The best way to play Starfield as a beginner is to prioritize main story missions initially to grasp core game mechanics, then explore side quests and crafting for a richer experience.
Stepping into the vast universe of Starfield can feel overwhelming at first. Many new players wonder about the Starfield best way to play as a beginner. There’s so much to do and see, it is tough figuring where to start.
You are encouraged to progress the main story a bit before jumping to side content. This allows you to understand the basics of navigation and combat, too. After this feel free to explore, engage in side quests, and experiment with crafting systems for more fun.
Starfield Best Way to Play as a Beginner
Okay, so you’ve just jumped into the massive world of Starfield, and maybe you’re feeling a little lost, like a tiny astronaut in a giant galaxy. Don’t worry, it happens to everyone! Starfield can feel like a lot at first, but it’s totally manageable if you start off on the right foot. This guide will help you navigate the early game, understand the basic mechanics, and start your intergalactic adventure feeling confident.
Choosing Your Background and Traits
The very first thing Starfield asks you to do is pick your background and traits. These choices might seem small, but they really shape how your character plays. Think of it like choosing a superpower for the start of your space journey.
Backgrounds: Your Starting Story
Your background gives you three starting skills and a bit of a role-playing flavor. Here are a few options that are good for beginners:
- Explorer: If you’re excited about finding new places and exploring, this is a great choice. It starts you with skills like Surveying and Gastronomy, which make discovering resources and healing easier.
- Combat Medic: Love a good fight but want to be helpful? Combat Medic gives you skills in pistols, medicine, and wellness, meaning you can shoot and heal at the same time.
- Industrialist: If you think you will like building outposts and making credits, you might like this background that starts you with skills in persuasion, security, and crafting.
- Bounty Hunter: This option is good for players who like combat. It starts you with skills in piloting, targeting, and stealth, so you can sneak around and take out enemies from a distance.
Don’t stress too much about picking the “perfect” one. You can level up all skills in Starfield. Just choose one that sounds the most fun to you right now. You’ll have the chance to try different styles later.
Traits: The Quirks That Make You, You
Traits are like small quirks or special things about your character. Some give you an advantage while others have a drawback. Here are a few to consider:
- Introvert: If you’re a solo player, this can be a great pick. You’ll do better alone, but have a hard time with companions. This fits well for people who want to do everything on their own.
- Extrovert: Do you like having buddies? Extrovert makes you perform better with companions, but worse when you’re alone.
- Taskmaster: Do you like building outposts? If so, you can be more efficient at it and use less resources.
Important Tip: You can always remove traits later by completing quests, so don’t be afraid to pick something you’re curious about.
The Early Game: Your First Steps
Once you’ve created your character, you’ll be dropped into the world. Don’t rush! Take your time and get used to how things work.
Following the Main Quest
The main story is a great guide for beginners. It will show you the ropes and introduce you to the world. The story missions are marked on your map, and following them is the best way to learn. Don’t stray too far too early; the game gently guides you through each step of the journey in the beginning.
Getting Familiar With the UI
The user interface in Starfield can seem complicated at first, but it’s key to understanding how everything works. The most important elements are:
- The Inventory: This is where you manage all of your items, weapons, armor, and resources.
- The Skill Tree: Here you can spend skill points to improve your abilities.
- The Mission Log: It keeps track of all your active quests and helps guide you to your objectives.
- The Starmap: Your map of the galaxy, essential for navigation.
Exploring and Looting
As you play, you will come across lots of items. Make sure you grab as much as you can from containers, dead bodies, and the environment. These items can help you craft, trade, or simply sell for credits. Early game is about gathering as much as you can!
Understanding Combat
Combat in Starfield involves shooting, melee attacks, and using the environment to your advantage. Here are some useful things to remember:
- Use Cover: Try to stay behind objects to avoid enemy fire.
- Aim for the Head: Headshots do more damage.
- Don’t be Afraid to Run: Sometimes the best move is to escape and regroup.
Important Tip: Try out different weapon types to find the ones you like the most, some weapons have modifiers that will be more helpful in certain situations.
Making Credits: Funding Your Adventures
Credits are the currency of Starfield. You’ll need them to buy weapons, ships, and other cool gear. Here are the best ways to make money early on:
Selling Loot
You can sell all the extra stuff you’ve picked up to vendors in cities or at outposts. Make sure you check out prices, some vendors pay better than others.
Completing Missions
Most missions will give you a cash reward. Doing side quests is a really great way to earn credits and experience.
Surveying Planets
Use your scanner to find resources and scan the different animals and plants you find. Once you have completed all the surveys on the planet, you can sell the data for credits. This can also be used to craft items at your workbench.
Understanding Ship Mechanics
Your ship is your lifeline in Starfield. You need to know how to fly it, upgrade it, and keep it in good shape. Here’s a simple rundown:
Flying Basics
Flying can feel weird at first. Start off slow and take your time in getting used to the controls. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- Use the thrusters to move faster or slower.
- Lock onto an enemy to take them out in combat.
- Take time to learn how to boost, this will help you get away faster if you are in trouble.
Upgrading Your Ship
You can improve your ship by purchasing upgrades. These upgrades can give you better armor, more cargo space, and improved weapons. You can do this at any of the Ship Services in cities.
Ship Combat
Combat in space can be tricky. Here are some tips to help you survive:
- Manage your power. Make sure your weapons and shields have enough power to work properly.
- Target enemy ships. Focus on taking down one enemy at a time.
- Don’t be afraid to retreat. If you are losing the battle, escape and try again later.
Important Tip: Focus on upgrading the weapons and shields on your ship first. This will help you survive the early game battles.
Skills and Leveling Up
As you play Starfield, you will gain experience and level up your character. Here’s how the leveling system works:
Spending Skill Points
Each time you level up, you get one skill point to spend. You can use these points to add new perks to your character or advance them in the skill tree.
Must Have Early Game Skills
Here are some skills you should focus on early:
- Boost Pack Training: This allows you to use a boost pack, which is amazing for mobility.
- Piloting: Important for flying your ship and using more powerful ships.
- Medicine: Healing is key to survivability.
- Security: Helps you unlock containers that have loot.
- Persuasion: Helps in conversations with NPC’s.
Important Tip: Try to get one rank in a skill that helps you loot and explore.
Understanding Factions
Starfield has several factions with different goals, and joining a faction is a good way to get into the story, access new quests, and gear. Here’s a quick look at a few:
- Constellation: The main story faction, very useful to start with.
- United Colonies: A major space faction that controls many of the planets.
- Freestar Collective: Another big faction, good for quests.
Important Tip: Factions can be very helpful for beginners. So, don’t wait too long before making a choice.
Outposts and Base Building
Building outposts is a fun way to create your own little home in the vast galaxy. Here’s how it works:
Finding a Good Location
Look for planets that have a lot of the resources you need. Make sure it is somewhere that you feel comfortable. You want to feel like you have set up a home.
Building Outpost Structures
You can build all sorts of things, like habitats, mining structures, and research labs. Start slow and build what you need, don’t feel pressured to make something giant right away.
Assigning Crew
As you go, you will be able to hire crew members, You can assign them to your outposts to help with resource gathering or security.
Important Tip: Start with a simple outpost to get used to the system. Then, you can expand as needed.
Tips and Tricks for Beginners
Here are some extra tips to make your experience with Starfield better:
- Talk to Everyone: NPC’s have lots of information and often times they have quests you may not have found otherwise.
- Save Often: Starfield is a big game and things sometimes can go wrong. Saving often means you will not lose much progress if it does.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment: Try new things. If you don’t like it, you can always try something different.
- Use your scanner often: It is so important to survey the planets, so you can get crafting and survey data, which will bring you credits.
Important Tip: Starfield is a marathon, not a sprint. Take your time, enjoy the experience, and have fun exploring!
Starting out in Starfield can feel a little overwhelming at first, but with the right approach, you’ll quickly find your footing. Focus on following the main story, take time to understand the basics, and never be afraid to experiment. This game is all about making your own journey, and these tips should help you get going on your adventure. Keep exploring, keep learning, and remember that every player has their unique experience. Soon you will be an intergalactic pro!
Starfield – Ultimate Beginners Guide | How To Have The Perfect Start
Final Thoughts
Focus on the main quest early on to gain experience and understand the game’s mechanics. Engage with factions for unique storylines and rewards. Explore planets cautiously, using the scanner often.
Remember that combat takes time to get used to, so try different weapons and strategies. Prioritize upgrading your ship as it will enhance your exploration capabilities. This method helps achieve an effective start.
Therefore, for a novice, focusing on the primary questline, aligning with factions and cautious exploration is the best strategy. ‘Starfield best way to play as a beginner’ involves patience, careful planning, and gradual progression.



