How to assign crew to ships and outposts in Starfield

Starfield: The character on an unknown planet
Credit: Bethesda

Starfield: The character on an unknown planet
Credit: Bethesda
October 31, 2023: We've got everything you need to know about how to assign crew to ships and outposts in our guide.

If you've gathered an impressive crew in Starfield, you might be wondering how to assign crew to ships and outposts in Starfield.

As you venture through the game, apart from your trusty companions like Barrett or Lin, you'll stumble upon new recruits in different cities, just waiting to join your ranks - for the right price, of course. Assigning them to ships is actually straightforward, but for outposts, you’ll have to build a station first.

By the way, if you're looking to learn even more about the game, make sure to take a look at our guide on how to hire crew members in Starfield. On top of that, you can also read our article on how to turn on your flashlight in Starfield. We've also got a full Starfield guides hub for you to check out!

How to assign crew members in Starfield

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to assign crew members:

  • First, go to the data menu by pressing TAB on PC, where you can also select skills and weapons.
  • Next, you need to go to the Ship menu, which can be found in the lower left corner.
  • After that, click the Crew button by pressing C on the PC.
  • Here you can see a list of all crew members. Select the one you need, and you can assign them to one of your ships or outposts.

You can assign them to a ship immediately. As for assigning crew to outposts, you should select and place an outpost beacon in the construction menu. Next, you need to build a Crew Station, for which you will need these materials:

  • Two Iron
  • Three Nickel
  • Five Aluminum

Now your companions will be able to work there for the benefit of the whole crew.

Starfield: Frontier
expand image
Credit: Bethesda

How to increase the number of crew slots in Starfield

At the beginning of the game, your ship has only three crew slots. To increase the size of the crew that can fly with you, you can upgrade your ship or buy a new one. Another way out is to upgrade the Ship Command skill. It is unlocked when you spend 12 skill points in the social tree and at its maximum level, you can have as many as eight active companions. Of course, you'll need a bigger ship than the Frontier to do so!

You can increase the number of people working at the outpost by improving the Outpost Management skill. It will become available when you spend eight skill points in the social tree. Each skill level offers different upgrades for outposts. After increasing it to the third level, you will be able to assign an additional team to any of your outposts.

Also, if you are looking for more content like this, here we have an article on how to buy new ships in Starfield, make sure to check it out!