Starfield is here and we’ve got a list of every background available when creating your character. Each Background offers up three distinct starting skills as well as additional options during certain dialogue choices.
You will get the first of four ranks for each Skill lsited.
Beast Hunter
From the Asha of Akila to the Terrormorphs that plague the whole of the Settled Systems, hostile alien life abounds. You’ve learned the skills to track them, find them, and take them down.
Starting Skills:
- Fitness: You have 10% more oxygen available
- Ballistics: Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage
- Gastronomy: You can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab.
Bouncer
You’ve worked the line at the toughest clubs in the Settled Systems. Back then you learned that most non-lethal confrontations can be solved one or two ways: a strong right hook, or a more strongly secured door.
Starting Skills:
- Boxing: Unarmed attacks do 25% more damage, 25% less 02 used when using a power attack.
- Security: You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked.
- Fitness: You have 10% more oxygen available
Bounty Hunter
Wherever there are wanted individuals, there are those who profit from their capture. And your quarry knows that in the vastness of space, they can run… but they can’t hide.
Starting Skills:
- Piloting: You can now utilize ship thrusters.
- Targeting Control Systems: Unlocks ship targeting functionality.
- Boost Pack Training: You can now utilize boost packs.
Chef
While the unrefined masses scarfed down Chunks by the shipload, you catered those with a more… discerning palate. In your kitchen countless alien species became true culinary masterpieces.
Starting Skills:
- Gastronomy: You can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab.
- Dueling: Melee weapons do 25% more damage. Take 10% less damage while wilding a melee weapon.
- Scavenging: There’s a chance to find extra credits when searching containers.
Combat Medic
Leave it to human beings to fight over something as infinite as outer space. That’s where you come in. You’ve never been afraid to take on the enemy… but you’d much rather take care of your friends.
Starting Skills:
- Pistol Certification: Pistols do 10% more damage.
- Medicine: Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and emergency Kits restore 10% additional Health 10% faster.
- Wellness: Increase your maximum health by 10%.
Cyber Runner
From Neon to New Atlantis, the megacorps stand as monuments to power, prestige, and profit. You’ve worked both for and against them, on the inside and out, often sacrificing conscience for credits.
Starting Skills:
- Stealth: Adds a Stealth Meter, You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 5% sneak attack damage.
- Security: You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked.
- Theft: Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets.
Cyberneticist
Robots? Mere toys. Neurocamps? Good for parlor tricks. The colony War may have made implants and upgrades available to veterans, but once you saw a greater future. Humans and machines, as one.
Starting Skills:
- Medicine: Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and emergency Kits restore 10% additional Health 10% faster.
- Security: You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked.
- Lasers: Laser weapons do 10% more damage.
Diplomat
The wars are over. Peace now Reigns the Settles Systems. But only because there are those quietly fighting to keep it. Because of you, agreements were signed, words were heeded… lives were spared.
Starting Skills:
- Persuasion: 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
- Commerce: Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more.
- Wellness: Increase your maximum health by 10%.
Explorer
They said exploration is a lost art. You didn’t listen. As the major factions argued over the space they desperately tried to control, you were busy uncovering the wonders of the Settled Systems
Starting Skills:
- Lasers: Laser weapons do 10% more damage.
- Astrodynamics: Increase grav jump range of jump drives by 15%.
- Surveying: Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased to 20 meters.
Gangster
You were always disgusted by suckers killing themselves to make an “honest wage.” As soon as you were old enough to hold a weapon, you took what you wanted from anyone unlocky enough to ahve it.
Starting Skills:
- Shotgun Certification: Shotguns do 10% more damage.
- Boxing: Unarmed attacks do 25% more damage, 25% less 02 used when using a power attack.
- Theft: Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets.
Homesteader
The discovery of the Settled Systems’ many oxygen-rich planets and moons meant humans could live just about anywhere… if they had the know-how. You did and utilized it to great effect.
Starting Skills:
- Geology: Get more common and uncommon inorganic resources from surface objects.
- Surveying: Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased to 20 meters.
- Weight Lifting: Increase total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms.
Industrialist
There was a time when all you wanted to be was a titan of industry, maybe a ship designer, or megacorp exec. Thankfully, that skillset never goes out of style in the Settled Systems.
Starting Skills:
- Persuasion: 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
- Security: You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked.
- Research Methods: Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 10%.
Long Hauler
Let those other hotheaded pilots obsess over laser weapons and maneuverability. You’re a space trucker, pure and simple. Pack the cargo, get it there fast, get paid, repeat. Life is simple and good.
Staring Skills:
- Weight Lifting: Increase total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms.
- Piloting: You can now utilize ship thrusters.
- Ballistic Weapon Systems: Ballistic ship weapons have 10% increased damage and cost 20% lss to use in Targeting Mode.
Pilgrim
Wayfarer, wanderer, seeker… transiet. You’ve been called many things during your travels, and learned something those others could never understand – the journey IS the destination.
Starting Skills:
- Scavenging: There’s a chance to find extra credits when searching containers.
- Surveying: Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased to 20 meters.
- Gastronomy: You can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab.
Professor
You always enjoyed learning, but nothing could compare to the joy of teaching others. As humankind spread throughout the stars, there was never a lack of knowledge to obtain, and you gladly assisted.
Starting Skills:
- Astrodynamics: Increase grav jump range of jump drives by 15%.
- Geology: Get more common and uncommon inorganic resources from surface objects.
- Research Methods: Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 10%.
Ronin
Masterless and unbound, you wandered the Settled Systems as a blade for hire. To some, you were a simple mercanary. To others, a hero. And to a select few… a nightmare they could never wake from.
Starting Skills:
- Dueling: Melee weapons do 25% more damage. Take 10% less damage while wilding a melee weapon.
- Stealth: Adds a Stealth Meter, You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 5% sneak attack damage.
- Scavenging: There’s a chance to find extra credits when searching containers.
Sculptor
With your knowledge of anatomy and skilled, steady hands, you could have had a lucrative career as a surgeon. Instead, you followed your heart, and created works of art to amaze and inspire.
Starting Skills:
- Medicine: Med Packs, Trauma Packs, and emergency Kits restore 10% additional Health 10% faster.
- Geology: Get more common and uncommon inorganic resources from surface objects.
- Persuasion: 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
Soldier
The Settled Systems is no stranger to warfare, and if there’s one thing armed conflict relies on its trained warriors with guns and guts. You had both. Simple, bloody work… and you were great at it.
Starting Skills:
- Fitness: You have 10% more oxygen available
- Ballistics: Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage
- Boost Pack Training: You can now utilize boost packs.
Space Scoundrel
Good? Bad? Whose right is it to say? If there’s anything you’ve learned while traipsing through the galaxy, it’s this: space may look black, but it’s really one big shade of grey.
Starting Skills:
- Pistol Certification: Pistols do 10% more damage.
- Piloting: You can now utilize ship thrusters.
- Persuasion: 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
Xenobiologist
The Settled Systems is home to untold alien species. And while none of them have yet proven sentient, that never deterred you. So you sought out and studied them for whatever gifts they offered.
Starting Skills:
- Lasers: Laser weapons do 10% more damage.
- Surveying: Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased to 20 meters.
- Fitness: You have 10% more oxygen available
And that is every starting Background you can choose in Starfield. You can find our review below:
