Who are the best Starfield crew members? The Starfield crew members you can recruit are absolutely vital to your journey through the universe, playing a key role in both your ship performance and outpost success. But how does the crew system work in Starfield? Well, it’s quite the complex system, building upon the successes of Fallout 4’s settlers with astronomical improvements and innovations. So, here’s everything you need to know about Starfield crew, including all crew abilities, how crew impact your ship and outposts in the game, and how to assign crew.
Starfield crew members are important for the daily runnings of your ship and outposts – they’re the perfect addition to the best Starfield outpost locations. While they’re similar to companions, they’re not quite as fleshed out. Their main function is to help you explore the Starfield planets and expand your interstellar settlements. Here you can learn the ins and outs of the Starfield crew system so you’re prepared for your adventure through the stars in what could be one of the best RPG games – our Starfield review can attest to that.
All Starfield crew members
The Starfield crew members are:
- Adoring Fan
- Amelia Earhart
- Andromeda Kepler
- Autumn MacMillan
- Betty Howser
- Dani Garcia
- Erick Von Price
- Ezekiel
- Gideon Aker
- Hadrian Sanon
- Heller
- Jessamine Griffin
- Lyle Brewer
- Marika Boros
- Mathis Castillo
- Moara Otero
- Omari Hassan
- Rafael Aguerro
- Rosie Tannehill
- Simeon Bankowski
- Sophia Grace
- Supervisor Lin
- Player character (NG+)
- Specialists
Remember, the Starfield companions can also be assigned to ships and outposts like crew members, so be sure to check out our guide on the topic for more information.
Read on below for more information about each of the Starfield crew members, including how to recruit them and each of their skills so you know why you should hire them.
Adoring Fan
The Adoring Fan is a crew member that can only be hired if you picked Hero Worshiped from the Starfield traits during Starfield character creation, making him a unique crew member. If you can put up with his incessant noise and compliments, then the Adoring Fan can actually be a strong crew member for exploration if you don’t want to bring one of the companions with you.
If you’ve played The Elder Scrolls Oblivion before, you might recognise the Adoring Fan. While they were a one-off character players could find while exploring in Oblivion, Bethesda has embraced the joke and brought the Adoring Fan back as a Starfield crew member.
Adoring Fan skills:
- Weight Lifting 2
- Scavenging 1
- Concealment 1
Amelia Earhart
Yes, Amelia Earhart, the American aviation pioneer from the 20th century is in Starfield. How exactly? Well, we won’t spoil that for you because it’s one of our favorite moments. However, if you want to find out for yourself, head to the Crucible on Charybdis III, in the Charybdis system. Here you will find the Operation Starseed side quest that will allow you to recruit the one and only Amelia Earhart for free, though we wish we could have hired other significant individuals from this area too.
Given her namesake, it shouldn’t be surprising that Amelia Earhart makes for a great crew member aboard your ship, and that’s where we recommend assigning her.
Amelia Earhart skills:
- Piloting 2
- Rifle Certification 2
Andromeda Kepler
Andromeda Kepler (both names being references to our own universe) is a stellar outpost crew member. Luckily, she’s also easy to recruit, making her a great first hire if you’re on the lookout for an outpost member. Head over to the Broken Spears bar at Cydonia and you’ll find Kepler. Like the rest of the crew members hireable at spaceports, you only have to pay a small one-time fee to recruit her.
Andromeda Kepler skills:
- Outpost Engineering 2
- Piloting 1
- Aneutronic Fusion 1
Autumn MacMillan
Autumn MacMillan is an odd crew member, given her speciality is actually combat, rather than ship or outpost support. In general, this makes her a downgrade from the standard companions as her skills pale in comparison to companions in combat.
Nevertheless, if you’d like to recruit Autumn MacMillan, head to the Red Mile where you can hire her from the bar for free. You’ll head here in the Starfield Freestar Collective Ranger storyline.
Autumn MacMillan skills:
- Pistol Certification 2
- Botany 1
- Sharpshooting 1
Betty Howser
Like Autumn MacMillan, Betty Howser struggles to stand out as a hireable crew member, specializing more in combat than supporting your facilities. This makes her difficult to recommend over the Constellation companions like Sam Coe.
To recruit Betty Howser, head to the orbit of Heinlein I where you can find her having been attacked by the Crimson Fleet. Offer her Starfield ship parts to repair her ship and she’ll join your crew.
Betty Howser skills:
- Demolitions 3
- Missile Weapon Systems 1
Dani Garcia
Dani Garcia offers some niche skills which can come in handy, though we’d generally recommend you pick another crew member if you can. Whether you’re looking for a companion to join you in the field or to be stationed in a facility, there are much better options than Garcia.
Dani Garcia can be recruited for a small one-time fee in the Euphorika bar in Neon, found on Volii Alpha in the Volii system.
Dani Garcia skills:
- Robotics 2
- Chemistry 1
- Energy Weapon Systems 1
Erick Von Price
Erick Von Price is a helpful ship crew member that you can pick up on your adventures in Cydonia. While his skills aren’t all that high level, they are useful to have if you don’t already have them.
Erick Von Price can be recruited by completing the Start-up Stopped side quest in Cydonia on Mars. If you choose to save Erick and not the ship, he’ll lose his job but you can hire him instead.
Erick Von Price skills:
- Astrodynamics 2
- Payloads 1
Ezekiel
This Sam Coe wanna-be isn’t quite as strong as his inspiration, which is made more annoying given Ezekiel is better suited to on-foot exploring than being assigned to your ship or outposts.
All the same, you can pick Ezekiel up at Aggie’s bar in Akila City, found in the Cheyenne system.
Ezekiel skills:
- Energy Weapon Dissipation 2
- Scavenging 1
- Shield Systems 1
Gideon Aker
If a standard Ballistic Weapon Specialist doesn’t quite bring enough to the table, then Gideon Aker has you covered. Also hireable from The Viewport spaceport in New Atlantis, Jemison, Aker not only packs Ballistic Weapon Systems, but Missile Weapon Systems, too.
Gideon Aker skills:
- Ballistic Weapon Systems 2
- Missile Weapon Systems 2
Hadrian Sanon
If you’ve started the intriguing Starfield UC Vanguard faction storyline then you’ll recognise Hadrian Sanon as the scientist investigating the Terrormorphs. Unfortunately, her skills pale in comparison to the standard Constellation companions in the field, making her hard to recommend as she won’t contribute to your ships or outposts.
To recruit Hadrian Sanon, simply progress through the United Colonies faction quests, at which point you’ll be able to convince Doctor Percival to let Hadrian join you.
Hadrian Sanon skills:
- Pain Tolerance 2
- Energy Weapon Dissipation 1
- Xenosociology 1
Heller
Heller is a crew member recruited from a crashed ship during the main mission Back to Vectera, so progress through the story to unlock him. Given his skill set, Heller makes for a strong outpost crew member, but little else. Luckily, he’s one of the best companions to assign to outposts, so he’s worth recruiting.
Heller skills:
- Geology 1
- Outpost Engineering 3
Jessamine Griffin
Jessamine Griffin is a bit of a stealthy rogue. In spite of that, she’s best suited to your ship as her on-foot skills are rather lacking. With that said, she will be a great addition to your ships.
You can recruit Jessamine Griffin by heading to the Last Nova bar on The Key, which you’ll gain access to during the Starfield Crimson Fleet storyline.
Jessamine Griffin skills:
- Ballistic Weapon Systems 2
- Theft 1
- Concealment 1
Lyle Brewer
Lyle Brewer is another rather lackluster crew member as he’s competing against the Constellation companions for a place out on the ground, rather than a seat on your ship or at an outpost. As with most of this type of crew member, he can’t quite keep up.
Nevertheless, Lyle Brewer can be recruited at Aggie’s bar in Akila City in the Cheyenne system, home of the Freestar Collective, for a small one-time fee.
Lyle Brewer skills:
- Shotgun Certification 2
- Particle Beams 1
- Xenosociology 1
Marika Boros
Marika Boros is a crew member that can be hired at The Viewport spaceport, Starfield New Atlantis city, Jemison. She’s a capable ballistics expert, making her suitable to join you on expeditions. Unfortunately, her skills are rather lacking.
Marika Boros skills:
- Shotgun Certification 1
- Ballistics 2
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems 1
Mathis Castillo
Mathis Castillo is a Crimson Fleet member, so it makes sense that he specialises in several skills that help him lead the charge in combat. Sadly though, even he can’t keep up with the main Constellation companions when it comes to on-foot adventuring.
You can recruit Mathis Castillo by completing the Crimson Fleet questline, telling Delgado that Mathis is a valuable asset. After finishing the faction and siding with them over the United Colonies, you’ll be able to hire Mathis at no extra cost.
Mathis Castillo skills:
- Incapacitation 2
- Ballistics 1
- Weight Lifting 1
Mickey Caviar
The washed-up chef Mickey Caviar has a unique speciality and background, so it’s a shame that he fails to find a space to fill amongst your crew. With the best companions generally contributing towards the effectiveness of your ship or outposts, a chef doesn’t do all that much.
Nevertheless, if you’d like to help this so-called celebrity out, you can hire Mickey Caviar at the Astral Lounge club in Neon City on Volii Alpha, found in the Volii system. Here, speak to him to recruit him for a small one-time fee.
Moara Otero
Moara Otero is a great crew member to have given the skills he adds to your ships, improving the firepower of EM weapon systems. Though he’s also somewhat of a marksman, his skills in combat can’t beat out a true companion, so we recommend instead using this Starfield crew member onboard your ship.
You can hire Moara Otero at the Broken Spears bar at Cydonia on Mars. Head here and speak to Moara to recruit him to your crew.
Moara Otero skills:
- EM Weapon Systems 2
- Marksmanship 2
Omari Hassan
Omari Hassan is one of the best Starfield crew members you can have aboard your ship, so it’s even better news that he’s easy to add to your party. If you’re deep into the Starfield ship building system, then you’re going to want to get him ASAP.
Getting Omari Hassan is as simple as heading to The Hitching Post spaceport at Akila City in the Cheyenne system. Speak to him to recruit him for a small one-time fee.
Omari Hassan skills:
- Shield Systems 3
- Starship Engineering 1
Rafael Aguerro
Rafael Aguerro requires quite a bit of work to recruit, so it’s good that he’s a strong and versatile Starfield crew member. Adept in both ship and outpost skills, you can assign him to either role and he’ll do well.
To recruit Rafael Aguerro, you must save him during the Entangled main quest. Afterwards, you’ll be able to recruit him from The Viewport spaceport in New Atlantis, Jemison, in the Alpha Centauri system. Check out our guide on whether you should save Patel or Rafael in Starfield to learn more.
Rafael Aguerro skills:
- Starship Engineering 2
- Outpost Engineering 1
- Outpost Management 1
Rosie Tannehill
Rosie Tannehill makes for an excellent medic, if only that was a useful partner to have in combat. Given healing in Starfield isn’t particularly troublesome, and Rosie lacks combat effectiveness, especially when compared to the Constellation companions, she’s hard to recommend.
If you would like to recruit Rosie Tannehill, however, simply travel to The Hitching Post spaceport in Akila City on Akila in the Cheyenne system. Here she can be hired for a small one-time fee.
Rosie Tannehill skills:
- Wellness 3
- Medicine 1
Simeon Bankowski
If you’re after ranged support while you’re out there living your best Ronin life – or whichever of the other Starfield backgrounds you’ve opted for – then snap up Simeon Bankowski from The Viewport spaceport, New Atlantis, Jemison. Like the rest of the more combat-focused crew members, however, Simeon struggles to compete with the Constellation companions.
Simeon Bankowski skills:
- Sharpshooting 1
- Sniper Certification 2
- Marksmanship 1
Sophia Grace
Coming from cyberpunk Neon City, it makes perfect sense that Sophia Grace would be adept at stealth. While this certainly makes her a rather unique crew member, it’s not all that valuable of a specialization for crew to have.
If you’d like to hire Sophia Grace, just head on over to Madame Sauvage’s bar in Neon City on Volii Alpha, found in the Volii system. Here, speak to her to recruit her for a small one-time fee.
Sophia Grace skills:
- Stealth 3
- Lasers 1
Supervisor Lin
That’s right, Supervisor Lin can work for you. Oh, how the tables have turned. Lin can be hired during the main mission Back to Vectera, when she states she’s thinking of a career change. With her managerial background, Lin is a strong outpost crew member. In fact, she’s the perfect pairing with Heller.
Supervisor Lin skills:
- Demolitions 1
- Outpost Management 3
Player character (NG+)
That’s right, you can actually hire yourself as a crew member in Starfield and it’s as weird as it sounds. If you’ve ventured into Starfield New Game Plus, then you might be aware of the whacky variations that can occur. One such variation is entering a universe where you already exist. In this NG+ run, you can recruit yourself as a companion and crew member.
Specialists
There are also a variety of Specialists that focus on one or two specific skills. Given their low cost, these crew members are generally weaker than their named counterparts.
For example, the Ballistic Weapons Specialist does exactly what he says on the tin – he’s a specialist when it comes to weapons of a ballistic nature. For the low, low base price of 6,250 Credits, you can bring this fine gentleman aboard should you encounter him at The Viewport spaceport in New Atlantis, Jemison.
Ballistic Weapons Specialist skills:
- Ballistic Weapon Systems 1
However, there are Specialists for every system, such as Payload Specialist, Laser Weapons Specialist, Defense System Specialist, and more. These crew members are seemingly randomized but will be found in spaceports, so visit them and see which ones you can hire.
Starfield crew explained
Starfield crew members are NPC characters that you can hire to work on your ship and outposts, providing various functions and bonuses to these features. They are similar to companions, although they do not have unique quests and are not romanceable.
Crew can be assigned to work in Starfield ships and Starfield outposts where they will provide various effects depending on their skills. So, when hiring and assigning your crew members, look carefully at the skills they offer. For example, some are skilled at Starship Engineering, while others are adept at Outpost Engineering, and various other beneficial areas.
Each crew member starts with a specific set of perks at certain ranks. Fortunately, you don’t need to pay them a salary. You only need to pay them once to bring them on board your ship – most of the time it’s not even all that expensive.
Unfortunately, crew members are not quite as complex and dynamic as the companion counterparts. While companions are among the Starfield romance options and have full questlines to experience, crew members do not. Despite that, most crew are still unique characters with names and skills, and they can accompany you as you explore.
With that said, there are also crew members that are generic NPCs that specialize in a certain field, such as a Payload Specialist or Laser Weapons Specialist. These come with basic skills and are the cheapest crew to hire, likely because they generally have fewer skills and are unnamed. Nevertheless, these can be useful in getting your crew up and running on your ship or in your outposts.
How to get Starfield crew members
Starfield crew members can be hired either at spaceports throughout the galaxy or while exploring key locations and completing missions. For example, Marika Boros is recruited from The Viewport spaceport, while Heller is located at a crashed ship during Back to Vectera, one of the main Starfield missions. In general, keep exploring the universe to find more crew members to recruit. With how many outposts you can have and how big your ship can get, there’s no shortage of spaces to fill.
We’d recommend searching these spaceports to hire crew members:
- The Viewport – New Atlantis Spaceport, Jemison
- The Hitching Post – Akila City, Akila
- Broken Spear – Cydonia, Mars
- Astral Lounge – Neon, Volii Alpha
Given how you recruit new crew members, we recommend you explore every world that you can, especially spaceports. Crew will be looking for a new place to call home and they might just have the valuable skills you need to improve your ship or outpost performance. This is even more important given you can assign multiple crew members to a single ship or outpost, and can have several active outposts at any given time. Therefore, you’re going to need an expansive crew roster if you want a flourishing network of settlements helping the cause.
We expect some crew will require you to first complete set tasks or reach certain milestones to unlock so as not to break the progression of Starfield ship customization and outposts by immediately acquiring the best Starfield crew.
How to assign crew in Starfield
To assign crew in Starfield, enter the main menu and select the ship menu. Here, follow the button prompt to open the crew page where you can assign and view crew members. Then, choose an assignment for your selected crew member, including assigning them to an outpost or ship.
When you first encounter this system, your first thought is no doubt ‘How do I assign crew to outposts and ships?’, as it’s not presented all that clearly. Hiring crew members is actually only the first step, requiring you to then assign crew before you can take advantage of their skills.
This is done through the ship menu which handles all things ship, outpost, and crew related. It’s in this menu that you’ll find a page dedicated to crew members. Here you can assign individual crew members to tasks, whether that be manning your ship or working at one of your established outposts.
However, assigning crew to your outpost requires you to first build a Crew Station. So, head on over to your outpost, scroll through the Miscellaneous section, and construct the Crew Station before assigning a crew member to the outpost.
Once assigned, the crew member will magically start fulfilling their assigned task, with no need to ferry them across the universe to one of your outposts or give them a specific home aboard your ship.
Once assigned, you will automatically gain the benefits of the crew member. You can assign multiple crew members to each location, depending on the max crew size for these areas. Check out how to increase crew size in Starfield to learn more.
Where do unassigned crew go in Starfield?
Any unassigned (but recruited) crew members and companions can be found in the ship menu, the same tab where you assign crew. Here, any unassigned crew will simply be listed as unassigned.
That means that any crew and companions you’ve recruited won’t disappear or get lost if you can’t assign them a position on your ship or at an outpost right away, even if they do aimlessly wander off from time to time.
Unfortunately, this menu is incredibly messy and needlessly complicated, with even bots at outposts being included in the list of crew. This makes finding the specific crew member you’d like in the list quite a task if you’ve hired lots of crew.
Best Starfield crew
The best Starfield crew members for ships and outposts are:
- Amelia Earhart – ship
- Andromeda Kepler – outpost
- Gideon Aker – ship
- Heller – outpost
- Omari Hassan – ship
- Rafael Aguerro – outpost/ship
- Supervisor Lin – outpost
The best crew members are technically still the companions, as these offer high-rank skills in a variety of categories, including ship and outpost skills. However, if you don’t want to assign companions, then the best crew will have strong ship and outpost skills, which are found on the named crew members. Take a look at the best Starfield skills for some examples.
Since you’ll likely be exploring with companions rather than assigning them to work aboard your ship or even in other systems stationed in your outposts, having the best crew members is a great idea as these can be permanently assigned to these systems and don’t have other functions you might want them for. Companions will more often than not trump crew members when it comes to exploration as they have more unique and developed characters, so crew that have skills that aid exploration are generally weaker.
We’d recommend you instead focus on the unique specialism of crew as ship and outpost buffers and assign them to work at your facilities. Look for crew with skills like Outpost Engineering or Piloting to improve your outposts and ships respectively.
Considering you can establish trade routes between outposts, however, even the weakest Starfield crew characters can be useful. So, if you’ve got an unwanted or weak crewmate, you can always assign them to a far-flung outpost. In fact, we’d recommend you do that to the Adoring Fan once they inevitably get on your nerves.
And that’s all you need to know about Starfield crew, from all the crew members, to how to get crew, and even the best crew members in the game. With upgraded facilities, you should be able to upgrade your Starfield armor and Starfield weapons even more.
Still looking for more? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.