Starfield How To Play Strategically Early

Starfield How to Play Strategically Early

Okay, you’ve jumped into the vast universe of Starfield! It’s huge and exciting, but where do you even begin? Don’t worry, this isn’t about just shooting space pirates (though, that’s fun too!). We’re talking smart play – setting yourself up for success right from the get-go. We’ll explore the best ways to handle your first few hours in Starfield to make your journey smoother and more rewarding. This game offers so much freedom; you can pick your own path. But a little planning at the start can make a huge difference.

Understanding Your Starting Skills

Starfield doesn’t just throw you into the deep end. It lets you choose a background and three starting skills. These choices really shape how you play early on. Think of them as your character’s initial strengths. Let’s break down how to select the best ones for a good start:

Background Selection

Your background isn’t just a fun backstory; it actually gives you those initial three skills. There are lots of options like ‘Bounty Hunter’ ‘Explorer’ ‘Diplomat’ and more. It’s tempting to pick what sounds cool, but think about how those skills fit your playstyle. Do you like sneaking around? Fighting head-on? Or talking your way out of trouble?

Here’s a simplified look at some popular backgrounds and the skills they offer:

Prioritizing the Best Starting Skills

There are some skills that are just more useful than others early on. Here are a few good ones to consider:

• Persuasion: This skill lets you talk your way out of situations. It’s incredibly useful for avoiding fights, getting better deals, and even getting quests.
• Piloting: Flying a ship is a core part of Starfield, and upgrading this skill will allow you to use better thrusters, making ship handling way easier.
• Surveying: Essential for gathering resources. Resources are needed for crafting, research, and ship upgrades, so it’s super useful.
• Boost Pack Training: This lets you use boost packs for traversal, which is so helpful for getting around planets quickly and easily.

Don’t feel like you have to pick any particular skills. Pick what sounds interesting to you. It’s your journey, but these tend to help out a lot at the start.

Resource Management: What to Keep and What to Sell

You’ll be picking up all kinds of things as you explore. Some are junk, some are crafting materials, and some are for selling for credits (the game’s currency). Knowing the difference is key to early game success.

Essential Resources to Collect and Store

These are the items you should be actively searching for and storing. Don’t sell them. You will need them soon:

• Iron and Aluminum: Used in so many crafting recipes and ship upgrades. These are the most common resources you’ll see, but don’t take them for granted.
• Copper: Another vital crafting material that can be found on many planets and used for building items and your bases.
• Helium-3: Used for fuel for your ship. You’ll never want to run out of this fuel.
• Fiber: You need fiber for crafting items like med packs, which are useful in exploration.

Selling Wisely for Quick Credits

You’ll have a lot of stuff you won’t need. Here are tips on selling items for cash:

• Junk Items: Anything labeled “junk” is safe to sell. They are only useful for selling.
• Extra Weapons and Armor: If you find better versions, sell the old ones. Just make sure you don’t sell your favorite items!
• Extra Ammo: Sell ammo types you don’t use often.
• Processed Resources: Processed versions of resources like “Iron Ingot” sells for more than their raw material version, so always be on the lookout for processing stations to maximize your profit on these items.

Use the credits to buy important stuff like new weapons, armor, medpacks, and ship upgrades. It’s better to have a well-stocked inventory than to be rich but stuck without supplies.

Prioritizing Early Quests

Quests in Starfield range from simple delivery jobs to complex adventures. Some quests are better to do early on than others. Here’s what to focus on:

The Main Story Questline

The main story is your guide to the world, and it gives you some amazing weapons and rewards. It will also teach you the core gameplay elements. Don’t feel pressure to finish it too quickly, but progressing along it a bit will give you a good start in the game and help give you direction early on.

Faction Quests: Joining Up

You’ll find a bunch of different factions as you explore. Consider joining one early, but you can join more than one. Faction quests will get you rewards and new armor and weapons. These can also get you access to unique locations. But just note that joining certain factions can affect your relationships with other factions, so pay attention to the choices you are making.

Side Quests: The Hidden Gems

Don’t just rush past the side quests. They are often quick, provide great experience, and can reward you with rare items and unique insights into the world. Some are simple “go here and collect this” quests, while others can be much more complex and involve a lot more.

Early Exploration and Scanning Strategies

Exploration is a big part of Starfield. It’s not just about landing on random planets; it’s about being smart about how you explore. Scanning planets and fauna and flora is important, as well as just running around and finding items, locations and resources.

The Value of Planet Scanning

Scanning plants, animals, and geological features will earn you good money by selling the data that you get from these scans. You also need this data to fully survey a planet, which helps to make it easier to find the planet’s main resources, and also lets you unlock more of that planet’s information. So, before rushing through a planet, always make sure to scan everything and get that sweet, sweet scanning data.

Finding Valuable Resources

Planets are not just about the landscape, but also about what lies beneath. Use your scanner to find out which resources are available on each planet, then explore the surrounding areas. Some resource deposits are easy to spot, while others are hidden in caves or behind mountains. Always use your scanner and keep your eyes open for these opportunities.

The Importance of Saving Regularly

Starfield can be unforgiving at times. Always remember to save often. It will save you hours of lost progress. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so every 10-15 minutes or before entering a new and potentially dangerous area always make sure to save your progress.

Ship Management and Upgrades

Your ship is your home in the stars. Taking care of it is really important for long-term survival. You can fly around in whatever ship you like, but make sure to take care of it and make upgrades as needed.

Understanding Ship Parts and Systems

Your ship is made up of different systems like shields, weapons, and engines. Each of these parts has different stats and properties, and the more you upgrade them, the better your ship will perform. You can access the ship modification menu at any ship services technician to see which parts need improvement.

The Right Ship Upgrades

You don’t need to upgrade everything at once. Here’s what to prioritize:

• Engine: A better engine lets you get around faster, so it’s a good choice for your first upgrade.
• Weapons: Better weapons can be a lifesaver when you come across pirates or hostile ships.
• Shields: Better shields keep you alive when enemy ships attack.
• Cargo Capacity: You’ll quickly run out of space. Upgrading your cargo is also a good choice.

Combat Tactics: Early Game Tips

Combat will be a big part of your journey. Here are some pointers to help you out early on:

Using Cover and Stealth

Rushing headfirst into a fight is often a mistake. Use cover to avoid getting shot at, and be stealthy to get the jump on enemies. The better you are at picking the right moments to use cover or stealth, the easier the combat will be for you.

Different Weapon Types

Starfield has a range of different weapons. Experiment to find what suits your style. Some weapons are better against certain types of enemies. For example, particle weapons work very well against shielded targets. You can find weapons all over, and always be on the look out for upgrades.

Med Packs and Aid Items

Always carry plenty of med packs and aid items. These items can heal you, cure afflictions, or give you temporary buffs. They are essential for surviving harder encounters.

Settlement and Outpost Building

Setting up your own outpost early on can provide a safe base for you to craft, rest, and store items. There are a lot of benefits to setting up outposts.

Basic Outpost Needs

Your first outpost doesn’t have to be elaborate. A simple base with a bed, some storage containers, and a crafting station is a great start. Once you have established the basic outpost, you can start building more elaborate structures.

Resource Production

Once you have established your base, you can expand it by adding resource harvesters. This will allow you to generate resources passively, and it helps to get those materials you need for crafting.

Starting smart in Starfield will allow you to have a better experience overall and be able to take on the challenges that await. Take your time, plan things out, and most importantly, have fun!