10 best Starfield traits

In the boundless realms of Starfield, a universe teeming with possibilities and mysteries, your character is an embodiment of your choices. Much like a captain charting a course through the stars, you have the power to shape your destiny among the settled systems, and at the heart of this customization lies a unique feature—traits.

Todd Howard explained that traits are the most flexible elements in a Bethesda title, as you can get rid of them later on if you don't like them. Traits explore the character more, as opposed to traditional skills, which place an emphasis on observable ability and the relationships your character shares. Traits will go with you as you set out on your space journey, providing you not just bonuses and advantages but also opening up new conversation options and storylines.

Making a well-formed choice is crucial since there are 17 potential traits to pick from, and you can select only three of them. While these traits are optional, you should definitely choose them because the advantages usually outweigh the disadvantages.

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10 best Starfield traits to choose from

10) Raised Enlightened

(Raised Enlightened in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

You automatically become a member of the Enlightened religion if you possess the Raised Enlightened trait, which is one of the two religious traits. By making this decision, you gain access to a priceless chest at the New Atlantis headquarters.

Having this trait early on in the game may be quite advantageous for beginners. However, since this trait just gives you a chest of goodies, it's rated last on our list, and not choosing it doesn't really make that much of a difference.

Note: It can't be combined with the Raised Universal trait.

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9) Kid Stuff

Kid Stuff in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

Kid Stuff adds a wholesome yet expensive layer to your character's background. You'll have parents living in New Atlantis, and they'll require a weekly payment of 500 credits.

In return, you'll have the opportunity to partake in special events triggered by your parents' fortunes, directly benefiting your character. These unique interactions with your in-game family add depth to your story and can provide valuable rewards.

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8) Raised Universal

Raised Universal in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The Raised Universal trait, like Raised Enlightened, ties your character with the Universal religion and gives you access to a chest in their headquarters on Mars.

While both of these religious traits are almost the same, if you're determined to choose one, you should know that the Raised Universal chest contains a few more goods than the Raised Enlightened chest.

Note: It can't be combined with the Raised Enlightened trait.

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7) Wanted

Wanted trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The Wanted trait is quite unique as it attracts bounty hunters who will want to kill you every now and then, but when your health is low, it improves your combat skills, providing increased damage. This advantage can complement the downside by working hand in hand to get some of that sweet loot from bounty hunters.

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6) Hero Worshipped

Hero Worshipped trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The Adoring Fan, a reference to The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, is a fascinating character that Hero Worshipped adds to your quest. This friend turns out to be unexpectedly helpful; in addition to having beneficial talents for ship-based scenarios, he will occasionally give you gifts.

The only downside is an annoying guy who keeps bugging you, but you can always shoot him in the face if you ever want to get rid of him.

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5) Dream Home

Dream Home trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

By giving you a roomy home at the start of your quest, Dream Home gives you a significant edge. This house not only has plenty of storage space, but it also works well as a central location for organizing your possessions.

You can choose to pay a weekly charge of 500 credits instead of the full 125,000 credits, which will allow you to postpone payment until later in the game.

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4) Taskmaster

Taskmaster trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

Taskmaster has a substantial downside: it doubles the cost of hiring a crew. However, the benefits outweigh this meager disadvantage. When your ship system is damaged below 50%, it will instantly restore itself to full health if your crew has been trained in that system.

This might not seem like much at first, but it is extremely beneficial since your adventures are mostly going to be in space. Your ship will take a lot of damage, and having a trait that safeguards you from that is a no-brainer.

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3) Alien DNA

Alien DNA trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The option to combine your human DNA with extraterrestrial genetic material presented by Alien DNA is exciting. You get more health and oxygen, which improves your general resilience, but the effectiveness of food and healing supplies decreases.

Although the healing item debuff may seem significant, you can simply make up for it by allocating skill points to Medicine in the future. The oxygen and health boosts, on the other hand, will make you more combat-resistant and extend the amount of time you can sprint before running out of gas. However, if you have chosen the Chef background, you're better off relying on food buffs.

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2) Empath

Empath trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The top-tier trait Empath stands out since it emphasizes emotional comprehension when you connect with companions. By selecting sympathetic dialogue options, you can strengthen your bond with your companions and gain significant combat advantages. However, performing actions your companion doesn't like will have the opposite effect.

This is definitely one of the best traits as it lets you mitigate the disadvantage; all you have to do is be nice to your companion, which also opens up various dialogue options. Additionally, the temporary "Self-Esteem" state brought on by favorable interactions helps with persuasion checks.

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1) Extrovert

Extrovert trait in Starfield (Image via Bethesda)

The Extrovert trait, which honors the value of companionship in Starfield, is at the top of our list. Even though some players prefer to play alone, having teammates by your side can be quite fun. When joined by allies, Extrovert increases your oxygen reserves, relieving any concerns about oxygen. However, adventuring alone will make you expend more oxygen.

For a game whose narrative is driven by dialogue and exploration, it is most definitely more fun to go exploring the crevices of space with a companion, which makes this trait an added benefit.

Note: It can't be combined with the Introvert trait.

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Traits are an optional feature in Starfield, and at the end of the day, whether you want to reap their benefits or not is totally up to you. While you can't manually switch or change traits, traits like Empath, Wanted, and Dream Home add an extra layer of fun to the game, which definitely shouldn't be missed on your first playthrough.

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Discover more about all Starfield Traits and find the best Starfield Traits to suit your gameplay.