Backgrounds guide in Starfield. Learn about the recommended Backgrounds, Starting Skills, advantages and tips.
Table of Contents
Combat-Oriented Backgrounds
| Background | Starting Skills |
|---|---|
| Combat Medic | - Pistol Certification - Medicine - Wellness |
| Cyberneticist | - Medicine - Security - Lasers |
| Gangster | - Shotgun Certification - Boxing - Theft |
| Ronin | - Duelling - Stealth - Scavenging |
| Soldier | - Fitness - Ballistics - Boost Pack Training |
| [File Not Found] | - Wellness - Ballistics - Piloting |
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.
[File Not Found]
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
| Background | Starting Skills |
|---|---|
| Explorer | - Lasers - Astrodynamics - Surveying |
| Homesteader | - Geology - Surveying - Weight Lifting |
| Pilgrim | - Scavenging - Surveying - Gastronomy |
| Professor | - Astrodynamics - Geology - Research Methods |
| Xenobiologist | - Lasers - Surveying - Fitness |
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
| Background | Starting Skills |
|---|---|
| Bounty Hunter | - Piloting - Targeting Control Systems - Boost Pack Training |
| Cyber Runner | - Stealth - Security - Theft |
| Long Hauler | - Weight Lifting - Piloting - Ballistic Weapon Systems |
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
| Starting Skills | |
|---|---|
| Diplomat | - Persuasion - Commerce - Wellness |
| Industrialist | - Persuasion - Security - Research Methods |
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
| Background | Starting Skills |
|---|---|
| Beast Hunter | - Fitness - Ballistic - Gastronomy |
| Bouncer | - Boxing - Security - Fitness |
| Chef | - Gastronomy - Duelling - Scavenging |
| Sculptor | - Medicine - Geology - Persuasion |
| Space Scoundrel | - Pistol Certification - Piloting - Persuasion |
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
Character Creation - How To Change AppearanceBackground Features & Builds
| Combat Oriented | ||
|---|---|---|
| Combat Medic | Cyberneticist | Gangster |
| Ronin | Soldier | [File Not Found] |
| Exploration Oriented | ||
| Explorer | Pilgrim | Professor |
| Xenobiologist | ||
| Pirate Oriented | ||
| Bounty Hunter | Cyber Runner | Long Hauler |
| Trader Oriented | ||
| Diplomat | Industrialist | |
| Balance Oriented | ||
| Beast Hunter | Bouncer | Chef |
| Sculptor | Space Scoundrel | |
