Tech Skills in Starfield play a pivotal role in shaping your journey. Comprising 17 out of the total 82 skills available, the Tech Skills are your key to mastering everything from personal technological items to the advanced weapon systems of starships. As you navigate through Starfield’s vast skill tree, understanding the effects and intricacies of each Tech Skill becomes essential. Whether you’re looking to optimize your starship’s capabilities, enhance your equipment’s efficiency, or simply want to know the best Tech Skills to prioritize, this guide is your comprehensive resource. Dive in as we explore the world of technology in Starfield, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to make the most of every tech advantage available.
Starfield Tech Skill Tree, Effects, Tiers And Ranks
| Tech Skills | Tiers | Type | Effects | Ranks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballistic Weapon Systems | 1 | Novice | Increased Ballistic weapons damage and faster recharge. | Rank 1: Ballistic weapons on ships deal 10% more damage and consume 20% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 2: Ship’s ballistic weapons deliver 20% extra damage and their recharge rate is enhanced by 15%. Rank 3: Ballistic weapons on ships pack a punch with 30% added damage and benefit from a 30% quicker recharge time. Rank 4: Ballistic weapons on ships inflict 50% additional damage specifically to isolated systems. |
| Boost Pack Training | 1 | Novice | Ability to boost, less fuel consumption, and faster regen. | Rank 1: Boost packs become accessible for use. Rank 2: Fuel consumption decreases when using a boost pack. Rank 3: The fuel for your boost pack replenishes at a faster rate. Rank 4: Doubles the benefits of all 3 ranks. |
| Piloting | 1 | Novice | Access to better ship thrusters and improve maneuverability. | Rank 1: Ship thrusters are now available for use. Rank 2: Upgrades to the ship’s turning rate and maneuverability. Rank 3: Gain the capability to steer Class B ships. Rank 4: Acquire the skill to navigate Class C ships. |
| Security | 1 | Novice | Ability to unlock doors, chests, and cases. | Rank 1: Advanced locks can now be picked, and you can bank up to 2 auto digipicking tries. Rank 2: Expert locks can now be picked/hacked, with the ability to bank 3 auto digipicking tries. The rings will shift to blue when the pick is sloted. Rank 3: Master locks can now be picked/hacked, allowing you to bank 4 auto digipicking tries. Rank 4: Use a digipick to discard irrelevant keys for the puzzle, and you can bank 5 auto digipicking tries. |
| Targeting Control Systems | 1 | Novice | Ability to target lock ships and improved time to lock. | Rank 1: Gain access to the ship’s targeting feature. Rank 2: -15% time to lock onto enemy ships. Target locked ships attack 25% slower. Rank 3: -30% time to lock onto enemy ships. Boost your odds of landing a critical hit on a target-locked ship by 10%. Rank 4: Slash the time to target enemy ships in half, plus an additional 10%. In targeting mode, inflict 20% more damage to systems. |
| Energy Weapon Systems | 2 | Advanced | Increase Energy weapon damage and faster recharge. | Rank 1: Ship’s energy weapons deal 10% more damage and consume 15% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 2: Ship’s energy weapons deliver 20% extra damage and use 30% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 3: Ship’s energy weapons pack a punch with 30% added damage and require 45% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 4: The recharge rate for energy ship weapons is enhanced by 30%. |
| Engine Systems | 2 | Advanced | Better ship speed and boosts. | Rank 1: Boost your ship’s maximum speed by 10%. Rank 2: Enjoy extended durations of ship boosts and benefit from reduced cooldown times. Rank 3: Elevate your ship’s peak speed by an additional 20%. Rank 4: When in boost mode, adversaries detach from the player and can only target them again once the boosting ceases. |
| Payloads | 2 | Advanced | Increased ship cargo capacity. | Rank 1: 10% increase in Ship cargo capacity. Rank 2: 20% increase in Ship cargo capacity. Rank 3: 30% increase in Ship cargo capacity. Rank 4: 50% increase in Ship cargo capacity. |
| Shield Systems | 2 | Advanced | Increased shield capacity for the ship. | Rank 1: 10% increase in Ship’s shield capacity. Rank 2: 20% increase in Ship’s shield capacity. Rank 3: 60% increase in Ship’s shield capacity. Rank 4: 100% increase in Ship’s shield capacity. |
| Missile Weapon Systems | 3 | Expert | Increased damage and range for Ship missiles. | Rank 1: Missile weaponry on ships delivers 10% added damage, with a 20% energy saving in Targeting mode. Rank 2: Missile weaponry on ships inflicts 20% extra damage, consuming 40% less energy in Targeting mode. Rank 3: Missile weaponry on ships packs a punch with 30% increased damage, using 60% less energy in Targeting mode. Rank 4: Ship missiles benefit from a 20% boost in Range, Velocity, and Reloading Speed. |
| Particle Beam Weapon Systems | 3 | Expert | Increase Particle Beam weapon damage and crit chance. | Rank 1: Particle beam weapons on ships do an additional 10% damage, with a 10% energy discount in Targeting mode. Rank 2: Particle beam weapons on ships do 20% extra damage, using 20% less energy in Targeting mode. Rank 3: Particle beam weapons on ships do 30% more damage, consuming 30% less energy in Targeting mode. Rank 4: Increased chance of landing critical hits using ship particle beam weapons. |
| Robotics | 3 | Expert | Ability to do more damage to robots and turrets. | Rank 1: Do 10% additional damage on Robots and Turrets. You can compel a robot, up to 10 levels above you, to cease combat temporarily. Rank 2: Do 20% additional damage to Robots and Turrets. You can make a robot, up to 10 levels above you, retreat for a short duration. Rank 3: Do 30% additional damage on Robots and Turrets. You can persuade a robot, up to 10 levels above you, to turn against its comrades for a brief period. Rank 4: Command a robot, up to 10 levels above you, to follow your orders for a limited time. |
| Starship Design | 3 | Expert | Unlock better Ship modules. | Rank 1: Install improved ship modules Rank 2: Install superior ship modules Rank 3: Install cutting edge ship modules. Rank 4: Install experimental ship modules. |
| Starship Engineerings | 3 | Expert | Faster Ship repairs. | Rank 1: 10% faster ship system repairs. Rank 2: +25% damage minigation. Rank 3: 25% faster ship systems repair. Rank 4: Chance of repairing the entire ship system while attempting to repair one block. |
| Automated Weapon Systems | 4 | Master | Increased damage and less targeting cost for Automated Weapons Systems. | Rank 1: Your ship’s automated weapons do an additional 10% damage and cut down targeting mode cost by 20%. Rank 2: Your ship’s automated weapons do 20% extra damage, decrease targeting mode costs by 30%, and your ship endures 20% less damage in targeting mode. Rank 3: Your ship’s automated weapons do 30% more damage, targeting mode cost is reduced by 40%, and critical hit chance on targeted components is increased by 20%. Rank 4: Turrets on the ship recharge at a 40% faster rate and deal 20% more damage to targeted subsystems. |
| Boost Assault Training | 4 | Master | Deal damage to enemies with boost packs. | Rank 1: Enemies in close proximity suffer damage upon your boost, with a possibility of catching on fire. Rank 2: Boosting may cause nearby enemies to be knocked down. Rank 3: When you aim while boosting, you can float, though fuel continues to deplete until. Rank 4: As you hover, everything around you moves 70% slower. |
| EM Weapon Systems | 4 | Master | Increased damage with EM Ship weapons. | Rank 1: Ship weapons using EM technology deal 10% more damage and consume 15% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 2: Ship weapons using EM technology deal 20% more damage and consume 30% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 3: Ship weapons using EM technology deal 30% more damage and consume 45% less energy in Targeting Mode. Rank 4: EM ship weapons occasionally have the capability to immediately shut down enemy propulsion systems. |
Best Picks For Tech Skills In Starfield
In Starfield, technology is the backbone of exploration, combat, and survival. With 17 distinct Tech Skills available, players might find themselves overwhelmed with choices. Here’s a breakdown of the best Starfield Tech Skills you should unlock first:
1. Ballistic Weapon Systems: While advancements in weaponry are abundant, sometimes the traditional ballistic weapons prove to be the most effective. Investing in this skill increases the damage of ship ballistic weapons, ensuring you pack a punch in space combat.
2. Boost Pack Training: Mobility is crucial, especially when exploring alien worlds. This skill not only allows you to use boost packs but also ensures they consume less fuel and regenerate faster. It’s a must-have for those who value swift movements and exploration.
3. Piloting: As space becomes more accessible, the number of spacecraft types has surged. This skill unlocks higher-tier ships and thrusters, enhancing ship maneuverability. A must for those who wish to master the art of space navigation.
4. Security: In a universe where digital locks are standard, having the ability to bypass them is invaluable. This skill lets you unlock higher-tier locks and even eliminate the need for keys. A handy skill for those who prefer a stealthy approach.
5. Energy Weapon Systems: The 24th century has seen significant advancements in energy weapons technology. This skill boosts the damage and recharge rate of energy ship weapons, making space combat more efficient.
6. Engine Systems: Speed is of the essence in the vastness of space. This skill improves ship speed and boosts, ensuring you can navigate through star systems swiftly.
7. Robotics: In an era where robots and autonomous turrets play a pivotal role in combat, understanding robotics can give players a significant tactical advantage. This skill allows you to deal more damage to robots and turrets and even control robots, turning the tide of battle in your favor.
8. EM Weapon Systems: Electromagnetic weapons are a force to be reckoned with. Investing in this skill amplifies the damage of EM ship weapons, ensuring you can disable enemy ships rapidly.
How To Unlock And Upgrade Skills In Starfield
Starfield’s character progression is tied to gaining experience and subsequently leveling up. This progression rewards players with skill points, which can be strategically allocated across the game’s five diverse skill trees. Here’s a breakdown the skill system of Starfield:
- Starting Skills: Every new character begins their journey equipped with three tier 1 skills.
- Leveling Up: Each time you level up your character, you’re granted a skill point. Initially, these points can be invested in rank 1 skills. However, to access higher-tier skills, you must first unlock the preceding ones in the lower tiers. It’s worth noting that skills in the upper echelons demand more skill points than their lower-tier counterparts.
- Skill Challenges: To unlock new ranks for a skill, players must complete a series of challenges associated with that skill. Successfully doing so unlocks additional ranks for that skill.
- Skill Badges: In Starfield, skills are visually represented as badges on your character. Each skill tree boasts its unique badge design, differentiated by shape and color, making it easy to identify the tree a skill is associated with.