Starfield How To Get The Most Out Of The Start

Starfield: How to Get the Most Out of the Start

Okay, you’ve just jumped into the vast universe of Starfield, and it can feel a bit overwhelming, right? There’s so much to see, so much to do, and so many planets to visit! But don’t worry, this guide is here to help you navigate those early hours and set you up for an amazing adventure. We’re going to talk about how to make smart choices, what to focus on, and how to make the start of your Starfield journey an absolute blast.

Choosing Your Background and Traits

Your character’s background and traits are like choosing your own special starter kit. They give you initial skills and can make your game experience feel very different. Let’s dive into how to pick the ones that fit your style.

Understanding Backgrounds

Think of backgrounds as your character’s backstory. They dictate your starting skills, giving you a head start in specific areas. For instance, if you choose “Combat Medic,” you’ll start with points in Medicine, Combat, and another skill. Here’s a breakdown of what to consider:

• Consider Your Play Style: Do you see yourself as a smooth-talking diplomat? A skilled pilot? A sneaky explorer? Pick a background that matches how you want to play.
• Skill Focus: Look at the skills each background gives you. Some might focus on combat, others on exploration, and still others on social interactions.
• Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try different backgrounds to see which playstyle resonates most with you. The great thing about Starfield is that you aren’t locked into a single play style. You can still develop all skills, even if your starting background didn’t give you them initially.

Some popular background choices and what they mean:

Choosing Traits

Traits are like little quirks that give you some advantages but often come with a drawback. You get to pick up to three, so choose wisely! Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Weigh the Pros and Cons: Each trait has an upside and a downside. Think about how those will affect your gameplay.
• Consider Your Style: If you love combat, a trait that boosts damage might be great, even if it makes social situations a bit tougher.
• Don’t Overdo It: If a trait sounds too good to be true, check the negative effect. The negative might be more of a hindrance than the advantage.

Some interesting traits to consider include:

• Introvert: Better alone, worse with a companion.
• Extrovert: Better with a companion, worse alone.
• Taskmaster: Crew members do more, ship maintenance costs more.
• Dream Home: You start with a dream home.
• Raised Universal: You start with some useful extra items and a great starting place, but have unique interactions with religion.

Navigating the First Few Hours

Once you’ve designed your character, it’s time to get your boots on the ground! Here’s how to make those first few hours smooth and successful.

Follow the Main Story (Mostly)

The main story will introduce you to the game’s core mechanics, characters, and different factions. It’s your main path to getting your bearings in the vast world. Here’s why it’s good to stick with the story for a bit:

• Skill Progression: The game will guide you through early combat, crafting, research, and dialogue interactions.
• Important Locations: The story will take you to some key hubs like New Atlantis, Cydonia, and Akila City, where you can find quests, vendors, and crucial resources.
• Story Unfolding: The main quest line will slowly introduce more of the world’s lore and background, keeping you engaged.

Side Quests and Exploration

While the main story is vital, don’t be afraid to take breaks and explore. Side quests often have rewards, resources, and unique stories. Here’s what to look for:

• Talking to NPCs: Take time to talk to people you meet in settlements and spaceports. Many will have side quests for you to do.
• Job Boards: You can find quest boards in most major cities that offer various missions.
• Explore the Environment: Look for unique points of interest, like abandoned outposts, mines, and caves. These can have valuable resources and loot.
• Random Encounters: Sometimes, you’ll be pulled into random events as you travel through space or explore on planets.

Resource Gathering

Resources are a big part of Starfield. You’ll need them for crafting, research, and outposts. Here’s how to get ahead early on:

• Scan Everything: Use your scanner on planets to find valuable deposits of resources.
• Mine Resources: Get yourself a cutter and mine some of the early resource deposits on the first planet.
• Collect Everything: Pick up every resource you find, especially those you need for crafting and research.
• Vendors: You can buy resources from vendors. Sell extra loot and resources you don’t need to get some credits.

Early Skill Choices and Why They Matter

As you level up, you’ll get points to spend on skills. Smart early skill choices can make your game much easier and more enjoyable. Let’s talk about some good ones to focus on:

Combat Skills

Combat is an unavoidable part of Starfield. Having a solid combat foundation is very helpful. Consider these:

• Ballistics: This skill enhances your damage with ballistic weapons, which are very common in the early game.
• Pistols/Rifles: Focus on the type of weapon you enjoy using the most.
• Stealth: If you like sneaking around, this can make combat easier, allowing you to pick off enemies one by one.

Social Skills

Social skills are a big part of Starfield. These can really open up dialogue options and make some quests much easier. Take a look at these skills:

• Persuasion: This skill can let you talk your way out of tough situations.
• Commerce: This will give you better deals when buying and selling at vendors.
• Leadership: This helps your crew and companions become more effective.

Science and Exploration

For those who love crafting and discovery, skills in science and exploration are a must. Here are some great picks:

• Surveying: Makes exploring planets much more efficient.
• Scanning: Improves your scanner and the data you collect.
• Research: Unlocks new items and weapon modifications.

Engineering and Ship Skills

If you want to build and upgrade your ships, focus on these skills:

• Piloting: Unlocks better ships and skills to help you maneuver more effectively.
• Ship Engineering: Increases the health and performance of your ship components.
• Boost Pack Training: Enables you to use boost packs for exploration and combat.

Making Money (Credits) Early

Credits are vital for buying ships, resources, and better equipment. Here are some good ways to make money at the start of the game:

Selling Loot and Resources

Looting everything and selling it is a simple, but effective, way to make some initial credits. Look for these:

• Weapons and Armor: Enemies will drop equipment. Sell anything you won’t use.
• Resources: Scan and mine resource deposits and sell the extras at vendors.
• Unique Items: Sometimes, you’ll find unique things that can be sold for a good price.

Completing Side Quests

As you progress, more side quests can become available. Most quests will reward you with credits and items.

• Job Boards: Look for quests on boards in major cities or settlements.
• NPC Requests: Speak to different characters, and accept quests when available.

Smuggling

If you have a ship that can go undetected, smuggling can be a way to make money. This can be a little risky as you can be caught by customs:

• Buy and Sell Contraband: Pick up contraband and sell it in the right place.

Ship Customization and Upgrades

Your ship is a key part of Starfield, and upgrading it can make your exploration and combat experiences better. Don’t worry about upgrading right away, but here is how to get started:

Ship Parts and Types

There are a variety of parts you can upgrade or change, and there are many different kinds of ships you can buy.

• Weapons: Upgrade your ship’s lasers, ballistics, and missiles.
• Shields: Improve your shields to protect from damage in combat.
• Engines: Faster engines mean quicker travel, especially to different systems
• Cargo: Larger cargo storage means you can carry more loot and resources

Ship Building

You can buy or build new ships once you progress enough in the game. Make sure you save enough credits for the initial costs.

• Modify Your Current Ship: Use ship technicians to make changes to your ship.
• Buy a New Ship: New ships can be bought at shipyards on planets and major spaceports

Outposts and Crafting

Outposts are great for resource gathering and crafting. They can seem complicated at first, but here is how to get started:

Establishing an Outpost

• Choose a Good Spot: Look for a planet with resources you need.
• Build a Hab Unit: This is your first building.
• Extractors: Set up extractors to gather resources on the planet.

Crafting

• Research: Research to get new crafting recipes.
• Crafting Stations: Use the crafting stations at your ship or an outpost to make items.

Understanding Factions

Starfield has a few different factions. Each one has their own story line and unique things to offer. Here is how to get started with that:

Joining a Faction

• Talk to Different Groups: Some factions will let you join as you explore.
• Follow Faction Questlines: Each faction has its own main story.