At the end of the Eye of the Storm Crimson Fleet quest in Starfield, you are presented with a difficult choice – should you side with the Crimson Fleet or the UC SysDef in the final battle?
Before this, you were tasked with retrieving Kryx’s legacy from Bannoc IV during the earlier portion of Eye of the Storm.
You had to use the Construction Grid module to survive the system’s harsh electromagnetic conditions, before retrieving Kryx’s Legacy.
When leaving Bannoc IV, you must decide whether to bring Kryx’s legacy to the Crimson Fleet or UC SysDef. This choice will impact how both of these factions view you for the rest of the game.
Below, we go over all the outcomes of this choice and the pros and cons of each.
Should You Side with the Crimson Fleet or UC SysDef in Eye of the Storm?
We recommend choosing to give Kryx’s Legacy to the Crimson Fleet in the Eye of the Storm quest in Starfield. This is because it gives you continued access to the Key and results in fewer gameplay restrictions overall.
Choosing the Crimson Fleet will result in helping them take down the UC SysDef during the next mission, Legacy’s End.
Conversely, siding with UC SysDef will see you take out the Crimson Fleet once and for all.
Whoever you choose, you shall receive the following rewards:
From a gameplay perspective, siding with the Crimson Fleet seems like the best choice. This is because you gain more in the long run with far fewer repercussions. We go over each choice below.
What Happens if You Choose to Side with the Crimson Fleet in Eye of the Storm?
If you choose the Crimson Fleet during the Eye of the Storm, you will still be able to visit the Key, and Crimson Fleet pirates will not attack you for the rest of the game.
Here are all the outcomes for siding with the Crimson Fleet in Eye of the Storm:
- Destroy the UC Vigilance during the Legacy’s End quest
- 250,000 Credits & 350 XP at the end of the questline (after completing Legacy’s End)
- Continued access to the Key
- Crimson Fleet pirates will not attack you for the rest of the game
- You are also granted safe access through Crimson Fleet territory
- Can no longer access the UC Vigilance or SysDef mission board
- If you are with a companion, they will dislike this option and your affinity with them decreases
It’s important to note that, despite destroying the UC Vigilance, you are still free to explore US SysDef-occupied space without any consequences when everything wraps up.
The best thing about siding with the Crimson Fleet in the Eye of the Storm is the continued access to their base of operations, the Key. This is because it allows you to visit one of the best places to sell your stuff in Starfield.
The Depot area on the Key has a lot of vendors where you can sell all your gear in one go, including any contraband you have in your possession. It also has the vendor with the most amount of credits in the game.
In addition to this, you can also purchase Shielded Cargo Modules at the Key, as well as Scan Jammers to smuggle contraband on your ship.
Lastly, all Crimson Fleet pirates will not attack you for the rest of your time in Starfield. This can make looting Fleet-occupied bases and outposts a lot easier but may feel a little underwhelming for those who like a fight.
What Happens if You Choose to Side with UC SysDef in Eye of the Storm?
If you choose the UC SysDef during the Eye of the Storm quest in Starfield, you will be able to visit the UC Vigilance but lose access to the Key and all of its benefits.
Here are all the outcomes for siding with the UC SysDef in Eye of the Storm:
- Attack the Key with the UC Vigilance during the Legacy’s End quest
- 250,000 Credits & 350 XP at the end of the questline (after completing Legacy’s End)
- Continued access to the Vigilance
- Crimson Fleet pirates will attack you for the rest of the game
- Can no longer access the Key or Crimson Fleet mission board
- If you are with a companion, they will like this option and your affinity with them increases
One of the main reasons you may want to side with the UC SysDef during the Eye of the Storm is that you may feel morally obligated to do so.
Crimson Fleet pirates have been a deadly nuisance to the peaceful citizens of the United Colonies for far too long. Those opting for a ‘good’ playthrough of Starfield may just want to put a stop to them once and for all. Also, your Constellation companions will like you a lot more for it.
Despite maintaining moral standards, siding with the UC SysDef is inferior in pretty much every other way.
Sure, you get access to the Vigilance when all is said and done, but it offers no advantages other than the smug satisfaction you get after facing some of the scumbags you helped put away in the ship’s brig.
Losing access to the Key is a real blow, as you’ll miss out on one of the best places to sell your gear and buy exclusive modules for your ship, such as Scan Jammers and Shielded Cargo.
Thankfully, it’s not the only place you can buy these items in the game, so there’s still hope for all the do-gooders out there!
