Petrov is an eccentric man with a love for collecting oddities in Starfield. The owner of the Scow, he has an unimaginable collection onboard, which includes an Artifact. As part of the main quest line, all your Constellation companions will have opinions on how you handle the matter. So, should you kill Petrov or try to reason with him? Here’s the outcome of all choices in Starfield.
Should Choice Guide: Should You Kill Petrov?
You encounter Petrov on his ship as part of the main story quest, No Sudden Moves. The mission allows you to obtain the Artifact on board by any means possible, including murdering everyone in sight. However, those actions reverberate throughout the universe, impacting SSNN broadcasts and your affinity with companions.
Choice 1: Attack and Kill Petrov Consequences
There are a few different times you can attack Petrov while on the Scow.
- You can start shooting as soon as you board, finishing Petrov off on his chaise.
- You can wait until you reach him and fire immediately when entering the room, after you initially speak with him, or down in the vault.
Regardless of timing, there are two outcomes when attacking him: you kill him, or you spare his life.
When you kill Petrov, you’ll have the whole ship to fight through. Depending on when you do so, you’ll also need to access the vault and obtain the Artifact. This has a negative impact on your affinity if your companion is Sarah Morgan. On the plus side, you can take all the valuable loot, not only from Petrov’s collection but also from all the corpses you leave in your wake.
Killing him assigns you a bounty, which will be gathered next time you’re in UC territory unless you clear it at a bounty kiosk. As part of A Light in the Darkness, SSNN will air a piece announcing his death with a focus on his acquisitions. You can attempt to cover up your involvement with the bloodshed. Your rewards for killing Petrov are the Collector’s outfit, ship loot, EXP, and the Artifact.
Choice 2: Attack and Spare Petrov Consequences
If you decide to attack Petrov, there’s a time when he pleads for his life. You can agree to lay down your arms in exchange for the Artifact. All of his crew will stand aside and allow you to pillage the ship, though they will spit angry sentiments your way. Unlike killing him, you won’t get a bounty on your head. Your rewards for sparing Petrov include the Artifact and ship loot.
Choice 3: Persuade Petrov Consequences
This is the path I personally took, with Barrett by my side. When conversing with Petrov, you’ll get a chance to persuade him to give you the Artifact, or at the very least look at it. This option leads to the least amount of violence but also the least amount of loot. This is also the most liked course of action among Constellation. Your reward is the Artifact.
That answers the question: should you kill Petrov in Starfield? No matter the choice or whether you choose to off him or not, you’ll get the Artifact. However, you’ll earn more credits, loot, and EXP if you turn into a murder hobo. If you need the full No Sudden Moves walkthrough or help picking other difficult decisions during the game, check out our guides vault.
