Should You Choose Aceles or Microbes in Starfield

One of the most fleshed-out and complex quests players can embark upon in Starfield is provided by the UC Vanguard, a organization of pilots that really just want to make the galaxy a safe place for everyone. After jumping through plenty of hoops for the group, you’ll eventually uncover a much larger threat to the peoples of the Starfield than you originally bargained for: Terrormorphs. These vicious monsters are seemingly spreading from planet to planet, and while their existence has been documented for years, the spawn rate is increasing and their prevalence amongst settled planet colonies is a growing concern. This leads to you making a decision in a quest called “A Legacy Forged” to determine the fate of the Terrormorph species in Starfield by choosing either Aceles or Microbes to deal with the problem.

While you’re told that each will have dire consequences, is that really all that accurate? We put together a brief explainer breaking down how you should deal with the Terrormorph threat.

Should You Choose Aceles or Microbes in Starfield’s “A Legacy Forged” Quest

Before we delve into the biggest decision you’ll need to make for the UC Vanguard, since they seemingly can’t handle it themselves, you’ll need to complete the faction’s entire quest line. “A Legacy Forged” is the ninth and final chapter in this particular Starfield story, so make sure you’re ready to wrap it up and move on to bigger and better things.

Related: Which Faction Should You Side With in the Operation Starseed Quest in Starfield

Over the course of the UC Vanguard’s quests, you’ll discover that the ever-present threat of the Terrormorphs can be quelled by one of two ways: Breeding a type of species known as the Aceles, which will naturally phase out the Terrormorphs over time, or kill them all by releasing a toxic microbe that will quickly and haphazardly kill them all.

It seems like a big choice, one that may have severe consequences on the world on Starfield. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The decision to choose Microbes or Aceles is purely moralistic and will have no severe mechanical impact on your game.

If you choose Microbes, some of your companions, like Sarah and Barrett, will “like” your decision although I’m still not exactly sure why. I have to assume that both of them really hate Terrormorphs, so they want to see the savage beasts gone sooner rather than later. On the other hand, if you go the route of the Aceles, they’ll “dislike” your call because actually letting nature take its course might take decades. It’s worth mentioning that both Sam and Andreja prefer this choice, so maybe swap some of your party out if you’d prefer getting on their good sides. If only we had Space David Attenborough to help us.

Either way, whatever option you choose you’ll still be rewarded with the same amount of XP. As for actual consequences, nothing really changes if you release the microbes. Some members of the Vanguard will passingly comment on your decision as you cross their paths, but it’s nothing meaningful. However, if you go the route of releasing Aceles, you can sometimes find them battling Terrormorphs on different planets, which is kinda cool to see!

That’s our advice on what happens if you choose Aceles or Microbes in Starfield. If you’re looking for more on the game, check out which faction you should side with in Starfield’s “Operation Starseed” quest.