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There are several Starfield backgrounds and starting skills for you to choose from when you first customize your character. Each background grants you three skills with which you’ll begin the game, but they aren’t all created equal. With the right Starfield background, you’ll gain perks that are suitable for your intended playstyle, at least for the first few hours of the game. Our guide discusses the ideal picks at this particular stage.
Table of Contents [hide]The best backgrounds and starting skills in StarfieldBounty HunterCyber RunnerDiplomat
The best backgrounds and starting skills in Starfield
We feel that the best Starfield backgrounds are Bounty Hunter, Cyber Runner, and Diplomat. Bear in mind that the background you pick during character creation only nets you three tier 1 skills from different categories. Basically, this is akin to free unlocks–you won’t need to spend skill points just to make use of these particular perks, and you can immediately increase their respective tallies through specific actions. However, you still need to allocate points later on, especially if you want the upgraded variants or other skill types.
Bounty Hunter
Unlocked level 1 skills:
Piloting – Allows you to use ship thrusters; advanced levels grant the ability to pilot higher-tier ships. You’ll definitely want to level this up early on just so you can fly better ships later in the game.Targeting Control Systems – Allows you to target specific parts of enemy ships right from the get-go. This is especially useful for leveling up and earning more money.Boost Pack Training – Lets you use a jetpack as soon as you acquire one.
Cyber Runner
Unlocked level 1 skills:
Stealth – Shows the stealth meter; makes you harder to detect while sneaking; suppressed weapons deal an additional 5% sneak attack damage. All in all, you’ll have what you need to take out enemies silently.Security – Lets you hack/open advanced locks; two auto attempts can be banked. Considering how many locked doors and containers exist in the game, you definitely need to have points in the Security skill.Theft – Grants the ability to pickpocket targets. You’re sneaking around often, so you might as well steal a bunch of items and credits from clueless NPCs.
Diplomat
Unlocked level 1 skills:
Persuasion – 10% chance to successfully persuade someone. This is useful due to many situations where you’ll resolve matters with NPCs.Commerce – Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more. You’ll often carry around a lot of loot in Starfield, so you certainly could earn a bit more cash.Wellness – Increases your maximum health by 10%. While survivability isn’t always an issue, some extra HP is still okay to have.
These are our suggestions on the best Starfield backgrounds. Don’t forget to level them up to further boost your character. Likewise, you can take a look at our best traits guide and best skills guide. Later, once you’ve completed the campaign, you might want to know what New Game Plus mode entails for your backgrounds and facets.
Starfield is a massive game with numerous planets to explore. For other tips and tactics, you can visit our guides hub.
