Best Starfield Traits and Traits explained

Everything you need to know about Traits in Starfield.

Image credit: Bethesda

Guide by Marie Pritchard Guides Writer

Additional contributions by Lottie Lynn

Updated on 4 Oct 2023

Character traits in Starfield are one of the several pieces of character customisation that you can choose to make your character your own. Your traits, though optional, will help you round out your character and can help you in your adventures in multiple, often unexpected, ways.

The action RPG Starfield will let you build your own character to help tell your story as you adventure through space, 280 years after humanity first set foot on Mars. You can customise your look, right down to the scars and details on your face, as well as your backstory and, of course, your traits that make your character who they are.

Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about character traits in Starfield and how to remove traits that you no longer want, including advice on how to pick the best traits for you.

On this page:

What are the best Traits in Starfield?
Starfield character Traits explained
How to remove traits in Starfield

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If you’d like more help in your galactic adventures, visit our Starfield guides, tips and tricks page.

What are the best Traits in Starfield?

Much like character backgrounds, there are no best traits in Starfield since the choice is subjective to your playstyle. Traits are also not compulsory, so, if you don’t want them, don’t have them.

It’s important to note that your choice in traits is less important than your chosen background. While they do provide some small advantages and, depending on the trait, disadvantages, most traits don’t impact your time in Starfield that much unlike backgrounds that provide your starting skills. You also, unlike backgrounds, have the ability to remove traits if you find them too annoying. (Looking at you Adoring Fan.)

To help you make your decision, here are five of the best traits in Starfield:

Alien DNA - The boost this trait gives to your health and oxygen can come in very handy during the opening hours of Starfield when you're getting the hang of the combat and might not have access to many healing items. It's a boost you may find useful throughout the game too! Though if you ever want this trait removed, head to your nearest Reliant Medical doctor and pay a 10,000 Credit fee.
Dream Home - While you'll need to fill it with furniture, having a house from the opening moments of Starfield grants you the ability to start building a personal base straight away. Whether you plan on using it for cooking, crafting, storage or simply relaxing, having a space outside of your ship definitely has its advantages. Just remember to pay the mortgage and visit our Dream Home trait guide to learn how to make this house truly your home.
Empath - Be it by choice or not, you'll often find yourself with a Companion during your travels through the stars which is why the Empath trait is quite useful. This trait's combat boost can give you a good advantage against your foes - just remember that it's tied to whether your Companion likes your actions, so don't upset them!
Kid Stuff - While it will cost a small amount of Credits per week, your parents will happily supply you with a range of gifts. Some of these gifts can be quite useful during your space adventure, such as the Sir Livingstone's Pistol which also happens to be one of the best Starfield weapons. Check our dedicated Kid Stuff page if you want to learn more.
Terra Firma - For a game about exploring space, a lot of Starfield's action takes place on the planets littered about the universe. Due to this, the health and oxygens boosts the Terra Firma trait give you when walking on a planet's surface will often be very useful.

first person view of your mum sitting down — Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda Softworks

When picking your traits there are a number of factors you may want to consider as well.

The first is that some traits can not be combined with others. The traits in question are the ones related to your religion, such as Serpent’s Embrace, and Faction, like Neon Street Rat. You can also not combine the Introvert trait with Extrovert nor the Spaced trait with Terra Firma.

You don’t need to pick a trait from any of these categories, but, if you do, then you must remember that you can’t pick another. Your character can't be both an Introvert and an Extrovert nor can they join two religions.

When you pick certain traits, the ones it can't be combined with will recieve a cross mark. | Image credit: Bethesda/Eurogamer

The second factor you’ll want to consider are the advantages and disadvantages a trait will give you. This can range from you needing to spend money, like Dream Home and Kid Stuff, to having increased Health and Oxygen, but having to deal with the cost that bonus brings.

Alien DNA, for example, gives you increased Health and Oxygen, but you have to deal with healing items and food being less effective. This could make things tricky if you find yourself in a tough fight. In the same vein, Spaced increases your Health and Oxygen while you’re in space, but decreases when you’re on a planet. So ideal for taking over enemy ships, but not so great when you’re in a firefight on the ground.

Picking a Faction trait will also increase bounties you receive when you’re caught committing a crime in another Faction’s territory. On the plus side, you’ll receive better rewards when completing missions for that Faction.

Due to this, you may want to balance your choice in traits by their advantages and disadvantages. This can help you avoid any troublesome consequences from your choices, such as a drain on your finances or a lower amount of Oxygen.

Since I have the Neon Street Rat trait, I get higher bounties from other Factions. | Image credit: Bethesda/Eurogamer

Finally, you may want to consider when your chosen traits will actually come into effect. Some, like Alien DNA and Terra Firma, have an effect on your gameplay from the beginning of Starfield. Others, such as Empath, only take effect when travelling with a companion, while the bonuses for the Faction traits only occur when visiting said Faction.

Though, if you want to give your character traits, you can always pick the ones you think sound the most fun!

Just remember - you don’t have to pick any traits and you can remove traits if you so wish.

Starfield character Traits explained

You can pick up to three traits in Starfield, you can choose to fill all of the slots or you can leave some (if not all) blank, it's entirely your choice. Each trait has its own advantages and disadvantages, so keep that in mind when choosing which combination you want to apply to your character.

That being said, some traits cannot be combined with other ones - for example, the Introvert trait cannot be combined with the Extrovert trait. Don't worry too much about knowing the combinations for now as the trait description will tell you which ones it's not compatible with.

Here are all of the traits in Starfield, including their advantages and disadvantages:

Trait	Perks/Abilities	Cannot Be Combined With
Raised Enlightened	You can access a special chest full of items in the House of the Enlightened in New Atlantis, but you lose access to the Sanctum Universum chest. You grew up as a member of the Enlightened.	Any other Religion trait.
Raised Universal	You can access a special chest full of items in Sanctum Universum in New Atlantis, but you lose access to the House of the Enlightened Chest. You grew up as a member of the Sanctum Universum.	Any other Religion trait.
Neon Street Rat	You can access special dialogue options. You can get better rewards for some missions on Neon. You grew up on Neon on the streets. Crime Bounty by other factions is increased.	Any other Faction Allegiance trait.
Kid Stuff	Your parents are alive. You can visit them at their home. 2% of your Credits will automatically be sent to them each week.	N/A
Introvert	You use less oxygen when adventuring alone. You lose more oxygen when adventuring with other people. You like and need your alone time.	Extrovert.
Hero Worshipped	You have an adoring fan. They pop up randomly and talk constantly. Your fan will join your crew and give you gifts.	N/A
Wanted	You get a damage buff when your health is low. Mercenaries will randomly show up and attempt to kill you.	N/A
Alien DNA	Start with increased health and oxygen. Healing and food items are less effective.	N/A
Dream Home	You own a customisable house on a peaceful planet. It comes with a 125,000 credit mortgage that has to be paid weekly.	N/A
Empath	Performing actions your companion likes will give a temporary increase in combat effectiveness. Performing actions they don’t like will temporarily decrease combat effectiveness.	N/A
Extrovert	Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions. Exerting yourself will use more oxygen if adventuring alone.	Introvert
Freestar Collective Settler	Gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. Crime bounty towards other Factions is greatly increased.	Any other faction allegiance trait.
Serpent’s Embrace	You grew up worshipping the Great Serpent. Grav jumping provides a temporary boost to health and oxygen. If you don’t jump regularly, your health and oxygen will be lowered.	Any other Religion trait.
Spaced	Health and oxygen are increased when in space. Health and oxygen is decreased when on the surface.	Terra Firma
Taskmaster	If you have crew trained in a certain ship system, that system will sometimes automatically repair itself to full health when damaged below 50%. All crew costs twice as much to hire.	N/A
Terra Firma	Health and oxygen are increased when on the surface. Health and oxygen is decreased when in space.	Spaced
United Colonies Native	Gain access to special United Colonies dialogue options and better rewards for some missions given by the faction. Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased.	Any other Faction allegiance trait

starfield first person pov fighting bounty hunter — Image credit: Bethesda

How to remove traits in Starfield

You can remove traits in Starfield if you end up not liking the ones you have equipped, or if you decide that you do want a trait or two after you initially create your character.

Most traits can be surgically removed at any 'Reliant Medical' surgery center that you find on your travels. However, some traits can be removed through unique gameplay scenarios.

Some traits require you to complete a specific activity to remove it. The 'Wanted' trait, for example, can be removed by talking to a Trackers Alliance Agent and paying 3,000 credits. We've found Trackers Alliance Agents in the underground area (The Well) of New Atlantis and in Cydonia.

If you’ve chosen the Dream Home trait, you can remove it by visiting the GalBank at New Atlantis and, when talking to Landry Hollifield, say 'I want to talk about my house on Nesoi.' You then need to follow this up with 'The bank can have the house. Go ahead and foreclose.'

Keep in mind that if you remove the Dream Home trait you will also lose any furniture you currently have in the house. To avoid this happening make sure you collect any furniture or items you have in the house before removing the trait.

starfield dream home foreclose option in galbank — Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda

We now know that the 'Hero Worshipped' trait can be removed by selecting the 'We need to talk about your fandom' trail when speaking to your Adoring Fan. This will then give you the option to remove your fan from your crew permanently or convince him that you're a murderer.

starfield hero worshipped adoring fan — Image credit: Bethesda

That's it for Starfield character traits for now. If you want to change your look, check out our guide on how to change your appearance to learn where to go to do this and how much it will cost you.