Skills
The best starting skill upgrades in Starfield are those that provide immediate benefits, such as Boost Pack Training, Security, Persuasion, Stealth, and Targeting Control Systems. These skills enhance mobility, provide access to locked areas and valuable loot, improve dialogue outcomes, and offer combat advantages, respectively. Other highly recommended early skills include those that increase carry capacity and improve piloting abilities, like Weightlifting and Piloting.
Top recommended starting skills
- Boost Pack Training (Tech): Unlocks the jetpack, which is crucial for traversal, exploration, and combat.
- Security (Tech): Allows you to hack advanced locks on doors and containers, giving access to valuable loot and new areas from the start.
- Persuasion (Social): Helps you succeed in speech challenges, which can lead to easier quest completion and better outcomes in interactions with NPCs.
- Stealth (Physical): Unlocks a stealth meter, making it easier to avoid enemy detection while sneaking.
- Targeting Control Systems (Tech): Enables targeting specific enemy ship systems, like engines, which is vital for ship-to-ship combat and boarding.
Other useful early skills
- Piloting (Tech): Allows you to fly better ships and is essential for capturing enemy ships.
- Weightlifting (Physical): Increases your carry capacity, which is incredibly useful for looting and managing inventory without becoming over-encumbered.
- Ballistics (Combat): Provides a damage bonus for ballistic weapons, which can be very helpful early on depending on the weapons you find and use.
- Spacesuit Design (Science): Allows for researching and crafting better mods for your spacesuit, helmet, and pack.
Tips for choosing your first skills
- Choose based on your playstyle: If you prefer stealth, prioritize Stealth and Theft. If you prefer combat, focus on a weapon skill. If you want to explore and loot, focus on Security and Weightlifting.
- Don’t neglect your background: Some backgrounds, like the Industrialist, start you with some of these skills already unlocked, saving you initial skill points.
- Level up quickly: Some skills are more critical for early-game progression. Prioritize skills that provide essential functions like flying, hacking, or using a jetpack.
- Consider a mix: A good approach is to balance your choices across different skill trees to ensure you have a well-rounded character. For example, combining a combat skill with a movement skill like Boost Pack Training or a utility skill like Security can create a powerful early-game build.