As players progress through the main story missions in Starfield, they will come across a mission in which there is no turning back. With the Starfield mission ‘High Price to Pay’, players will be forced to witness the death of one member from their Constellation crew. Yet, there is a way to save the companion in Starfield, albeit, not everybody.
There is a way to save all characters in Starfield, but not in one playthrough. There are four key characters to this quest, and one must always die. Yet, players can determine who dies, if they know what to do. This guide will serve as an explanation of how to save all characters in Starfield from their fated death in a mission with unforeseen consequences for their actions.
This article contains heavy spoilers for Starfield, involving key story moments from the game, including the fates of certain characters.
High Price To Pay
As the 11th main mission in Starfield, High Price to Pay will start from the moment players place down the latest Artifact that they found in the 10th mission, No Sudden Moves. In No Sudden Moves, players are locked into the mission with a companion that they have the lowest relationship level with. Therefore, it’s vitally important that if players are not ready to start the High Price to Pay mission, they make sure they have saved before starting the Short Sighted mission, ensuring that all the Constellation companions are at the Lodge where they can be hired.
Players do not place down the Artifact piece, as they will be locked into the mission, and there’s no going back without a save file. It can be annoying to know that the only way to save characters in Starfield is to reload an old save file before the 9th main mission, but this is essential to move forward.
In High Price to Pay, the Starborn have attacked the Eye, and the Hunter is on their way to the Lodge to take the Artifact pieces and kill whoever gets in their way. At this point, players have a decision to make: head to the Eye and save the crew, thus allowing someone in the Lodge to die. Or, stay and protect the Lodge, where someone on board the Eye will die. A soul must be taken, and not every character can be saved. However, players can save their favorite companion in Starfield.
Who Has To Die In Starfield?
The character that dies in Starfield will always be one of the four companions: Sam Coe, Sarah Morgan, Andreja, or Barrett. Players can determine who dies by choosing between the character with the highest relationship status to the player, or the character with the lowest relationship status to the player.
If players want the character with the lowest relationship status to die, then they need to complete the Short Sighted quest and talk to Vladimir. Here, Vladimir will pair the player up with the companion that they have the least amount of time with, and send them on the No Sudden Moves mission. Upon returning to the Lodge, the High Price to Pay mission will start, and this character will defend the home of Constellation. Players can choose the option to Go To The Eye, leaving behind their least favorite companion to save their favorite companion. What results, is players visit the Eye and rescue their crew, but upon returning to the Lodge, the least favorite companion would have been killed by the Hunter.
If players want to ensure the death of a specific companion so they know how to save Sam Coe (in this case) then they will have to have the lowest relationship with other characters. This can be done by either doing things this character doesn’t like, or the easiest way is to just ignore them. Do not bring them on missions, do not interact with them, and do not advance their relationship so that they become Friends and then Allies.
How To Save Sarah, Sam, Barrett, or Andreja
To start, it’s best to know how to reach the highest level of relationship with each of the four main characters in Starfield, to ensure players know what to do if they want to save them. Remember, only one character dies, and that character is either the highest relationship character or the lowest.
Save Lowest Relationship – Defend the Lodge.
Save Highest Relationship – Go to the Eye.
Since players can only save three of the four characters in Starfield, here’s how to get the highest relationship possible with each one so that players can decide who gets left behind and killed:
- How To Save Sarah: If players want to know how to save Sarah in Starfield, then they are going to need to complete Sarah’s relationship quest titled In Memoriam. This will make Sarah romanceable, and also provide her with a high relationship status.
- How to Save Sam: To save Sam in Starfield, players need to take him on missions and around the galaxy until the relationship has proceeded to The Empty Nest quest. This will make Sam an Ally and become one of the player’s strongest companions, and a potential romance partner.
- How to Save Barrett: Venture out with Barrett until they unlock the Breach of Contract relationship quest. Upon doing this, they have a better chance of knowing how to save Barrett in Starfield, as he will be an ally or lover, the two highest relationship statuses in the game.
- How to Save Andreja: Explore the cosmos with Andreja until the companion quest Divided Loyalties is unlocked. After completing this quest, the friendship and bond will grow, and players can romance Andreja, or keep her as a companion. The highest relationship guarantees a way to save Andreja in Starfield.
Out of the four companions available for these intimate quests, players will want to only complete the main quest with three of these characters, ensuring that one character has not had this quest activated. For instance, if players want to kill Barrett, he must have the lowest relationship, whereas if they want to save Sarah Morgan in Starfield, they need to have the highest relationship with her and complete the objective ‘Go To The Eye’, which is activated by starting the High Price to Pay mission and leaving for the front door before the Hunted breaks in.
Alternatively, players can ensure that their highest relationship companion dies by staying at the Lodge. So, if players want to kill Sarah Morgan, they can make her the best relationship partner, and they will know how to save Sam Coe by making him the lowest relationship character and completing the Defend the Lodge objective in a High Price to Pay.
It can be a lot to take in, and choosing which crew member dies is not an easy task. Messing with fate is not fun, but players must know that there is no way to save every companion in Starfield, and one of them must die. Players can choose but choose carefully, as every character has their own unique personality, interests, and inputs in dialogue and quests. It’s also worth noting that the character that dies will have their gear stashed in the basement of the Lodge, so if players want to know how to get Sam Coe’s outfit in Starfield, then they need to let him die.
Can Everyone Be Saved?
Not everyone can be saved in Starfield, but there is a way to bring everyone back to life, and that’s not through the use of console commands. Players can continue through the story up until the final mission. Without spoiling anything, completing the final mission will see players asked if they want to enter New Game Plus in Starfield.
Upon entering New Game Plus, all characters would have been revived, as this is technically a new chance to make different decisions. At this point, players are free to venture out in the galaxy without having to worry about which character dies in Starfield, and they will know how to save everyone simply because the mission will not occur. This will reset relationships though, so players will need to start those again.
It's a shame that someone has to die in Starfield, but it brings in unexpected tension and an emotional surprise that results in a funeral for the companion. All companions in Starfield are likable, with the core four being romance options, making it even harder to see one of them die, to never be seen again. At least, not in this universe, but that’s for another time.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X|S.