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Your Starfield skills are one of the most important parts of your character, as they are in any Bethesda RPG. Levelling up the right ones can take your playthrough in wildly different directions. Whether that’s maintaining a strong, rounded build, or bee-lining certain skills to specialize in specific parts of the game, having a good knowledge of skills will help you plan things out.
As well as the skills themselves, you’ll want to check out some of the Starfield traits and Starfield backgrounds, as these can also have a big impact on your Starfield skills and your approach to the game. But for now, let’s take a look at all of the available skills to level up in Starfield.
How many skills are in Starfield?
There are 82 skills that are available in Starfield. Each skill is categorized into one of five different categories. Here is a list of all of the categories:
- Combat
- Physical
- Science
- Social
- Tech
Combat
Combat skills are focused on your proficiency with weapons of all types. Levelling up these skills will make you more capable of using your weapons and dishing out damage to enemies. The confirmed combat skills are:
- Armor Penetration – Ignores a percentage of a target’s armor
- Ballistics – Increases Ballistic weapon damage
- Crippling – Increased chance to down enemies after they take enough damage
- Demolitions – Explosives deal increased damage in a larger radius
- Dueling – Increases Melee weapon damage
- Heavy Weapons Certification – Increases Heavy weapon damage
- Incapacitation – Increases EM weapon damage
- Lasers – Increases Laser weapon damage
- Marksmanship – Increases Marksman weapon damage
- Particle Beams – Increases Particle Beam weapon damage
- Pistol Certification – Increases Pistol weapon damage
- Rapid Reloading – Increases weapon reload speed
- Rifle Certification – Increases Rifle weapon damage
- Sharpshooting – Increases critical damage with ranged weapons
- Shotgun Certification – Increases Shotgun weapon damage
- Sniper Certification – Less sway when using scoped weapons
- Targeting – Increased hip fire accuracy and range
| Skill | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballistics | Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage | Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage | Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage | Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30% |
| Dueling | Melee weapons do 25% more damage. Take 10% less damage while wielding a melee weapon | Melee kills make you run 20% faster for 10 seconds | Melee weapons do 50% more damage. Take 15% less damage while wielding a melee weapon | Melee kills heal you for 10% of your health |
| Lasers | Laser weapons do 10% more damage | Laser weapons do 20% more damage | Laser weapons do 30% more damage | Laser weapons have a 5% chance to set a target on fire |
| Pistol Certification | Pistols do 10% more damage | Pistols do 25% more damage | Pistols do 50% more damage | Pistol kills grant +25% critical hit chance for 5 seconds |
| Shotgun Certification | Shotguns do 10% more damage | Shotguns do 20% more damage | Shotguns do 30% more damage | Shotgun kills grant a small chance to stun additional targets with shotguns for a limited time |
| Demolitions | Throwing grenades now shows a trajectory arc. Explosions have a 25% larger radius | Explosives do 25% more damage | Reduce damage taken from explosives by 25% | All previous bonuses are doubled |
| Heavy Weapons Certification | Heavy weapons do 10% more damage | Heavy weapons do 20% more damage | Heavy weapons do 30% more damage | Gain 25% Physical resistance while aiming down sights with a heavy weapon |
| Incapacitation | EM weapons do 5% more damage | EM weapons do 10% more damage | EM weapons do 15% more damage | EM weapons have a 15% chance to do 300% EM damage |
| Particle Beams | Particle beam weapons do 10% more damage | Particle beam weapons do 20% more damage | Particle beam weapons do 30% more damage | Particle beam weapons have +5% crit chance |
| Rifle Certification | Rifles do 10% more damage | Rifles do 20% more damage | Rifles do 30% more damage | Reload rifles 30% faster while you’re standing still |
| Marksmanship | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 3% | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 8% | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 15% | Critical hits using a non-automatic ranged weapon without a scope do double damage and those with scopes knock down enemies on the next shot |
| Rapid Reloading | Reload Ballistic weapons 30% faster | Reload Energy and EM weapons 30% faster | Reload Particle Beam weapons 30% faster. 50% chance to avoid getting interrupted while reloading | Chance on hitting enemies to increase reload speed for all weapons by 50% for 15 seconds |
| Sniper Certification | Scoped weapons are steadier and have less sway | You can hold your breath longer with scoped weapons | Headshots while aiming with a scoped weapon have a +25% critical hit chance | Scoped weapons do 50% more damage while using the scope |
| Targeting | Increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to one enemy within 25m that damages you | Notably increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to two enemies within 50m that damage you | Greatly increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to three enemies within 75m that damage you | 10% chance to disarm targets hit when shooting without aiming. Marks up to four enemies within 100m that damage you |
| Armor Penetration | Attacks ignore 15% of a target’s armor | Attacks ignore 30% of a target’s armor | Attacks ignore 50% of a target’s armor | Enemy armor is decreased by 25% for 6 seconds |
| Crippling | Human enemies have 30% increased chance to enter a downed state after taking enough damage | Humanoid enemies have a 50% increased chance to not naturally recover from a downed state | Human enemies now can enter a downed state earlier | Previous ranks now apply to all enemy types. You now do 100% more damage to downed enemies |
| Sharpshooting | Increase headshot critical damage by 50% with ranged weapons | Increase critical damage to enemy legs by 50% with ranged weapons | Increase all critical damage to enemies by 50% with ranged weapons | Ranged critical hit kills increase your critical hit chance with all ranged weapons by 25% for 20 seconds |
Physical
Physical skills improve your character’s physical attributes. This ranges from things like strength and HP to your ability to move quietly and even cook food. The confirmed physical skills are:
- Boxing – Increases unarmed attack damage
- Cellular Regeneration – Increased chance to recover from injuries naturally
- Concealment – Become harder to detect and increase sneak attack damage
- Decontamination – Increases infection recovery chance
- Energy Weapon Dissipation – Reduces Energy damage
- Environmental Conditioning – Gain resistance to certain environmental status effects
- Fitness – Increases available oxygen
- Gastronomy – Can craft specialty food and drinks using new ingredients you find
- Gymnastics – Gain the ability to combat slide, take less fall damage, and gain movement bonuses in zero gravity
- Martial Arts – Increased crit chance with melee attacks
- Neurostrikes –Gain the chance to stun enemies with unarmed attacks
- Nutrition – Food and drink are more effective
- Pain Tolerance – Reduces Physical damage
- Rejuvenation – Increased health regeneration outside of combat
- Stealth – Increases sneak attack damage, and decreases chance of detection
- Weight Lifting – Increases carry capacity
- Wellness – Increases maximum HP through activity and good nutrition habits
| Skill | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Unarmed attacks do 25% more damage. 25% less O2 used when using a power attack | Unarmed attacks do 50% more damage. 50% less O2 used when using a power attack | Unarmed attacks do 75% more damage. While in a fight and unarmed, running consumes 30% less O2 | Unarmed attacks do 100% more damage and have a chance to knock down opponents |
| Fitness | You have 10% more oxygen available | You have 20% more oxygen available | You have 30% more oxygen available | Sprinting and power attacks now use significantly less oxygen |
| Stealth | Adds a Stealth Meter. You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 5% sneak attack damage | Upgrades the Stealth Meter. You are 50% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 10% sneak attack damage | Upgrades the Stealth Meter. You are 75% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 15% sneak attack damage | You are 100% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 20% sneak attack damage. Doors you interact with while in stealth no longer alert enemies |
| Weight Lifting | Increase total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 25 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 50 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 100 kilograms. Gain 50% resistance to stagger |
| Wellness | Increase your maximum health by 10% | Increase your maximum health by 20% | Increase your maximum health by 30% | Increase your maximum health by 40% |
| Energy Weapon Dissipation | Energy damage is reduced by 5% | Energy damage is reduced by 10% | Energy damage is reduced by 15% | 25% chance to reflect energy damage back to an attacker when your health is below 50% |
| Environmental Conditioning | Gain 10 resistance to Airborne environmental damage | Gain 10 resistance to Thermal environmental damage | Gain 10 resistance to Corrosive and Radiation environmental damage | Reduced chance to gain afflictions from environmental damage sources |
| Gymnastics | Unlock the ability to combat slide. Take 15% less fall damage | Move faster in Zero-G. Take 20% less fall damage | Become more stable when firing in Zero-G. Take 30% less fall damage. Replenish some O2 after mantling | Increased jump height. Run faster after combat sliding or mantling |
| Nutrition | Food and drink are 10% more effective | Food and drink are 20% more effective | Food and drink are 30% more effective | Food and drink are 50% more effective |
| Pain Tolerance | Physical damage is reduced by 5% | Physical damage is reduced by 10% | Physical damage is reduced by 15% | 5% to ignore physical damage when your health is low |
| Cellular Regeneration | Slightly increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | Moderately increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | Noticeably increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | 20% chance of not gaining an injury when you otherwise would |
| Decontamination | Slightly increased chance to recover from infections naturally | Moderately increased chance to recover from infections naturally | Noticeably increased chance to recover from infections naturally | 20% chance of not gaining an infection when you otherwise would |
| Martial Arts | 15% increased chance to crit with a melee or unarmed attack | 15% increased chance to disarm an opponent with a melee or unarmed power attack | While unarmed or wielding a melee weapon, take 10% less damage | Reflect 50% damage back when blocking a melee or unarmed attack |
| Concealment | You no longer set off enemy mines. Ranged sneak attacks do 2.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 4x normal damage | Running while sneaking doesn’t affect stealth. Ranged sneak attacks do 3x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 5x normal damage | You gain a Chameleon-like ability when completely still and sneaking. Ranged sneak attacks do 3.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 8x normal damage | Engaging stealth causes distant enemies to lose you. Ranged sneak attacks do 4x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 10x normal damage |
| Neurostrikes | 10% chance to stun an NPC with an unarmed attack | Unarmed attacks now do additional EM damage | 20% chance to stun an NPC with an unarmed attack | After stunning an enemy, you also knock down any enemies within close range |
| Rejuvenation | Slowly regenerate health outside of combat | Regenerate health more quickly outside of combat | Regenerate health much faster outside of combat. You can now slowly regenerate health while in combat | Regenerate health even faster outside of combat. You can now regenerate health quickly while in combat |
Science
Science skills span a wide range of things, including creating medicines, building outposts, astrophysics, and more. Science skills will likely play a large role in the game’s crafting mechanics and the gathering of resources. The confirmed science skills are:
- Aneutronic Fusion – Increases power produced by ship reactors
- Astrodynamics – Decreases Grav Drive capability
- Astrophysics – Increased chance of finding new traits while scanning moons of your current planet
- Botany – Get more resources from plants and increases flora scan speed
- Chemistry – Craft improved chems and research additional chems at a research lab
- Geology – Increases ore scan speed
- Medicine – Medical training increases Med Pack healing
- Outpost Engineering – Build advanced outpost modules
- Planetary Habitation – Gain the ability to build outpost on increasingly extreme planets, and increases the number of outposts you can build
- Research Methods – Reduces resources required to complete research projects
- Scanning – Gain ability to detect increasingly rarer inorganic resources
- Spacesuit Design – Gain the ability to craft and research improved spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods
- Special Projects – Gain the ability to research new projects at a Research Lab
- Surveying – Increases the zoom and scan distance of your scanner
- Weapon Engineering – Gain the ability to craft and research improved weapon mods
- Zoology – Gain more resources from creatures and harvest from them without harming them
| Skill | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrodynamics | Increase grav jump range of jump drives by 15% | Reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 15% | Increased grav jump range and reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 30% | Reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 50% |
| Geology | Get more common and uncommon inorganic resources from surface objects | Get more rare inorganic resources from surface objects | Get more exotic inorganic resources from surface objects | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from surface objects |
| Medicine | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 10% additional Health 10% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 20% additional Health 20% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 30% additional Health 30% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 50% additional Health 50% faster, and have a chance to cure an affliction |
| Research Methods | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 10% | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 20% | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 40% | Sudden developments during research are twice as common. Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 60% |
| Surveying | Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 20 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 30 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 40 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 50 meters |
| Botany | Get more common and uncommon organic resources from plants, learn additional info about them from the scanner, and allows some plants to be cultivated at your outposts | Get more rare organic resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Get more exotic organic resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner |
| Scanning | You can detect uncommon inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more information about ships in space | You can detect rare inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more specific information about ships in space | You can detect exotic inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain better combat information about ships in space | You can detect unique inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain a complete list of cargo on ships in space |
| Spacesuit Design | You can craft improved spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods, and research additional mods at a Research Lab | You can research and craft superior spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods | You can research and craft cutting-edge spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods | Construction of spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods occasionally doesn’t cost resources |
| Weapon Engineering | You can craft improved weapon mods at a Weapon Workbench, and research additional weapon mods at a Research Lab | You can research and craft superior weapon mods | You can research and craft cutting-edge weapon mods | You can research and craft master-level weapon mods |
| Zoology | Get more common organic resources from creatures and harvest from them without harming them, learn additional info about them from the scanner, and allows you to produce animal resources at your outposts | Get more uncommon organic resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Get more rare organic resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner |
| Astrophysics | You can scan the moons of your current planet. You have a 10% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon in this system. You have a 20% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon within 16 Light Years. You have a 30% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon within 30 Light Years. You have a 50% chance to discover a trait when scanning |
| Chemistry | You can create improved chems, and research additional chems at a Research Lab | You can research and create superior chems | You can research and create cutting-edge chems | Crafting chems occasionally triples the amount created |
| Outpost Engineering | You can construct improved outpost modules, and research additional modules at a Research Lab | You can research and construct superior outpost modules | You can research and construct cutting-edge outpost modules | Outpost modules now cost 50% fewer resources to build |
| Aneutronic Fusion | Ship reactors produce 1 extra unit of power | Ship reactors produce 2 extra units of power | Ship reactors produce 3 extra units of power | Ship reactors produce 5 extra units of power |
| Planetary Habitation | You can build outposts on planets with extreme temperatures (Deep Freeze and Inferno). Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 4 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme pressure. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 8 | You can build outposts on planets with toxic or corrosive atmospheres. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 12 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme gravity. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 16 |
| Special Projects | You can research experimental projects at a Research Lab | You can craft rare manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench | You can craft exotic manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench | You can craft unique manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench. Outpost extractors have a chance to produce additional resources |
Social
Social skills determine how well you communicate with others. This affects trading items, leading your crew, persuading and intimidating other NPCs, and more. The confirmed social skills are:
- Bargaining – Buy items for less and sell for more
- Commerce – Reduced prices when buying and increased prices when selling
- Deception – Increased chance to deceive NPCs. Contraband scans become less effective
- Diplomacy – Force a target NPC to not attack you temporarily
- Gastronomy – Gain the ability to craft more food and drinks
- Instigation – Force a target NPC to join you temporarily
- Intimidation – Force a target NPC to flee from you temporarily
- Isolation – Increased damage and damage resistance when without a companion or crew
- Leadership – Companions gain affinity faster
- Manipulation – Force a target NPC to obey your commands
- Negotiation – Gain access to bribery. Bribes cost fewer credits
- Outpost Management – Additional cargo links, robots, and crew at outposts
- Persuasion – Increases success chance for speech challenges
- Scavenging – Find more credits while looting
- Ship Command – Increases number of active crew you can have on your ship
- Theft – Increases pickpocketing success chance
- Xenosociology – Force a target NPC to stop fighting
| Skill | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce | Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more | Buy for 10% less and sell for 15% more | Buy for 15% less and sell for 20% more | Buy for 20% less and sell for 25% more |
| Gastronomy | You can craft speciality food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab | You can research and craft gourmet food and drinks | You can research and craft food and drink delicacies | Crafting food and drinks occasionally doesn’t use up resources. You can research and craft exotic recipes |
| Persuasion | 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 20% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 30% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 50% increased chance of success when persuading someone |
| Scavenging | There’s a chance you’ll find extra credits when searching containers | There’s a chance you’ll find extra ammo when searching containers | There’s a chance you’ll find extra aid items, like Med Packs or chems, when searching containers | Tracked resources will get highlighted when using the hand scanner |
| Theft | Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets | 10% greater chance to successfully pickpocket | 30% greater chance to successfully pickpocket | 50% greater chance to successfully pickpocket. Can now pickpocket holstered weapons |
| Deception | Ships 10% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 10% less effective | Ships 20% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 20% less effective | Ships 30% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 30% less effective | Ships 50% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 50% less effective |
| Diplomacy | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to stop fighting for a while | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while | You can force target NPCs to permanently stop fighting (unless they’re attacked again) |
| Intimidation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to flee for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | Intimidated targets now flee for substantial amount of time |
| Isolation | Do +10% weapon damage and gain 15 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew | Do +20% weapon damage and gain 30 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew | Do +30% weapon damage and gain 45 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew | Do +40% weapon damage and gain 60 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew |
| Negotiation | You now have access to Bribery in speech challenges | Reduces bribery cost by 25% | Reduces bribery cost by 50% | Occasionally, bribery won’t cost any money |
| Instigation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | Enemies affected by Instigation will attack their allies until they are dead |
| Leadership | Companions gain affinity 25% faster | Companions have 50 more health and 50kg more carrying capacity | Companions will occasionally heal you when you get low health | Doubles the bonuses of Combat and Physical Crew Skills on Companions. Companions have a chance to pick themselves up from a downed state |
| Outpost Management | Additional cargo links can be placed at outposts | Additional robots can be constructed at outposts | Additional crew can be assigned at outposts | Outpost extractors produce twice as fast |
| Manipulation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to obey commands for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time | Manipulated targets now obey commands for a substantial amount of time |
| Ship Command | You can have up to four active crew members | You can have up to five active crew members | You can have up to six active crew members | You can have up to eight active crew members |
| Xenosociology | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target creature up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time |
Tech
Tech skills involve your use of the game’s technology. While this will mostly be useful for piloting your spaceship, it also allows you to develop your ship, use robots, and hack security systems. The confirmed tech skills are:
- Automated Weapon Systems – Increases ship Automated weapon damage
- Ballistic Weapon Systems – Increases ship Ballistic damage
- Boost Assault Training – Provides combat boosts when using a boost pack
- Boost Pack Training – Increases Boost Jump height
- Energy Weapon Systems – Increases ship Energy weapon damage
- EM Weapon Systems – Increases ship EM weapon damage
- Engine Systems – Increases ship top speed
- Missile Weapon Systems – Increases ship Missile damage
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems – Increases ship Particle Beam damage
- Payloads – Increases ship cargo space
- Piloting – Increases ship speed and the classes of ships you can pilot
- Robotics – Increases damage to Robots and Turrets deployed in a combat capacity
- Security – Provides proper training to hack more advanced locks
- Shield Systems – Increases ship shield capacity
- Starship Design -Unlocks more ship pre-built modules
- Starship Engineering – Unlocks more ship custom modules
- Targeting Control Systems – Target different subsystems on enemy ships
| Skill | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballistic Weapon Systems | Ballistic ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 20% less to use in Targeting Mode | Ballistic ship weapons have 20% increased damage and recharge 15% faster | Ballistic ship weapons have 30% increased damage and recharge 30% faster | Ballistic ship weapons do 50% more damage to individual systems |
| Boost Pack Training | You can now utilize boost packs | Using a boost packs expends less fuel | Boost pack fuel regenerates more quickly | Doubles previous bonuses |
| Piloting | You can now utilize ship thrusters | Increased ship turning rate and maneuverability | Unlock the ability to pilot Class B ships | Unlock the ability to pilot Class C ships |
| Security | You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked | You can attempt to hack Expert locks, and 3 auto attempts can be banked. Rings now turn blue when the pick can be slotted | You can attempt to hack Master-level locks, and 4 auto attempts can be banked | Expend a digipick to eliminate keys that aren’t required to solve the puzzle. 5 auto attempts can be banked |
| Targeting Control Systems | Unlocks ship targeting functionally | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 15%. Target-locked ships fire at you 25% slower | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 30%. You have a 10% increased chance of critically hitting a target-locked ship | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 60%. Deal 20% increased system damage in targeting mode |
| Energy Weapon Systems | Energy ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 15% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons have 20% increased damage and cost 30% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons have 30% increased damage and cost 45% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons recharge 30% faster |
| Engine Systems | Your ship’s top speed is increased by 10% | Ship boosts last longer and the cooldown is shorter | Your ship’s top speed in increased by 20% | While boosting, all enemies disengage the player and can only reacquire them as a target after the player stops boosting |
| Payloads | Ship cargo holds have 10% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 20% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 30% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 50% more capacity |
| Shield Systems | Your ship has 20% increased shield capacity | Your ship has 40% increased shield capacity | Your ship has 60% increased shield capacity | Your shields will occasionally resist 100% of all damage received |
| Missile Weapon Systems | Ship missile weapons do 10% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 20% | Ship missile weapons do 20% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 40% | Ship missile weapons do 30% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 60% | Ship missiles have 20% increased Range, Travel Speed, and Reload Speed |
| Particle Beam Weapon Systems | Ship particle beam weapons do 10% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 10% | Ship particle beam weapons do 20% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 20% | Ship particle beam weapons do 30% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 30% | Increased critical hit chance with ship particle beam weapons |
| Robotics | You deal 10% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time | You deal 20% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You deal 30% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time |
| Starship Design | Allows the installation of improved ship modules | Allows the installation of superior ship modules | Allows the installation of cutting-edge ship modules | Allows the installation of experimental ship modules |
| Starship Engineering | All ship systems repair 10% faster | Ship systems have 25% increased damage mitigation | All ship systems repair 25% faster | Occasionally, repairing one block of a system will repair the entire system |
| Automated Weapon Systems | Automated ship weapons do 10% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 20% | Automated ship weapons do 20% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 30%. Your ship takes 20% less damage while in targeting mode | Automated ship weapons do 30% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 40%. Increases crit chance against targeted sub-systems by 20% | Ship turret weapons recharge 40% faster and do 20% more damage to targeted sub-systems |
| Boost Assault Training | Nearby enemies take damage when you boost and have a chance to catch on fire | Chance to knockdown nearby enemies when you boost | Aiming down sights while boosting will let you hover in place. Fuel is still expended until empty | While hovering, time slows down and the world moves 70% slower around you |
| EM Weapon Systems | EM ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 15% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have 20% increased damage and cost 30% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have 30% increased damage and cost 45% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have a small chance of instantly disabling enemy engines |
How do you level up skills in Starfield?
Every time your character levels up, you receive a skill point which can be used to unlock or level up a skill. Each skill has a set of ranks, which can be unlocked by completing progressively more difficult challenges. You can receive XP to level up your character through almost anything, from combat to using your individual skills themselves, like hacking locks to level up Security, or reloading empty magazines to level up Rapid Reloading.
Levelling up these skills will subsequently provide you with more benefits. Sticking with Security, at rank 1, you’ll be able to disable advanced locks and store two auto attempts, while rank 2 will let you disable expert locks and store three auto attempts, then master-level locks etc. The higher you rank up each skill, the more useful they will be.
Additionally, while there isn’t a skill tree per se, there is a hierarchy of skills with each skill being placed on a specific tier. In order to unlock certain higher-tier skills in a specific category, you will first need to level up the corresponding skills on the tiers below it. For example, you may need to rank up your Diplomacy skill before you can unlock Xenosociology. The number of skill points you need to spend to unlock each tier are:
- Tier 1: 0 skill points
- Tier 2: 4 skill points
- Tier 3: 8 skill points
- Tier 4: 12 skill points
Best Starfield skills to get early on
Right from the start of the game, you have access to 25 different skills, which is quite a lot to choose from before you’ve even got to grips with any of the game’s mechanics. While all of them are useful in their own right, there is a selection that we think is an absolute must if you’re looking to get off to the best start exploring the Settled Systems.
The best Starfield skills to get early on are:
- Fitness (Physical) – When you’re not flying through space, you’ll be running around on planets and moons, and for that you need oxygen. Fitness will increase the amount of oxygen you have, and while it may not seem like a lot, that extra oxygen really adds up over time.
- Weight Lifting (Physical) – When you’re over-encumbered, you can’t fast travel, and all movement reduces your oxygen. You don’t want to be stuck throwing away valuable loot just because you didn’t upgrade your carrying capacity. Get a couple of Weight Lifting ranks and you’ll thank us later.
- Persuasion (Social) – You will come across speech challenges a lot in Starfield, and upgrading it will make your life so much easier. It lets you avoid combat with strong enemies, convince quest NPCs to help you out, and get information out of even the most tight-lipped of NPCs. At least one point in Persuasion is a must, but we’d recommend even more later in the game.
- Theft (Social) – Theft can be a decent way of making a few credits early on or getting a few rare items, but it will be extremely useful in quests. There are all sorts of missions requiring you to get an item from an NPC by persuading them or failing that, by killing them. Thieving gives you an easy third option if you fail your persuasion but still want to try and avoid a firefight.
- Boost Pack Training (Tech) – Boost packs are a necessity when it comes to exploring, as they give you such a useful movement option, both in exploration and combat. But even with one equipped, you need to have at least one point in this skill before you can use your boost pack, so get this immediately.
- Security (Tech) – Everywhere you go, you’re going to come across chests and containers that are locked. Unlocking these will provide you with credits, materials, and most importantly, you can get some very powerful early-game guns and armour. Added to that, you can unlock locked doors, and hack computer systems, too. Upgrade Security as early as possible, and just make sure you’ve got enough Digipicks.
Before you start upgrading any other skills, we would recommend getting these skills first as they will give you the fastest access to a wide variety of important content. Out of all of these, we would prioritize Persuasion, Boost Pack Training, and Security above all others. Choosing a background that comes with one or more of these traits will give you a great starting position.
For more help starting you star hopping journey, check out our Starfield tips and tricks, the best Starfield ships, the best Starfield reactor, the New Atlantis, Akila, and Neon shop locations, how to pick locks, where to get Digipicks, and where to find Jemison Mercantile in the UC capital.
