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Bethesda knew when it created Starfield that some players would want to break the law and others would want to enforce it. The Crimson Fleet isn’t the only outlaw force in Bethesda’s sci-fi epic, after all. It takes a lot of work and skill to track and take down criminals on the run, and though there are a number of viable bounty hunter builds, some are better than others. You’ll need to be capable in your ship as well as on land, which takes a good deal of flexibility and strategy. Here’s how to put together the best bounty hunter build in Starfield.
How the Bounty Hunter Build Works in Starfield
This bounty hunter build splits its focus between ground combat and piloting skills. You never know if your next confrontation will take place in a planet’s outer orbit or the cramped confines of a ship, so you’ll need to be prepared for both. Aggressive Powers, close-combat weapons, and skill with targeting systems will make neutralizing your enemies easy. You can don heavy armor and tank every hit or opt for a more agile, cover-based approach to fights. Just as important as upgrading your own equipment is upgrading your ship because it will be the backbone of your bounty-hunting activities.
Anti-Gravity Field, Reactive Shield, and Sense Star Stuff are the best Powers for this bounty hunter build. Anti-Gravity Field allows you to undo gravity and leave your enemies floating hopelessly before you. That makes taking down your quarry simple, no matter how tough they are. If your enemies start to get the upper hand, Reactive Shield allows you to tank their hits until you can pop a healing item or find some cover. Last, Sense Star Stuff gives you wallhacks. When your job is to track down and eliminate wrongdoers, it doesn’t get much better than that. Use your intel and Powers to stay aggressive for maximum effect.
Background
Bounty hunter is one of the few builds that has a Background tailormade for it. The Bounty Hunter Background grants three skills: Piloting, Targeting Control Systems, and Boost Pack Training. Piloting is an essential skill that unlocks the ability to pilot higher classes of ships. Having the right ship for the job is as vital as having the right weapon, so it doesn’t get any more necessary than this. Targeting Control Systems unlocks the ability to aim for specific components of enemy vessels, disabling their engines or weapon systems at will. Boost Pack Training isn’t really necessary for this build, but extra mobility never hurts.
Long Hauler and Gangster are decent alternatives if you’re looking for something different. Long Hauler is good if you want a different set of starting skills while staying focused on starship piloting. Gangster, on the other hand, focuses more on close-quarters confrontations. Considering how often bounty hunters get into point-blank scraps, that’s a useful skill set to have. Whichever way you go, make sure not to neglect the other side of your build as you level.
Skills
The most important skill trees for the best bounty hunter build are Tech and Combat. These skills will make getting to and neutralizing your targets far easier than they would otherwise be. Stealth-hybrid bounty hunter builds are viable, but that’s not the route taken here. Stealth isn’t a priority. Instead, you’ll focus on overpowering your enemies with the best technology you can get your hands on. Here are the most important skills to get as soon as possible:
- Piloting (Tech)
- Targeting Control Systems (Tech)
- Astrodynamics (Tech)
- Shield Systems (Tech)
- Engine Systems (Tech)
- Ballistics (Combat)
- Shotgun Certification (Combat)
- Armor Penetration (Combat)
- Crippling (Combat)
- Marksmanship (Combat)
Shotguns are a strong choice for bounty hunters, maximizing your DPS in close-range confrontations. This build includes several skills that double-down on Shotgun lethality, but you can substitute other gun skills without losing much value. In addition to ground combat domination, this build focuses on giving you a strong yet flexible ship build to match. Faster engines, stronger shields, and a more powerful Grav Drive means you’ll never be far from a fight, and you’ll be much more likely to win the fights you pick.
Traits
Traits are unique in Starfield, given that they’re entirely optional. If you’d prefer to spice up your gameplay with them, there are a few that stand out as top bounty hunter picks. The first is Taskmaster. This Trait doubles the cost of hiring crewmembers. In exchange, damaged systems on your ship will sometimes spontaneously repair themselves. In the right circumstances, that can mean the difference between life and death. The second Trait is Alien DNA. This Trait buffs your health and oxygen levels while nerfing food and the effect of healing items. Most food is underwhelming anyway, so no great loss.
Wanted is great if you’re playing a current or reformed criminal. Taking this Trait means you will periodically be attacked by mercenaries, but that isn’t necessarily bad. If nothing else, these attacks give you plenty of opportunities to level up your skills, making you that much more dangerous for the confrontations that follow. If Wanted isn’t your style, consider taking Neon Street Rat for another solid roleplaying hook without the baggage of a price on your head.
Bounty Hunter Weapons
Shotguns are some of the most fun weapons in Starfield, so it’s nice that they fit in so well with the best bounty hunter build. The Shotty does excellent damage, even when unmodified, thanks to its impressive rate of fire. For even greater impact, find a Skip Shot model if possible. The extra shots can rack up some impressive damage. You have a good degree of freedom to choose whatever loadout you want with this build, although if you know you’re going to specialize in a given category, make sure you swap Shotgun Certification for the skill of your choice.
Starfield is available for PC and
