The No Sudden Moves is a unique mission that is part of the main storyline in Starfield. It is unique because you have to bring a companion with the highest affinity along with you for the ride.
After completing the Shortsighted quest, Vladimir has a mission for you related to another Artifact. Your job will be to retrieve the Artifact that is in the possession of another collector, Captain Petrov. Vladimir failed to get it from Petrov’s hands so he wants you to get it back in any way you see fit, considering the task is more personal than any.
You will be rewarded with 750 XP and The Collector’s Outfit for your efforts in getting the Artifact Phi. Let’s look at how you can successfully pass the trials space piracy throws at you.
How to complete No Sudden Moves in Starfield
To complete No Sudden Moves, you need to meet up with Vladimir at The Eye in the Alpha Centauri system to learn more about your assignment. He will share the location of Captain Petrov’s ship, The Scow, your next destination.
The companion choice for the mission is between Sarah Morgan, Sam Coe, and Barrett. Barrett is the only one with any history with Petrov. It will not pose a problem as long as he is not directly involved in talking with the Captain.
Travel to the Scow
To find the Scow, you must travel east of the Starmap near Procyon V-b, a moon of Procyon V. Getting through to the Captain won’t be easy as the team in charge of the ship is not keen on accepting your visit. There are three ways you can board The Scow, by attacking, persuading, or making use of your companion.
Attack, Persuade, or let your companion handle the Scow
Unless you have Barrett, the easiest option is to let your companion handle the talking with the Scow during No Sudden Moves. Barrett can muddy the already dirty waters since Petrov dislikes him. In that case, your persuasion skill will be your saving grace.
We don’t recommend attacking the Scow since it will result in a huge fight which can result in your ship getting destroyed. It also makes navigating the Scow after docking difficult as you will have to watch out for them the whole time you’re there.
Find Captain Petrov
Once you have boarded the Scow, you must find Captain Petrov with your companion by your side. Depending on how you got on board, the crew will be friendly or hostile towards you. Regardless, go up the stairs to meet up with the crew.
You will be greeted by Tao Xun who will give you the details regarding Petrov’s collection. One thing of notice is the “special rock” that he recently acquired which is locked behind a door that needs a special key to open.
To find Petrov, you will need to venture deeper into the ship. There are plenty of things to loot and visit but we recommend focusing on Petrov for now.
Head past Tao Xun and go to the end of the compartment. Move up the stairs and unlock the door ahead. Then take the Security stairs on your left and you will reach the room with a creature skull outside it, labeled Living.
Take a right into the hallway with a red floor and an orange pipe on the ground. Follow the pipe around to the upper level of the Scow. Then go through the corridor with two guards posted outside. Go behind the wall at the end and you will reach a massive open room filled with golden statues and glass cabinets.
Captain Petrov will be lounging in the back with his security. Reaching him is the easy part, it will be the talking that will determine the trajectory of your mission ahead.
Attack, Flatter, or Pickpocket Captain Petrov
There are three ways to get the Artifact from Petrov during No Sudden Moves. No matter what you choose, you will eventually have to steal the Artifact Phi so the decision depends entirely on your preference.
The first way is to flatter him. This will open the path to persuasion and you can convince him to show off his collection to you. He will take you to the vault himself, bypassing the hurdle of finding it yourself.
Another way is to use your Stealth skill and pickpocket the Vault key off Petrov. It will be risky since getting caught will lead to confrontation. Even if you do manage to succeed, you will still be attacked by the guards outside the Vault.
The last and most recommended option is to Attack Petrov now. Hit him hard enough and he will surrender. This will make the whole crew stand down as well, allowing you to not engage in a life-threatening battle. This will also make almost everything on the ship unowned, allowing you to take it without it counting as stealing.
Steal the Artifact and decide Petrov’s fate
Since there is no other way left, you will have to steal the Artifact Phi from Petrov during No Sudden Moves in Starfield. You will also be deciding Petrov’s fate here as well. You can kill him or make him tell his crew to let you leave with the Artifact.
The best choice is to spare his life. His crew will leave you alone, and you can freely roam around the ship and collect other items.
Add Artifact Phi to the collection
After stealing the Artifact and collecting all the loot, it is time to leave the Scow. Retrace your steps or follow the marker back to your ship to leave.
If you have the Thin Walls objective, then you can cut your way out using a Cutter directly from the Vault. This will also complete the activity and you can now return to The Lodge on Jemison.
Add the Artifact Phi to the collection at the Constellation HQ to complete the No Sudden Moves mission in Starfield.
How to complete No Sudden Moves in Stealth
A stealth method exists to enter Petrov’s Vault during the No Sudden Moves mission in Starfield. However, this method is known to have its fair share of difficult moments since you have to find the wall behind the vault. You must have your Security, Stealth, and Theft skills at a higher level during this method.
Use the persuade option to head inside the ship. This will prevent the security from being too aggressive with you. Progress till you find Petrov in his room. You can directly steal the key from Petrov here as well if you sneak into the room without striking up a conversation.
You can also start a conversation, leading to a non-provoked discussion (choose flattery). Continue to follow him to the Artifact and reach the point where Petrov refuses to sell the Artifact. This is where you must stealth your way through the ship.
Steal Petrov Vault keys and head near the vault room. Here, you will come across an Emergency Cuttable Wall. Follow the path to an area with a lot of Security in it. You will come across another Emergency wall that will lead you directly inside the Vault.
Another method is to lockpick the Vault directly if you know where it is located.
Grabbing the Artifact will immediately reveal your position, even when being Hidden, so this is how far you can go undercover.
No Sudden Moves mission bugs and fixes
While completing the No Sudden Moves main mission in Starfield, you are bound to face a couple of bugs.
Getting Locked out of the ship
This bug occurs if you leave the Scow and participate in another mission involving the use of your spaceship. You will be labeled as a thief and you cannot return to the ship. Despite being fixed by an official patch, some players may still experience this problem.
If you are on a PC, you can use console commands to clip through the door. Follow the method below to fix this bug:
- Open the console using the tilde key
- Type: tcl
- Noclip through the door
- Type: tcl (to turn off no clip)
