All the races in the FTL universe, aside from the Crystal.
There are 7 races/aliens in the FTL universe. Aliens of each race can be recruited to join your crew, either through purchase from a store or slaver, or rescued from a Random Event.
Each ship can carry a maximum of 8 crewmembers. Some crew will start out on board the ship; the rest must be recruited.
Crewmembers gain skill through experience at various ship tasks: Piloting, Shield Recharge, Engineering, Weapons, Repairs, and Combat. All races gain experience at the same rate.
Humans 
- Humans are common and uninteresting.
Humans possess no special abilities, but have no notable weaknesses and are the cheapest to hire, at 40 
. They are the only race with unique male and female sprites.
Engi 
- It's unclear if the 'Engi' are partly organic or entirely mechanical, but it's well known that they make exceptional engineers.
Engi cost 50 to hire, with the following special traits:
- Repair speed is doubled
- Combat damage is halved
Engi are most useful when used as repair crew or manning ship systems, and should avoid one-on-one combat, especially without medical support.
Note: System repairs, hull breaches, and fires are all fixed at double speed
Note: Despite being entirely made up of nanobots, Engies can still suffocate and die from lack of oxygen.
- Blue Options
- (Engi Crew) Remotely repair its targeting system. (Occurs on Malfunctioning Defense System)
- (Engi Crew) Have your Engi crew-member contact them. (Occurs on Engi Fleet Discussion)
- (Engi Crew) Send your Engi to calm down the infected. (Occurs on Unknown Disease on Mining Colony)
Mantis
- The Mantis' disregard for individual lives lead to their evolution as a vicious, warrior race.
Mantis cost 45 to hire, and have the following special traits:
- Double damage in combat
- 1.2x move speed
- Halved repair speed
Mantis are best used as Boarding crew, as their double damage and increased movement speed allow them to disrupt and destroy enemy systems and crew.
Note: System repairs, hull breaches, and fires are all fixed at half speed
- Blue Options
- (Mantis Crew) Have your Mantis oversee the repairs. (Occurs on Slug Oxygen Malfunction)
- Have your Mantis crewman talk to Kazzapethikilik
Rockmen
- The 'Rockmen' of Vrachos IV are rarely seen and are known for their fortitude.
Rockmen cost 65 to hire, and have the following special traits:
- Immune to fire
- Movement speed is halved
- Health is increased to 150
Their increased health make them useful as both defense and Boarding crew, as they can outlast any other race in one on one combat, except for the Mantis. Their extra health is also great for fixing hull breaches since they take longer to suffocate. Their immunity to fire also make them useful for putting out fires, and devastating to enemy crew when boarding enemy ships in conjunction with fire weapons.
- Blue Options
- (Rock Crew) Send your Rock crew-member in. (Occurs on Fire on Small Research Station)
- (Rock Crew) Send your Rockman crew in. (Occurs on Crystalline Research Facility)
- (Rock Crew) Put your Rock crew-member on the comm. (Occurs on Mantis Ship Adorned With Rock Body Parts)
- (Rock Crew) Send your Rock crew-member in to prevent a riot. (Occurs on Unknown Disease on Mining Colony)
- (Rock Crew) Offer to lead them out of the nebula. (Occurs on Rock Armoured Transport)
- (Rock Crew) Have your Rockman pose as captain. (Occurs on Slug Captain Invites You to a Drink)
Zoltan
- The 'Zoltan' are close allies of the 'Engi'. Their innate energy is strong enough to power ship systems.
Zoltan usually appear in Engi Homeworlds or Engi-Controlled Worlds. They are the second rarest race (not including the Crystal race) and cost 65 to hire. Their special traits are:
- Provides one power to occupied system
- Health is reduced to 70
The Zoltan ability to provide power to the system they are in is especially useful in reduced-power battles, or in battles against ships with Ion weapons, as their energy cannot be blocked by the Ion effect. For example, having two Zoltans in the shield system room will ensure that you ship will always have at least one layer of shields active at any time.
In Weapons Bays and Drone Control Systems, Zoltans provide power starting with the highest priority module (the left-most slot), and their power can only be redistributed by changing the priority of the modules.
- Blue Options
- (Zoltan Crew) Have your crew-member present his official documentation and pay the entry fee (Occurs on Zoltan Trade Hub)
Slugs
Slugs are the rarest race in the galaxy, apart from the Crystal. They cost 45 to hire, and have one special ability:
- Telepathy: Slugs can see into neighboring rooms even when Sensors are down. They can also see enemy crew members (indicated by red dots) on the enemy ship and on your own ship.
- Slugs are the only race that can be considered "strictly better" than humans.
- Blue Option
- (Slug Crew) Have your Slug talk them into letting you go. (Occurs on Zoltan Security Checkpoint)
- (Slug Crew) Our Slug senses someone aboard the ship. Investigate it. (Occurs on Slug Transport with Military Escort)
- (Slug Crew) Have your crew monitor their life signatures. (Occurs on Slug Home Nebula Surrender)
- (Slug Crew) "Sir, allow me to assess his mental state." (Occurs on Single Life Form on Moon)
- (Slug Crew) Attempt to communicate telepathicly. (Occurs on Intelligent Lifeform on Planet)
- (Slug Crew) Check for lifeforms and keep a lookout for ships while looting the wreck. (Occurs on Disabled Rock Transport)
Crystal
- Ancient ancestors of the rockmen.
Crystals can only be encountered as starting crew on the Crystal Cruisers, or in the Dense Asteroid Field Distress Call event, or within the crystal sector itself (they are at shops to recruit/found as prisoner/etc). Acquiring a Crystal crew member from the aforementioned event allows the Crystal Cruiser quest.
The crystal have the most special abilities, and the only race with an activated ability:
- Reduced suffocation damage - very useful for repairing hull breaches.
- Movement speed -20%
- Health 125
- Lockdown: Activated ability that coats the room they're in with crystals, preventing anyone from entering or leaving and making the room itself invincible to damage. The crystals wear off over time, or when attacked. This ability requires time to recharge after being used.
- Potential strategies to use this could be during a boarding attack by locking down your most precious system room or during boarding enemy ships by locking down a room so your crew can destroy the system in it uninterrupted.
The crystal race was created for a donor that contributed 2,000 USD to FTL's Kickstarter campaign.
- Blue Options
- (Crystal Crew) Have your Crystalline Being recalibrate your weapons. (Occurs on Crystalline Cache)
- (Crystal Crew) Have your crew speak to them. (Occurs on Crystal Civilian Question)
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