Starfield is Bethesda's space RPG with over 1,000 explorable planets across 100+ star systems. The game's strongest elements are its ship-building system (where you can design custom vessels from modular parts), its faction questlines (Crimson Fleet pirates, UC Vanguard military, Freestar Rangers), and the New Game Plus system that's actually story-relevant rather than just a difficulty reset. Ground combat is competent with satisfying gunplay and a robust skill system. The Shattered Space expansion adds a handcrafted open world that addresses the procedural content concerns from launch.
Starting Starfield can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Starfield is a rpg game built around shipbuilding and outpost system. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Build
| Build | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stealth Build | Good (but demanding) | Crouch, suppress your weapon, and eliminate enemies before they detect you. Stealth multiplier damage makes even weak weapons lethal. |
| Gunslinger | Excellent for beginners | Engage at mid-range with the assault rifle, switch to pistol for close encounters, and use VATS-like targeting for critical headshots. |
| Melee | Situational | Boost-pack dash into melee range, dodge with boost-pack thrust, and combo enemies with heavy melee attacks. Use grenades for groups. |
| Pilot Build | Good (but demanding) | Build a powerful custom ship, target enemy engines to disable ships for boarding, and dominate space encounters. Board disabled ships to steal their cargo and crew. |
| Science Explorer | Excellent for beginners | Survey planets from orbit, land on promising worlds, scan all flora/fauna for XP, and build outpost networks for passive resource generation. |
Our recommendation: Start with Gunslinger. Pistol and ballistic weapon focus with perks enhancing damage, fire rate, and critical hits. The Keelhauler unique pistol is one of the best weapons in the game with its legendary effects. Ballistic weapons use the most common ammo type, so you'll never run dry.
Avoid Science Explorer as your first pick. Science builds focus on scanning, research, and outpost building.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn shipbuilding
The ship builder lets you place individual modules (cockpits, habitats, cargo bays, engines, weapons, shields) in a 3D editor. Ship class (A/B/C) determines max reactor power and available parts. Class C ships can mount the strongest weapons and shields. Custom ships can be wildly creative — from compact fighters to massive capital ships. Landing bay modules let you carry a secondary ship.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how shipbuilding works before worrying about anything else.
Step 2: Head to New Atlantis
The capital city of the United Colonies and the game's largest handcrafted settlement. Contains Constellation's Lodge, UC Vanguard headquarters, the Commercial District, and the MAST government center. Most main quest and UC faction quests start here.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for Hard Target — it's the most accessible early upgrade. A powerful sniper rifle with the highest per-shot damage among non-unique weapons. Ideal for stealth builds where the first shot needs to kill. Suppressed with a long scope, it eliminates enemies at extreme range without alerting others.
Step 4: Understand outpost system
Outposts are player-built bases on planet surfaces for resource extraction and crafting. Extractors mine resources passively, and outpost links (cargo routes between outposts) automate the supply chain. A network of linked outposts can generate all crafting materials automatically.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early — it pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to Akila City
Capital of the Freestar Collective with a frontier Western aesthetic. Contains the Freestar Rangers headquarters. The city is surrounded by walls protecting against Ashta (alien predators). Sam Coe's companion quest starts here.
Essential Mechanics Explained
shipbuilding
The ship builder lets you place individual modules (cockpits, habitats, cargo bays, engines, weapons, shields) in a 3D editor. Ship class (A/B/C) determines max reactor power and available parts. Class C ships can mount the strongest weapons and shields. Custom ships can be wildly creative — from compact fighters to massive capital ships. Landing bay modules let you carry a secondary ship.
outpost system
Outposts are player-built bases on planet surfaces for resource extraction and crafting. Extractors mine resources passively, and outpost links (cargo routes between outposts) automate the supply chain. A network of linked outposts can generate all crafting materials automatically.
NG+ system
Completing the main quest triggers New Game Plus — but in Starfield, NG+ is narratively significant. Each NG+ cycle places you in a slightly different universe with unique dialogue acknowledging your previous loops. After 5-10 NG+ cycles, you unlock unique story content and dialogue options that don't exist in a first playthrough.
research projects
The Research Lab lets you unlock crafting recipes and weapon/armor mods by spending resources. Research tiers require specific materials found across different planets. Weapon mods significantly improve damage, range, and handling. Spacesuit mods add resistances and utility. Researching pharmaceutical recipes unlocks healing and buff items.
companion affinity
Companions react to your dialogue choices and actions, gaining or losing affinity. High affinity unlocks companion quests and potential romances with four specific companions (Sarah, Barrett, Sam, Andreja). Companions have ethical preferences — Sarah dislikes theft, Barrett dislikes violence against innocents. Max affinity companions provide combat bonuses.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Ignoring ship building — the default ships are mediocre
Even basic ship customization (adding better weapons and shields) dramatically improves space combat survivability.
2. Not completing the Mantis quest early — the free Razorleaf ship and legendary spacesuit are massive upgrades available within the first few hours
3. Skipping NG+ after the first completion — Starfield's NG+ isn't just difficulty scaling, it's a narrative mechanic with unique content that doesn't appear in the first playthrough
4. Hoarding resources instead of researching mods — weapon and spacesuit mods are significant power upgrades that improve every combat encounter
5. Fast-traveling everywhere and missing handcrafted content — some of the best encounters, hidden quests, and environmental storytelling require walking between locations on planet surfaces
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand shipbuilding and outpost system
- Choose Gunslinger as starting build
- Clear New Atlantis main content
- Acquire Hard Target or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Akila City
- The Mantis questline (triggered by finding the 'Secret Outpost!' note on a Spacer body) gives you the Razorleaf ship and Mantis spacesuit FOR FREE early in the game. It's the best early-game quest to complete.
- Boost packs are essential — invest in Boost Pack Training early. The balanced boost pack provides sustained hover for combat repositioning and reaching elevated areas.
Tips for New Players
- The Mantis questline (triggered by finding the 'Secret Outpost!' note on a Spacer body) gives you the Razorleaf ship and Mantis spacesuit FOR FREE early in the game. It's the best early-game quest to complete.
- Boost packs are essential — invest in Boost Pack Training early. The balanced boost pack provides sustained hover for combat repositioning and reaching elevated areas.
- Ship building unlocks massive combat potential. A custom Class C ship with 6 particle beam weapons, max shields, and a landing bay becomes an unstoppable warship.
- Persuasion checks use a minigame where you choose dialogue options worth 1-5 points toward a target. Auto-persuade (save/load) works, but investing in Persuasion skill adds bonus points to each attempt.
- NG+ is deliberately narratively significant — play through at least 3-5 NG+ cycles to see unique Starborn dialogue, universe variations, and the full scope of the story's themes about choice across infinite realities.
- Outpost linking between two outposts with cargo routes automates resource transfer. Build an outpost on a helium-3 rich planet linked to your manufacturing outpost for infinite fuel production.
- The UC Vanguard questline is widely considered the best faction quest in the game. Start it at the MAST building in New Atlantis by enlisting.
- Sell survey data (completed planet surveys) at Trade Authority kiosks for significant credits. A fully surveyed planet can be worth 5,000-15,000 credits.
- Research weapon mods at the Research Lab before modifying weapons. Modded weapons significantly outperform stock versions — a suppressor + scope + calibrated barrel transforms any weapon.
- Sleep in a bed before turning in quests or completing objectives for the Well Rested XP bonus. The 10% bonus compounds significantly over a full playthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Starfield worth playing after the updates?
Starfield has improved significantly since launch with patches addressing performance, adding a surface vehicle (REV-8), and the Shattered Space expansion providing a handcrafted open world experience. The core ship building, faction quests, and NG+ system were always strong. The updates address the procedural content criticism.
How does New Game Plus work in Starfield?
Completing the main quest starts NG+ in a new universe. You keep your character level, skills, and powers but lose items, ships, and credits. Each NG+ universe has subtle variations and unique Starborn dialogue acknowledging your loops. After multiple NG+ cycles, exclusive content and the 'true' ending become accessible.
What are the best skills to unlock first?
Boost Pack Training (mobility), Ballistics or Rifle Certification (combat), Persuasion (dialogue), and Security (lockpicking). These four skills cover the primary gameplay pillars. Add Piloting when you want to fly Class B/C ships and Commerce for better buy/sell prices.
How big is Starfield's map?
Over 1,000 planets across 100+ star systems. However, most planets are procedurally generated with limited handcrafted content. The major cities (New Atlantis, Akila, Neon, Cydonia) and quest locations are handcrafted. Shattered Space DLC adds a fully handcrafted open world region on Dazra.
What to Read Next
- Starfield Builds — Optimize your build once you've learned the basics
- Starfield Walkthrough — Full progression path
- Starfield Tips — Advanced strategies for when you're ready
