Starfield Backgrounds and Skills Extensive Guide

Starfield asks players to choose a fictional background at the beginning of the game, and the choice of which to pick will affect their gameplay. Each background comes with three starting Novice-level skills that dictate the character’s play style. Here is everything:

Starfield Character Creation, Backgrounds, and Traits

What Are The Recommended Starfield Backgrounds?

In the game Starfield, players don’t have to choose a specific character class like in other games. However, players still have to make important decisions before embarking on their space adventure. These decisions are called Starfield Backgrounds, and they will affect your starting skills and determine how your character interacts with others in the game.

Choosing the right background in Starfield can greatly affect your gameplay experience. Here are five different backgrounds to consider:

1. Combat Medic: This background is great for those who want to focus on combat. You start the game with extra health and better healing items, making you more survivable. You also get a bonus for pistol damage, which becomes even more powerful as you level up.
2. Ronin: If you prefer sneaking and close combat, the Ronin is a good choice. You can master sneaking more quickly and get extra credits from containers. This background pairs well with the Concealment skill later on.
3. Bounty Hunter: The Bounty Hunter is a solid option for those who love flying and space battles. You can target specific enemy ship parts early on and get a boost to ship thrusters. Plus, you can use Boost Packs from the start.
4. Industrialists: The Industrialists may not be great in combat, but they have some useful skills. You get better chances in speech challenges and a bonus point in Security. You also require fewer resources to research and craft new things.
5. Soldier: Another combat-focused background, the Soldier starts with a Boost Pack and gets a bonus to fitness. You also deal more damage with ballistic weapons. This background is versatile for fighting different types of enemies.

Every Starfield Backgrounds

Starfield gives players a lot of freedom when it comes to creating their characters. One big element of that is the Backgrounds, which give Spacefarers a set of starting skills and some unique dialogue options.

Beast Hunter Background

As a Beast Hunter, you’re used to hunting scary creatures and defending yourself against attacks from outer space. To help you do this, you’ve got some special abilities. For example, you’re really good at using guns, and you’re also a skilled cook. Plus, you’ve got a boost to your oxygen level, which is like having extra stamina. And when you kill something, you make sure to put it to good use.

Beast Hunter Skills:

• Fitness – Increases available O2.
• Ballistics – Ballistic weapons deal more damage.
• Gastronomy – Craft special food and drink and research additional recipes.

Bouncer Background

You are in great shape due to your past as a club bouncer, and you prefer to use your fists in fights. You also have a skill called Security, which is focused on hacking to bypass security measures rather than providing direct security.

Bouncer Background Skills:

• Boxing – Unarmed attacks deal more damage and use less O2.
• Security – You can hack Advanced locks and bank more auto attempts.
• Fitness – Increases available O2.

Bounty Hunter Background

If you’re someone who’s explored various star systems for rewards, you likely have a lot of experience flying ships and using their weapons. You’re also trained to use boost packs when you’re not on your ship. 

If you want to be able to travel quickly and safely throughout the galaxy, the Starfield background is a good option for you.

Bounty Hunter Background Skills:

• Piloting – You can use ship thrusters and better ships.
• Targeting Control Systems – Unlocks and enhances ship targeting systems.
• Boost Pack Training – Unlocks and enhances boost packs.

Chef Background

With your background as a chef who specializes in preparing exotic meats, you have the skills to create unique recipes and defend yourself using close-combat weapons. The ingredients you need may be found in various places throughout the Settled Systems, but luckily, you possess the Scavenging Skill to help you locate them.

Chef Background Skills

• Gastronomy – Craft special food and drink and research additional recipes.
• Dueling – Deal more melee damage and take less damage while wielding a melee weapon.
• Scavenging – Find extra resources when looting containers.

Combat Medic Background

If you’re looking to create a space explorer character that can take care of themselves, consider choosing the Combat Medic background. This background will help you become better at using small weapons to defend yourself, thanks to Pistol Certification. Additionally, you’ll be able to stay alive longer and heal faster with improved health and healing items.

Combat Medic Background Skills

• Pistol certification – Deal more damage with pistols.
• Medicine – Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits heal more and faster.
• Wellness – Increases maximum health.

Cyber Runner Background

If you choose to be a Cyber Runner, your focus will be on covert operations and destructive actions. This is because you have a set of skills that help you avoid being detected while you sneak around with quiet weapons, unlock doors, hack into systems, and take items without being seen. You’ll need to be careful and skillful as you break into places, take what you need, and deal with your enemies without getting caught.

Cyber Runner Background Skills

• Stealth – Adds a Stealth Meter and makes you harder to detect while sneaking.
• Security – You can hack Advanced locks and bank more auto attempts.
• Theft – Unlock and enhance pickpocketing capabilities.

Cyberneticist Background

Your experience as a Cyberneticist has given you the ability to heal better, unlock high-tech locks and terminals with ease, and use laser weapons like a pro. You believe that humans and machines should work together seamlessly, and your expertise helps make that possible.

Cyberneticist Background Skills

• Medicine – Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits heal more and faster.
• Security – You can hack Advanced locks and bank more auto attempts.
• Lasers – Laser weapons deal more damage.

Diplomat Background

The Diplomat is a good choice for those who want to interact with people in the Starfield game. This background gives you an advantage when trying to persuade others and when making deals with merchants. If you prefer to talk your way out of situations, the Diplomat background is perfect for you.

Diplomat Background Skills

• Persuasion – Increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Commerce – Buy items for less and sell items for more.
• Wellness – Increases maximum health.

Explorer Background

If you enjoy exploring new places, then you might want to consider a career in Starfield. With your background in space travel and planet research, you’ll be able to travel to different planets and gather valuable resources along the way. This is a great choice for anyone who loves to discover new things and wants to explore the many planets of Starfield.

Explorer Background Skills 

• Lasers – Laser weapons deal more damage.
• Astrodynamics – Improve your ship’s grav drive.
• Surveying – Increase the range and zoom level of your hand scanner. 

Gangster Background

If you have a knack for fighting up close, whether it’s with your fists or a shotgun, and enjoy taking things that don’t belong to you, then the Gangster background might be for you. This background is geared towards individuals who have a dangerous nature and are comfortable with criminal activities and violence.

Gangster Background Skills

• Shotgun Certification – Shotguns deal more damage.
• Boxing – Unarmed attacks deal more damage and use less O2.
• Theft – Unlock and enhance pickpocketing capabilities.

Homesteader Background

If you want to find a new place to live on a different planets, you might like the Homesteader background. This background can help you become better at exploring planets to find the best spot for your new home. You’ll also learn how to lift heavy objects and study rocks to be able to use the land and find lots of useful things.

Homesteader Background Skills

• Geology – Get less common inorganic resources from surface objects and more of them.
• Surveying – Increase the range and zoom level of your hand scanner. 
• Weight Lifting – Increase carrying capacity.

Industrialist Background

The Industrialist Starfield background sets you on the path of a space-age tech CEO with Skills that blend technical know-how with Persuasion. As well as being able to talk your way through the stars, the Research Methods Skill will help you out at Research Stations, unlocking lots of new items for weapons, outposts, spacesuits, and more.

Industrialist Background Skills

• Persuasion – Increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Security – You can hack Advanced locks and bank more auto attempts.
• Research Methods – Complete Research Projects and craft items using fewer resources.

Long Hauler Background

You’re not a fancy space fighter pilot; you’re just a regular space truck driver moving your goods from one place to another. You have two skills – Piloting and Ballistic Weapon Systems – that will help you travel through space and protect yourself. Additionally, Weightlifting will help you carry more of your valuable cargo. Since the amount you can carry in Starfield is crucial, this is a great starting point for your background.

Long Hauler Background

• Weight Lifting – Increase carrying capacity.
• Piloting – You can use ship thrusters.
• Ballistic Weapon Systems – Improves ballistic weapons on your ship.

Pilgrim Background

If you’re a Pilgrim, then you’re probably someone who’s experienced in traveling and surviving in different places. With your Scavenging and Gastronomy Skills, you can find and collect food, materials, and resources to make useful things and delicious meals. To explore every planet you visit, don’t forget to use your Scanner and Surveying Skill to search for everything you need.

Pilgrim Background Skills

• Scavenging – Find extra resources when looting containers.
• Surveying – Increase the range and zoom level of your hand scanner. 
• Gastronomy – Craft special food and drink and research additional recipes.

Professor Background

If you select the Professor background, you’ll be able to comprehend how your spaceship’s grav drive operates, gain knowledge about the terrain of various planets, and use research techniques to uncover fresh findings. You’ll spend a significant amount of time examining Starfield research and creating innovative things.

Professor Background Skills

• Astrodynamics – Improve your ship’s grav drive.
• Geology – Get less common inorganic resources from surface objects and more of them.
• Research Methods – Complete Research Projects and craft items using fewer resources.

Ronin Background

If you used to be a space mercenary, you are probably good at close combat and sneaking around without being detected. These skills are called Dueling and Stealth. When you’re on your own in dangerous places, it’s important to be able to find what you need to survive. That’s where the Scavenging skill comes in handy.

Ronnin Background Skills

• Dueling – Deal more melee damage and take less damage while wielding a melee weapon.
• Stealth – Adds a Stealth Meter and makes you harder to detect while sneaking.
• Scavenging – Find extra resources when looting containers.

Sculptor Background

One of the more unique backgrounds in Starfield is the Sculptor. This background portrays the character as someone who is skilled in both science and art, which is demonstrated through their abilities in Medicine and Persuasion. Additionally, they have Geology skill, which helps them find materials to use in their sculptures, potentially even alien materials.

Sculptor Background Skills

• Medicine – Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and Emergency Kits heal more and faster.
• Geology – Get less common inorganic resources from surface objects and more of them.
• Persuasion – Increased chance of success when persuading someone.

Soldier Background

If you choose the Starfield Soldier background, you’ll get military training that includes some helpful Skills. You’ll be trained to be in good physical shape and to use a Boost Pack to move around quickly when you’re on or near the ground. And, of course, you’ll be skilled in using a rifle with the Ballistics Skill.

Soldier Background Skills

• Fitness – Increases available O2.
• Ballistics – Ballistic weapons deal more damage.
• Boost Pack Training – Unlocks and enhances boost packs.

Space Scoundrel Background

Are you a fan of Star Wars? This Starfield background is perfect for you! It lets you imagine yourself as a confident and daring hero who always has a weapon by their side and can talk their way out of any situation. And when all else fails, your piloting skills will help you escape to your spaceship. So, if you like the idea of being a hero who never gives up, this is the background for you!

Space Scoundrel Background Skills

• Pistol certification – Deal more damage with pistols.
• Piloting – You can use ship thrusters.
• Persuasion – Increased chance of success when persuading someone.

Xenobiologist Background

Your expertise in Xenobiology makes you the perfect candidate for exploring planets and searching for extraterrestrial life forms. With your Surveying and Fitness Skills, you’ll be well-prepared for any challenges that come your way. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so be sure to bring a laser weapon in case of any unexpected danger.

Xenobiologist Background Skills

• Lasers – Laser weapons deal more damage.
• Surveying – Increase the range and zoom level of your hand scanner. 
• Fitness – Increases available O2.

“FILE NOT FOUND” Background

When you see “File Not Found,” it means you’re just an average person without expertise or specialty. This might be because of your own choices, but it also means you have the most general skills available. This is a good starting point in Starfield for anyone who wants a blank slate and doesn’t want to commit to specific skills.

“File Not Found” Background Skills:

• Wellness – Increases maximum health.
• Ballistics – Ballistic weapons deal more damage.
• Piloting – You can use ship thrusters.