Should you defend the Lodge or go to the Eye in Starfield? Choice guide

The High Price to Pay mission in Starfield requires you to defend the Lodge or go to the Eye. Unlike many other missions in Starfield, your decision to defend the Lodge or go to the Eye has major consequences. Here is what happens if you go to the Eye or the Lodge in Starfield.

The Lodge or the Eye in Starfield, explained

Whether you choose the Lodge or the Eye, one of the four main companions will permanently die. There is no way to avoid it — either Barrett, Andreja, Sam, or Sarah will die in The High Price to Pay quest decision and it’s based on whether you stay to defend the Lodge or go to the Eye.

I highly recommend quicksaving the moment you get the decision to defend the Lodge or visit the Eye. If you do that, you’ll be able to see which two characters die based on which choice you make. While it may appear like the companion that dies is completely random, based on my personal research and experience, I’ve found that there are two factors to help you determine which companion falls in battle.

Related: Best companions in Starfield, ranked

Which companions die in The High Price to Pay quest in Starfield?

First, the two companions that are at your location won’t die. Second, the companion you’re closest to at the location you aren’t at will die. Besides those two known factors, I’ve found that the companion locations can be random for every playthrough. The character who dies at the Lodge if you visit the eye may also most likely be whoever you just went on a mission on with. Sarah Morgan came with me on the previous story mission, and she was also the one I told which location I was defending.

Screenshot: PC Invasion

Here’s another example. If you decided to romance Sarah Morgan and she’s on the Eye while you’re at the Lodge, then she’ll be the one who dies. The only thing that matters in the decision to defend the Lodge or go to the Eye is which companion dies. There are no other major changes one way or the other.

When making your decision, I recommend picking the two companions you know you want to save. Look at who is at the Lodge and who would be at the Eye. If you don’t want either of the companions at the Eye to die, then go there. Next, look at who you’re closest to out of the two companions in the location you didn’t go to. They are the ones who will die. Logically going through this allows you to pick who dies and who lives.

What happens to dead companion’s gear?

After you escape this stressful situation, you have two options on what you’ll do with the Artifacts: either hide them at an outpost, or your ship. No matter which decision you make, as soon as you make it back to the Lodge, the game will tell you that your dead companion’s gear is in the basement.

Screenshot: PC Invasion

Head down the stairs, and in the room with all the workbenches and labs, you’ll find the chest with their belongings. Inside is anything they were holding, even their outfit. Doesn’t exactly feel right wearing the outfit they died in, but if you really want it, it’s yours.

Other Starfield articles

Starfield is available on Steam and the Microsoft Store.