Starfield Quests and Missions List

Starfield has over 280 quests and missions spread across its main story, faction lines, side activities, and radiant objectives. This article explains the full quest structure, how to find each type, and what you can expect from the major quest chains.

Main Quest: One Small Step and Beyond

The main story, called the Constellation questline, begins with One Small Step and follows your character’s discovery of mysterious Artifacts. It is the only questline that cannot be missed and continues through roughly 20 main missions, ending with the Revelation and One Giant Leap quests. Completing the final mission unlocks New Game Plus, which resets the world but lets you keep your character level and skills.

Key main quests include Into the Unknown, All That Money Can Buy, High Price to Pay, and Entangled. The main story is fully voiced and features major choices that affect the ending, including whether you side with the Constellation faction or the mysterious Starborn.

Faction Quests: UC, Freestar, Ryujin, and Crimson Fleet

Four major factions offer their own multi-mission storylines, each with unique rewards and consequences.

• United Colonies (UC): The Vanguard questline starts with Supra Et Ultra and involves defending New Atlantis from alien threats. It includes the famous Groundpounder mission and ends with a dramatic choice about the UC’s military future.
• Freestar Collective: The Rangers questline begins with Job Gone Wrong and focuses on solving a murder mystery across the settled systems. It culminates in a showdown with the First Cavalry gang.
• Ryujin Industries: This corporate questline is stealth-oriented and starts with Back to the Grind. You perform corporate espionage and make ethical decisions about the company’s future.
• Crimson Fleet: This questline is unique because you can join the pirates or work undercover for UC SysDef. It starts with Deep Cover and ends with a massive space battle at the Key.

Each faction questline takes about 8–10 hours to complete and offers unique armor, weapons, and ship parts as rewards.

Side Quests and Activity Missions

Beyond the main and faction quests, Starfield has dozens of side quests that are often triggered by talking to named NPCs or finding locations. These are marked with a blue diamond in your quest log. Examples include Back to Vectera, First Contact, and The Empty Nest. Side quests often have multiple outcomes and can affect your reputation with factions or unlock new companions.

Activity missions are smaller objectives like “Talk to Sarah� or “Scan a planet.� They serve as breadcrumbs to lead you to new locations or advance companion relationships. They are not counted as full quests but still appear in your journal.

Radiant Quests and Procedural Missions

Radiant quests are procedurally generated and can be repeated infinitely. They are offered by mission boards located in major cities, space stations, and your own ship. Types include bounty hunting, cargo delivery, passenger transport, and surveying planets. These missions are great for earning credits and XP but have generic dialogue and objectives.

Radiant quests are also generated when you land on unexplored planets and find random structures. They are not tracked in the main quest log but appear as “Miscellaneous� objectives.

Companion and Romance Quests

Each of the four main companions—Sarah Morgan, Sam Coe, Barrett, and Andreja—has a personal questline that unlocks after you build enough affinity. These quests are emotional and often involve past traumas or family issues. For example, Sam Coe’s quest In Memoriam deals with his daughter Cora, while Barrett’s quest In Their Footsteps involves a mysterious ship.

Completing these quests is required to unlock romance options and unique companion perks. They are not marked as main quests but are essential for a full playthrough.

How to Track and Manage Your Quest Log

Your quest log is accessed from the pause menu. It is divided into sections: Main, Faction, Side, Activities, and Miscellaneous. You can track up to 20 quests at a time, but only one is shown on your HUD. To switch, open the log and press the “Set Active� button. The game also allows you to sort by distance or alphabetical order.

A common mistake is ignoring the Activities tab, which often contains important follow-up objectives that are easy to miss. Check this tab regularly, especially after completing main story missions.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common issue is that some quests become bugged, especially if you complete objectives out of order. For example, the mission No Sudden Moves can get stuck if you kill certain NPCs before triggering dialogue. Bethesda has patched many of these, but it’s wise to save before starting a quest and reload if something breaks.

Another misconception is that all quests are repeatable. Only radiant missions are infinite; side and faction quests have a fixed number and cannot be replayed without starting a new game or using New Game Plus.

Also, note that some quests are mutually exclusive. For instance, if you join the Crimson Fleet, you cannot complete the UC SysDef version of the final mission. The game warns you before making such choices.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many quests are in Starfield?

There are over 280 quests and missions, including the main story, faction quests, side quests, and radiant missions. The exact number varies because radiant quests are infinite.

Can I do all faction quests in one playthrough?

Yes, you can join all four factions and complete their questlines in a single playthrough. The only exception is the Crimson Fleet vs. UC SysDef choice, which locks you out of the opposing path.

Do side quests affect the main story?

Side quests do not affect the main story, but they can affect your companions’ opinions and unlock unique dialogue options. Some side quests also give you powerful gear that helps in the main story.

What is the best order to do quests?

There is no strict order, but a common strategy is to follow the main story until you recruit all four companions, then complete their personal quests, then do faction quests. Save radiant missions for when you need extra credits or XP.

Are there any missable quests?

Yes, some quests become unavailable if you progress too far in the main story. For example, certain companion quests may fail if you finish the final mission before completing them. Always prioritize companion quests before the endgame.

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