Should You Kill Petrov?

You will be prompted to choose between attacking Petrov and his crew or steal the Artifact during the No Sudden Moves Quest in Starfield. Learn about all the available choices, how to get the artifact from Petrov, the consequences of each choice, and which choice is best!

All The Scow Dialogue Choices and Consequences

Tao Xun Choices and Consequences

Choices	Consequences
[Persuade] All I Want is a word with Petrov.	Persuade Tao Xun to talk to Petrov.
[Attack] You're in my way.	Combat will commence. Petrov and his crew will start attacking you.

After boarding The Scow, you will first encounter a guard named Tao Xun. You need to persuade him that you are here only to talk in order to proceed further inside the ship.

Petrov Choices and Consequences

Choices	Consequences
[Persuade] Just a small peek at your collection is all I need.	Persuading Petrov will lead him take you to the Artifact.
[Attack] Enough of this nonsense! I'm taking the Artifact!	Combat will commence. Petrov and his crew will start attacking you.
[Barrett] "Petroooooov! It's me!"	Petrov will show you to the artifact vault.

After convincing Tao Xun, you will now be able to fully explore The Scow. On the second floor, you will find Captain Petrov sitting on a couch in the middle of the room, surrounded by guards.

Bring Barrett Along to Skip Persuasion Check

The third dialogue option, exclusive to Barrett, can be selected if he is your active companion. Choosing this allows you to completely skip the persuasion check, and head to the artifact room immediately.

Barrett Romance, How to Recruit, and Skills

Dialogue After Following Petrov

Choices	Consequences
[Grab the artifact] Sorry Petrov. It's for science!	Petrov and his crew will start attacking you, but you will have the Artifact.
[Attack] The Artifact is mine, Petrov!	Combat will commence. Petrov and his crew will start attacking you.

At this point, it does not matter which option you choose because Petrov will start attacking you regardless of the dialogue choice. However, this will make the fight much easier since you are now beside both the Artifact and Petrov.

No Sudden Moves Walkthrough and Choices

Should You Kill Petrov?

Grab the Artifact, But Don't Kill Petrov

After seeing the artifact, Petrov will tell you that you can try to steal it, and he will instruct his crew to attack you as soon as you grab it. This is the best option to choose, as you can simply attack Petrov until he surrenders, and then he will order his crew to stand down.

It is recommended that you try to choose the persuade option to get closer to Petrov and the Artifact before you start the fight. The closer you get to the Artifact, the fewer crew members Petrov will have surrounding him.

Consequence for Killing Petrov

If you kill Petrov and his guards, you will become a wanted criminal, and the UC Navy will hunt you down. It is highly recommended that you avoid killing Petrov to prevent becoming a criminal.

Pick the Vault Door or Steal the Key

Alternatively, if you want to completely avoid fighting Petrov and his crew, you can choose to fail the persuasion option during the first dialogue with Petrov. This will unlock an optional objective where you can either Pick the Vault Door to open it, or Steal the Key to the Vault. Both options require higher levels in Lockpicking and Pickpocketing, so only opt for these if you have the necessary skills for those!

Stealing Guide - How to Steal Without Getting Caught

Starfield Related Guides

Dialogue Choices and Consequences

All Choices and Consequences Guides

Choices Guides
Should You Have Sarah Morgan Be Your Follower?	Should You Kill Brogan?
Should You Defend the Lodge or Go to The Eye?	Should You Give Evidence to Louisa or Zoe?
Should You Side with The Hunter or The Emissary?	How to Persuade Emilio Hadek
Should You Kill Petrov?	Should You Kill Austin Rake?
What is the Vanguard Motto? All Lou Answers Guide	Should You Accept Maldonaldo's Offer?
Should You Side With UC SysDef or Crimson Fleet?	Should You Skip the Final Boss Fight?
Should You Walk into the Light at the Unity?	Should You Use Microbe or Aceles on Terrormorphs?
Should You Destroy Governor Hurst's Ship?	Should You Side with Mathis and Kill Delgado?
Should You Kill Tomisar?	Should You Kill Marco Graziani?
Should You Kill Maya?	Should You Kill Matsura?
Should You Kill Shaw?	Most Important Choices
Should You Kill Ron Hope?	Should You Betray Huan?
Should You Kill Livvey?	Should You Kill Tomo?
Should You Give Naeva the ES Award?	Should You Turn In Vae Victis?
Should You Kill Imogene?	Should You Kill Larry Dumbrosky?
Should You Buy a Grav Drive or Take the Settlement Deal?	Should You Kill Rusty?