Let’s be real for a second. Playing Star Wars Outlaws is basically a crash course in being a professional bridge-burner. You want to be a "good" scoundrel? Good luck with that. Eventually, Kay Vess has to pick a side, or at least pick a pocket. One of the earliest, and honestly most stressful, decisions you’ll face on Toshara involves a certain piece of tech. I’m talking about the choice to steal blaster part from Crimson Dawn during the "False Flag" mission. It feels like a massive gamble. You’re standing there in the guts of an Imperial station, Waka is buzzing in your ear, and you have to decide if you’re going to play it straight with Eleera or prioritize your own gear.
Most players freeze here. They worry about the reputation hit. They worry that Lady Qi'ra’s goons will hunt them across the Outer Rim. But if you want a blaster that actually does its job when the stormtroopers start closing in, you need to ignore the guilt.
The Reality of the Blaster Part Choice
When you’re deep inside the fuel station, you find this specific cooling unit. It’s not just some random scrap. It’s the key to the Blaster Recirculator upgrade. Now, Waka—your lovable but sketchy mechanic—basically tells you that you can either hand this over to Crimson Dawn as promised or "misplace" it for your own benefit.
If you decide to steal blaster part from Crimson Dawn, you are choosing immediate mechanical power over social standing. It’s a classic RPG trade-off. But here’s the thing people get wrong: reputation is a renewable resource. A high-tier blaster component? That’s a permanent power spike.
The game frames this as a moral dilemma. It isn't. It’s an efficiency test. Crimson Dawn is a syndicate; they expect people to be cutthroat. If you keep the part, you’re just acting like a true syndicate member would.
What Happens to Your Reputation?
So, you took it. You clicked the button. You’re officially a thief among thieves. What now?
Immediately, your reputation with Crimson Dawn takes a dive. It’s not a "total war" scenario where they start shooting you on sight in every cantina, but it hurts. You might lose access to their territory in Mirogana for a bit. You might lose that sweet discount at their faction vendors. If you were already on thin ice with them, this could push you into "Poor" or "Terrible" status.
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But honestly? Toshara is overflowing with ways to make them like you again. You can run a few contracts. You can hand over some encrypted data later. You can sell them some high-value intel you found in a Pyke stronghold. Reputation is a seesaw. It goes up, it goes down. The blaster part, however, stays in your inventory. You can’t just "find" another one of these easily in the early game.
Why the Blaster Recirculator Matters
You might be wondering if a single part is worth the headache. It is. The Recirculator significantly reduces the heat buildup on your plasma shots.
Think about the last time you were pinned down. You’re firing frantically. The blaster overheats. You miss the "vent" timing because a grenade landed at your feet. Now you’re a sitting duck for three seconds while the gun cools down. That’s how you die. With the part you stole, that window of vulnerability shrinks. You can fire longer strings of bolts. It makes the combat feel fluid rather than stop-and-start.
The Pyke Factor
There’s another layer to this. By choosing to steal blaster part from Crimson Dawn, you’re often inadvertently helping your standing (or at least your options) with the Pyke Syndicate. In the weird, twisted ecosystem of Star Wars Outlaws, screwing over one group usually makes you look more attractive to their rivals.
If you give the part to Crimson Dawn, you get a massive rep boost with them and some credits. That’s the "safe" path. It’s boring. It keeps you on the rails. But if you’re trying to build a Kay Vess that survives the late-game Difficulty spikes, you need the hardware.
I’ve seen players try to play both sides perfectly. They want "Max" reputation with everyone. It’s possible, sure, but it’s a grind. In the early hours, your priority should be survivability. The enemies on Toshara aren't exactly pushovers once the alarms go off. Having a blaster that doesn't choke mid-firefight is worth more than a few percentage points of a discount on some cloth materials at a syndicate shop.
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Breaking Down the "False Flag" Mission Flow
The mission itself is a masterclass in tension. You’re navigating the wreckage, dealing with the Empire, and trying to keep your ship, the Trailblazer, from being impounded. When you reach the terminal where the part is located, the game doesn't give you a giant warning sign. It’s a dialogue choice and an interaction.
- The Discovery: You find the specialized cooling unit.
- The Prompt: Waka suggests keeping it for the ship/blaster.
- The Choice: Hand it over to the Crimson Dawn contact or stash it.
If you stash it, the dialogue with Eleera later is... awkward. She’s not stupid. She knows you were in there. But she can’t prove you found exactly what she was looking for. She’ll be annoyed, your rep bar will slide to the left, and you’ll walk away with the component.
Can You Get the Part Later?
Technically, yes, you can find similar components through high-level looting or late-game vendors. But we are talking hours and hours of gameplay later. In the world of SEO-fueled guides, people often say "don't worry, you can get it later." They forget to mention that "later" means after you've already struggled through five boss fights with a sub-par weapon.
Stealing it now is the "pro-gamer move" because it flattens the difficulty curve when you need it most. It’s about the early-game economy. You’re broke, your ship is a mess, and your gun is basic. This is your first real chance to get an edge.
Living With the Consequences
Let’s talk about the vibe of the game. Outlaws wants you to feel the weight of your choices. If you keep stealing from Crimson Dawn, they will eventually send hit squads. That sounds scary, but hit squads are actually just "loot boxes with legs." You kill them, you take their stuff.
Don't let the fear of a red reputation bar stop you from optimizing your build. The game is designed to be played in the gray area. If you’re always the "reliable" courier, you’re missing out on the best upgrades.
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How to Fix Your Reputation Fast
If you decided to steal blaster part from Crimson Dawn and now you can’t get into their district to finish another quest, don't panic. Go to the nearest Cantina. Look for a character named a "Contract Broker."
These brokers always have jobs. Look for the ones marked with the Crimson Dawn logo. Usually, it’s something simple: "Deliver this package to the spaceport without getting scanned" or "Hack this terminal in a Pyke camp." Do one or two of those, and you’re back in their good graces. You’ve essentially laundered your reputation. You kept the stolen part, upgraded your gun, and then did a few odd jobs to make them forget you ever robbed them. It’s the perfect crime.
The Verdict on the Crimson Dawn Theft
Honestly, the only reason not to steal the part is if you are doing a dedicated "Roleplay" run where Kay is fiercely loyal to Crimson Dawn. If you’re playing for mechanics, fun, and power progression, the choice is clear.
The Blaster Recirculator is one of those upgrades that you don't realize you need until you have it. Once you experience the faster cooling and the increased rate of fire, you’ll look back at the "loyal" choice and laugh. Crimson Dawn will survive without their cooling unit. You, on the other hand, might not survive that next Imperial ambush without a better blaster.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough
To make the most of this situation, follow this specific sequence:
- Prioritize the "False Flag" quest as soon as it becomes available. Don't wander off too much before getting your ship and blaster sorted.
- Keep the part. When the prompt appears, choose the option to keep it for yourself. Ignore Waka's nervous rambling; he’s a worrier.
- Head straight to a workbench. Don't wait. Install the Recirculator upgrade immediately so you can start feeling the benefit during the rest of the Toshara missions.
- Check your Rep. If you’re in the "Poor" category, immediately find a Contract Broker in Mirogana. Pick up a low-stakes Crimson Dawn contract to bump yourself back up to "Neutral."
- Sell Intel to Crimson Dawn. If you find any data pads or "Intel" items in the open world, give them to the Crimson Dawn merchant. This is the fastest way to erase the "penalty" for stealing their part.
By the time you leave Toshara for the next planet, you’ll have a superior weapon and a syndicate that has already forgotten you crossed them. That is the definition of a successful scoundrel. Stop worrying about being liked and start worrying about being the fastest draw in the room.
The game is a lot more fun when you aren't constantly checking your reputation standing like it's a credit score. Grab the gear, take the hit, and move on to the next score.