How to Choose the Best First Outpost Location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You can place up to 8 outpost beacons to begin with (more are unlocked with the Planetary Habitation skill, deep in the Science skill tree). Before deciding to set up and build, we recommend you scout out a few locations and place beacons to mark them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what you should look for in a first outpost location:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You won\u2019t be able to set up on a planet with extreme temperatures, extreme gravity or pressure, or toxic\/corrosive atmospheres, until you invest points into Planetary Habitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond that, your suit should protect you from most hazards. Some planets do experience hazardous weather events, but you can always head back to your ship if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many different biomes you can choose to land in, and they will each have different local flora and fauna. Note that not all planets have abundant plant and animal life – some have very little, and some are teeming with life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having plants and animals nearby is extremely useful, as harvesting them yields organic<\/strong> resources<\/strong>, many of which you\u2019ll need to build structures in your outpost. Being able to head out and pick up some more structural material or sealant will definitely make your life easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, note that some wildlife is aggressive. You may want to avoid building somewhere with animals with aggressive temperaments, particularly if they appear in herds and are particularly mobile or threatening. While you will most likely be able to fight them off, they can be a nuisance while building and collecting resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may be tempted to set up on a planet with rare materials and start a mining operation, but this will most likely be of limited use to you until you progress further into the game. Instead, it may be best to create a main\/home outpost, and eventually you\u2019ll be able to set up cargo links to send resources from mining outposts to your main outpost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To save yourself carting resources around the galaxy, it helps to have the most common building materials<\/strong> close to hand. These are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inorganic Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Organic Resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll also need the following manufactured components <\/strong>most frequently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve chosen your outpost location, it\u2019s time to start building. Here\u2019s what we recommend you bring with you to ensure you have enough materials to set up the basics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To get started, the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is build a source of power. This should either be a Solar Array<\/strong> (2 Beryllium, 4 Aluminum, 3 Copper) or Wind Turbine<\/strong> (3 Nickel, 5 Aluminum, 2 Cobalt). Power is required for defense turrets, lighting, and extractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you\u2019ll want to begin your indoor structure. Create an Outpost Airlock <\/strong>(2 Lead, 3 Sealant, 3 Aluminum). Then, a Four Wall Hab<\/strong> (4 Lead, 3 Sealant, 6 Aluminum), Round Hab<\/strong> (6 Lead, 4 Sealant, 8 Aluminum) or Small Hex Hab<\/strong> (6 Lead, 4 Sealant, 8 Aluminum).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll most likely want to build\u00a0storage<\/strong>\u00a0– the most basic\u00a0Storage Box<\/strong>\u00a0(2 Structural, 2 Aluminum) or\u00a0Storage Crate<\/strong>\u00a0(4 Structural, 2 Aluminum). You can use this to store building materials, or any\u00a0contraband\u00a0you may have picked up if you don\u2019t have a way to get it safely past the scanners yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The last thing we recommend you set up is some form of defense. It\u2019s possible for groups of enemies to turn up and attack you and your outpost buildings – this can happen even while you\u2019re in the outpost building menu. They won\u2019t destroy the buildings, but will render them non-operational until you repair them. A Ballistic Turret Mk I<\/strong> (2 Beryllium, 4 Iron, 3 Lead) is the cheapest to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEnvironment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starfield.number61.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-12-1024x576.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNative Flora and Fauna<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Native Materials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When you’re looking for a place to put your beacon, you can see the\u00a0inorganic resources<\/strong>\u00a0that will be in reach of the beacon in the top left corner of the screen.
Solid material extractors\u00a0must be placed directly over the relevant material<\/strong>, so be sure to scout around the area before placing your beacon to make sure you have as many resources in range as possible.
Note that it may not be necessary to place extractors to gain access to the material at first, as surface level deposits often appear. However, these deposits do not respawn, so you’ll eventually want an extractor to provide a steady supply.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
\n
Structural materials are required for many types of furniture. They can be harvested from flora and fauna of certain types – you’ll need to scan the local nature to discover what they provide.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n \n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starfield.number61.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-13-1024x576.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Build Your First Outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
You can cycle through variants<\/strong> of the object you\u2019re building (the number of variants is listed underneath the preview image). While some of these variants are purely cosmetic, others do have different material requirements and effects.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t worry about accidentally placing items! You can deconstruct them for free and receive all the resources back.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n