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In Starfield, you will have many opportunities to earn credits, but smuggling is probably one of the most interesting. At first, it will be difficult to transport prohibited goods, as there are many conditions you need to follow to avoid getting caught. For successful smuggling, you’ll need to prepare carefully, which is why we’ve created a guide on how to bring contraband items to a planet in Starfield. If you’re not ready to get in trouble with the law, it’s best to avoid smuggling, as it can have negative consequences. Otherwise, follow the instructions below to learn how to minimize the risk of failure.
Starfield: How to Prepare for Smuggling
The first thing to consider is the vehicle you will use to transport the contraband. A standard Frontier will not do the trick, as it is not equipped with the necessary systems to help you pass inspection. Yes, that’s right, when you want to transport prohibited goods to one of the developed and densely populated planets, you need to pass an inspection, during which your ship will be wholly scanned for contraband. Thus, to protect yourself, you will need to somehow bypass this system, and there are several methods you can use, namely:
- Find a ship that is already adapted to carry contraband.
- Upgrade your ship with the necessary equipment to bypass the scanner.
The first method will definitely be much easier and faster because you will be able to find a ship somewhere in space that is equipped with the necessary security systems. We recommend finding space pirates, or representatives of the Crimson Fleet, board them, and take over the ship. In most cases, their ships are best suited for illegal activities. If you don’t want to do that, you can equip your ship with the necessary systems, which is a much more complicated process.
Related:
How to Assign Crew to Ships & Outposts in Starfield
So to upgrade your ship and bypass the scanners, you will need to find special items, namely:
- Scan Jammer.
- Shielded Cargo Hold.
You don’t need to have both of these systems, but your chances will be much higher if you do. The main thing is to get at least one of them, and it’s really difficult because they are quite rare. You can get them in different ways, here are a few options:
- Buy from rare parts dealers or Crimson Fleet.
- Get them for completing quests.
If you really want to go the bad guy route and collaborate with criminals, then joining the Crimson Fleet faction is the best solution. This way, you will have opportunities to obtain the necessary systems, as well as many different interesting missions related to crime, including smuggling.
Another good advantage to passing the scanners before landing is the Payloads Skill. With this skill, you will also have a chance to avoid detection, and if you combine this with a ship that has the necessary systems, your chances will be much higher.
How to Successfully Smuggle Contraband
When you are ready and take the contraband for transportation, you also need to be aware of the problems that may arise during delivery. Despite your preparations and the systems you use to avoid inspection, there is always a chance that you will be caught. When this happens, there are several options on how you can avoid the situation, namely:
- Pay the fine: Probably the best option, as you will be able to get the prohibited goods back as a result. If you choose this option, you will have to pay a fine, after which you will also be sent to jail for 7 days. After you get out, you can sneak into the room where the evidence is kept and take all your stuff from there, including the contraband.
- Resist: The worst option, as you’ll have to fight or run to save your own life.
- Agree to leave quietly: This option is similar to the fine, but if you use it, you will lose XP instead of Credits, which is bad news. You’ll also have your stuff taken away and go to jail, but it’s better to lose currency than experience.
After you successfully get to the planet or get your stuff out of jail, you can easily sell the contraband to pay off the fine or just get rich.
That was everything you should know about smuggling. And now you should be able to bring your contraband items to a planet in Starfield without any problems!
Starfield comes out on September 6th for Xbox Series X/S and PC.
