Starfield What To Focus On For A Better Start

Starfield: What to Focus On for a Better Start

Stepping into the vast universe of Starfield can feel a bit overwhelming at first. With so many planets to explore, skills to learn, and choices to make, it’s easy to get lost. But don’t worry, this guide will help you focus on the most important things at the beginning of your Starfield journey, setting you up for a successful and enjoyable experience.

Character Creation and Background Choices

Your adventure starts with character creation, and the choices you make here can seriously impact your early game. It’s not just about how your character looks; the background you pick and the traits you select also matter quite a bit. Let’s break it down:

Choosing Your Background

The background you select in Starfield gives you three starting skills. These skills can give you a leg up right away. Some backgrounds are geared toward combat, while others focus on exploration, crafting, or talking your way out of trouble. Here are a few examples:

• Combat-focused: If you want to jump right into action, consider backgrounds like Soldier, Bounty Hunter, or Gangster. These will provide you with skills like ballistics, piloting, or stealth early on.
• Exploration-focused: For those who love charting new territories, backgrounds like Explorer, Professor, or Xenobiologist could be great, providing skills like surveying, medicine, or geology.
• Roleplaying-focused: If you like roleplaying and diplomacy, backgrounds like Diplomat or Ronin might be for you. These give you an edge in social situations, with skills such as persuasion or melee combat.

Don’t stress too much about picking the “perfect” background. All skills are available to learn later, so just pick what sounds fun for your playstyle.

Understanding and Choosing Your Traits

Traits are optional advantages and disadvantages that make your character unique. Some traits offer small benefits, while others can drastically affect gameplay. You can choose up to three traits, but each has a downside. Here are some examples to help you understand:

• Introvert/Extrovert: These traits affect your character’s performance when traveling with or without companions, respectively.
• Taskmaster: This trait allows your crew to repair ship systems faster, at the cost of slightly increased system maintenance costs.
• Hero Worshipped: A random “Adoring Fan” will show up at times to give you gifts, but also to potentially be annoying.
• Spaced: Your character is more effective in space, but has decreased performance on planets.
• Terra Firma: Opposite to Spaced, this trait makes you more effective on planets, but less so in space.

It’s important to consider how these traits will impact your gameplay. For a first playthrough, traits like “Taskmaster” or “Dream Home” are great, as they offer unique advantages without big drawbacks. However, avoid traits like “Kid Stuff” or “Wanted,” which can potentially create unwanted story beats. Just make a choice based on how you think you might play the game, don’t overthink it.

Focus on Early Questlines and Story Missions

The early main story quests in Starfield are designed to introduce you to the game mechanics and the world. By focusing on these, you will be able to:

• Learn the ropes: You’ll quickly learn how to navigate the user interface, use your ship, manage inventory, and understand combat.
• Get crucial gear: Early story missions often reward you with important items, such as weapons, armor, and ship parts. These will be very useful in making your early game easier.
• Meet important characters: You’ll meet key NPCs who can offer you jobs, sell gear, or become your companions. These relationships are important for expanding your game opportunities.
• Gather resources: The initial quests help you understand the importance of resources and their collection by having you retrieve them and use them in crafting, research, and building.

While it’s tempting to immediately run off and explore every planet you see, sticking with the main questline for at least the first few hours is beneficial. It helps you establish yourself in the game world and get access to critical resources and skills.

The “Unearthed” Main Mission

One of the first things you’ll do is the “Unearthed” main mission. Pay attention to this! It teaches you the essential basics and is a great introduction to the core gameplay elements of the game. It introduces you to exploration and surveying, as well as combat, as you face your first major enemies.

Side Missions and Activities

Don’t completely ignore side missions. These missions often give you opportunities to gain extra experience, resources, and unique rewards. But, it’s smart to prioritize main story missions over side content for the first part of the game. Side missions are not going anywhere, they can wait!

• Factions: You will come across different factions in the world, and it’s a good idea to pick one to focus on first. This can be the Crimson Fleet, the United Colonies, or the Freestar Collective. Each faction will provide different quests and rewards, so choose what appeals to you the most.
• Job Boards: Look out for mission boards in major cities and spaceports. These will often offer short missions like bounty hunting or cargo delivery, which are great for earning quick credits and experience.

Understanding Skills and How to Level Up

Starfield features a large skill system that lets you customize your character to fit your playstyle. You level up by gaining experience from completing quests, defeating enemies, and other in-game activities. When you level up, you’ll gain a skill point that you can use to purchase new skills or improve existing ones. It’s a system that’s very important to learn early on.

Essential Skills to Prioritize

Some skills are particularly helpful early on and can make your life much easier. Here are a few recommendations:

• Boost Pack Training: This skill allows you to use a boost pack, which is incredibly useful for exploration, combat, and even some puzzle-solving.
• Security: This skill is essential for opening locked containers and doors. Some of the best loot is behind locked areas, so you’ll definitely want to have this.
• Stealth: If you prefer a sneaky play style, then this skill allows you to move around undetected, which can be incredibly useful.
• Weight Lifting: Increasing your carry capacity is extremely helpful. There will be so much stuff you’ll want to pick up and carry around!
• Persuasion: This skill can often help you avoid conflicts, and also give you access to better rewards.

How to Level Up Your Skills

Skills in Starfield have ranks, and you’ll need to complete certain challenges to unlock higher ranks. This means you won’t be able to just level up by just using skill points. You’ll need to actually use the skill in-game. For example, if you want to level up your piloting skills, you’ll need to participate in space combat. Check your skill menu to see what challenges you need to complete to unlock new ranks.

Don’t Hoard Skill Points

Don’t be afraid to spend your skill points! It’s better to invest in skills that fit your playstyle and make your early game experience easier. There is no skill that is bad, so don’t worry about making mistakes or “wasting” your points, because you will be able to upgrade all skills in time.

Resource Management: How to Gather and Utilize

Resources are crucial in Starfield. You’ll need them for crafting, research, building outposts, upgrading ship components, and even just for basic survival. Therefore, knowing how to gather and use these resources is essential for a successful start.

Types of Resources

There are many different types of resources in Starfield, each used for specific things. You’ll find both organic and inorganic resources. Here are some of the most common:

• Inorganic: Iron, Aluminum, Copper, Nickel, Cobalt, Titanium, Platinum, Lead, Silver, Gold, Tungsten, and Uranium.
• Organic: Adhesive, Fiber, Metabolic Agent, Polymer, Nutrient, Toxin, and Membrane.

How to Gather Resources

There are several ways to gather resources, such as:

• Surveying: When on a new planet, use your scanner to identify resource deposits and then use your cutter to extract the resources.
• Purchasing: You can purchase resources from vendors in cities and spaceports. This is a good option if you need specific resources quickly.
• Looting: Enemies, storage containers, and random objects often contain resources that you can pick up.
• Outposts: You can build outposts to automatically mine resources. This is a great way to generate resources without having to constantly gather them manually.

Crafting and Research

Resources are not just used for selling. You can use them for crafting and research. Use workbenches to craft items like weapon modifications, med kits, or ship components. Use research labs to unlock new research options. Start researching new and better gear as soon as possible.

Inventory Management

Your inventory has a limited capacity, and it is very important to manage it. You can store items in your ship’s cargo hold. You can also sell resources that you don’t need for credits. Upgrade your carry capacity and use storage containers whenever you can. Be smart about what you carry around so you are not over-encumbered. Being over-encumbered slows you down and prevents you from running.

Ship Combat and Customization

Space battles are an integral part of Starfield, and understanding the mechanics of ship combat will greatly improve your overall experience. Your ship is your primary mode of transportation, but it’s also an excellent weapon if you know how to use it properly.

Basic Ship Combat

Ship combat in Starfield involves managing your energy levels to your various systems, such as weapons, shields, and engines. There are different types of weapons (ballistic, lasers, missiles) that are useful against different types of enemy ships. Learning how to manage your energy is vital to survival. It will be an important aspect of the gameplay as you progress through the game.

Ship Customization

You will be able to upgrade and customize your ship with new parts, weapons, and modules. You can customize your ship in various ways, including improving the weapons, shields, and engines, but also adding modules that allow you to craft on your ship, research, or create crew quarters. The right customizations will help you tackle tougher challenges, like space battles and planet exploration.

Acquiring New Ships

You’re not stuck with the starting ship. You will be able to buy new ships from vendors or sometimes earn them as rewards from quests. Different ships will have different stats and capabilities, so find the one that fits your playstyle the best.

Piloting Skills

Invest in the piloting skill as soon as you can. This will allow you to use boost and eventually fly more advanced ships, which will help you a lot during your space battles.

Exploring the World and Surveying

Starfield is an open-world game where you will spend much of your time exploring new planets. It is very important to understand how to survey, as it gives a lot of rewards. Exploring allows you to discover new locations, resources, and items, and it is a big part of the game.

Scanning and Surveying Planets

Scanning planets and other celestial bodies is a key part of the game. You can scan planets from orbit to identify their resources and unique features. After you land, you can then survey the planet by using your scanner to identify plants, animals, and points of interest. Complete planetary surveys to earn experience and credits.

Points of Interest

While exploring, keep your eyes open for points of interest, like abandoned buildings, caves, or crashed ships. These locations often contain useful resources and unique gear. Always explore anything that stands out, as you never know what treasures might be awaiting you.

Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Planets in Starfield can be dangerous. Some have hostile creatures, while others might have deadly weather conditions. Pay attention to your surroundings, bring the right gear, and be careful when exploring alien environments.

Use Your Compass and Map

Pay attention to your map and compass. This will help you navigate complex environments and identify nearby points of interest. Don’t be afraid to wander off the beaten path, but keep track of where you’ve been.

Building Outposts

Outposts are another way to expand your base, and build more permanent structures to help with resource gathering and crafting. Outposts are a vital part of the late game, but it’s good to understand them early.

Why Build Outposts?

Outposts provide a variety of benefits, such as:

• Resource Generation: They can automatically generate resources that you can use for crafting, research, or sell for profit.
• Base of Operations: They provide you with a safe place to rest, store items, and upgrade equipment.
• Crew Management: You can assign crew members to your outposts and use their skills to improve their functionality.

Starting Outposts

You’ll need to place an outpost beacon to set up an outpost. After that, you can build various structures and modules, including resource extractors, storage containers, habitations, and more. Start small and simple, and expand your outpost later.

Outpost Management

Outposts require management. You’ll need to resupply resources, repair structures, and ensure your outpost is secure from attacks. Keep an eye on the resource production and make sure your outpost is running smoothly.

Understanding Companions and Crew

Companions are AI-controlled characters who will join you on your journey. They will often participate in battles, help with resource gathering, and provide conversation and companionship. Crew members have their own skills and expertise that can benefit you in different ways.

Recruiting Companions

You can find companions in various locations, including cities, spaceports, and even during specific missions. Each companion has their own unique story and skills, so choose carefully based on your playstyle. Sometimes you’ll want a companion that can do combat, other times you’ll want someone to help you in social situations.

Using Crew Skills

You can assign companions to various roles on your ship and in your outposts. Choose your crew members strategically based on their specific skills. You can assign crew members to a specific role, like pilot, security, or science, which enhances the ship and outpost.

Companion Relationships

Companions respond to your actions and decisions, so it’s important to be mindful of your relationships with them. Building a good relationship can offer benefits such as new quests, gifts, or increased efficiency in combat.

By focusing on these key elements at the beginning of your Starfield adventure, you will establish a strong base for long-term success. Remember to explore at your own pace, take your time, and enjoy the universe that Starfield has created. Be patient, and most importantly, have fun.