TL;DR
- Starfield officially limits you to one active follower at any time
- Use unfinished quest companions as permanent extra squad members through an exploit
- Emma Wilcox from Freestar Rangers questline is the most reliable option
- Avoid main quest companions as they disrupt the workaround
- Strategic quest management enables powerful three-person combat teams
Ever wondered if you could assemble a full three-person fireteam in Starfield’s vast universe? While the game’s mechanics impose strict limitations, experienced spacefarers have discovered clever workarounds to expand their squad size beyond the intended single companion.
When exploring Starfield‘s expansive star systems, you’ll encounter numerous potential crew members and allies. However, the game’s design enforces a solitary active follower system—selecting any new companion automatically dismisses your current one back to their ship assignment or original location. This restriction creates tactical challenges when facing overwhelming enemy encounters.
Officially, Bethesda’s design prevents multiple active followers in Starfield. The moment you formally recruit a companion through dialogue options, they become your designated active follower. Any previously accompanying character immediately returns to their designated post, whether that’s your vessel’s crew quarters or their initial discovery point.
Veteran RPG enthusiasts familiar with Bethesda’s game engines will recognize this exploit—it leverages temporary quest companions who join your party for specific missions. The key strategy involves identifying NPCs that accompany you during quests while deliberately avoiding quest completion. This approach essentially glitches the system into maintaining their follower status indefinitely, effectively granting you that coveted third squad member.
Before identifying the optimal candidate for this exploit, it’s crucial to understand which NPCs won’t serve as reliable long-term additions to your squad.
Tahir’s companionship ends the moment you exit The Well’s confined underground areas.
Understanding these limitations early prevents wasted effort pursuing companions with inherent restrictions. The most common mistake players make is investing time in quest-related characters who inevitably leave due to story progression requirements.
For players seeking a reliable second active follower in Starfield, Emma Wilcox emerges as the superior choice. You’ll encounter this character when initiating the Freestar Collective Rangers faction questline. Her unique combination of availability and stability makes her ideal for this exploit.
Emma Wilcox becomes available during specific Freestar Collective missions and can remain with you indefinitely if managed correctly.
The Freestar Collective Rangers questline typically becomes accessible after reaching character level 15-20 and visiting Akila City. Emma joins during the early stages of this faction storyline and, unlike main quest companions, her departure isn’t mandatory for campaign progression. This creates the perfect conditions for maintaining a permanent three-person squad.
Strategic timing is essential—begin the Rangers questline after establishing your primary companion but before engaging in high-difficulty content where the extra firepower becomes crucial. For optimal Battlefield 6 veterans familiar with squad-based tactics, this approach will feel particularly rewarding as it enables more complex combat maneuvers and role distribution.
Mastering companion exploitation requires understanding several advanced techniques that maximize effectiveness while minimizing risks.
Quest Progression Management: Carefully track which missions involve temporary companions and avoid completing objectives that would naturally conclude their accompaniment. Create separate save files before critical decision points as insurance against accidental progression.
Skill Synergy Optimization: When selecting your primary companion and exploit companion, consider their complementary abilities. Pairing long-range specialists with close-quarters experts creates a balanced team capable of handling diverse combat scenarios. Our Class Guide offers additional insights into role specialization that apply well to Starfield’s companion system.
Equipment Distribution: Exploit companions can carry additional gear and weapons, effectively expanding your inventory capacity. However, avoid giving them unique or irreplaceable items since recovering equipment from glitched companions can prove challenging.
Companion Interaction Limitations: Be aware that exploit companions typically won’t participate in dialogue trees or romance options. Their AI focuses primarily on combat support and environmental navigation.
For players who enjoy optimizing their gameplay experience, our Complete Guide provides additional advanced tactics that translate well to Starfield’s systems. The exploit essentially creates what veteran BF6 players would recognize as a specialized squad composition, allowing for tactical flexibility normally unavailable within the game’s constraints.
Action Checklist
- Establish your primary companion through normal recruitment
- Travel to Akila City and initiate Freestar Collective Rangers questline
- Progress until Emma Wilcox joins your party, then halt quest advancement
- Verify both companions remain active when fast traveling between planets
- Create backup save file to preserve the exploit configuration
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » Starfield – How To Have More Than One Active Follower Master the exploit to build a three-person squad in Starfield with strategic companion management
