Starfield: Ship Build & Design

Starfield lets you customize your own ship and explore the galaxy. Here are complete details on Starfield ships and how to customize them.

Building a ship in Starfield
Ship Build in Starfield(Credits - Gamesual)

In Starfield, you will be able to build your ships. Various parts and modules are available, so you can create a ship tailored to your needs and playstyle. This article will discuss some factors to consider when building your ship and specific ship builds you can try.


Key Takeaways

  • You can build customized ships in Starfield, tailoring them to your playstyle and preferences.
  • When building your ship, consider factors like playstyle, mission type, and budget to make the most effective and enjoyable vessel.
  • Ship customization involves choosing a hull type, adding modules for enhanced performance, and selecting appearances like skins and colors.
  • Understanding ship stats, such as power generated, weapon damage, hull strength, and cargo capacity, is crucial for optimal ship design.

Factors To Consider

  • Playstyle: How do you like to play? Are you an adventurer, a warrior, or a merchant?
  • Missions: What kind of missions do you plan on doing? If you want to explore, you will need a ship with a long range and good fuel efficiency. A ship with powerful weapons and armor to fight will be your preference.
  • Budget: Ship parts and modules can be expensive, so you must decide how much you will spend. 

If you want to create a ship in Starfield, you have two options. You can visit a spaceport and talk to the ship technician, who can assist you with modifying, registering, repairing, or purchasing a ship from your collection. Another option is to go to the outpost, access the shipbuilding terminal at a big landing pad, and design your ship.

Choosing A Hull Type

Building a ship in Starfield involves choosing a hull type, which determines your ship’s size, shape, and base stats. Four hull types exist: small, medium, large, and extra large. Each hull type has advantages and disadvantages, such as speed, maneuverability, durability, cargo capacity, and crew size.

Adding Modules

After choosing a hull type, you can customize your ship by adding modules, which are components that enhance your ship’s performance and functionality. Modules include engines, weapons, shields, scanners, thrusters, and reactors. You can also change the appearance of your ship by applying different skins, decals, and colors.

Modules and skins can be obtained by buying them from vendors, looting them from enemies or wrecks, crafting them from materials, or finding them in hidden locations. You can also upgrade your modules and skins by using resources and blueprints. These modules can add significant value to your ship build in Starfield.

Before we dive into some of the best ship builds in Starfield, let’s look at what the different stats mean for your ship. When you are in the ship customization menu or flying your ship, these stats are displayed on the bottom left of the screen.

  • Power Generated: This is the amount of power that your reactor produces. The more power you have, the more you can allocate to various ship systems such as weapons, engines, shields, and grav drive.
  • LAS: This is the laser weapon damage output. Laser weapons are effective against shields and energy systems.
  • BAL: This is the ballistic weapon damage output. Ballistic weapons are effective against hulls and mechanical systems.
  • MSL: This is the missile damage output. Missiles are effective against all targets but have limited ammo.
  • Hull: This is the amount of damage that your ship can take before it is destroyed. Hull damage can be repaired by using nanites or docking at a spaceport.
  • Shield: This is the amount of incoming damage your shield can absorb before depleting. Shield damage can be regenerated by using power or docking at a spaceport.
  • Mass: This is the weight of your ship. The heavier your ship is, the slower and less maneuverable it is.
  • Max Crew: This is the maximum number of crew members your ship can accommodate. Crew members provide various benefits, including skills, perks, dialogue options, and quests.
  • Cargo Capacity: This is the maximum cargo your ship can carry. The cargo includes weapons, armor, materials, consumables, and valuables.
Ship Build Stats
Ship Stats(Credits – Gamesual)

While building a ship in Starfield is primarily based on your preference and playstyle, some designs stand out for their efficiency, versatility, or creativity. Here are some of the best ship designs in Starfield that we have seen so far:

Ecliptic Bayonet

The Ecliptic Bayonet is a small hull built for speed and boarding enemy ships. It has missiles and energy weapons that can disable enemy ships’ systems, allowing you to dock with them and loot their cargo or take over their crew. The Bayonet is agile and stealthy, idealizing hit-and-run tactics or escaping pursuers.

Elliptical Bayonet in Starfield
Elliptical Bayonet (Credits – Gamesual)

The Bayonet is not easy to obtain. However, you must steal it from enemy Ecliptic attacks, random events where hostile factions raid spaceports or outposts. You have to be quick and careful to avoid getting shot down by their escorts or turrets.

Razorleaf

The Razorleaf is a medium hull built for exploration and combat. It has a sleek and aerodynamic design allows it to fly smoothly through different atmospheres and environments. It also has a balanced mix of weapons and defenses that can handle most threats in space or on planets.

Razorleaf Build In Starfield
Razorleaf in Starfield(Credits – Gamesual)

The Razorleaf is inspired by the Razor Crest from The Mandalorian TV series. It has a similar shape and color scheme as the iconic bounty hunter’s ship. It also has features resembling the Razor Crest’s gadgets, such as the side-mounted cannons and the rear cargo ramp.

Va’ruun Litany

The Va’ruun Litany is a large hull built for trading and diplomacy. It has a spacious interior that can accommodate a large crew and a lot of cargo. It also has a sophisticated communication system that can interact with different factions and races across the galaxy. The Litany is designed to be friendly and inviting rather than intimidating or aggressive.

Va'ruun Litany in Starfield
Va’ruun Litany in Starfield(Credits – Gamesual)

The Litany is one of the rarest ship-builds in Starfield. You can only get it by completing a quest line for the Va’ruun, an ancient and mysterious alien race that lives in isolation. You must earn their trust and respect by helping them with their problems and learning about their culture.

Star Eagle

The Star Eagle is an extra-large hull built for luxury and comfort. It is a flying hotel with everything you need for a relaxing journey through space. It has a lounge area with sofas and tables, a bar with drinks and snacks, a bedroom with a king-sized bed and a jacuzzi, a gym with exercise equipment, a sauna, and more.

Star Eagle in Starfield
Star Eagle in Starfield (Credits – Gamesual)

The Star Eagle is not cheap to build or maintain. You need a lot of money and resources to buy or craft the modules and skins that make it so lavish. You must also pay for such a massive ship’s fuel and upkeep costs.

The stats of all these ships are as follows:

Ship NameHull TypePower GeneratedLASBALMSLHullShieldMassMax CrewCargo Capacity
Ecliptic BayonetSmall1660610010050250
RazorleafMedium204442002001004100
Va’ruun LitanyLarge242223003001506150

Ship Weapons

Ship weapons are modules that you can attach to your ship’s hull to enhance the offensive capabilities of a ship build in Starfield. Depending on the hull size and your reactor’s power, you can have up to four weapons of each type on your ship. You can switch between different weapon types using the D-pad on your controller or the number keys on your keyboard.

Each weapon type has its range, fire rate, damage output, and power consumption. You can see these stats on the top left of the screen when you are in the ship customization menu or flying your ship. You can also see the health bars of your target’s hull and shield on the top right of the screen when you lock onto them.

Types

Ship Weapons are of four types:

Laser Weapons

Lasers are energy weapons that fire beams or pulses of light that damage an enemy ship’s shield. They are helpful when you plan to board their ship for looting or stealing. They have a high fire rate and low power consumption, but they deal minimal damage to the hull.

Ship Laser Weapons in Starfield
Ship Laser Weapons(Credits – Gamesual)

Here is a list of some laser weapons and their stats:

Weapon NameRangeFire RateHull DamageShield DamageMax Power
Ember100015015456
Eon125018020604
Solstice100012010306
Big Bang8006040404
Trickshot10009025253
Dragon 221P MW Pulse Laser10006.656.0018.006
Scorch 60MW Laser12502.508.0025.004
Blaze 2GW SX Laser12501.5014.00460.003

Ballistic Weapons

Ballistic weapons damage enemy ship’s hulls and are suitable for destroying them quickly. These are physical weapons that fire projectiles or bullets that damage an enemy ship’s hull. They are helpful when you want to destroy their ship quickly or disable their systems. They have a low fire rate and high power consumption, but they deal high damage to the hull.

Ship Ballistic Weapons on Starfield
Ship Ballistic Weapons(Credits – Gamesual)

Here is a list of some Ballistic weapons and their stats:

Weapon NameRangeFire RateHull DamageShield DamageMax Power
Mauler 104L Autocannon8006.659.903.304
Dangan Pb Cannon10003.4916.505.503
Jishaku Fe Railgun10002.5031.209.603

Missiles

Missiles are rockets or torpedoes that damage both hull and shield equally. They have a meager fire rate and high power consumption but deal very serious damage. These are electromagnetic weapons that fire beams or pulses.

Ship Missiles Weapons in Starfield
Ship Missiles Weapons(Credits – Gamesual)

Here is a list of some missiles and their stats:

Weapon NameRangeFire RateHull DamageShield DamageMax Power
Atlatl 270B15000.7550504
Javelin 300B20000.7575754
Javelin X-300C20000.751001004

EM Weapons

These electromagnetic weapons fire beams or pulses of charged particles that damage enemy ships’ systems. They are useful when disabling their weapons, engines, shields, or Grav drive. They have a moderate fire rate and power consumption but moderately damage the hull and shield.

EM Weapons in Starfield
Ship EM Weapons (Credits – Gamesual)

Here is a list of some EM weapons and their stats:

Weapon NameRangeFire RateHull DamageShield DamageMax Power
PB-100 Neutron Beam8000.753.39.94
Disruptor 3320A Auto Neutron Beam8002.56.619.84
PB-300 Alpha Beam8000.759.631.204

You can also upgrade your ship’s weapons to make them more powerful. This can be done by installing new modules or upgrading the weapons.

Ship Design

Modules

You can customize your ship’s exterior and interior with various modules that affect its performance, functionality, and appearance.

Ship Modules In starfield
Ship Modules In Starfield(Credits – Gamesual)

Here are some of the ship modules you can use for your ship build in Starfield and what they do:

Reactor

The reactor is your ship’s primary power source. It determines how many power levels you can allocate to different ship parts during spaceflight. It also affects your ship’s repair rate, health, and crew capacity.

Weapons

Weapons are your ship’s tools for fighting during space combat. A ship has three weapon slots and different weapon modules, such as cannons, lasers, and missile systems. They have different stats, such as range, fire rate, hull damage, shield damage, and max power.

Shield Generator

This module protects your ship from incoming damage by creating a shield around it. It has stats such as shield health, shield recharge rate, and max power.

Engines

The engine propels your ship forward and allows you to maneuver in space. They have stats such as thrust, turn rate, and max power.

Grav Drive

Grav Drive enables your ship to travel faster than light and jump between star systems. It has stats such as jump distance, cooldown, and max power.

Fuel Tanks

These tanks store the fuel you need for your engines and Grav drive. They have stats such as fuel capacity and fuel consumption.

Cockpit

This module is where you control your ship and view its status. It has stats such as visibility, HUD quality, and crew capacity.

Cargo Hold

Cargo Hold is a place for storing your items and resources. It has stats such as cargo capacity and cargo security.

Hab

Hab is where you and your crew live and rest. It has stats such as comfort, amenities, and crew capacity. It also affects the functionality of your ship, such as how much cargo space, crew capacity, and power consumption it has.

Docker

This module allows you to dock with other ships or stations. It has stats such as docking speed and docking compatibility.

Landing Bay

Landing Bay allows you to store and deploy smaller vehicles or drones. It has stats such as bay capacity and bay access.

Landing Gear

This gear helps you land on planets or other surfaces. It has stats such as landing stability and landing durability.

Cowling

Cowling covers the exterior of your ship and protects it from environmental hazards. It has stats such as heat resistance, radiation resistance, and hull.

Equipment

These modules provide additional functions or enhancements for your ship. They have different effects depending on their type, such as scanners, stealth systems, boosters, or smuggler compartments.

Ship Colors

Here are some tips on how to customize color for your ship build in Starfield:

  • To customize your ship color, you need to access the shipbuilder mode. You can do this by talking to any ship services technician near a spaceport or a space station. They can help you repair, modify, or buy new ships.
  • Once you enter the shipbuilder mode, you can select the ship you want to customize and press the B key to enter the color-changing mode. Press the “J” key to switch between the color-changing and normal modes.
  • In the color-changing mode, you can select one or more parts of your ship and change their colors. You can pick from three different colors for each part. You can also adjust each color’s hue, saturation, and brightness.
  • Changing your ship color does not cost any credits, so you can experiment with different combinations and find the one that suits your style. You can also save your custom colors as presets and apply them to other ships or parts.
Ship Color Customization
Ship Color Customization(Credits – Gamesual)

Ship Interior

The ship’s interior can’t be decorated or customized in the way its exterior can be. Players can completely change the color scheme of the outside of their ship, but the inside is determined by the type of habitat or ‘hab’ they choose when building their ship.

Each hab has a different style and layout, but you can’t move or add any items inside. The hab you choose also affects the functionality of your ship, such as how much cargo space, crew capacity, and power consumption it has.

Interior Design of Ships in Starfield
Ship Interior Starfield(Credits – Gamesual)

There are some ways to make your ship’s interior more personal and unique. For example, you can collect and display travel items in your ship’s trophy case. These items can be anything from alien artifacts rare minerals, or even sandwiches.

You can also find and equip posters, stickers, and decals for your ship’s walls and windows. These can be bought from vendors, found in loot crates, or earned from completing quests and achievements.

If you are unsatisfied with the default textures of your ship’s interior, you can also use mods to enhance them. Mods offer high-resolution retextures of the ship’s interiors via AI upscaling. These mods can make your ship build in Starfield look more detailed and realistic, but they may also affect your game’s performance and stability.

Ship build and design in Starfield is a complex and rewarding process. Planning and experimentation allow you to create the perfect ship for your play style. Consider your playstyle, the missions you plan, and your budget when designing your ship. Experiment with different builds and designs until you find the perfect ship. We hope this article helps you in making your dream ship.

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