Starfield: How to recruit Mathis Castillo

There are various companions that you can recruit in Starfield. Though the majority of your crewmates will be fellow Constellation members, you can bring one member of the infamous Crimson Fleet aboard: Mathis Castillo.

You will meet Mathis fairly early on in the Crimson Fleet faction mission, but to unlock him as a companion, you need to meet several requirements. If you make certain choices during this short faction quest chain, you could lose access to this option.

Though the other members of your ship may be wary of this space pirate, Mathis Castillo is still a great addition to unlock and add to your crew.

How to side with Mathis Castillo in Starfield

To unlock Mathis Castillo as a companion in Starfield, you will need to side with him in the Echoes of the Past mission. This is among the first Crimson Fleet missions you will undergo, wherein you search Kryx’s last known whereabouts with Mathis, Delgado, and various other Crimson Fleet members.

At the end of this mission, Delgado, the Crimson Fleet leader, will ask you if Mathis has been helpful. To side with the fellow Crimson Fleet recruit, you must respond that Mathis has been helpful in the mission, which will convince Delgado to allow him in the Crimson Fleet.

If you do not do this, Mathis will be kicked out of the Fleet and will attempt to kill you later on in the story.

How to side with the Crimson Fleet in Starfield

The second requirement to recruiting Mathis Castillo is to side with the Crimson Fleet at the end of the faction’s final misson: Eye of the Storm.

Throughout this quest chain, you likely have played both sides of the conflict between the United Colonies System Defense and the Crimson Fleet. In the end, you must make your final choice of where to take Kryx’s Legacy.

Given that the Fleet will be destroyed if you select the UC System Defense, you will need to bring Kryx’s Legacy to Delgado at The Key if you want to recruit Mathis. From here, you will engage the UC in a massive space battle and raid the UC Vigilance to finish the mission, with Mathis providing support.

How to recruit Mathis Castillo as a companion in Starfield

Once the final mission is complete and the UC has been defeated, you can find Mathis Castillo on the command deck of The Key alongside Delgado.

Here, you can invite Mathis to join your crew and be your companion. Similarly, you can also assign Mathis to work at one of your Outposts should you need the help.

Stats and skills for Mathis Castillo

Perhaps you’d like to recruit Mathis because you think he’s an enjoyable character, or perhaps you’re just looking for the best companion skills that will make your crew and/or Outposts as effective as possible.

• Mathis Castillo Skills and Stats:
  • Incapacitation — 2 Stars
  • Ballistics — 1 Star
  • Weight Lifting — 1 Star

If you were hoping for Mathis to be a strong addition to an Outpost, you might be disappointed. Unless, of course, you decide to use him as Outpost security. With Incapacitation and Ballistics, Mathis is fairly skilled with weapons that deal both EM and Physical damage.

However, with his skill in Weight Lifting, Mathis has an increased carrying capacity and may be best suited for accompanying you on your ship or your adventuring. Wherever you decide to put Mathis, we’re sure he’s just happy you didn’t decide to exterminate the Crimson Fleet.