Leaving the Crimson Fleet in Starfield: Everything You Need To Know

Leaving the Crimson Fleet in Starfield? In the expansive sci-fi world of Starfield, players have the option to join different factions and alliances. One of these is the ruthless Crimson Fleet, a faction of space pirates. However, some players who initially join the Crimson Fleet later have a change of heart and want to switch sides. But leaving the Crimson Fleet is not so simple. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about breaking ties with the Crimson Fleet and the potential consequences.

Understanding Faction Relationships in Starfield

Before getting into the specifics of leaving the Crimson Fleet, it’s important to understand how faction relationships work in Starfield. Joining a faction aligns your character with their objectives and ideologies. It also makes you an enemy of rival factions.

For example, joining the Crimson Fleet makes you hostile towards the United Colonies and their Vanguard faction. Likewise, starting the Vanguard questline to join the UC will immediately make you enemies with the Crimson Fleet pirates you previously aligned with.

These relationships have major effects on your game experience. Factions you are friendly with will offer quests, upgrades, and benefits. Factions you oppose will attack you on sight. So switching faction allegiance is not just a roleplaying choice – it has significant impacts on gameplay.

Why Leave the Crimson Fleet?

Most players join the Crimson Fleet early on, drawn in by the promise of space piracy. However, some later regret this choice for several reasons:

• They want to take a more lawful path by joining the Vanguard
• The Crimson Fleet’s evil actions begin to turn them off
• They miss out on Vanguard quests and exclusive loot
• Bounty hunters constantly attack them in civilized systems

Whatever the reason, some come to see the Crimson Fleet as more trouble than they are worth. But extricating yourself from a pirate faction is difficult due to their vicious nature.

Is There a Grace Period to Switch or Leaving the Crimson Fleet in Starfield?

Unfortunately, there is no built-in grace period where you can easily change faction allegiance in Starfield. Once you complete the Crimson Fleet questline, you are considered a permanent member. The game will then treat you as affiliated with them no matter what you do afterwards.

Some players report that if you do not finish the core Crimson Fleet quests, you may be able to switch sides later on. But this does not always seem to work. In general, after a certain point of alignment with the pirates, your reputation with them is locked in.

Consequences of Leaving the Crimson Fleet

Betraying a bloodthirsty faction of space pirates comes with predictable consequences. Here is what happens if you turn against the Crimson Fleet:

• All members will become permanently hostile and attack you on sight. Their bases and ships are no longer safe havens.
• You will fail any unfinished Crimson Fleet quests in your log.
• You lose access to powerful Crimson Fleet allies, trainers, gear, and benefits reserved for members.
• Rival factions like the UC see you as a pirate sympathizer and will not fully welcome you.

Some players expected betraying the Crimson Fleet would restore their reputation with lawful factions. Unfortunately, this is not the case. You are essentially left with no allies and enemies on all sides.

Is There Any Way to Restore Your Reputation?

Once you are locked in as a Crimson Fleet member, there are only a few options to improve your standing with other factions:

• Pay off all bounties: Using the Bounty Payer terminals can slowly reduce your wanted level and improve relations with lawful groups. But it is expensive.
• Complete quests for rival factions: Taking on jobs for factions like the UC will gradually move the needle on your reputation, but it is a long grind.
• Use console commands or mods: On PC, you can use console commands and mods to directly alter faction reputation values. But this disables achievements.

No method completely resets your relationships or removes the stigma of being an ex-pirate. The game is designed to make betrayal have lasting consequences. There are no easy fixes.

Should You Leave the Crimson Fleet?

Before you decide to turn your back on the most ruthless pirates in the Settled Systems, carefully consider whether it is worth it. Here are some key factors to weigh:

• How far are you? If you already completed the main Crimson Fleet questline, it may be better to stick with them rather than tank your reputation across the board. But if you are still early on, switching may be viable.
• Do you value roleplaying? Some players want to change course because the Crimson Fleet no longer fits their character’s morality and motives. If roleplaying immersion matters to you, betraying them can make sense.
• Are you prepared for the consequences? Going rogue will bring the full force of the Crimson Fleet down on you. If you do not relish the idea of constant attacks, staying loyal may be better.
• Do you prefer easy access to gear/upgrades? The Crimson Fleet provides exclusive benefits and loot opportunities to allies. Leaving means losing their support network.

Carefully weighing these factors will help determine if you should actually follow through with leaving the Crimson Fleet or not. There is no right or wrong choice – just know the costs.

Betraying Before Legacy’s End Allows You to Leave

However, if you have not yet completed the final Legacy’s End quest, you can still betray the Crimson Fleet. Doing so will make them hostile and allow you to leave the faction. Here is how:

Step 1: Pay Off All Bounties

Before betraying the Crimson Fleet, you must clear your name of any crimes against them. Find a Bounty Collection Terminal located at planets owned by The Tracker’s Alliance. Pay off all bounties related to the Crimson Fleet. This will reset your reputation with them to neutral.

Step 2: Join the Vanguard Faction

Travel to New Atlantis and find the Vanguard representative located in the Mast. Speak to him to sign up and start doing missions for the Vanguard. After completing several missions, an option will appear to join Sysdef forces against the Crimson Fleet.

Step 3: Initiate the Sysdef Questline

Accept the quest to join Sysdef. This will automatically make you enemies with the Crimson Fleet. You will fail any unfinished Crimson Fleet quests in your log. From now on, they will attack you on sight. Congratulations, you have betrayed them!

Final Thoughts

Leaving a ruthless pirate faction like the Crimson Fleet is one of the most dramatic shifts you can make in Starfield. While it allows you to move toward a more lawful path, betraying the Fleet comes with serious consequences. Your reputation will tank, former allies will attack you, and restoring your standing will be an uphill battle.

But for some players, the moral stand is worth it. Before you decide to turn coat, carefully weigh both sides so you fully understand the results. While there are no easy fixes or outs, plotting your exit strategy smartly can make the transition a bit smoother. Just brace yourself for permanent enemies and an ongoing struggle to regain trust. With some determination