Skills in Bethesda games are undoubtedly one of the broadest deep progression systems the studio includes in its RPGs. And, with Starfield, the studio isn’t holding back with multiple skill groups to choose from and a number of Starfield skills within them.
Rather than traditionally applying skill points to a general group of skills, they are split into five different groups in Starfield. These groups are Social, Physical Combat, Science, and Tech. Each group has more than a dozen skills to choose from and depending on your Starfield backgrounds, you can begin the game with three of these skills already equipped. This article will touch on how they all work.
Starfield skills list
There are 32 confirmed Starfield skills:
- Wellness (Physical)
- Bargaining (Social)
- Diplomacy (Social)
- Gastronomy (Social)
- Persuasion (Social)
- Weight Lifting (Social)
- Ballistics (Combat)
- Dueling (Combat)
- Pistol Certification (Combat)
- Demolitions (Combat)
- Heavy Weapons Certification (Combat)
- Marksmanship (Combat)
- Particle Beams (Combat)
- Laser Beams (Combat)
- Rapid Reloading (Combat)
- Sniper Rifles Certification (Combat)
- Targeting (Combat)
- Medicine (Science)
- Robotics (Tech)
- Security (Tech)
- Xenasociology (Social)
- Payloads (Tech)
- Intimidation (Social)
- Decontamination (Physical)
- Leadership (Social)
- Astrophysics (Science)
- Chemistry (Science)
- Outpost Engineering (Science)
- Missle Weapon Systems (Combat)
- Particle Beam Weapon Systems (Combat)
- Neurostrkes (Physics)
- Boost Pack Training (Tech)
Upon earning a skill point you can choose to unlock a skill of your choice. Once unlocked initially, they can be ranked up a total of four times by completing challenges and using the skills, such as the mechanic they grant or the weapons the bonuses are applied to.
Once those challenges are completed, it appears that you then need to spend skill points to actually fully unlock the skill’s upgrades.
Physical Skills
Physical skills appear to be focused on melee combat and your pure strength during fights. These skills are also likely to affect things like your ability to carry certain items or force open locked doors. A deep look at the Physical skills hasn’t been showcased yet, though.
Decontamination
Using this skill helps the player to “recover naturally from infections.”
Wellness
Information unknown at this time.
Neurostrkes
This skill appears to greatly enhances your physical, as it can be seen in the Starfield Direct laying waste to enemies with nothing but your fists.
Social Skills
Social skills govern your ability to handle social situations and succeed during them, convincing hostiles or bringing people to you. They are focused on dialogue choices and non-hostile resolutions to problems. A full look at this tree though hasn’t been showcased yet.
Bargaining
Information unknown at this time.
Diplomacy
Information unknown at this time.
Gastronomy
Information unknown at this time.
Intimidation
This skill will let players “strike fear into an opponent”, which either makes them flee or attack you first in battle.
Leadership
Gaining the Leadership skill can help replenish affinity 15% faster.
Persuasion
Information unknown at this time.
Weight Lifting
Information unknown at this time.
Xenasociology
As described by Nadia Haschart, an environmental artist on Starfield, this skill can “mind-control aliens.”
Combat Skills
Combat skills are all about well, combat. These skills focus on firepower, boosting your accuracy and the strength of weapons. The skills also cover things like damage resistance when firing weapons and dealing damage yourself. The combat skills we know about so far include:
Ballistics
“Centuries of conflict have proven that when it comes to threat elimination, few things stack up to the reliable power of combustion”
- Rank 1 – Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage.
- Rank 2 – Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage.
- Rank 3 – Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage.
- Rank 4 – Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30%. (Unlocked to purchase upon killing 250 enemies with a ballistic weapon.)
Dueling
Information unknown at this time.
Pistol Certification
Information unknown at this time.
Demolitions
- Rank 1 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 2 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 3 – Explosives do 30% more damage and have a 30% larger radius. (Unlocked to purchase upon killing 125 enemies with explosives.)
- Rank 4 – Information unknown at this time.
Heavy Weapons Certification
- Rank 1 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 2 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 3 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 4 – Gain 30 damage resistance while aiming down sights with a heavy weapon. (Unlocked to purchase upon killing 250 enemies with a heavy weapon.)
Marksmanship
Information unknown at this time.
Particle Beams
Information unknown at this time.
Laser Beams
Information unknown at this time.
Rapid Reloading
- Rank 1 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 2 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 3 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 4 – Gain a chance to reload your weapon twice as fast as normal. (Unlocked to purchase upon reloading 150 empty magazines.)
Sniper Certification
- Rank 1 – Scoped weapons are steadier and have less sway.
- Rank 2 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 3 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 4 – Information unknown at this time.
Targeting
- Rank 1 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 2 – Information unknown at this time.
- Rank 3 – Greatly increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming. (Unlocked to purchase upon killing 125 enemies without aiming.)
- Rank 4 – Information unknown at this time.
Missle Weapon Systems
Information unknown at this time.
Particle Beam Weapon Systems
Information unknown at this time.
Science Skills
Science Skills are most likely to be focused on mechanics like crafting and being able to use equipment found in facilities on the game’s more than 1,000 Starfield planets. We haven’t yet had a proper look at this tree though yet.
Astrophysics
This nifty feature allows you to “scan the moons of your current planet.” You’ll have a 10% higher chance of discovering a trait by doing this too.
Chemistry
It sounds like a bit of crafting is required for this one, as players can “create improved chems, and research additional chems at labs.”
Medicine
Information unknown at this time.
Outpost Engineering
Information unknown at this time.
Tech Skills
Tech skills are most likely to govern aspects such as your ability to use technology and technological items in the game. It is also likely to affect your ability to lockpick and hack terminals or weapon cases. However, we haven’t seen this tree in detail yet.
Security
This Starfield skill appears to aid with code-breaking, as the descriptor notes that “any code can be broken with proper training.” Furthermore, the first tier of the skill allows players to “attempt hack Advanced Locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked.”
Robotics
Using your skill points for Robotics gives you a “tactical edge.” Specifically, the description notes that “autonomous robots are employed in a combat capacity.” It is possible that this skill could buff gadgets like auto-firing turrets during battle.
Payload
According to the skill description, Bethesda says that “any pilot can haul cargo, but it takes special determination and training to maximize cargo space.” With that in mind, this skill seems to be handy for your spaceship.
Boost Pack Training
Used during the Starfield Direct, this skill looks like it will buff your jetpack to keep you in the air longer.
That covers all the Starfield skills we know about. For more on the game’s many progression systems, check out the various Starfield traits and the various Starfield factions that have been confirmed for the RPG.
