Starfield: Skill Tree [Explained]

The skill tree system has raised the bar to new heights. This comprehensive guide will explore each skill in the Tree.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Starfield features 82 skills grouped into five categories: Physical, Social, Science, Combat, and Tech.
Gain Skill Points by accumulating XP through character progression.
Skills have four ranks, each requiring specific Skill Points: Novice, Advanced, Expert, and Master.
Skill Challenges tailored to each skill are essential to unlock higher ranks.

Skill trees are divided into four very distinct tiers. Progressing onto each tier requires a certain amount of skill points spent on the previous tier. The division of ranks and how many points are needed to unlock them are as follows.

Rank 1(Novice): No Skill Point Required (Free)
Rank 2(Advanced): Requires 4 Skill Points
Rank 3(Expert): Requires 8 Skill Points
Rank 4(Master): Requires 12 Skill Points

Each rank possesses a distinct effect that progressively intensifies with each successive rank unlocked. Unlocking progressive ranks for a skill necessitates completing specific “Skill Challenges.”

Physical Skills List

Name	Ranking Perk(s)	Skill Challenge
Boxing	Unarmed Attacks do more damage. Less O2 consumed when using a power attack	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with an unarmed attack
Fitness	You have more oxygen available	Use up all available oxygen 20/50/100 times
Stealth	Adds a Stealth Meter. You are more difficult to detect when you are sneaking. Suppressed weapons do additional sneak attack damage	Perform 10/20/40 sneak attacks
Weight Lifting	Increases total carrying capacity	Sprint for 1000/2500/5000 meters while at 75% or more of your maximum load capacity
Wellness	Increases your maximum health	Heal 200/500/1000 damage
Energy Weapon Dissipation	Energy damage is significantly reduced	Take 150/350/750 points of energy damage
Environmental Conditioning	Gain resistance to airborne environmental damage	Take 100/250/500 environmental damage
Gymnastics	Unlock the ability to combat slide. Take less fall damage	Take 100 fall damage Kill 5 enemies in Zero G environments Kill 20 enemies in Zero G environments
Nutrition	Food and drinks are more effective	Consume 10/30/75 food or drink items
Pain Tolerance	Physical damage is significantly reduced	Take 250/500/1000 points of physical damage
Cellular Regeneration	Significantly increased chances to recover from injuries naturally	Recover from 5/10/30 injuries
Decontamination	Significantly increased chances to recover from infections naturally	Recover from 5/15/30 infections
Martial Arts	Increased chance to crit with a melee or unarmed attack	Deal 250 damage with unarmed attacks Disarm 10 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks Disarm 30 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks
Concealment	Better stealth to your surroundings. Ranged Sneak Attacks and Melee Attacks do exponential damage	Perform 10/30/75 melee/unarmed sneak attacks
Neurostrikes	Increased chances to stun an enemy with unarmed attacks	Stun 10/30/75 enemies with an unarmed attack
Rejuvenation	Slowly regenerate health	Fall below 25% health 3/8/15 times and fully heal

Physical Skills table.

Physical Skill List — Physical Skills List

Social Skills List

Name	Ranking Perk(s)	Skill Challenge
Commerce	Buy for less, Sell for more	Buy or sell 25/75/150 unique items
Gastronomy	Research and craft different type of food and drinks	Create 5/25/50 food or drink items
Persuasion	Increased chance of success when persuading someone	Succeed in 3/5/10 speech challenges
Scavenging	Increased chances of finding extra items when searching containers	Loot 25/75/150 containers
Theft	Unlock ability to pickpocket targets	Successfully pickpocket 5/10/20 times
Deception	Stronger ships will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are less effective	Convince 5/10/20 ships to surrender
Diplomacy	Forces target NPC to stop fighting	Successfully use Diplomacy on 5/25/50 different people
Intimidation	Forces target NPC to flee	Successfully Intimidate 5/25/50 different people
Isolation	Increased weapon damage and damage resistance for each helmet and spacesuit when you do not have a companion	Kill 20/50/100 enemies while not in command of a follower
Negotiation	Access to bribery in speech	Bribe 3/5/10 times through persuasion
Instigation	Forces target NPC to attack their allies	Successfully Instigate 5/25/50 different people
Leadership	Gives companions perks such as health, affinity	Sprint 1000/2500/5000 metres with an active follower
Outpost Management	Additional cargo links can be placed at outpost	Build cargo links on 6 different planets Construct 8 robots at outposts Construct 10 crew stations at outposts
Manipulation	Forces target NPC to obey commands	Successfully Manipulate 5/25/50 different people
Ship Command	Increases number of active crew members	Destroy or board 5/25/50 ships with a crew of 2/4/6 or more
Xenosociology	Forces target alien to stop fighting	Successfully use Pacify/Flee/Frenzy on 15 different aliens

Social Skills table.

Science Skills List

Name	Ranking Perk(s)	Skill Challenge
Astrodynamics	Increases grav jump range and fuel cost of jump drives	Make 5/15/30 grav jumps
Geology	Get more inorganic resources from the surface objects	Harvest inorganic resources from 20/50/100 sources
Medicine	Med Packs, Trauma Packs and Emergency kits restore additional health	Use healing items 20/50/100 times while wounded
Research Methods	Less amount of resources required to craft items and complete research projects	Craft 5/10/15 unique food, drinks, drugs, weapon mods, or equipment mods
Surveying	Adds optional zoom and scan distance is increased on hand scanner	Use the hand scanner to scan 10/25/50 unique resources, flora, or fauna
Botany	Get more organic resources from plants and more info about them on your hand scanner	Harvest 20/50/100 organic resources from plants
Scanning	Can detect inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces with additional info on them	Scan 5/15/30 planets or moons
Spacesuit Design	Can research and craft helmets, spacesuits and pack mods	Craft 5/15/30 spacesuit, helmet, and pack mods
Weapon Engineering	Can research and craft superior weapon mods	Craft 5/15/30 weapon mods
Zoology	Get more organic resources from creatures and additional info on them by hand scanner	Harvest organic resources from 20/50/100 creatures
Astrophysics	Can scan moon planets over light years and increased chances to discover a trait	Scan 10/25/50 unique planets or moons
Chemistry	Research and create superior chems	Create 10/25/50 chems
Outpost Engineering	Research and construct superior outpost modules	Build 5/25/50 different outpost modules
Aneutronic Fusion	Ship reactors produce extra units of power	Destroy 5/25/50 ships
Planetary Habitation	Can build outposts on planets with extreme environmental conditions	Build habitable outposts on 5/10/20 different planets
Special Projects	Craft supreme Manufactured Components at an Industrial Workbench	Craft 10 common or uncommon manufactured components Craft 10 rare manufactured components Craft 10 exotic manufactured components

Science Skills table.

Combat Skills List

Name	Ranking Perk(s)	Skill Challenge
Ballistics	Ballistic weapons do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a ballistic weapon
Dueling	Melee weapons do more damage. You take less damage from melee weapons.	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a melee weapon
Lasers	Lasers weapons do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a laser weapon
Pistol Certification	Pistols do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a pistol
Shotgun Certification	Shotguns do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a shotgun
Demolitions	Throwing grenades show their trajectory. Explosions do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with explosives
Heavy Weapons Certification	Heavy weapons do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a heavy weapon
Incapacitation	EM weapons do more damage	Deal 400/1000/2500 EM damage
Particle Beams	Particle beam weapons do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a particle beam weapon
Rifle Certification	Rifles do more damage	Kill 20/50/100 enemies with a rifle
Marksmanship	Increased crit hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapon	Deal 10/30/75 ranged critical hits
Rapid Reloading	Reload weapons faster	Reload 30/75/150 empty magazines
Sniper Certification	Scoped weapons do more damage	Kill 50/125/250 enemies using a scoped weapon
Targeting	Increase accuracy and range when shooting without aiming	Kill 50/125/250 enemies without aiming with a ranged weapon
Armor Penetration	Attacks ignore majority of a targets armor	Kill 20/50/250 enemies with a non-automatic weapon
Crippling	human enemies have increased chance to enter a downed state	Put 20/50/100 enemies into the bleedout state
Sharpshooting	Increase crit damage and headshot damage	Deal 50/125/250 ranged critical hits

Combat Skills table.

Tech Skills List

Name	Ranking Perk(s)	Skill Challenges
Ballistic Weapons System	Ballistic ship weapons have increased damage and cost less to use in targeting mode	Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with ballistic weapons
Boost Pack Training	Unlocks Boost Packs	Boost jump 10/25/50 times while in combat
Piloting	Unlocks ship thrusters and increases ship maneuvrability	Destroy 5/15/30 ships
Security	Hack difficult locks and increases number of auto attempt on hacks	Pick 5/15/30 locks
Targeting Control Systems	Unlocks ships targetting functionality	Destroy 5/15/30 enemy ships while in targeting mode
Energy Weapons Systems	Energy ship weapons have increased damage and cost less to use in targetting mode	Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with Energy weapons
Engine Systems	Increases ships top speed and decreases the cool down period	Boost 5/25/50 times with your spaceship while in combat
Payloads	Ship cargo hold have more capacity	Make 10/25/50 grav jumps with 75% or more of maximum cargo capacity
Shield Systems	Ship has increased Shield Capacity	Take 150/350/750 shield damage
Missile Weapons Systems	Ship missiles do more damage and their targeting cost is reduced	Damage 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with missile weapons
Particle Beam Weapons Systems	Ship particle beam weapons do more damage and their targeting cost is reduced	Damage 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ship with particle beam weapons
Robotics	Deal more damage to robots and turrets	Destroy 5/25/50 robots
Starship Design	Allows installation of better ship modules	Install 5/15/30 unique ship modules
Starship Engineering	All ship systems repair faster	Use 5/10/15 ship repair kits
Automated weapons systems	Automated weapons do more damage and their targeting cost is reduced	Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with automated turret weapons
Boost Assault Training	Nearby enemies take damage when you boost	Deal 200 damage to enemies using the boost pack Knockdown 20 enemies with a boost Deal 500 damage to enemies using the boost pack
EM Weapons System	EM ship weapons do more damage and their targeting cost is reduced	Deal 1000/4000/10000 damage to enemy ships with EM weapons

Tech Skills table.

Given the numerous skills and levels available, we understand that Starfield’s extensive skill tree system can be overwhelming. Bethesda Game Studios offers depth and complexity in their games. Here, we present a selection of essential skills from each tree to focus on early in the game for optimal progress.

Security (Tech Skill)

Progressing in this skill enables you to unlock advanced locks and safes containing valuable loot. Gaining access to these safes can be particularly advantageous.

Persuasion (Social Skill)

Persuasion plays a crucial role in Starfield, influencing the outcome of speech challenges and shaping the story according to your preferences.

Armor Penetration (Combat Skill)

As you advance through the game, you will face mighty enemies. This skill empowers your weapons to deliver maximum damage, ensuring effectiveness even against higher-level enemies.

Stealth (Physical Skill)

The number of enemies in each mission of Starfield may come as a surprise. Charging head-on to confront them often leads to defeat. Opting for sneak attacks saves ammo and time to restart the mission.

Spacesuit Design (Science Skill)

Despite its four Skill Point costs, investing in this skill enables you to craft superior space suits, helmets, and mods that offer defensive advantages and provide greater mobility with lighter-weight vests.

My Experience With Skills Tree

Skills played an essential part during my 30-plus hours of campaign. I was glad that the Skills were not an afterthought in this game. Instead, a fully fleshed-out Skill system was present that can completely change how each player experiences the game.

I had to constantly level up to gain skill points, which required me to farm for XP.

Starfield Gameplay time — Starfield – Gameplay Time: Image by Gamesual

The Skill Tree was not too complicated, and a simple progression made a difference in my campaign of Starfield. Therefore, I would recommend players pay attention to the Skills they want to unlock for their character and keep a close eye on the Skill Tree.