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From stealth archers and elemental wizards to wasteland wanderers, Bethesda has let players be all kinds of things over the years. With Starfield, the world of possibilities has expanded even more. It’s impossible to be good at everything at once, which means the player must choose their Background, Traits, and other important features carefully. Whether you favor stealth or explosives, you need to plan a little. The reward for doing so is the ability to play as some of the most powerful and fun characters around. Here are some of the best Starfield builds, in no particular order.
Hauler Build
Unlike many Starfield builds, the Hauler focuses on something other than combat. This character is all about transporting goods from one place to another. The Long Hauler Background is the perfect fit for this character concept, granting immediate access to the Piloting skill. The most important Hauler skills to develop are the following:
- Piloting (Tech)
- Astrodynamics (Science)
- Payloads (Tech)
- Engine Systems (Tech)
- Starship Design (Tech)
- Starship Engineering (Tech)
- Commerce (Social)
- Weight Lifting (Physical)
- Ballistic Weapon Systems (Tech)
- Targeting Control Systems (Tech)
Spaced and Taskmaster are the best Traits for this build, given how much time you’ll be spending aboard a ship. The former increases your health and oxygen when in space, and the latter increases the cost of crew hires but occasionally allows damaged systems to repair themselves. Thanks to these Traits, the Hauler is one of the best Starfield builds for surviving nasty firefights.
Best Hauler Powers and Equipment
The most important power for the Hauler is arguably Personal Atmosphere. This ability effectively eliminates worries about oxygen most of the time, which is fantastic when you’re in the habit of lugging around everything you can carry. The Hauler is built to avoid ground combat as much as possible since this character is at its strongest in a spaceship. The player’s choice of equipment therefore comes down to personal preference. A long-range weapon like the Old Earth Hunting Rifle is a good pick since it will keep this somewhat vulnerable character out of harm’s way.
Researcher Build
Starfield is a massive game, filled with NPCs, alien worlds, and exotic flora and fauna. Grappling with the enormity of space requires specialized equipment only the brightest minds can produce. The Professor Background lets the Researcher do just that by granting early access to this build’s most important skill: Research Methods. The most important Researcher skills are the following:
- Research Methods (Science)
- Surveying (Science)
- Scanning (Science)
- Spacesuit Design (Science)
- Weapon Engineering (Science)
- Chemistry (Science)
- Outpost Engineering (Science)
- Special Projects (Science)
- Astrophysics (Science)
- Medicine (Science)
Extrovert is the best Trait for this build, since you’ll be relying upon your companions more than usual in combat, due to your lack of weapon skills. This Trait provides the player with an oxygen buff as long as they’re adventuring with a companion, which you will want to be as much as possible. As for other Traits, either Freestar Collective Settler or United Colonies Native fit well, since you’re likely to spend quite a bit of time at outposts within their territories. That said, this would be one of the best Starfield builds even without those Traits.
Researcher Powers and Equipment
Sense Star Stuff is a logical fit for the Researcher, not only because it’s all about info but also because that info will probably keep the fragile Researcher alive. Precognition is another knowledge-based Power that’s fitting for the role. It helps that it’s useful in social situations as well. As far as weapons and other equipment, you can pretty much pick whatever you want, since your multiple research skills will allow you to attach incredible mods to anything you’d like.
Silvertongue Build
The Silvertongue build is all about using the gift of gab to solve situations that would otherwise devolve into bloodshed. Talking your way out of fights can be tricky, but the rewards tend to be well worth it. Diplomat is the perfect Background for this build, since it offers two essential skills immediately: Persuasion and Commerce. The most important Silvertongue skills are the following:
- Persuasion (Social)
- Commerce (Social)
- Deception (Social)
- Diplomacy (Social)
- Intimidation (Social)
- Negotiation (Social)
- Leadership (Social)
- Manipulation (Social)
- Instigation (Social)
- Xenosociology (Social)
Empath and Extrovert both work extremely well, since this build is all about using other characters to your own advantage. Adoring Fan is arguably the best fit for the third Trait slot, but given how annoying many players find that character, it may be better to substitute another Trait or leave the spot blank. The Silvertongue build is strong and deep enough that it doesn’t necessarily need a third Trait anyway.
Silvertongue Powers and Equipment
Phased Time fits great with the character concept of bending situations to your favor. It doesn’t hurt that this is a powerful and flexible ability as well. Creator’s Peace also fits this character’s Diplomat Background, forcing enemies to stop fighting and give you a moment to regroup. Using these abilities well arguably requires more strategy and skill than other powers, but that should be no issue for players interested in this kind of build. As for weapons, automatics work well for this build, since they allow you to pivot from one target to the next while your companions do some of the heavy lifting.
Swordmaster Build
The concept behind the Swordmaster is simple: become an unstoppable melee monster. The simplicity of the build detracts nothing from its utility, however. The Ronin Background provides the player with a good foundation by starting them off with Dueling, the cornerstone of this build. The most important Swordmaster skills are the following:
- Dueling (Combat)
- Shotgun Certification (Combat)
- Armor Penetration (Combat)
- Crippling (Combat)
- Wellness (Physical)
- Pain Tolerance (Physical)
- Martial Arts (Physical)
- Rejuvenation (Physical)
- Cellular Regeneration (Physical)
Alien DNA is an excellent Trait, as the buff to health and oxygen makes surviving tough fights a bit easier. Neon Street Rat and Wanted are useful but optional additions. They’re mostly useful for making a bit of extra money, leveling combat skills faster, and getting access to some fun side stories. This is one of the best Starfield builds for combat, so it doesn’t need much help.
Swordmaster Powers and Equipment
In combat, the Swordmaster favors a fast, aggressive playstyle. Get to melee range as soon as possible, because that’s where this character shines. The most important powers for this build are Anti-Gravity Field, Grav Dash, and Reactive Shield. This combination provides a good mix of speed, defense, and offense, letting the player lean into their aggro strengths while providing a solid backup plan if things go wrong. In terms of weapons, the best loadout includes a strong melee weapon as well as a shotgun for close-quarters cleanup. The Wakizashi is a solid early-game blade. As for shotguns, consider the Shotty or Coachman.
Enigma Build
The Enigma is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none character. Other characters may be better in their specialized fields, but the Enigma brings a well-rounded kit to the table to deal with most situations in Bethesda’s sci-fi epic. All three skills provided by File Not Found work well with this build, making that Background an easy choice.
- Wellness (Physical)
- Ballistics (Combat)
- Piloting (Tech)
- Rifle Certification (Combat)
- Pain Tolerance (Physical)
- Boost Pack Training (Tech)
- Targeting Control Systems (Tech)
- Surveying (Science)
- Environmental Conditioning (Physical)
- Scavenging (Social)
The Enigma build is extremely flexible, and there’s a way to make any Trait work with it. That said, Dream Home and Wanted are two of the best fits. Having a place of your own, even one with a hefty mortgage, is great, especially early in the game. Wanted, meanwhile, provides the player with an easy means of leveling up their skills as well as a decent buff whenever they’re low on health.
Enigma Powers and Equipment
The Enigma’s choice of Powers is as varied as its choice of Traits. Anti-Gravity Field, Sense Star Stuff, and Reactive Shield strike the right balance of offense and defense, but feel free to adjust as needed. As for weapons, taking Ballistics and Rifle Certification makes the Old Earth Hunting Rifle and AA-99 excellent choices for both DPS and range. That said, any ballistic rifle would work for this build. Overall, the Enigma’s flexibility and strength easily make it one of the best Starfield builds.
Starfield is available now for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
