Backgrounds in Starfield are a crucial part of creating the character that you'll take through all of your adventures and tell your story with. A background is one of the first things you'll need to decide, and arguably one of the most crucial, as your background will determine what skills you start off with.

Creating your own character and choosing their background is just the beginning of your adventure in Starfield. The action RPG will let you explore the expanse of space, 280 years after humans first set foot on Mars. From then on, everything changed.

Here’s everything you need to know about Character Backgrounds in Starfield and the starting Skills explained, including advice on how to pick the best background for your playstyle.

Best Starfield BackgroundsCharacter Backgrounds in Starfield explainedBackground Skills in Starfield explainedTo see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Our latest look at Starfield gameplay footage.Watch on YouTube

If you’d like more help in your galactic adventures, visit our Starfield guides, tips and tricks page.

Best Starfield Backgrounds

When it comes to what the best backgrounds in Starfield are, the answer is subjective to your playstyle.

If you’re all about in-your-face combat, for example, then you may want to consider the Solider background. This is because its three starting Skills - Boost Pack Training, Fitness and Ballistics - all give you an edge in combat by letting you use Boost Packs straight away, causing Ballistic weaponry to deal more damage and providing you with more oxygen, which you can use on sprint attacks.

If, however, you’re more interested in exploring the star systems and the planets they hold, then you may want to consider the Xenobiologist, Homesteader, Pilgrim or Explorer backgrounds as they all come with the Surveying Skill. This will allow you to begin Starfield with an additional optional zoom on the hand scanner, so you can investigate resources, fauna or flora at a further distance. (Incredibly useful when that object or being is far from friendly…)

The Pilgrim background. | Image credit: Bethesda/Eurogamer

It’s also worth considering any background which has either the Security or the Persuasion Skill as these can both come in very handy during Starfield. Without the Security Skill, and then increasing its rank, you can only pick Novice level locks, which could cause you to miss out on some useful loot. Persuasion, meanwhile, will make it easier to persuade various characters you encounter during your travels and this can provide various bonuses, such as avoiding combat.

Image credit: Eurogamer/Bethesda Image credit: Bethesda SoftworksLeft: Persuading a character. Right: Trying to pick a lock.

As you can probably tell, the key to picking the right background for your playstyle is to consider the three Skills it automatically unlocks at the beginning of the game. Since you don’t have to invest any Skill Points to unlock these Skills, though you do need to invest points if you wish to increase their rankings, they can become the foundation of your build and leaves you free to focus on other useful Skills in Starfield’s opening hours.

It’s also important to note that in the Starfield Direct we saw how your background can unlock specific activities or bonuses. At the time of writing, we don’t know much about this additional feature, but it does seem to be linked specific to your choice, such as the Beast Hunter background letting you increase the payment from a quest about hunting down creatures. We’ll add more as we learn more.

Image credit: Bethesda

Here are five backgrounds you may want to consider when starting Starfield, but, remember, the choice is subjective:

Bounty Hunter - If you’re interested in some space ship combat, then this background will provide you with the Targeting Control Systems and Piloting Skills. Targeting Control Systems is a particularly useful Skill as it allows you to fire upon specific parts of an enemy vessel, such as the engines, which will help you board it. This background also has the Boost Pack Training Skill meaning you don’t have to invest any points in unlocking this feature and can use it to your advantage in combat from the get go. Cyber Runner - This background is ideal for any who wants to have a rogue-style build in Starfield coming with the Security, Stealth and Theft Skills. Having the Stealth Skill means you’ll begin the game with the Stealth Meter, which will let you know how detectable you are to foes. Theft, meanwhile, unlocks pickpocketing and you never know when rifling through someone’s pockets will come in handy. Diplomat - If you prefer to solve problems with words rather than guns, then this is the background for you. The Persuasion Skill lets you begin your Starfield journey with an increased chance of succeeding in persuading someone. Meanwhile, Wellness increases your health and Commerce grants you a small discount when purchasing from vendors or an increase in price if you’re selling items. Industrialist - Quite the interesting background here as the Skills it provides - Persuasion, Security and Research Methods - provide a mixture of bonuses. You get the bonuses we’ve already mentioned with both the Security and Persuasion Skills, while Research Methods reduce the resources for both crafting items and completing research projects. Something which will come in handy if you want to get stuck into the crafting and research mechanics for Starfield!Space Scoundrel - Want the Persuasion Skills, but also want to be ready for combat? Then become a Space Scoundrel! The Pistol Certification Skill will cause you to do more damage with this type of weaponry (very handy since the first weapon you get is a pistol). The Piloting Skill also makes travelling the stars a little easier by unlocking your ship’s thrusters. The Cyber Runner background. | Image credit: Bethesda/Eurogamer

For a full list of the Starfield backgrounds, along with all of their starting Skills, look below…

Character Backgrounds in Starfield explained

Backgrounds in Starfield are part of character customisation and you never know when your background will come in handy. Each background has a different backstory to give your character some personality and a combination of skills, all of which may come in handy as you explore different worlds.

BackgroundSkillsExplorerLasersAstrodynamicsSurveyingDiplomatPersuasionCommerceWellnessCyberneticistMedicineSecurityLasersCyber RunnerStealthSecurityTheftCombat MedicPistol CertificationMedicineWellnessChefGastronomyDuelingScavengingBeast HunterFitnessBallisticsGastronomyBouncerBoxingSecurityFitnessBounty HunterPilotingTargeting Control SystemsBoost Pack TrainingGangsterShotgun CertificationBoxingTheftHomesteaderGeologySurveyingWeight LiftingIndustrialistPersuasionSecurityResearch MethodsLong HaulerWeight LiftingPilotingBallistic Weapon SystemsPilgrimScavengingSurveyingGastronomyProfessorAstrodynamicsGeologyResearch MethodsRoninDuelingStealthScavengingSculptorMedicineGeologyPersuasionSoldierFitnessBallisticsBoost Pack TrainingSpace ScoundrelPistol CertificationPilotingPersuasionXenobiologistLasersSurveyingFitness[FILE NOT FOUND]WellnessBallisticsPiloting Image credit: Bethesda

Background Skills in Starfield explained

When you pick your background in Starfield, you'll also get three skills given to you that you start off with. The skills you get are determined by the background you choose, and at the time of writing, it seems as though you cannot change these.

Here's a list of all of the background skills in Starfield:

Skill NameSkill DescriptionAstrodynamicsAdvanced technology is one thing, but it takes skill, patience, and a little bit of love to coax any more capability out of a ship's grav drive.CommerceIn the Settled Systems' free market economy, almost anyone with the right skillset can open and run a successful business.DuelingConsidered by many to be a lost art, close attacks with a melee weapon can often be deadlier than ranged combat when carried out by a skilled practitioner.GastronomyAccess to brand new worlds means access to brand new ingredients, and there is almost no limit to the delicious foods and drinks a talented chef can prepare.LasersPersonal laser weapons are in widespread use across the Settled Systems, and specialised training can greatly increase their effectiveness.MedicineOnly through advancements in medical training and technology has humanity been able to withstand the galaxy's main dangers.PersuasionIn the Settled Systems, the nuanced ability to listen and discuss can often accomplish far more than simply shooting first and asking questions later.Pistol CertificationConsidering the popularity of the personal sidearm in the Settled Systems, familiarity with such weapons is considered essential.ScavengingThere are those who can find just about anything, and their success is usually dependent on knowing how, and where, to look.SecurityWhile the standardised digital locking mechanism is renowned for its security, any code can be broken with proper training.StealthFor a combatant that values discretion above all else, the ability to approach a target while undetected and kill with a silenced weapon is as terrifying as it is effective.SurveyingHumanity now has access to untold alien worlds, and the ability to decipher all that data while on the ground has become an essential skillset.TheftWhile not entirely honorable, and certainly not legal, it is nonetheless occasionally necessary to discreetly remove property from someone's person.WellnessBy embracing an active lifestyle and good nutrition habits, one may improve their overall sense of health, and even gain prolonged life expectancy.FitnessIn space, the greatest commodity is oxygen, and the increased lung capacity gained by a regular physical fitness regimen is essential to survival.BallisticsCenturies of conflict have proven that when it comes to threat elimination, few things stack up to the reliable power of high-speed projectiles.BoxingOnce considered a ‘sport of kings’, boxing is still practiced as a recreational competitive activity, but its combat applications can’t be denied.PilotingAs more people journey into space, the number of those certified to effectively pilot various types of spacecraft has increased dramatically.Targeting Control SystemsMissile weapons are favored because they can lock on to an enemy ship, but an intimate knowledge of tracking systems can make them even more effective.Boost Pack TrainingSpecialized training and innovations in personal mobility systems have allowed for unfettered exploration on alien worlds.Shotgun CertificationThe cornerstone of close quarters combat, or CQC, the shotgun has proven a simple, deadly weapon for hundreds of years.GeologyNewly discovered minerals mined from alien planets and moons have directly led to some incredible technological advancements.Weight LiftingWeight training can significantly increase one’s ability to carry weapons and equipment, both in space and on the ground.Research MethodsBy skillfully employing both new and time tested methods, a researcher may complete projects faster, and even gain unexpected insights.Ballistic Weapon SystemsWhile there have been significant advancements in ship-borne weaponry, sometimes the simplest tool is the most effective. Image credit: Bethesda

That's it for backgrounds in Starfield. If you're still in the process of creating your character, or want to change parts of them later on, check out our traits guide or our how to change your appearance one.

To see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings