To succeed early in Starfield, focus on completing early quests to gain experience and skill points, carefully manage your resources, and always explore your surroundings for loot and side missions.
So you’ve just stepped into the vast cosmos of Starfield and perhaps you’re feeling a little overwhelmed? That’s perfectly normal! Many find the initial hours a bit challenging, wondering about the best path. This article is designed to get you on your feet and feeling confident with the game by addressing what ‘Starfield the basic steps to succeed early’ are.
We’ll guide you with simple, actionable advice so you can build your character, ship, and enjoy everything this enormous space has to offer. This is not about complicated tactics or secrets. Instead, these are the practical steps that will help you get ahead of the curve quickly.
Starfield the basic steps to succeed early
Stepping into the vast universe of Starfield can feel a bit like being dropped into a new neighborhood without a map. Don’t worry; it happens to the best of us! To get a good start and feel like you know what you’re doing, you need a few key strategies. This guide will walk you through the things you should focus on early in the game to get ahead. We’ll cover everything from choosing your background to building your first space outpost.
Choosing the Right Background and Traits
Before you even set foot on a planet, Starfield asks you to pick a background and some traits for your character. Think of these as your character’s starting story and quirks. They can really affect how you play the game, so choose wisely!
Understanding Backgrounds
Backgrounds provide you with three starting skills, kind of like a head start in certain areas. For example:
- Diplomat: If you’re someone who likes to talk your way out of trouble, this background gives you skills in Persuasion, Commerce, and Diplomacy.
- Combat Medic: If you prefer to be in the thick of the action but also good at healing, this background is great for you. It gives you skills in Medicine, Ballistics, and Combat.
- Explorer: If you’re keen to see what’s over the next hill (or planet!), this background offers you skills in Surveying, Astrodynamics, and Botany.
Choosing a background that fits your preferred playstyle is really important in the beginning. Don’t worry too much though, you can grow your skills in any area as you play.
Traits: The Good and The Bad
Traits are kind of like double-edged swords; they give you some benefits but also come with a few challenges. Here’s what to consider:
- Extrovert/Introvert: Do you like traveling with a buddy, or are you more of a lone wolf? Extroverts are better with companions, while introverts are stronger on their own.
- Kid Stuff: You’ll have parents who are alive and well, and you get to visit them. Sounds nice, right? But you send them some money each week.
- Taskmaster: You get some extra health and carry weight but suffer from a lower oxygen capacity.
Think carefully about the traits you pick, as you can’t change them later. Picking traits that help your chosen background is a smart move.
Early Skills to Focus On
Now that you’ve started, you’ll be gathering experience points very quickly. Put those points to good use by investing in the right skills early. Certain skills are way more valuable during the first few hours of the game.
Essential Skill Categories
Here are the skill categories you should pay attention to early on:
- Combat: Investing in skills like Ballistics or Laser weapons will make you more effective in firefights.
- Tech: Skills like Piloting and Security can open up new areas and help you explore.
- Physical: Consider skills like Weight Lifting to carry more loot, or Stealth to sneak around.
Specific Skills to Prioritize
Here are a few specific skills you should invest in soon:
- Piloting: Being able to pilot better ships will allow you to explore farther and faster.
- Security: There are a lot of locked containers in the game. This skill will open them up to reveal all kinds of loot.
- Scanning: This skill is really important for exploration and finding resources.
- Persuasion: Being able to talk to others and convince them of your point can help you avoid fighting, get better rewards, and learn more about the world.
When deciding which skills to pick, consider what sort of game you like to play most and think about the type of character that you want to grow into. Don’t be afraid to experiment, though!
Making Money and Gathering Resources
Getting some cash and resources early on will allow you to upgrade your gear, buy better ships, and even establish your own outpost. But where to find these things?
Tips for Making Money
There are many ways to earn Credits (the game’s currency) early on:
- Completing Missions: Taking on missions from the mission boards in towns or talking to different people is a great way to get rewards.
- Selling Loot: Sell the weapons, armor, and other items you find while exploring.
- Mining Resources: Finding ore veins and mining them can be a profitable venture, particularly if you are lucky to find valuable resources.
Best Ways to Gather Resources
Resources like Iron, Aluminum, and Copper are extremely useful, and you will need them to craft things and for your outpost. Here are a few tips on gathering:
- Survey Planets: Using your scanner to find mineral deposits on planets is a great way to collect resources.
- Mine Directly: Using your cutter to mine ore veins found on the ground and rocks is another great way to collect.
- Buy Resources: If you don’t feel like finding and mining resources yourself, you can buy them from merchants.
Don’t overlook the importance of resources! They are very necessary in crafting and building upgrades for your character and ship. They will also be used in your outpost. When you are out exploring, remember to take a moment to gather some of the resources you find. You’ll be glad you did later on.
Exploring and Leveling Up Quickly
Starfield’s universe is vast and interesting. It’s important to get out there and start exploring, not just to enjoy the sights, but to level up fast and gain more resources and rewards.
Prioritizing Missions and Side Quests
The main story missions are important, of course, but don’t ignore side quests! They give you additional experience, Credits, and items. Some side quests can lead you to areas and places you might have otherwise missed!
- Look for Mission Boards: Most major towns or cities will have a mission board that offers jobs that are usually suited for your level, allowing you to gain experience quickly.
- Talk to NPCs: Talking to the non-player characters around can reveal new side missions.
Exploring Planets Smartly
When exploring a planet, here’s how you can make it really useful:
- Scan Everything: Make sure to scan all the plants, minerals, and creatures on every planet you visit. This is a very good way to level up early in the game, plus it unlocks new crafting options.
- Look for Points of Interest: Use your scanner to find points of interest on the planet’s surface and go check them out.
- Complete Surveying: Scanning all the flora and fauna on a planet completely will reward you with additional experience.
Always be curious! Each location in Starfield can have hidden quests, stories, and treasures for you to find. Don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path. This is where the fun is at!
Ship Combat and Upgrading Your Ship
Space is a dangerous place, and having a good ship is very important. Early on, you’ll have to deal with pirates and other dangers, so learning about ship combat and ship upgrades is very necessary.
Basic Ship Combat Tips
Here are a few things that will help you survive in ship battles:
- Manage Power: Remember to manage the power between your different systems like weapons, engines, and shields.
- Use Boost: The boost ability can help you quickly evade enemies or chase them.
- Keep a Distance: Try to keep a safe distance from enemies, as this will make it harder for them to hit you.
Upgrading Your Ship
Upgrading your ship is also a good idea so you can get an advantage when doing ship combat.
- Buy New Parts: Look for Ship Services Technicians in big cities and buy new parts like better weapons, shields, or engines.
- Earn Money From Missions: Complete missions from the Mission Boards to get more credits that you can use to buy new ship parts.
A well-maintained and upgraded ship is vital for both travel and combat. Make sure that you put some effort and credits into upgrading your ship so you’ll have a better time in space battles.
Early Outpost Building
Once you have a little experience exploring the universe, you might want to start building your own outpost. An outpost can be used to generate resources, store your items, and even as a home base.
Choosing a Good Location
When choosing where to build your outpost, remember these:
- Resource Rich Areas: It’s a great idea to build your outpost in a location with many resources that you can easily mine or extract.
- Central Location: Pick a location that’s close to areas of interest, so it makes exploration easier.
Basic Outpost Structures
These structures will be helpful in creating a good early base:
- Extractors: These structures are needed to collect resources from nearby deposits.
- Storage Containers: These are important for storing the resources you have collected.
- Habitable Structures: You will need these so that you and any crew that you hire have a comfortable place to rest.
An outpost is a great way to make the game feel like your own, especially because you can design it to your liking and needs. Don’t hesitate to start building your first outpost and start taking advantage of everything it has to offer.
Getting a good start in Starfield is all about making smart decisions from the beginning and knowing what to focus on. By choosing the right background and traits, focusing on the right skills, making some credits and resources, doing some exploration, upgrading your ship, and building an outpost, you’ll be very prepared to handle the challenges that the game throws your way. Remember to explore the universe, do many side missions, and don’t be afraid to try new things. Starfield is a big universe full of many secrets that you need to explore!
Starfield's Procedural Tech Ideas Are built on Daggerfalls Success – Walking the Walk
Final Thoughts
Focus on early resource gathering, especially credits and essential crafting materials. Prioritize completing early missions to gain experience and access better gear. Choosing your starting skills carefully will make your initial journey much smoother. These must-do steps will set you up for a more successful playthrough.
Remember, exploring and scanning planets yields valuable data and rewards. Engaging with the various factions early on will open up many opportunities. Following ‘Starfield the basic steps to succeed early’ provides a solid foundation.



