All Starfield Skills, and the best Skills to upgrade
What are the best skills to get first in Starfield?
Updated on
1 comment
How does Starfield's skill system work, and what are the best skills to get early on? It's well-known that Bethesda RPGs tend to have massive and versatile skill trees that allow you to build your character however you like. But Starfield takes this to a whole new level. Not only are there 82 skills in total broken into 5 skill trees, but there are also 4 ranks per skill, giving you a huge amount of scope for customising your character's abilities and playstyle.
Starfield has only just released in early access, and players around the world are pouring over the game's 5 skill trees and figuring out which skills they should unlock first. To help you navigate the skills on offer, we've put together this comprehensive guide covering all 82 Starfield skills, along with explanations on how skill ranks work, how to unlock new skills and ranks, the very best skills to get first in your Starfield playthrough, and every single skill challenge you need to complete to get there.
In this guide:
- Best Starfield skills to get first
- Best Starfield skills to get later on
- Starfield skill trees and skill ranks explained
- Starfield Physical skills list
- Starfield Social skills list
- Starfield Combat skills list
- Starfield Science skills list
- Starfield Tech skills list
- Starfield skill challenges
Best Starfield skills to get first
With so many skills to choose between in Starfield, it's hard to know where to start as a new player. So here are the skills we think you should get first, even if it means just unlocking one rank for now and leaving the other ranks until later on in the game.
The best Starfield skills to get first are:
| Best Skills | Skill Tree | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Boost Pack Training | Tech | 1 |
| Persuasion | Social | 1 |
| Security | Tech | 1 |
| Stealth | Physical | 1 |
| Theft | Social | 1 |
| Targeting Control Systems | Tech | 1 |
| Gymnastics | Physical | 2 |
| Spacesuit Design | Science | 2 |
Rank 1 of the Boost Pack Training skill unlocks a jetpack for your character, which is not only incredibly fun to use for traversal and combat, but exceptionally useful throughout your playthrough.
Speech challenges in Starfield are very important, and can shape your whole run. An early point in Persuasion helps you to succeed in convincing NPC characters to do what you like.
Put a point into Security and you'll be able to hack Advanced locks on doors and containers from day one, which can lead to some very lucrative moments early on in Starfield.
While not necessary for sneaking, Rank 1 of the Stealth skill gives you a handy Stealth Meter so you can better understand the stealth system, and makes you harder to detect while sneaking.
Rank 1 of Theft allows you to pickpocket any NPC you like. It's risky, obviously, but it's a great way to get surprisingly good items and gear early on in Starfield.
Once you get your first ship, put one point into the Targeting Control Systems skill to unlock the ability to target individual systems on enemy ships so you can deal with them more strategically.
You'll need 4 points in the Physical tree first, but Gymnastics unlocks the ability to combat slide, which, like the Boost Pack, is fun and useful in equal measure.
You'll need 4 points in the Science tree, but after that, a point in Spacesuit Design allows you to research and craft much better spacesuits, helmets, and pack mods.
Best Starfield skills to get later on
As time goes on and you increase your player level, you'll gain the chance to start unlocking the higher tiers and higher ranks of Starfield's skills. The best skills in Starfield depend largely on your playstyle: do you want to be a stealthy player, or a close quarters specialist? Do you prefer ship-to-ship combat, or exploring, or convincing others to do what you want?
Here are some of the best Starfield skills to get later on:
| Best Skills | Skill Tree | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Concealment | Physical | 4 |
| Diplomacy | Social | 2 |
| Isolation | Social | 2 |
| Xenosociology | Social | 4 |
| Armor Penetration | Combat | 4 |
| Starship Design | Tech | 3 |
| Boost Assault Training | Tech | 4 |
Concealment is a fantastic skill from the start, giving you a huge boost to sneak attack damage that wildly increases with higher ranks, alongside a host of other sneaky benefits.
The Diplomacy skill gives you the ability to force a target NPC to stop fighting. At higher levels, you can permanently stop an NPC up to 20 levels higher than you from fighting. That's huge.
For lone wolf style play, there's no skill better than Isolation, which can give you up to 80% increased weapon damage across the board. If that doesn't fulfil your power fantasy, nothing will.
Xenosociology allows you to command target alien creatures to do various things, such as stopping, fleeing, or attacking their allies. It's an extremely useful skill for any player to have.
When you come against enemies with high armour, it can be pretty tough going. Armor Penetration lets you tear through enemy armor with ease, making it an essential late-game skill.
The Starship Design skill gives you a much wider variety of ship modules to attach to your ship. Designing ships is a late-game activity so don't bother with this early on, but later it's fantastic.
If you really want to lean into jetpack combat tactics, Boost Assault Training is there for you. From incinerating enemies to slowing down time, this skill is a dream for jetpack lovers.
Starfield skill trees and skill ranks explained
Starfield's 82 skills are split across 5 skill trees, each with a different focus. These skill trees are: Physical, Social, Combat, Science, and Tech. Each time you level up in Starfield, you gain a skill point which you can assign to a particular skill.
Each tree is divided into 4 tiers, or rows, and you need to invest a certain number of points in the previous tiers before you can start unlocking skills in the later tiers. Here's how many points you need to invest in a skill tree to unlock each tier:
- Tier 1: Free
- Tier 2: 4 skill points to unlock
- Tier 3: 8 skill points to unlock
- Tier 4: 12 skill points to unlock
Each skill in Starfield also has 4 ranks, each of which has a different effect. Sometimes it's an upgrade to an existing effect: for example, Rank 1 of Fitness gives you 10% more Oxygen, while Rank 2 gives you 20%. But other times, unlocking a new rank in a skill will give you a completely new benefit which the previous ranks don't provide. The first rank of a skill is always freely available for you to spend a skill point on it, but in order to unlock the later ranks in that skill, you need to complete a certain skill challenge for each one. Unless you've completed the specific challenge for a skill rank, you can't unlock it even if you have a free skill point to spend.
Starfield Physical skills list
Here is the full list of all 16 Starfield skills in the Physical skill tree:
| Skill Name | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Unarmed attacks do 25% more damage. 25% less O2 used when using a power attack | Unarmed attacks do 50% more damage. 50% less O2 used when using a power attack | Unarmed attacks do 75% more damage. While in a fight and unarmed, running consumes 30% less O2 | Unarmed attacks do 100% more damage and have a chance to knock down opponents |
| Fitness | You have 10% more oxygen available | You have 20% more oxygen available | You have 30% more oxygen available | Sprinting and power attacks now use significantly less oxygen |
| Stealth | Adds a Stealth Meter. You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 5% sneak attack damage | Upgrades the Stealth Meter. You are 50% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 10% sneak attack damage | Upgrades the Stealth Meter. You are 75% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 15% sneak attack damage | You are 100% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 20% sneak attack damage. Doors you interact with while in stealth no longer alert enemies |
| Weight Lifting | Increase total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 25 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 50 kilograms | Increase total carrying capacity by 100 kilograms. Gain 50% resistance to stagger |
| Wellness | Increase your maximum health by 10% | Increase your maximum health by 20% | Increase your maximum health by 30% | Increase your maximum health by 40% |
| Energy Weapon Dissipation | Energy damage is reduced by 5% | Energy damage is reduced by 10% | Energy damage is reduced by 15% | 25% chance to reflect energy damage back to an attacker when your health is below 50% |
| Environmental Conditioning | Gain 10 resistance to Airborne environmental damage | Gain 10 resistance to Thermal environmental damage | Gain 10 resistance to Corrosive and Radiation environmental damage | Reduced chance to gain afflictions from environmental damage sources |
| Gymnastics | Unlock the ability to combat slide. Take 15% less fall damage | Move faster in Zero-G. Take 20% less fall damage | Become more stable when firing in Zero-G. Take 30% less fall damage. Replenish some O2 after mantling | Increased jump height. Run faster after combat sliding or mantling |
| Nutrition | Food and drink are 10% more effective | Food and drink are 20% more effective | Food and drink are 30% more effective | Food and drink are 50% more effective |
| Pain Tolerance | Physical damage is reduced by 5% | Physical damage is reduced by 10% | Physical damage is reduced by 15% | 5% to ignore physical damage when your health is low |
| Cellular Regeneration | Slightly increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | Moderately increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | Noticeably increased chance to recover from injuries naturally | 20% chance of not gaining an injury when you otherwise would |
| Decontamination | Slightly increased chance to recover from infections naturally | Moderately increased chance to recover from infections naturally | Noticeably increased chance to recover from infections naturally | 20% chance of not gaining an infection when you otherwise would |
| Martial Arts | 15% increased chance to crit with a melee or unarmed attack | 15% increased chance to disarm an opponent with a melee or unarmed power attack | While unarmed or wielding a melee weapon, take 10% less damage | Reflect 50% damage back when blocking a melee or unarmed attack |
| Concealment | You no longer set off enemy mines. Ranged sneak attacks do 2.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 4x normal damage | Running while sneaking doesn't affect stealth. Ranged sneak attacks do 3x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 5x normal damage | You gain a Chameleon-like ability when completely still and sneaking. Ranged sneak attacks do 3.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 8x normal damage | Engaging stealth causes distant enemies to lose you. Ranged sneak attacks do 4x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 10x normal damage |
| Neurostrikes | 10% chance to stun an NPC with an unarmed attack | Unarmed attacks now do additional EM damage | 20% chance to stun an NPC with an unarmed attack | After stunning an enemy, you also knock down any enemies within close range |
| Rejuvenation | Slowly regenerate health outside of combat | Regenerate health more quickly outside of combat | Regenerate health much faster outside of combat. You can now slowly regenerate health while in combat | Regenerate health even faster outside of combat. You can now regenerate health quickly while in combat |
Starfield Social skills list
Here is the full list of all 16 Starfield skills in the Social skill tree:
| Skill Name | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce | Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% | Buy for 10% less and sell for 15% | Buy for 15% less and sell for 20% | Buy for 20% less and sell for 25% |
| Gastronomy | You can craft speciality food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab | You can research and craft gourmet food and drinks | You can research and craft food and drink delicacies | Crafting food and drinks occasionally doesn't use up resources. You can research and craft exotic recipes |
| Persuasion | 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 20% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 30% increased chance of success when persuading someone | 50% increased chance of success when persuading someone |
| Scavenging | There's a chance you'll find extra credits when searching containers | There's a chance you'll find extra ammo when searching containers | There's a chance you'll find extra aid items, like Med Packs or chems, when searching containers | Tracked resources will get highlighted when using the hand scanner |
| Theft | Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets | 10% greater chance to successfully pickpocket | 30% greater chance to successfully pickpocket | 50% greater chance to successfully pickpocket. Can now pickpocket holstered weapons |
| Deception | Ships 10% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 10% less effective | Ships 20% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 20% less effective | Ships 30% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 30% less effective | Ships 50% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 50% less effective |
| Diplomacy | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to stop fighting for a while | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while | You can force target NPCs to permanently stop fighting (unless they're attacked again) |
| Intimidation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to flee for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | Intimidated targets now flee for substantial amount of time |
| Isolation | Do +10% weapon damage and gain 15 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don't have a companion or any crew | Do +20% weapon damage and gain 30 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don't have a companion or any crew | Do +30% weapon damage and gain 45 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don't have a companion or any crew | Do +40% weapon damage and gain 60 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don't have a companion or any crew |
| Negotiation | You now have access to Bribery in speech challenges | Reduces bribery cost by 25% | Reduces bribery cost by 50% | Occasionally, bribery won't cost any money |
| Instigation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | Enemies affected by Instigation will attack their allies until they are dead |
| Leadership | Companions gain affinity 25% faster | Companions have 50 more health and 50kg more carrying capacity | Companions will occasionally heal you when you get low health | Doubles the bonuses of Combat and Physical Crew Skills on Companions. Companions have a chance to pick themselves up from a downed state |
| Outpost Management | Additional cargo links can be placed at outposts | Additional robots can be constructed at outposts | Additional crew can be assigned at outposts | Outpost extractors produce twice as fast |
| Manipulation | You can force a target NPC at or below your level to obey commands for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time | You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time | Manipulated targets now obey commands for a substantial amount of time |
| Ship Command | You can have up to four active crew members | You can have up to five active crew members | You can have up to six active crew members | You can have up to eight active crew members |
| Xenosociology | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time | You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target creature up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time |
Starfield Combat skills list
Here is the full list of all 17 Starfield skills in the Combat skill tree:
| Skill Name | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballistics | Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage | Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage | Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage | Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30% |
| Dueling | Melee weapons do 25% more damage. Take 10% less damage while wielding a melee weapon | Melee kills make you run 20% faster for 10 seconds | Melee weapons do 50% more damage. Take 15% less damage while wielding a melee weapon | Melee kills heal you for 10% of your health |
| Lasers | Laser weapons do 10% more damage | Laser weapons do 20% more damage | Laser weapons do 30% more damage | Laser weapons have a 5% chance to set a target on fire |
| Pistol Certification | Pistols do 10% more damage | Pistols do 25% more damage | Pistols do 50% more damage | Pistol kills grant +25% critical hit chance for 5 seconds |
| Shotgun Certification | Shotguns do 10% more damage | Shotguns do 20% more damage | Shotguns do 30% more damage | Shotgun kills grant a small chance to stun additional targets with shotguns for a limited time |
| Demolitions | Throwing grenades now shows a trajectory arc. Explosions have a 25% larger radius | Explosives do 25% more damage | Reduce damage taken from explosives by 25% | All previous bonuses are doubled |
| Heavy Weapons Certification | Heavy weapons do 10% more damage | Heavy weapons do 20% more damage | Heavy weapons do 30% more damage | Gain 25% Physical resistance while aiming down sights with a heavy weapon |
| Incapacitation | EM weapons do 5% more damage | EM weapons do 10% more damage | EM weapons do 15% more damage | EM weapons have a 15% chance to do 300% EM damage |
| Particle Beams | Particle beam weapons do 10% more damage | Particle beam weapons do 20% more damage | Particle beam weapons do 30% more damage | Particle beam weapons have +5% crit chance |
| Rifle Certification | Rifles do 10% more damage | Rifles do 20% more damage | Rifles do 30% more damage | Reload rifles 30% faster while you're standing still |
| Marksmanship | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 3% | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 8% | Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 15% | Critical hits using a non-automatic ranged weapon without a scope do double damage and those with scopes knock down enemies on the next shot |
| Rapid Reloading | Reload Ballistic weapons 30% faster | Reload Energy and EM weapons 30% faster | Reload Particle Beam weapons 30% faster. 50% chance to avoid getting interrupted while reloading | Chance on hitting enemies to increase reload speed for all weapons by 50% for 15 seconds |
| Sniper Certification | Scoped weapons are steadier and have less sway | You can hold your breath longer with scoped weapons | Headshots while aiming with a scoped weapon have a +25% critical hit chance | Scoped weapons do 50% more damage while using the scope |
| Targeting | Increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to one enemy within 25m that damages you | Notably increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to two enemies within 50m that damage you | Greatly increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. Marks up to three enemies within 75m that damage you | 10% chance to disarm targets hit when shooting without aiming. Marks up to four enemies within 100m that damage you |
| Armor Penetration | Attacks ignore 15% of a target's armor | Attacks ignore 30% of a target's armor | Attacks ignore 50% of a target's armor | Enemy armor is decreased by 25% for 6 seconds |
| Crippling | Human enemies have 30% increased chance to enter a downed state after taking enough damage | Humanoid enemies have a 50% increased chance to not naturally recover from a downed state | Human enemies now can enter a downed state earlier | Previous ranks now apply to all enemy types. You now do 100% more damage to downed enemies |
| Sharpshooting | Increase headshot critical damage by 50% with ranged weapons | Increase critical damage to enemy legs by 50% with ranged weapons | Increase all critical damage to enemies by 50% with ranged weapons | Ranged critical hit kills increase your critical hit chance with all ranged weapons by 25% for 20 seconds |
Starfield Science skills list
Here is the full list of all 16 Starfield skills in the Science skill tree:
| Skill Name | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astrodynamics | Increase grav jump range of jump drives by 15% | Reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 15% | Increased grav jump range and reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 30% | Reduced fuel cost of jump drives by 50% |
| Geology | Get more common and uncommon inorganic resources from surface objects | Get more rare inorganic resources from surface objects | Get more exotic inorganic resources from surface objects | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from surface objects |
| Medicine | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 10% additional Health 10% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 20% additional Health 20% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 30% additional Health 30% faster | Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits restore 50% additional Health 50% faster, and have a chance to cure an affliction |
| Research Methods | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 10% | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 20% | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 40% | Sudden developments during research are twice as common. Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 60% |
| Surveying | Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 20 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 30 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 40 meters | Adds another level of zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased by 50 meters |
| Botany | Get more common and uncommon organic resources from plants, learn additional info about them from the scanner, and allows some plants to be cultivated at your outposts | Get more rare organic resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Get more exotic organic resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from plants, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner |
| Scanning | You can detect uncommon inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more information about ships in space | You can detect rare inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more specific information about ships in space | You can detect exotic inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain better combat information about ships in space | You can detect unique inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain a complete list of cargo on ships in space |
| Spacesuit Design | You can craft improved spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods, and research additional mods at a Research Lab | You can research and craft superior spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods | You can research and craft cutting-edge spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods | Construction of spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods occasionally doesn't cost resources |
| Weapon Engineering | You can craft improved weapon mods at a Weapon Workbench, and research additional weapon mods at a Research Lab | You can research and craft superior weapon mods | You can research and craft cutting-edge weapon mods | You can research and craft master-level weapon mods |
| Zoology | Get more common organic resources from creatures and harvest from them without harming them, learn additional info about them from the scanner, and allows you to produce animal resources at your outposts | Get more uncommon organic resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Get more rare organic resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner | Occasionally harvest additional rarer resources from creatures, and learn information about them more quickly using the scanner |
| Astrophysics | You can scan the moons of your current planet. You have a 10% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon in this system. You have a 20% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon within 16 Light Years. You have a 30% chance to discover a trait when scanning | You can scan any planet or moon within 30 Light Years. You have a 50% chance to discover a trait when scanning |
| Chemistry | You can create improved chems, and research additional chems at a Research Lab | You can research and create superior chems | You can research and create cutting-edge chems | Crafting chems occasionally triples the amount created |
| Outpost Engineering | You can construct improved outpost modules, and research additional modules at a Research Lab | You can research and construct superior outpost modules | You can research and construct cutting-edge outpost modules | Outpost modules now cost 50% fewer resources to build |
| Aneutronic Fusion | Ship reactors produce 1 extra unit of power | Ship reactors produce 2 extra units of power | Ship reactors produce 3 extra units of power | Ship reactors produce 5 extra units of power |
| Planetary Habitation | You can build outposts on planets with extreme temperatures (Deep Freeze and Inferno). Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 4 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme pressure. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 8 | You can build outposts on planets with toxic or corrosive atmospheres. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 12 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme gravity. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 16 |
| Special Projects | You can research experimental projects at a Research Lab | You can craft rare manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench | You can craft exotic manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench | You can craft unique manufactured components at an Industrial Workbench. Outpost extractors have a chance to produce additional resources |
Starfield Tech skills list
Here is the full list of all 17 Starfield skills in the Tech skill tree:
| Skill Name | Rank 1 | Rank 2 | Rank 3 | Rank 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballistic Weapon Systems | Ballistic ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 20% less to use in Targeting Mode | Ballistic ship weapons have 20% increased damage and recharge 15% faster | Ballistic ship weapons have 30% increased damage and recharge 30% faster | Ballistic ship weapons do 50% more damage to individual systems |
| Boost Pack Training | You can now utilize boost packs | Using a boost packs expends less fuel | Boost pack fuel regenerates more quickly | Doubles previous bonuses |
| Piloting | You can now utilize ship thrusters | Increased ship turning rate and maneuverability | Unlock the ability to pilot Class B ships | Unlock the ability to pilot Class C ships |
| Security | You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked | You can attempt to hack Expert locks, and 3 auto attempts can be banked. Rings now turn blue when the pick can be slotted | You can attempt to hack Master-level locks, and 4 auto attempts can be banked | Expend a digipick to eliminate keys that aren't required to solve the puzzle. 5 auto attempts can be banked |
| Targeting Control Systems | Unlocks ship targeting functionally | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 15%. Target-locked ships fire at you 25% slower | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 30%. You have a 10% increased chance of critically hitting a target-locked ship | Time to lock onto enemy ships is reduced by 60%. Deal 20% increased system damage in targeting mode |
| Energy Weapon Systems | Energy ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 15% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons have 20% increased damage and cost 30% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons have 30% increased damage and cost 45% less to use in Targeting Mode | Energy ship weapons recharge 30% faster |
| Engine Systems | Your ship's top speed is increased by 10% | Ship boosts last longer and the cooldown is shorter | Your ship's top speed in increased by 20% | While boosting, all enemies disengage the player and can only reacquire them as a target after the player stops boosting |
| Payloads | Ship cargo holds have 10% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 20% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 30% more capacity | Ship cargo holds have 50% more capacity |
| Shield Systems | Your ship has 20% increased shield capacity | Your ship has 40% increased shield capacity | Your ship has 60% increased shield capacity | Your shields will occasionally resist 100% of all damage received |
| Missile Weapon Systems | Ship missile weapons do 10% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 20% | Ship missile weapons do 20% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 40% | Ship missile weapons do 30% more damage, and their Targeting mode cost is reduced by 60% | Ship missiles have 20% increased Range, Travel Speed, and Reload Speed |
| Particle Beam Weapon Systems | Ship particle beam weapons do 10% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 10% | Ship particle beam weapons do 20% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 20% | Ship particle beam weapons do 30% more damage, and Targeting mode cost is reduced by 30% | Increased critical hit chance with ship particle beam weapons |
| Robotics | You deal 10% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time | You deal 20% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time | You deal 30% more damage to Robots and Turrets. You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time | You can force a target robot up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time |
| Starship Design | Allows the installation of improved ship modules | Allows the installation of superior ship modules | Allows the installation of cutting-edge ship modules | Allows the installation of experimental ship modules |
| Starship Engineering | All ship systems repair 10% faster | Ship systems have 25% increased damage mitigation | All ship systems repair 25% faster | Occasionally, repairing one block of a system will repair the entire system |
| Automated Weapon Systems | Automated ship weapons do 10% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 20% | Automated ship weapons do 20% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 30%. Your ship takes 20% less damage while in targeting mode | Automated ship weapons do 30% more damage and reduce all targeting mode costs by 40%. Increases crit chance against targeted sub-systems by 20% | Ship turret weapons recharge 40% faster and do 20% more damage to targeted sub-systems |
| Boost Assault Training | Nearby enemies take damage when you boost and have a chance to catch on fire | Chance to knockdown nearby enemies when you boost | Aiming down sights while boosting will let you hover in place. Fuel is still expended until empty | While hovering, time slows down and the world moves 70% slower around you |
| EM Weapon Systems | EM ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 15% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have 20% increased damage and cost 30% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have 30% increased damage and cost 45% less to use in Targeting Mode | EM ship weapons have a small chance of instantly disabling enemy engines |
Starfield skill challenges
The first rank of each Starfield skill is free, but subsequent ranks will require you to have completed a specific challenge before you're allowed to invest another skill point into that skill. Here is the full list of all Starfield skill challenges for every rank of every single skill in the game:
Physical skill challenges
| Skill | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Boxing | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with an unarmed attack |
| Fitness | Use up all available oxygen 20/50/100 times |
| Stealth | Perform 10/20/40 sneak attacks |
| Weight Lifting | Sprint for 1000/2500/5000 meters while at 75% or more of your maximum load capacity |
| Wellness | Heal 200/500/1000 damage |
| Energy Weapon Dissipation | Take 150/350/750 points of energy damage |
| Environmental Conditioning | Take 100/250/500 environmental damage |
| Gymnastics | Take 100 fall damage Kill 5 enemies in Zero G environments Kill 20 enemies in Zero G environments |
| Nutrition | Consume 10/30/75 food or drink items |
| Pain Tolerance | Take 250/500/1000 points of physical damage |
| Cellular Regeneration | Recover from 5/10/30 injuries |
| Decontamination | Recover from 5/15/30 infections |
| Martial Arts | Deal 250 damage with unarmed attacks Disarm 10 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks Disarm 30 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks |
| Concealment | Perform 10/30/75 melee/unarmed sneak attacks |
| Neurostrikes | Stun 10/30/75 enemies with an unarmed attack |
| Rejuvenation | Fall below 25% health 3/8/15 times and fully heal |
Social skill challenges
| Skill | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Commerce | Buy or sell 25/75/150 unique items |
| Gastronomy | Create 5/25/50 food or drink items |
| Persuasion | Succeed in 3/5/10 speech challenges |
| Scavenging | Loot 25/75/150 containers |
| Theft | Successfully pickpocket 5/10/20 times |
| Deception | Convince 5/10/20 ships to surrender |
| Diplomacy | Successfully use Diplomacy on 5/25/50 different people |
| Intimidation | Successfully Intimidate 5/25/50 different people |
| Isolation | Kill 20/50/100 enemies while not in command of a follower |
| Negotiation | Bribe 3/5/10 times through persuasion |
| Instigation | Successfully Instigate 5/25/50 different people |
| Leadership | Sprint 1000/2500/5000 metres with an active follower |
| Outpost Management | Build cargo links on 6 different planets Construct 8 robots at outposts Construct 10 crew stations at outposts |
| Manipulation | Successfully Manipulate 5/25/50 different people |
| Ship Command | Destroy or board 5/25/50 ships with a crew of 2/4/6 or more |
| Xenosociology | Successfully use Pacify/Flee/Frenzy on 15 different aliens |
Combat skill challenges
| Skill | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Ballistics | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a ballistic weapon |
| Dueling | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a melee weapon |
| Lasers | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a laser weapon |
| Pistol Certification | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a pistol |
| Shotgun Certification | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a shotgun |
| Demolitions | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with explosives |
| Heavy Weapons Certification | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a heavy weapon |
| Incapacitation | Deal 400/1000/2500 EM damage |
| Particle Beams | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a particle beam weapon |
| Rifle Certification | Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a rifle |
| Marksmanship | Deal 10/30/75 ranged critical hits |
| Rapid Reloading | Reload 30/75/150 empty magazines |
| Sniper Certification | Kill 50/125/250 enemies using a scoped weapon |
| Targeting | Kill 50/125/250 enemies without aiming with a ranged weapon |
| Armor Penetration | Kill 20/50/250 enemies with a non-automatic weapon |
| Crippling | Put 20/50/100 enemies into the bleedout state |
| Sharpshooting | Deal 50/125/250 ranged critical hits |
Science skill challenges
| Skill | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Astrodynamics | Make 5/15/30 grav jumps |
| Geology | Harvest inorganic resources from 20/50/100 sources |
| Medicine | Use healing items 20/50/100 times while wounded |
| Research Methods | Craft 5/10/15 unique food, drinks, drugs, weapon mods, or equipment mods |
| Surveying | Use the hand scanner to scan 10/25/50 unique resources, flora, or fauna |
| Botany | Harvest 20/50/100 organic resources from plants |
| Scanning | Scan 5/15/30 planets or moons |
| Spacesuit Design | Craft 5/15/30 spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods |
| Weapon Engineering | Craft 5/15/30 weapon mods |
| Zoology | Harvest organic resources from 20/50/100 creatures |
| Astrophysics | Scan 10/25/50 unique planets or moons |
| Chemistry | Create 10/25/50 chems |
| Outpost Engineering | Build 5/25/50 different outpost modules |
| Aneutronic Fusion | Destroy 5/25/50 ships |
| Planetary Habitation | Build habitable outposts on 5/10/20 different planets |
| Special Projects | Craft 10 common or uncommon manufactured components Craft 10 rare manufactured components Craft 10 exotic manufactured components |
Tech skill challenges
| Skill | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Ballistic Weapon Systems | Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with ballistic weapons |
| Boost Pack Training | Boost jump 10/25/50 times while in combat |
| Piloting | Destroy 5/15/30 ships |
| Security | Pick 5/15/30 locks |
| Targeting Control Systems | Destroy 5/15/30 enemy ships while in targeting mode |
| Energy Weapon Systems | Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with Energy weapons |
| Engine Systems | Boost 5/25/50 times with your spaceship while in combat |
| Payloads | Make 10/25/50 grav jumps with 75% or more of maximum cargo capacity |
| Shield Systems | Take 150/350/750 shield damage |
| Missile Weapon Systems | Damage 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with missile weapons |
| Particle Beam Weapon Systems | Damage 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ship with particle beam weapons |
| Robotics | Destroy 5/25/50 robots |
| Starship Design | Install 5/15/30 unique ship modules |
| Starship Engineering | Use 5/10/15 ship repair kits |
| Automated Weapon Systems | Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with automated turret weapons |
| Boost Assault Training | Deal 200 damage to enemies using the boost pack Knockdown 20 enemies with a boost Deal 500 damage to enemies using the boost pack |
| EM Weapon Systems | Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with EM weapons |
Looking for more Starfield tips, check-out our guides to the best Backgrounds and best Traits.