As we explore Best Religions in Starfield, we dig into the fascinating and diverse religious landscape, where cosmic riddles and existential issues merge in the center of the cosmos.
Key Points
- Religion plays a significant role in Starfield’s vast and diverse universe, allowing players to shape their characters’ beliefs and experiences. Starfield features three distinct religions: the Enlightened, the Sanctum Universum, and House Va’ruun, each with its beliefs, values, and advantages.
- Choosing a religion in Starfield is meaningful as it impacts the character’s journey, relationships, and gameplay experience. Each religion provides a different storyline experience, unique dialogue options, and missions, adding complexity to the game’s narrative.
- Starfield offers three religious traits for character creation: Raised Enlightened, Raised Universal, and Serpent’s Embrace, each granting distinct benefits and challenges. Players can formally associate their character with a religion by selecting a Religious Trait during character creation, unlocking unique missions and narratives related to that faith.
The idea of religion has significant relevance in the enormous Starfield universe, where undiscovered galaxies and far-off worlds appeal to explorers. In contrast to the real world, the Starfield universe has three different faiths, each with a complex web of social and cultural institutions. These systems include established ethical norms, governing structures, sacred literature, holy places, perspectives, principles, and regulated behaviors.
These religions in Starfield impact people’s lives, forming their thoughts and directing their behavior, much like those that exist in the real world. The central role religion performs in character development and the plot of Starfield distinguishes it from other games. Players can choose a religion for their characters in this realistic environment as they create them.
Each religion gives a different storyline experience because each faith offers unique dialogue options and missions. The complex network of relationships inside the Starfield universe is further complicated because the player’s chosen religion can affect how other parties within the game view them.
Players are not required to identify with any one religion, even though these religions present attractive perks and difficulties. The Starfield world can be explored without participating in any religious practices. Choosing a religion, however, opens up a wide range of gameplay sections and improves the entire gaming experience, so it is worth considering.
Religions Traits
The three religious traits available for selection during character creation are Raised Enlightened, Raised Universal, and Serpent’s Embrace. Each faith bestows unique benefits upon the player, ranging from valuable items to special dialogue options during quests. You must complete a simple procedure in Starfield to become a religious member.
First, advance through the game until you approach an essential stage, the finding of the Artifact and your next state of awareness. You will then enter the Character Creation Menu after having a chat with an in-game character at this point. You can carefully modify your character’s appearance in the Character Creation Menu. But character attributes are what we’re interested in here.
Go to the Traits tab, and you’ll see several choices there. There are three aforementioned unique Religious Traits among them. You’ll have to make a crucial decision here. Choose two non-religious attributes to accompany one of these religious features, or choose not to choose any religious traits.
You can formally associate your character with a particular religion by choosing a Religious Trait. As you become more familiar with the game’s features, this decision grants you access to various missions and narratives specialized to other religions. This choice, though optional, improves your galactic travels, helps to define your character, and gives your Starfield experience a few unique twists.
Although adopting a religion is not necessary to finish Starfield’s primary story, it unquestionably enhances the gameplay experience by presenting new insights into the function of faith in the far future. These religions provide richness and complexity to the overall storyline in the Starfield universe, where mankind has conquered space travel and thrived throughout various communities, creating a genuinely realistic interstellar trip.
As mentioned before, I do not think there’s any definitive best religion in Starfield. It depends on what a specific player requires in their build, so below is some information and pros and cons related to all Starfield religions.
Enlightened (Raised Enlightened)
| Pros of The Enlightened: | Cons of The Enlightened: |
|---|---|
| The Enlightened faith places a high emphasis on science and reason, which could potentially offer benefits for projects related to science and chemistry within the game. | Selecting the "Raised Enlightened" trait prevents players from choosing any other religions, limiting their options for different gameplay experiences. |
| Followers of The Enlightened enjoy significant discounts when shopping at the Enlightened store, helping them save resources and acquire essential items more efficiently. | While the chest within the House of the Enlightened offers resources and knowledge about the faith, the items may not be particularly impressive compared to other religions. |
| The faith's secular and agnostic nature allows players to explore the cosmos with a focus on human capability rather than reliance on a higher deity, appealing to those who prefer a non-religious approach. | The Enlightened faith's values may lead to conflicts with characters who hold opposing religious beliefs within the game, potentially affecting interactions and relationships. |
| The Enlightened are known for their humanitarian work across the universe, actively contributing to community development and the betterment of humanity. | As atheists, followers of The Enlightened do not rely on supernatural intervention, which might limit access to certain mystical or divine elements in the game. |
| Choosing The Enlightened grants players the "Raised Enlightened" trait, which unlocks exclusive treasures from a chest within the House of the Enlightened, providing valuable resources and unique items. |
The Enlightened gives players a special route through the game’s vast cosmos. Although savings are part of their primary trait reward, it’s possible that practicing this religion will also have benefits for projects in the fields of science and chemistry. This faith’s corresponding trait is “Raised Enlightened.” The Enlightened Way does, however, come with certain costs to consider.
The Enlightened religion appears to be more secular or agnostic. They are distinguished from more conventional religious structures by referring to their foundation as the “Organization,” which is interesting. Although there is still some suspense surrounding the three main religions in Starfield, gamers have stated that movies with animation or comprehensive descriptions of these beliefs would be an excellent addition to the game’s backstory.
Overall, The Enlightened offers a unique playstyle focusing on science, reason, and human self-sufficiency. It appeals to players who prefer a secular and rational approach to exploring the Starfield universe. However, the restrictions on other religions and potential conflicts should be considered when choosing.
Players who cling to the Enlightened faith are given the “Raised Enlightened” attribute, which prevents them from choosing other religions and offers an exclusive advantage. This advantage grants access to a stockpile of treasures obtained from a chest within the House of the Enlightened.
That chest is located in New Atlantis City in Starfield. Although not particularly stunning, the items in this chest give players useful resources, an improved knowledge of the Enlightened Creed, and a unique Settler Poncho costume.
Additionally, persons who follow the Enlightened faith gain access to particular discussion options that can help them interact with other believers while possibly putting them in conflict with others who hold opposing views.
Sanctum Universum (Raised Universal)
| Pros of Sanctum Universum (Raised Universal): | Cons of Sanctum Universum (Raised Universal): |
|---|---|
| Sanctum Universum provides players with a distinct religious viewpoint in Starfield, emphasizing the idea that space exploration is a divine calling to seek God in the cosmos. | Once players choose the "Raised Universal" trait, they are unable to select other religions, limiting their ability to experience alternative gameplay styles. |
| By choosing the "Raised Universal" trait, players gain access to a special chest in New Atlantis that contains valuable resources, additional religious knowledge, and a unique Neocity Poncho attire. | While the unique chest offers valuable items, it may not provide exceptionally unique or game-changing rewards compared to other religions. |
| Followers of Sanctum Universum receive significant discounts on a variety of goods in the Sanctum Universum store, helping them acquire essential items more affordably. | Players aligned with Sanctum Universum may find themselves in conflict with characters who follow different religious beliefs, impacting interactions and relationships within the game. |
| Players aligned with Sanctum Universum can engage in specific conversations with other believers, fostering constructive relationships within their faith, although this may lead to conflicts with followers of other religions. | Sanctum Universum's theology revolves around the concept of divine intervention through space exploration, potentially limiting access to supernatural or mystical elements in the game. |
| Players have the flexibility to remove the Raised Universal Trait after obtaining the chest's contents, allowing them to explore other religious paths or remain without a religious affiliation. |
As a centralized, orderly religion with a distinct philosophy, the Sanctum Universum in Starfield can be compared to space Christianity. The basic principle of this religion is that the development of grav jump technology and the capacity for mankind to travel through the cosmos represent an intervention from God pushing humans to seek Him out throughout the cosmos.
Sanctum Universum supporters, also called “Universals,” believe that a higher power created the universe. This religion starkly contrasts the Enlightened, representing two worldviews within the game’s theological landscape. Only a few years had passed after the founding of the Sanctum Universum faith preceding the events of Starfield.
Although not particularly unique, this cache contains useful materials, additional knowledge about religion, and a festive Neocity Poncho attire. Additionally, followers of the Sanctum Universum faith gain access to conversational channels that encourage constructive relationships with other believers while possibly provoking conflict with followers of other faiths.
Because of Starfield’s versatility, players can immediately remove the Raised Universal Trait after taking possession of the Sanctum Universum chest’s material, guaranteeing that selecting this trait has few restrictions. This decision, however, emphasizes the contrast between the two faiths by limiting entry to the Enlightened store.
Players should take the NAT to the MAST District of New Atlantis to find the Sanctum Universum. They can exit the train, walk up the ramp, and then continue straight through the outside area, passing by the trees and the water elements.
The Sanctum Universum is a one-story structure with gold decorations that they will eventually come across. A yellow chest can be found within this building on the exterior wall of an office, although it will only be there if players have selected the Raised Universal Trait.
House Va’ruun (Serpent’s Embrace)
| Pros of House Va'ruun (Serpent's Embrace): | Cons of House Va'ruun (Serpent's Embrace): |
|---|---|
| House Va'ruun offers a distinctive and mysterious religious experience in Starfield, standing out from the more established religions of the Enlightened and Sanctum Universum. | The initial benefits of the "Serpent's Embrace" trait turn into a disadvantage after four hours, negatively impacting health and oxygen. This requires players to perform grav jumps regularly to maintain the bonus. |
| The "Serpent's Embrace" trait provides a gameplay mechanic tied to grav jumping, offering both benefits and drawbacks based on its usage, adding depth to the player's experience. | House Va'ruun is viewed as a cult by the wider civilization in Starfield, which may affect how other characters perceive and interact with players aligned with. |
| Players aligned with House Va'ruun receive a significant boost to health and oxygen for the first four in-game hours, enhancing their survivability during exploration and combat. | As of the base game, there is no dedicated questline for House Va'ruun, leaving players with the religious narrative and dialogue options but not a specific storyline. |
| Joining House Va'ruun opens up unique dialogue possibilities, allowing players to interact differently with followers of other religions and cults, potentially influencing relationships and outcomes. | The whereabouts of House Va'ruun's homeworld remain a mystery in the game, limiting players' opportunities for exploration and interaction with the cult's origins. |
| The worship of the Great Serpent and the belief in its cosmic hunger add rich mythological elements to the game, creating a captivating narrative backdrop. |
The third and one of the best religions in Starfield’s landscape is House Va’ruun. Contrary to the well-known religions of the Enlightened and the Sanctum Universum, House Va’ruun has a reputation for having more of a cult-like following, which adds an intriguing layer to the game’s plot. This mysterious cult bases its tenets on the mysterious being known as the Great Serpent.
Grav jumping is a distinctive ceremonial component of the worship of this celestial serpent, which is thought to possess the cosmic capacity to consume the entire cosmos. House Va’ruun members, renowned for their fervent dedication, view grav leaps as a way of tying the Settled Systems together in a serpentine design, signifying their belief in the Great Serpent.
Their conviction is based on the idea that the Serpent’s “hunger” anticipates the potential annihilation of planets and human communities throughout the Settled Systems. Violence has characterized the cult’s past, particularly the infamous Serpent’s Crusade, in which members waged a holy war to purge atheists. House Va’ruun, however, is looking for atonement and forgiveness for its past deeds in the game’s present.
The special “Serpent’s Embrace” trait is available to players who join House Va’ruun in Starfield. There are benefits as well as drawbacks to having this feature. For the first four in-game hours, it significantly boosts oxygen and health. After this time, however, the benefit turns into a disadvantage that adversely affects oxygen and health.
Players must constantly perform grav jumps to reset the debuff and restore the bonus. Aligning with House Va’ruun also opens up unique possibilities for conversation that can be utilized with followers of cults and have an impact on interactions with other faiths. House Va’ruun has mostly vanished from the civilized systems. Hence, its homeworld’s location is still unknown.
However, players may consider siding with the Enlightened or the Sanctum Universum for early-game advantages. Since none of the options restrict advancement in Starfield, the decision of religion ultimately comes down to personal preferences. Players can choose the “Serpent’s Embrace” Trait during character creation to join House Va’ruun.
It’s crucial to remember that while this characteristic offers special dialogue opportunities and grav jumping-related perks, there isn’t presently a separate House Va’ruun questline in the standard game. Uncertainty surrounds the prospect of such a questline appearing in the upcoming DLC.
House Va’ruun (Serpent’s Embrace) offers a unique and immersive religious experience in Starfield, with engaging gameplay mechanics and captivating lore. However, players should be aware of the potential drawbacks, such as the need for regular grav jumps and the cult’s reputation, when deciding if this religion aligns with their gameplay preferences. The absence of a dedicated questline and uncertainty about future DLC content also factor into the decision.
Hopefully, this article helped you in your quest for Best Religions in Starfield. Below are some more Starfield-related guides from us.
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