Starfield gives you a full ship building system, a trait selection at character creation, and companion affinity mechanics that together determine your build's effectiveness for the entire game.
SHIP BUILDING GUIDE
Your ship determines your cargo capacity, grav jump range, and combat effectiveness.
Ship module priority:
Grav Drive: Upgrade your Grav Drive to the highest available class as soon as you reach Neon or Akila City.
A Class C Grav Drive allows single-jump travel to systems 30 light-years away.
Without a high-tier Grav Drive, you spend 3 to 5 jumps reaching destinations that take 1 jump at Class C.
Cargo Hold: Increase cargo capacity to at least 2,000 units before any major looting run.
The default ship carries 400 units. Upgrading to 2,000 units gives you 5x the loot capacity per planet visit.
Shielded Cargo Holds specifically store contraband without triggering scan alerts at settled systems.
Weapon loadout:
Equip one Missile Launcher plus two Particle Beam weapons.
Particle Beams target ship shields. Missile Launchers deal hull damage after shields are down.
This two-step system kills enemy ships 40 to 60 percent faster than using a single weapon type.
BEST TRAIT COMBINATIONS
You choose up to 3 traits at character creation. Traits give both bonuses and penalties.
Best combination for exploration builds:
Empath (increases companion affinity gains by 25 percent, reduces them by 25 percent when companions disapprove).
Neon Street Rat (discounts at Neon vendors, increases crime risk in Neon).
Kid Stuff (monthly credit cost, gives access to parent NPCs with unique dialogue and occasional gifts).
Best combination for combat builds:
Wanted (random bounty hunters attack periodically, but you gain a 10 percent damage bonus when below 50 percent health).
Combat Medic (healing items restore 50 percent more health, reduces combat item carry limit).
Alien DNA (increased health and oxygen, reduced healing item effectiveness).
Traits to avoid:
Dream Home (monthly credit debt for a pre-built house you never need to use).
Taskmaster (companions lose health when you perform well in combat, counterproductive for companion builds).
COMPANION AFFINITY TIPS
Each companion has preferences that affect their affinity level.
Higher affinity unlocks companion-specific quests and gives a permanent buff when they are in your active crew.
Sam Coe affinity tips:
Sam approves of helping settlers, taking peaceful dialogue options, and completing survey missions.
Sam disapproves of stealing, killing non-hostile NPCs, and aggressive dialogue.
Max affinity with Sam gives the Marksmanship skill bonus (15 percent ranged weapon damage).
Barrett affinity tips:
Barrett approves of exploring new systems, researching at Research Labs, and choosing science dialogue options.
Barrett disapproves of joining the Crimson Fleet faction.
Max affinity with Barrett gives the Particle Beam Weapon Systems skill bonus (10 percent particle beam damage).
Sarah Morgan affinity tips:
Sarah approves of following United Colonies laws, completing UC questlines, and survey data submissions.
Sarah disapproves of contraband and Crimson Fleet activities.
Max affinity with Sarah gives the Astrodynamics skill bonus (20 percent grav jump range increase).
NEW ATLANTIS SIDE QUEST REWARDS
New Atlantis has 12 side quests worth completing before the main story progresses past Chapter 4.
The Empty Nest (United Colonies questline):
Reward: 5,000 Credits plus the Mantis Armor set (one of the strongest early-game armor pieces).
The Hammer Falls (Freestar Rangers questline):
Reward: Ranger Deputy badge which reduces crime bounties in Freestar systems by 50 percent.
Background Check (UC SysDef questline):
Reward: Access to the UC SysDef contraband fence. Sell contraband at 2x standard vendor prices.
Alternating Currents (Neon side quest):
Reward: 8,000 Credits plus a unique shotgun with 30 percent bonus damage against robots.