability to sample baby universe plasms.

House Va‘ruun Family

This reclusive network of astromancer-nobles wield strange reality-warping abilities, handing out otherworldly technologies as rewards if you complete their esoteric requests.

Conclusion

At 40+ hours and counting, I‘ve had the pleasure of aligned with every faction during my travels. While groups like the valiant UC, sinister Ryujin or intrepid Freestar all have strong appeals, there is no definitive "best" group – only the one that clicks with your personal preferences and style.

Try their early missions until you find a home, whether defending starbones with Constellation historians, racing across Cydonia‘s mineral dunes in a Freestar buggy or battling blood cult zealots aboard Crimson Fleet warbirds. Soon you‘ll be etching your own mark across the stars aligned with chosen allies.

So set a course past the galactic veil and let Starfield‘s intriguing factions help shape your personal spacefaring saga! This amazing RPG grants every astro-adventurer the chance to forge a true STARFIELD across the eternal night.