Starfield | Best Backgrounds - Which Class To Choose

Backgrounds guide in Starfield. Learn about the recommended Backgrounds, Starting Skills, advantages and tips.

Combat-Oriented Backgrounds

Combat Medic

Perks for the Starting Skills are Pistol Damage / Health Recovery / Higher Max Health. Specializes in combat with more health and increased Pistol damage. Your choice if you want to blast your way through.

Cyberneticist

Perks for the Starting Skills are Health Recovery / Hacking Locks / Laser Weapon DMG. Specializes in combat with better health recovery and increased Laser damage but more balanced with ability to hack difficult locks.

Gangster

Perks for the Starting Skills are Shotgun DMG / Unarmed DMG / Pickpockets. Great for combat especially if you want to get close to the enemy.

Ronin

Perks for the Starting Skills are Melee Weapon DMG / Stealth Skills / Extra Items in Containers. Stealth also increases suppressed weapon damage. Best for sneaking up on the enemy.

Soldier

Perks for the Starting Skills are More Oxygen / Ballistic Weapon DMG / Better Boost Pack. Increases Ballistic weapon damage but also great for exploring with more oxygen and improved boost pack.

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Perks for the Starting Skills are Higher Max Health / Ballistic Weapon DMG / Ship Upgrade. Best if you want to use Ballistic weapons and want to focus on combat.

Exploration-Oriented Backgrounds

Explorer

Perks for the Starting Skills are Laser Weapon DMG / Efficient Grav Jump / Hand Scanner Upgrade. Great for exploring with the occasional fighting in mind.

Homesteader

Perks for the Starting Skills are More Resources / Hand Scanner Upgrade / Carrying Capacity. Best for farming items and resources.

Pilgrim

Perks for the Starting Skills are Extra Items in Containers / Hand Scanner Upgrade / Craft Better Food. Capable of making good use of items.

Professor

Perks for the Starting Skills are Efficient Grav Jump / More Resources / Less Research Requirements. Research will be significantly faster with more resources and less requirements.

Xenobiologist

Perks for the Starting Skills are Laser Weapon DMG / Hand Scanner Upgrade / More Oxygen. Your choice if you want to explore on land.

Pirate-Oriented Backgrounds

Bounty Hunter

Perks for the Starting Skills are Ship Upgrade / Ship Targeting / Better Boost Pack. Best background to prepare for battle in your ship.

Cyber Runner

Perks for the Starting Skills are Stealth Skills / Hacking Locks / Pickpockets. Stealth also increases suppressed weapon damage. Best for farming while avoiding the enemy.

Long Hauler

Perks for the Starting Skills are Carrying Capacity / Ship Upgrade / Ballistic Weapon DMG. Much like the Bounty Hunter except more focused on being on land.

Trader-Oriented Backgrounds

Diplomat

Perks for the Starting Skills are Persuasion Success Rate / Better Prices / Higher Max Health. Focuses on trade but also with some survivability with higher max health.

Industrialist

Perks for the Starting Skills are Persuasion Success Rate / Hacking Locks / Less Research Requirements. No combat related skills but all 3 skills will make a difference in the long run.

Balanced-Oriented Backgrounds

Beast Hunter

Perks for the Starting Skills are More Oxygen / Ballistic Weapon DMG / Craft Better Food. Great if you want to use Ballistic weapons with good survivability.

Bouncer

Perks for the Starting Skills are Unarmed DMG / Hacking Locks / More Oxygen. Best background if using weapons in battle isn't your thing.

Chef

Perks for the Starting Skills are Craft Better Food / Melee Weapon DMG / Extra Items in Containers. Much like Ronin but with better food rather than stealth.

Sculptor

Perks for the Starting Skills are Health Recovery / More Resources / Persuasion Success Rate. There are no weapon damage perks but Medicine will help with survivability.

Space Scoundrel

Perks for the Starting Skills are Pistol Damage / Ship Upgrade / Persuasion Success Rate. Well balanced overall, good for beginners.

Related Starfield Guides

Character Creation Guide

Background Features & Builds

Skills

Skill Lists

• All Skills List
• All Skills Magazines List

Powers

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