Starfield: How to win the Persuasion mini-game? Starfield guide, tips
Persuasion in Starfield allows you to convince characters to your opinion. On this page, you will learn how to unlock the skill, how to pass persuasion tests and whether it is possible to repeat the mini-game after failing it.
Last update: 31 August 2023
Persuasion can be very helpful when talking to the NPCs in Starfield. On this page we explain how to learn Persuasion, how to develop it, how to prepare for a conversation, how to succeed at Persuasion checks and can failed conversations be retried.
- Unlocking the Persuasion skill
- Persuasion dialogue option and preparations beforehand
- Succeeding or failing the mini-game
Unlocking the Persuasion skill
- Advanced conversations require at least one level of Persuasion. It can be acquired by choosing a specific background in the character creator. If you didn't, purchase it with a skill point.
- Persuasion is worth developing further. You must pass Persuasion checks and spend more skill points. Reaching Persuasion Tier 4 and thus capping it increases successful Persuasion chances by up to 50%. This comes in handy, as you may fail often at first.
Persuasion dialogue option and preparations beforehand
- You can't use Persuasion in every conversation. You need to choose a premade Persuasion dialogue option - example pictured above. They usually appear in important conversations (like confronting enemies during quests) or when recruiting crew members (you can persuade them to demand less money).
- If possible, we recommend backing out of the conversation and saving beforehand. Then, talk to the NPC again and try to Persuade them. If there isn't such option, save before approaching the character.
- You can also use consumable items to temporarily increase your Persuasion chances. As an example, the Chandra Cabernet Sauvignon wine increases Persuasion chances by 12% for five minutes.
Don't waste these items before every Persuasion check. Use them if you need more Persuasion to convince a character, or when the conversation is important and tied to a quest.
Succeeding or failing the mini-game
The Persuasion mini-game requires collecting the required amount of points (in the example pictured above, 6) within a limited number of turns (in our example, 3).
The dialogue color is important as well:
- Green options are low risk and can score you 1-2 points;
- Yellow options are medium risk and can score you 3-4 points;
- Red options are high risk and can score you 5-6 points.
We recommend starting with yellow or red options to get most of the required points early. If you're missing just one or two points, go for the green options.
Additional note - You don't need to use all turns. Risking red or yellow answers can complete the mini-game in the first or second turn.
- Successful Persuasion grants you experience. You can also gain some additional rewards, such as a better quest ending, right to entry an area or avoiding combat.
- Failed Persuasion can't be retried, and can sometimes end up in a fight - for example, if you're talking down pirates. In the best case scenario, failures won't harm nor benefit you. If you really wish to try again and succeed, you'll need to reload a previous save.