by theygamesWant an early peek at the Starfield traits you can choose for your character? This year’s Xbox and Bethesda showcase offered us a first proper look at Starfield, Bethesda’s highly anticipated upcoming sci-fi RPG game. Alongside gameplay footage of space exploration and low-gravity firefights, we also got a brief glimpse at Starfield’s character creator. Touted by Todd Howard as “the most flexible yet”, Bethesda’s latest suite of character customisation tools lets you select up to three optional traits for some added flavour.
Alongside your character’s background and skills, Starfield traits offer a range of unique advantages and disadvantages, depending on which ones you pick. Choosing optional traits not only gives you the ability to influence gameplay in a variety of ways, such as granting access to additional dialogue options and determining faction allegiances, but it also provides a degree of individuality to the character you’re playing.
Bethesda fans will surely recognise this type of character customisation from the studio’s previous titles. As in Fallout, Starfield’s optional traits are a double-edged sword: a simple stat boost from one trait will be to the detriment of another stat, whereas a discount in one shop will render another vendor entirely inaccessible. Of course, stat boosts are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the optional traits Starfield has to offer. If you’ve ever wanted a mortgage in space, Starfield’s got you covered.
Starfield Traits list
Here are all of the Starfield traits that we know of so far:
- Alien DNA
- Dream Home
- Empath
- Extrovert
- Freestar Collective Settler
- Hero Worshipped
- Introvert
- Kid Stuff
- Neon Street Rat
- Raised Enlightened
- Raised Universal
- Serpent’s Embrace
- Spaced
- Taskmaster
- Terra Firma
- United Colonies Native
- Unwanted Hero
While we didn’t see a full breakdown of what every single optional trait does, the Xbox and Bethesda showcase did tease us with a brief look at some trait descriptions. It also provided us with an early indicator of how Starfield’s traits can be combined (or not, in some cases), and the ways in which selecting them can impact gameplay. Please do note that we’ve now seen the traits screen twice, and the list of traits is different, so expect some of these to be simple name changes rather than totally separate or distinct traits.
Alien DNA
You volunteered for a controversial experiment that combines alien and human DNA. As a result, you start with a higher health pool and greater endurance, but healing items aren’t as effective.
Dream Home
You own a luxurious, customizable house on a peaceful planet! Unfortunately, it comes with a 50,000 credit mortgage with GalBank that has to be paid weekly.
Empath
You are deeply connected to the feelings of others. Performing actions your companion likes will result in a temporary increase in combat effectiveness. But, performing actions they don’t like will have the precise opposite effect.
Extrovert
You’re a people person. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions, but more when going alone. (Can’t be combined with introvert.)
Freestar Collective Settler
You gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. But, crime bounty towards other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
Hero Worshipped
You’ve earned the attention of an annoying “Adoring Fan” who will show up randomly and jabber at you incessantly. On the plus side, he’ll give you gifts…
Introvert
You really need your alone time. You have more endurance when adventuring alone, but less when adventuring with other human companions. (Can’t be combined with Extrovert.)
Kid Stuff
Your parents are alive and well, and you can visit them at their home. But 10% of all the money you earn is deducted automatically and sent to them.
Neon Street Rat
You grew up on the mean streets of Neon. You gain access to special dialogue options, and better rewards from some missions on Neon. Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
Raised Enlightened
You grew up as a member of the Enlightened. You gain a significant discount at the organization store, but lose access to Sanctum Universum store. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Raised Universal
You grew up as a member of the Sanctum Universum. You gain a significant discount at the church store, but lose access to the Enlightened store. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Serpent’s Embrace
You grew up worshiping the Great Serpent. Grav jumping provides a temporary boost to health and endurance, but health and endurance are lowered if you don’t continue jumping regularly – like an addiction. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
Spaced
Your body has become acclimated to space. Health and endurance are increased when in space, but decreased when on the surface. (Can’t be combined with Terra Firma.)
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How many traits can you have?
You can select up to three traits when creating your character, but you don’t have to fill all three trait slots.
Can you remove traits after making your character?
Yes, you can remove your traits in Starfield, but it’s not a simple case of visiting a special vendor to redesign your character. In a Constellation Questions video, Todd Howard explains that there’s a quest you can do to remove or solve each trait during a playthrough.
The Starfield release date still isn’t set in stone, but this year’s Xbox and Bethesda Showcase has given us a lot to consider about the kind of character we want to create for our journey across the Settled Systems. Do you want to be a street rat, or a religious fanatic? Have you recently flown the nest, or are you an orphan settled on a distant moon? Time will tell, but more importantly, so will your Starfield traits.
If you’re already dead set on what kind of spacefarer you’d like to be, take a peek at our guide to all of the Starfield guns revealed so far, as well as our list of all the Starfield companions that can aid you on your journey.