Love and loyalty are just as important as firepower in the vast reaches of Starfield’s galaxy. As you chart your course among the stars, only four companions-Sarah Morgan, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Andreja-can become more than just crewmates, with each relationship unfolding through carefully chosen words, shared adventures, and a hidden affinity system that rewards your choices and flirtations. Ready to see which Constellation member might steal your heart-or break it-on your journey across the cosmos?
Even if you aren’t romantically interested one of the potential partners, it’s a good idea to deepen your relationship with them anyway. Doing so unlocks their companion quests, which delve into their backgrounds and resolve some lingering issues and trauma, adding some deeper context to their actions in the game.
This guide explains how romance works in Starfield and how to raise approval with your four romance interests.
All Starfield romance options
Starfield features four romance options, all of whom are core members of the Constellation faction you encounter as part of the main storyline: Sarah Morgan, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Andreja. While there are over twenty companions available in the game, only these four can be romanced, regardless of your character’s gender or background. Building a romantic relationship involves raising a hidden affinity stat by making choices and taking actions your chosen companion appreciates, eventually unlocking special side missions and the possibility of marriage. Other companions and NPCs may have flirtatious dialogue, but only these four offer a full romance arc.
While you can recruit and travel with several companions in Starfield, only your four Constellation friends count as romance options.
Here are all romance options in Starfield:
- Andreja
- Barrett
- Sarah
- Sam Coe
Your named companions, such as Andromeda and Heller, don’t have personal quests, and you cannot romance them.
Sarah joins once you agree to work with Constellation. She hands you off to Sam in Akila during the “Empty Nest” mission. You can find and recruit Andreja after progressing a little in the “Into the Unknown” mission and Barrett during the “Back to Vectera” quest, which branches off from “Into the Unknown.”
These four remain permanently available after you recruit them, and while you can only take one companion with you at a time, the others will remain at Constellation where you can request their company at almost any time. Some missions, such as companion quests and “Empty Nest,” lock a certain companion by your side, and you can’t swap them out until you complete the mission.
How romance works in Starfield, and how best to deepen relationships
Romance in Starfield revolves around building relationships with one of four romanceable companions-Sarah Morgan, Sam Coe, Andreja, and Barrett-all members of the Constellation crew. To deepen a relationship, you must travel with your chosen companion, engage in actions and dialogue choices that align with their values, and use clearly marked [Flirt] options during conversations to express romantic interest. As your hidden Affinity score with a companion increases, you’ll unlock more personal backstory, eventually triggering a unique companion quest tied to that character. Successfully completing this quest and choosing to commit will lock you into a romantic partnership, so avoid flirting with others if you wish to remain exclusive. To maximize your relationship, avoid actions your companion disapproves of, take time for sidequests together, and consider unlocking the Leadership skill to boost Affinity gains.
Starfield romance unfolds in a manner similar to previous Bethesda games, including Skyrim and Fallout 4. Your companions have an invisible affinity meter that raises or lowers depending on your actions and conversation choices in certain circumstances. Just traveling with them seems to have no effect on their approval rating.
Starfield’s campaign is comparatively short and gives you fewer opportunities to bond. The best way to improve your relationship with your intended partner is taking them with you on side quests, ideally more involved ones such as faction missions or lengthy side quests like you find on Cydonia.
Romance interests don’t mind if you join with Ryujin Industries or other, less savory organizations, but they will react to the choices you make during faction missions. If you choose to kill Rake and the New Homestead settlers during the Crimson Fleet questline, for example, don’t expect Sarah Morgan or Sam Coe to be happy about it.
New activities trigger once your affinity with a romance partner reaches certain milestones, and they direct you to speak with that character. The first few instances are always deeper conversations about their background. Choose kind and supportive responses to avoid offending them, and when an option appears with the [Flirt] tag, always choose that one. The character’s response might seem guarded or even annoyed, but it won’t harm your relationship and is the only way to move it into romantic territory.
Eventually, your romance interest will ask for your help with a personal problem. This request kicks off their companion questline – which, admittedly, is just one quest in most cases. Continue speaking kindly with them, and the conversation will turn more intimate. Choose the [Romance] option if you want to pursue a romantic relationship or the [Friendship] choice if you’d rather keep things platonic.
How does commitment / marriage work in Starfield?
In Starfield, commitment and marriage are the culmination of building a strong relationship with one of the four romanceable companions: Sarah Morgan, Sam Coe, Barrett, or Andreja. To reach this stage, you must first increase your chosen companion’s affinity by traveling with them, making choices they approve of, and consistently selecting [Flirt] dialogue options when available. Once your relationship has developed enough, the companion will offer a unique “commitment” quest, which, upon completion, leads to a marriage ceremony. The ceremony itself can be intimate or include guests, depending on your partner’s preferences. After marriage, your spouse will regularly offer unique dialogue, gifts, and the option to sleep together, which grants a temporary XP boost. If you wish to end the relationship, divorce is also possible, though it comes with its own emotional consequences in the game.
You’re officially an item if you choose the romance option, and you can either keep it at that or carry it further into a proper “commitment,” which is Starfield speak for marriage. Commitment involves a few steps, including finding someone to officiate and the optional step of inviting guests. Some partners, like Sam, also ask you to get a family member’s or loved one’s blessing first.
Like in Skyrim, marriage in Starfield doesn’t seem to change much. However, if you rest in a bed with your partner as a companion, you’ll get a slightly higher XP buff from the well-rested condition – 15 percent, up from the usual 10 percent.
Can you have multiple relationships in Starfield?
In Starfield, you can flirt with and build early romantic connections with multiple companions at the same time, but you cannot maintain deep, committed relationships with more than one character simultaneously. As your relationships progress, each companion will eventually seek exclusivity, prompting you to choose a single partner if you want to fully pursue their romantic storyline. Once you commit to one companion-marked by a “Commit” or “Romance” dialogue option-attempting to romance others can lead to jealousy or block further romance options until you end the current relationship. However, you are free to break up with a committed partner and then start a new romance with another companion, allowing you to experience multiple relationships in a single playthrough, just not at the same time. Polyamorous relationships are not supported in the base game, though mods may offer this possibility.
You can romance all available love interests in Starfield without any negative effects on your in-game relationships, though after committing to one, I didn’t have the option to commit to another for the rest of that playthrough.
With all the above in mind, here’s how to romance the four available options.
How to romance Sarah in Starfield
To romance Sarah Morgan in Starfield, you must first recruit her as your companion by completing the “The Old Neighborhood” main quest and then set her as your active companion. As you travel together, focus on making choices that align with her values: Sarah appreciates diplomacy, kindness, and support for Constellation’s mission, so resolve conflicts peacefully, show enthusiasm for exploration, and avoid criminal or underhanded actions like stealing or harming innocents. Whenever possible, select the [FLIRT] dialogue option to signal your interest. As your affinity with Sarah increases-indicated by “Sarah approved of that” messages-you’ll eventually unlock her personal quest, “In Memoriam.” Complete this quest, then choose the [ROMANCE] option during a private conversation to start a romantic relationship, and later select [COMMITMENT] to propose marriage.
Sarah is the head of Constellation and a former UC Vanguard marine with a strong sense of duty, deep curiosity, and a love of exploration. She gradually opens up to you about a dark secret in her past as you get to know her, and her quest, “In Memoriam,” helps her put that past to rest.
To romance Sarah, she generally approves of:
- Actions that help the underdog
- If you’re tasked with collecting a debt, for example, find a way to pay it off instead of harassing the debtor
- Generosity
- Give a big tip to the New Homestead tour director
- A favorable attitude toward Constellation
- Kindness and sympathy
- Justice
- Letting her speak to resolve a situation when the opportunity arises
Finally, avoid harming or taking advantage of people while Sarah is with you.
How to romance Sam Coe in Starfield
To romance Sam Coe in Starfield, start by completing the early main quest “The Empty Nest” to unlock him as a companion. Keep Sam as your active companion and consistently choose actions and dialogue options that align with his values-support the Freestar Rangers, show kindness to his daughter Cora, and demonstrate honesty and justice. Whenever a [FLIRT] option appears during conversations, select it to signal your interest and build affinity. As your relationship deepens, Sam will eventually open up about personal matters, leading to his companion quest, “Matters of the Hart.” Complete this quest and then choose the [ROMANCE] dialogue when prompted. To fully commit, you’ll need Cora’s approval before selecting the [COMMITMENT] option, which unlocks the path to marrying Sam at the Coe Estate in Akila City.
Sam Coe is your typical cowboy type – a free-roaming, rough-and-tumble character who’s less attached to rules and regulations than Sarah. He appreciates exploration and the roaming lifestyle, and he’s keen to avoid the entrapment of his family lineage. The Coe bunch is a big deal in Akila, though you can help with a reconciliation during Sam’s commitment ceremony.
To romance Sam, he generally approves of:
- You saying nice things about Cora and having positive ideas about parenting
- Kindness
- Like with Sarah, you should be generous and help the underdog when Sam is around
- Obeying the law
- Say you’d never dream of exporting Aurora when speaking with Sophie at Neon’s spaceport
- Positive attitudes toward the Freestar Rangers
- Bonus points if you join the Rangers
- You siding against his father, Jacob
- You being unimpressed by his social status and family connections
Avoid demanding money for quests, harming people, or generally being unpleasant while Sam is around. He’s less averse to breaking the rules than Sarah, but he still prefers to play on the right side of the law.
How to romance Andreja in Starfield
To romance Andreja in Starfield, you must first unlock her as a companion by completing the “Into the Unknown” main quest. Once she joins your crew, set her as your active companion and travel together, making choices that align with her values-she appreciates boldness, honesty, and protecting innocents, but dislikes cruelty toward civilians and greed-driven actions. As your affinity with Andreja grows, always select the [Flirt] dialogue option when it appears to deepen your relationship. Eventually, reaching a high enough affinity will trigger her companion quest, “Divided Loyalties.” Complete this quest and, during your conversation at The Lodge, choose the [Romance] option to start a relationship with her. Later, you can propose by selecting the [Commitment] option, leading to marriage and unlocking additional in-game benefits.
Andreja is something of an exception in Constellation, a woman with a less privileged past who isn’t afraid to venture into morally gray areas to get a job done. Andreja feels like an outsider and appreciates someone who understands her background and point of view, and her not-so-secret secret is that she has ties to House Va’ruun – hence the dead Va’ruun Zealot when you first meet her. Andreja’s quest centers on resolving problems with her former comrades.
To romance Andreja, she generally approves of:
- Intimidating or punishing villains
- Stealing from enemies
- Don’t pickpocket your allies, or Andreja won’t be happy
- Your admiration that she managed to get through life alone
- Commitment to your friends
- Tell Andreja you’ll be there for her no matter what, when prompted
- Approval of House Va’ruun
- If you complete the Friends Like These quest, say you’ll use the House’s archive for good
Anreja can’t stand cowardice, lies, or weakness, so avoid accepting bribes or expressing uncertainty.
How to romance Barrett in Starfield
To romance Barrett in Starfield, you must first complete the “Back to Vectera” main quest, which allows you to recruit him as a companion. Once Barrett is traveling with you, focus on raising his affinity by consistently choosing kind, humorous, and morally upstanding actions-he appreciates jokes and acts of kindness but dislikes arrogance, criminal behavior, or violence. Engage in conversations with him whenever prompted, and always select the [FLIRT] dialogue option when available to deepen your relationship. As your bond grows, Barrett will open up about his late husband, leading to the “Breach of Contract” companion quest. Help Barrett investigate his husband’s past, provide financial support when requested, and gather all available evidence for the best outcome. After completing the quest, choose the [ROMANCE] dialogue option, and then confirm your commitment to unlock the possibility of marriage with Barrett.
Barrett is a seemingly happy-go-lucky adventurer with a penchant for puns and a passion for doing the right thing. Grief marked Barrett’s past, but while his former marriage is a point of sadness and distress initially, you can help him come to terms with what happened and even clear his husband’s name. These options are available even if you choose to stay Barrett’s friend instead of his lover.
To romance Barrett, he generally approves of:
- Helping those in need
- Being generous with money
- You appreciating or adding to his jokes
- Not pressing the Ervin matter until he’s ready to talk about it
- You agreeing to help fund a mission to clear Ervin’s name when the subject arises
What secrets do the romance options in Starfield reveal about their personalities
The romance options in Starfield-Andreja, Barrett, Sam Coe, and Sarah Morgan-each reveal distinct facets of their personalities through their preferences, dialogue, and the choices they respond to most positively:
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Andreja is enigmatic and values directness and resolve. Her guarded nature and mysterious past mean she only opens up after trust is built, revealing deep regrets and a search for purpose. She appreciates honesty and dislikes indecisiveness, and her willingness to overlook minor crimes (but not harm to innocents) hints at a pragmatic, independent streak.
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Barrett is upbeat and witty despite a tragic history, including the loss of his husband. He values empathy, scientific curiosity, and positivity, and dislikes arrogance or immoral actions. Barrett’s openness about his past and his preference for ethical choices showcase a resilient and compassionate personality.
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Sam Coe is a principled former Freestar Ranger who holds strong moral values and deep loyalty to his daughter, Cora. He is attracted to righteousness and respect for the Freestar Rangers, and expects players to treat Cora with kindness, revealing his sense of responsibility and dedication to family.
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Sarah Morgan is diplomatic, rule-abiding, and prefers peaceful solutions. She is turned off by violence, lying, or stealing, and values praise for Constellation and adherence to its ideals. Her approach to romance highlights her integrity, sense of duty, and desire for meaningful connection rooted in mutual respect.
Through their romance arcs, each companion’s unique worldview and emotional depth are gradually revealed, making the process of building a relationship as much about understanding their core values as it is about flirtation.
What do Andreja’s directness and past regrets reveal about her personality traits
Andreja’s directness and her willingness to discuss past regrets reveal several key personality traits. Her appreciation for direct and resolute answers, and her dislike of half-measures, indicate that she values honesty, decisiveness, and straightforwardness in both herself and others. This directness suggests a strong, no-nonsense character who prefers clarity over ambiguity.
Her openness about her past and regrets, which she shares once trust is established, points to a reflective and self-aware nature. Andreja’s willingness to confront her history and seek resolution demonstrates emotional depth, a capacity for vulnerability, and a desire for personal growth. These traits, combined with her mysterious aura and moral compass, make her a complex companion who values meaningful connections and integrity.
