Save the Botanical Lab versus Edgewater is the first of many moral choices in the Outer Worlds. This guide shows you the consequences of your actions.

Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds is a game filled with choices that can permanently effect the residents of each planet you visit. These choices are often moral dilemmas requiring you to choose a side to help while upsetting the balance of the other choice. One of the first big choices a player is given is the option to divert power away from a major city or a band of well-meaning deserters.

Your ship, The Unreliable, needs a Power Regulator to fly again, and the only way to get one is to divert the power away from either the town of Edgewater or the camp at the Botanical Lab. Taking away power from either faction will ultimately result in their demise. No matter which choice you go with, someone will be ruined. This guide will go over the options and consequences of these choices.

Diverting Power to Edgewater in The Outer Worlds

If you choose to redirect the power to Edgewater, you will put Botanical Lab in ruins. Once you've made your choice, return to the Botanical Lab and speak with Adelaide. She will tell you that unless you deal with Reed, the leader in Edgewater, she will not return. Players can deal with Reed in two major ways.

The first is to convince Reed to leave Edgewater forever. Doing so will bring the deserters back to Edgewater and put Adelaide in charge. To convince Reed you will simply need to talk with him and follow this chain of responses.

• I spoke to Adalaide, she won't come back as long as you're here.
• You let Adelaide's sone die.
• You say you've done your best, but all I see is a town falling to pieces.
• Adelaide’s people aren't getting sick with the plague.
• This town doesn't eat anything but Saltuna. Of course you're going to get sick.
• I'm pretty sure it's your food that's making you sick. You need Adelaide's garden.
• [Persuade 10] Adelaide’s found a way to grow food. She'll come back if you step down.
• [Lie 20] Look, Reed. All I know is that involves some really complicated math, and it works.

This will trigger Reed to step down and allow Adelaide and her people to come in and revive the town of Edgewater.

Option two is to simply kill Reed. You will gain access to his keycard which will allow you to loot his room, but your companion Pavarti will attempt to leave you. She can be convinced to stay with some dialog though.

If you don't wish to deal with Reed at all you can always just kill Adelaide. It's not the best choice as you will lose a lot of reputation with the Deserters if you do. There is really not much to gain with this option.

Siding with the Botanical Lab in The Outer Worlds

Choosing the option to redirect power to the Botanical Lab is the fastest choice if a player just can't be bothered with other-worldly politics. The mission will have you return to Reed who is rightfully angry at your decision. Reed will threaten the player and tell them to leave. If you're Intimidation is over 30 you can talk your way out of the fight. However, choosing to fight will result in Reed's death, a keycard to a room full of loot and immediate failure of all remaining quests in Edgewater.

Ultimately the choice is up to the player. Are you a vicious corporate shill, or do you care about the well being of the common man? The Outer Worlds is filled with these sorts of enjoyable moral dilemmas, and no matter what path is chosen, you're in for a fun adventure.

More: The Outer Worlds Companion Quest Guide: How to Unlock SAM

The Outer Worlds is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.