Should You Accept the Offer to Infiltrate the Crimson Fleet in Starfield?
The question of whether to accept the offer to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet in Starfield is a crucial one that significantly impacts your gameplay experience. The short answer is: Yes, you absolutely should infiltrate the Crimson Fleet. This path not only provides a richer and more rewarding storyline but also grants access to unique benefits unavailable through other routes. Choosing to become a double agent working for the UC SysDef offers the most engaging gameplay, the best rewards, and doesn’t lock you into any specific outcome until the very end. Let’s delve into why this is the recommended course of action.
The Advantages of Infiltration
A Compelling Narrative
The Crimson Fleet questline, initiated through the “Deep Cover” mission, is arguably one of the most compelling in Starfield. The storyline is filled with intrigue, moral dilemmas, and complex characters. By infiltrating, you experience a unique perspective, navigating the treacherous world of pirates while maintaining your allegiance, at least initially, to the UC SysDef. This approach provides a much more dynamic and nuanced gameplay experience than simply going to jail for your crimes or becoming a pirate outright.
Superior Rewards
The rewards for completing the Crimson Fleet questline are undeniably superior to those offered by other factions. As you progress, you’ll gain access to:
- Legendary Unique Weapons: These are some of the best weapons in the game.
- The Key: Access to the Crimson Fleet’s main base, The Key, offers several significant advantages. This includes access to vendors who purchase contraband at good prices.
- Shielded Cargo Bays: These make smuggling contraband easier by avoiding detection.
- 250,000 Credits: A substantial reward upon completing the final mission.
- Unique Ship Parts: The Key offers access to the best illegal ship parts that are otherwise difficult to obtain.
These benefits make the infiltration route not only engaging but highly lucrative.
Flexibility and No Early Commitment
Importantly, joining the Crimson Fleet as an undercover agent does not commit you to siding with them permanently. You can maintain relationships with other factions and continue to progress through their storylines. The final decision regarding which side to support in the ultimate conflict isn’t made until the later stages of the Crimson Fleet questline. This allows you to experience both sides of the narrative and make an informed choice.
The Alternative Paths
Refusing Infiltration and the Consequences
If you choose to refuse Ikande’s offer to infiltrate after getting arrested for a crime, you’ll be sent to jail. While this seems like a simple way out, the path that unfolds is less rewarding. The Crimson Fleet will eventually seek you out directly, but you miss the crucial undercover experience and the unique benefits associated with the SysDef questline.
Going to Jail
Simply accepting jail time for your crime might seem appealing, but it bypasses the rich narrative depth and superior rewards linked to infiltrating the Crimson Fleet.
Why Infiltration is the Best Choice
The infiltration path offers a balanced approach. It allows you to experience the exciting pirate lifestyle, gain valuable rewards, and keep your options open. It’s the most engaging, lucrative, and overall satisfying route. It is a win-win for players who enjoy morally ambiguous gameplay and want the greatest return for their efforts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What happens if I refuse to infiltrate the Crimson Fleet?
If you refuse Ikande’s offer, you will get arrested and serve your time, paying a fine, or both. Later, the Crimson Fleet will hear of your refusal and will directly recruit you, but you’ll miss the covert experience.
2. Can I join the Crimson Fleet without being a spy?
Yes, you can. After getting caught and refusing the UC’s undercover offer, the Crimson Fleet will contact you later and offer you membership directly.
3. Does joining the Crimson Fleet affect other factions?
No, you can join multiple factions within Starfield. There are very few instances where actions for one faction have long lasting effects on other factions.
4. What are the benefits of joining the Crimson Fleet?
The benefits include: Crimson Fleet ships will no longer attack you, access to The Key space station (where you can sell contraband and acquire shielded cargo), access to vendors with special items, and unique quest rewards.
5. How do I initiate the infiltration of the Crimson Fleet?
You need to start the “Deep Cover” quest by taking the Vanguard oath and then going to the Mast district in New Atlantis and convincing Adler Kemp to gain an audience with Naeva Mora.
6. Can I side with the Crimson Fleet after going undercover?
Yes, you can. The game does not make you commit to the UC until the very end. You will have to make a final choice but your initial decision to infiltrate will not lock you into a particular outcome.
7. What is the reward for completing the Crimson Fleet questline?
The rewards include two legendary unique weapons, access to the best illegal ship parts, access to The Key and its unique vendors, a safe way to sell contraband, and a substantial 250,000 credit reward.
8. What happens when you finish the Crimson Fleet questline?
You will have to make a choice on who to side with: either the Crimson Fleet or the UC. This will impact who lives or dies, and what facilities you have access to going forward.
9. Can I do both UC and Crimson Fleet quests?
Yes, you can do both storylines. However, you have to pick a side after you obtain Kryx’s Legacy, so you can’t do all questlines for both.
10. Is it better to choose UC or Crimson Fleet?
Ultimately the choice is up to the player. However, the Crimson Fleet rewards are generally better, and you can always complete the UC questline on a different play through. The Key is one of the best places to sell items in the game.
11. What is the best ship in the Crimson Fleet?
The Crimson Wight, and its upgraded versions (II and III), are the best ships the Crimson Fleet offers and can be found at The Key.
12. Should I work with Mathis in Starfield?
Yes, you should work with Mathis. Siding with him unlocks benefits later and doesn’t lock you into betraying Delgado.
13. What happens if I have a bounty with the Crimson Fleet?
While you’re a member of the Crimson Fleet, you can clear a bounty on yourself by traveling to a Freestar Collective or UC space port and paying it off at a bounty terminal.
14. What to do with the Crimson Fleet Ghost ship?
You can kill the crew, board the ship, kill the remaining crew, and then it will become yours once you take off from the planet and land again.
15. How do you side with the Crimson Fleet in Starfield?
You choose to side with the Crimson Fleet during the final mission of their questline. Doing so requires killing Commander Ikande and taking over the Vigilance.
In conclusion, infiltrating the Crimson Fleet is the optimal choice for most players in Starfield. It provides a richly engaging storyline, superior rewards, and doesn’t force you into a decision until the very end. The compelling narrative, combined with the valuable benefits, make this path the most rewarding for your time in the game. Embrace the dual role and the intriguing choices that come with it.