How To Save All Characters In Starfield

You might be wondering if you can save your companion in Starfield. No, we're not talking about anyone getting downed due to relentless attacks from alien beasts, or because they started floating around randomly. We're talking about a more drastic incident that occurs in A High Price to Pay. Our guide discusses everything you need to know about this moment, as well as the workarounds you can use. Likewise, please be reminded that this article contains spoilers.

Can you save all characters in Starfield?

The Starfield companion in question is the one that dies in A High Price to Pay (we told you there would be spoilers). The quest itself requires you to choose between two locations: The Lodge or The Eye. A companion in the location that you didn't choose will perish.

As of the time of this writing, we're unable to confirm what actually affects the choice of companion. We do believe that it might be due to the affinity system--i.e. the companions with the two highest approvals/relationship levels will be chosen at that stage. One of them will die to make for a more impactful moment in the story.

Our writers compared notes in this instance:

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• One writer had Sarah in The Eye and Sam in The Lodge.
• Another writer had Sarah in The Eye and Andreja in The Lodge.
• In those instances, they both had the highest affinity with Sarah (The Eye). Meanwhile, Sam and Andreja (The Lodge) had the second highest affinity in their respective campaigns.
• After making a fateful decision, the companion in the location that they did not choose died.
• Note that it might also be based on whoever we brought as a companion prior to A High Price to Pay (i.e. that companion will be the one left in The Lodge).

So, can you save your companion in Starfield? The answer is... not until New Game Plus. Read on for more details.

The companion death is tied to the story...

Overall, we believe that it's truly not possible to save your companion in Starfield's first playthrough, as it's heavily tied to the story. We've added a few details that transpire near the end of the game, and in New Game Plus. Read the spoilers at your own risk.

• It's revealed that one of the Starborn, the Emissary, is the dead companion, but they're from another universe. In their universe, it was your character that perished, which motivated them to reach the Unity, eventually becoming the Emissary that you meet in your travels.
• If you decide to skip the main quest in New Game Plus, you'll blurt out that you're Starborn now. You'll then divulge to your companion that they died in your universe.

...but you can save them!

If you're determined to save all members of Constellation, you can do so in New Game Plus only. Here's how:

• Elect not to skip the main quest when you return to The Lodge as a Starborn.
• After you complete the mission Further Into The Unknown, speak to Vladimir and use the "[Starborn]" dialogue option, which tells him you need to move the Artifacts as you know The Hunter is coming to claim them and will kill someone.
• Vlad will trust you and this opens up a New Game Plus-exclusive main mission, Foreknowledge. You'll build the Armillary sooner than you otherwise could've, which allows you to move the Artifacts. The Hunter will later praise and tease you about this cleverness. He also says he has killed everyone aboard The Scow (located at Procyon V-b, in the Procyon A system) instead.
• It's unclear if this too could be avoided. It's possible Bethesda is inviting players to chase the "perfect" playthrough where The Hunter kills no one.
• When you return to The Lodge, all of Constellation will be hanging out in the bar area, acting friendly and having no real idea how close one of them had come to dying, had you not used your multidimensional clairvoyance to subtly save the day.

That's everything you need to know about A High Price to Pay and if you can save your companion in Starfield. The next important main quest that we discuss is the Unity puzzle.