How to Pay Off Bounty in Starfield: Complete Guide

In Bethesda’s highly-anticipated space RPG Starfield, the bounty system plays a significant role in shaping the player’s experience. As you explore the vast universe and interact with various factions, it’s crucial to understand how bounties work and the consequences of accruing them. The Starfield bounty system includes penalties for committing crimes and provides options for removing them, ensuring that players must carefully navigate their actions and relationships with different organizations.

What is a Bounty in Starfield?

A bounty in Starfield is essentially a penalty placed on the player for engaging in criminal activities, such as pickpocketing, possessing smuggled goods, or accidentally harming NPCs. These bounties can lead to hostile interactions with factions and guards, significantly impacting your ability to navigate the game world and complete quests. The Starmap, a navigational tool in Starfield, allows you to check your current bounties and the factions that have placed them, helping you manage your criminal status.

Consequences of Having a Bounty

Having a bounty in Starfield can result in various consequences, depending on the severity of your crimes and the factions involved. Guards, who enforce the law in the game’s Settled Systems, can arrest you for having bounties, leading to jail time or the need to pay substantial fines. Jail time results in a loss of experience points and stolen goods, while paying off a bounty may require you to surrender contraband items. Additionally, bounties can affect your ability to complete quests and join certain factions, making bounty management a crucial aspect of your Starfield experience.

Methods to Pay Off Bounties in Starfield

To maintain positive relationships with factions and avoid the consequences of criminal activities, Starfield offers several methods for paying off bounties:

Method	Description
Pay a Fee	Players can directly pay the bounty amount using credits, the in-game currency. Bounty fees range from 600 to 100,000 credits, depending on the severity of the crime.
Serve Jail Time	Opting to serve jail time results in a loss of XP and stolen goods but allows players to clear their bounty without spending credits.
Bribe Guards	In certain locations, such as Neon, players can attempt to bribe guards to clear their bounties. Bribery costs start at 3,000 credits but can be reduced with the Negotiation skill.

Using Self-Service Bounty Clearance Kiosks

One of the most convenient ways to pay off bounties in Starfield is by using the Trackers Alliance Self-Service Bounty Clearance Kiosks. These devices, found in major settlements and near Mission Boards, allow players to clear their criminal records independently. Self-service bounty clearance streamlines the process, enabling you to manage your bounties without directly interacting with faction representatives or guards.

Paying Bounties to Guards

In some cases, you may need to pay your bounties directly to guards. However, this method comes with additional consequences, such as the loss of stolen goods. Attempting to bribe guards is another option, with bribery costs starting at 3,000 credits. Investing in the Negotiation skill, part of the game’s social skill tree, can help reduce bribery costs and increase your chances of successfully clearing your bounty through this method.

Serving Jail Time

If you cannot afford to pay your bounty or prefer not to spend credits, serving jail time is another way to clear your criminal record. While serving time will result in a loss of experience points, it does not reduce your level progress. Keep in mind that jail time also leads to losing stolen goods, so carefully weigh your options before choosing this method.

Locations for Bounty Clearance

To clear your bounties in Starfield, you must visit specific locations depending on the factions involved and the severity of your crimes.

Major Settlements and Mission Boards

Self-service Bounty Clearance Kiosks are typically located in major settlements and near Mission Boards throughout the game world. These terminals offer a convenient way to manage your bounties without having to track down specific faction representatives or travel to distant locations. Keep an eye out for these kiosks as you explore the various settlements in Starfield.

Key Locations: Mars, Deimos, and Jemison

In addition to major settlements, certain key locations in Starfield, such as Mars, Deimos, and Jemison, feature Bounty Clearance terminals where you can address your criminal status. These locations may be associated with specific factions or have unique requirements for bounty clearance, so be prepared to navigate the local politics and regulations when attempting to clear your record.

Tips for Managing Bounties Effectively

To minimize the impact of bounties on your Starfield experience, consider the following tips:

Utilizing the Negotiation Skill

Investing in the Negotiation skill can significantly reduce the cost of bribes and increase your chances of successfully clearing bounties through dialogue. As part of the game’s social skill tree, improving your negotiation abilities can lead to more favorable outcomes when interacting with guards and faction representatives.

Avoiding Common Causes of Bounties

Prevention is often the best strategy when it comes to managing bounties in Starfield. Be mindful of your actions and avoid common causes of bounties, such as:

Pickpocketing
Possession of smuggled goods
Accidental harm to NPCs

By steering clear of these activities, you can minimize the risk of accruing bounties and maintain positive relationships with the game’s factions.

Impact of Bounties on Gameplay

The bounty system in Starfield has far-reaching consequences that can significantly impact your gameplay experience.

Effect on Quest Completion

Having a bounty can hinder your ability to complete certain quests, as some factions may refuse to work with you until your criminal record is cleared. This can lead to delays in story progression and limit your access to specific rewards or resources tied to those quests. Regularly managing your bounties ensures that you can continue to pursue the game’s various storylines without unnecessary obstacles.

Joining Factions with a Bounty

Bounties can also affect your ability to join certain factions in Starfield. Some organizations may have strict requirements regarding criminal history, barring players with outstanding bounties from becoming members. If you have a particular faction in mind that you’d like to join, prioritize clearing any relevant bounties to increase your chances of being accepted into their ranks.

In conclusion, the bounty system in Starfield adds a layer of depth and consequence to your actions as you navigate the game’s vast universe. By understanding the various methods for clearing bounties, the locations where you can do so, and the potential impact on your gameplay experience, you’ll be better equipped to manage your criminal status and maintain positive relationships with the factions you encounter. Stay vigilant, utilize the tools at your disposal, and remember that in Starfield, your choices can have far-reaching consequences.

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