10 Starfield skills you need to unlock fully first

Starfield skills allow you to improve your character in the game. There are over 80 different skills in the title, ranging from physical to technological. Each one is divided into four levels, but you need to spend a specific number of points and complete certain tasks to unlock them. Some skills let you do things like use a boost pack, hack security systems, or persuade other characters.

By choosing which skills to unlock first, you can speed up your game and achieve your goals quickly. You can also earn more credits and gain access to rare abilities.

Below is a list of skills you should unlock fully first and their corresponding table of levels.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

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What are the Starfield skills you should unlock fully first?

1) Wellness

Wellness is very important for your Starfield character (Image via Bethesda)

Every time an enemy injures your character in most games, there is a bar indicating their health. If this is too low, you know it is time to run away and find some boosters to recover it.

In Starfield, this health bar can be increased thanks to one of the best skills in the game: Wellness. Increasing your wellness to the maximum level helps you be more resistant to damage and last longer in your missions.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Increase your maximum health by 10%
2	Heal 200 damage	Increase your maximum health by 20%
3	Heal 500 damage	Increase your maximum health by 30%
4	Heal 1000 damage	Increase your maximum health by 40%

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2) Fitness

The oxygen in Starfield works like the stamina bar in most games. Performing certain actions will consume this resource, and your character may become sluggish or unable to deal with enemies.

Of all the skills in the game, Fitness is the one that relates to this metric by increasing the amount of oxygen available to your character. Use its power, and your character will run for more time and have a better combat performance.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	You have 10% more oxygen available.
2	Use up all available Oxygen 20 times	You have 20% more oxygen available.
3	Use up all available Oxygen 50 times	You have 30% more oxygen available.
4	Use up all available Oxygen 100 times	Sprinting and power attacks now use significantly less oxygen.

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3) Stealth

Stealth lets you be more discrete (Image via Bethesda)

Stealth is a mechanic found in several video games that allows your character to perform certain actions discreetly. In Starfield, unlocking this ability adds a stealth meter to the game.

Use this skill to loot places, even when there are people around, and enjoy how your character goes in and out of sites without fighting or being discovered.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Adds a Stealth Meter. You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 5% sneak attack damage.
2	Perform 10 sneak attacks.	Upgrades the Stealth Meter. You are 50% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 10% sneak attack damage.
3	Perform 20 sneak attacks.	You are 75% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 15% sneak attack damage.
4	Perform 40 sneak attacks.	You are 100% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons do an additional 20% sneak attack damage. Doors you interact with while in stealth no longer alert enemies.

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4) Weight Lifting

Weight Lifting is good for carrying more stuff (Image via Bethesda)

One of the most important metrics in Starfield is your carrying capacity. In the game, this limits the amount of items you can have in your backpack inventory.

To improve your carrying capacity, you can unlock the Weight Lifting skill. This will let you increase the amount of objects you are able to carry with you. Use this feature and pack more things for the different planets you want to travel to.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Increase total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms.
2	Sprint for 1000 meters while at 75% or more of your maximum load capacity.	Increase total carrying capacity by 25 kilograms.
3	Sprint for 2500 meters while at 75% or more of your maximum load capacity.	Increase total carrying capacity by 50 kilograms.
4	Sprint for 5000 meters while at 75% or more of your maximum load capacity.	Increase total carrying capacity by 100 kilograms. Gain 50% resistance to stagger.

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5) Piloting

Piloting is essential to travel across the universe (Image via Bethesda)

The ability to explore the galaxy is one of the main attractions of Starfield. In the game, you will be able to access technologies and vehicles that will allow you to travel between systems and planets.

One of the most important skills is Piloting. This will allow you to control spaceships and go on adventures.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	You can now utilize ship thrusters.
2	Destroy 5 ships.	Increased ship turning rate and maneuverability.
3	Destroy 15 ships.	Unlock the ability to pilot Class B ships.
4	Destroy 30 ships.	Unlock the ability to pilot Class C ships.

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6) Commerce

Commerce lets you gain more credits (Image via Bethesda)

In the open world of Starfield, buying and selling are two very common and necessary operations. You can buy goods to improve your equipment and sell items.

Among the skills available in the game, Commerce allows you to buy for less and sell for more. It is unlocked by using one skill point at the start of the game.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more.
2	Buy or Sell 25 Unique Items	Buy for 10% less and sell for 15% more.
3	Buy or Sell 75 Unique Items	Buy for 15% less and sell for 20% more.
4	Buy or Sell 150 Unique Items	Buy for 20% less and sell for 25% more.

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7) Persuasion

Persuasion is a Starfield mechanic that consists of a dialogue mini-game. The aim is to persuade the other character to do something that suits you.

In many situations, the use of this skill could be beneficial. For example, there are some quests in which it is not a good idea to fight your enemies. In that case, it is better to talk and convince an NPC than to engage in combat against a spaceship of pirates.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
2	Succeed in 3 Speech Challenges	20% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
3	Succeed in 5 Speech Challenges	30% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
4	Succeed in 10 Speech Challenges.	50% increased chance of success when persuading someone.

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8) Ballistics

Weapons that use bullets are better when a character has Ballistic skills (Image via Bethesda)

Ballistic weapons in Starfield use bullets and other types of projectiles to inflict damage on your enemies.

The use of revolvers and other types of guns throughout the game is favored by one of the skills dedicated to this particular metric: Ballistics. Implement this until the maximum ability and enjoy how much damage your character can cause.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage.
2	Kill 20 enemies with a Ballistic weapon.	Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage.
3	Kill 50 enemies with a Ballistic weapon.	Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage.
4	Kill 100 enemies with a Ballistic Weapon.	Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30%.

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9) Shotgun Certification

As in the previous case, this skill is dedicated to the use of a specific type of weapon: shotguns. Using this skill, the shotguns in the game will have greater damage.

Taking into account that these weapons are generally very effective against your enemies, imagine the unleashed power of the Shotgun Certification.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	Shotguns do 10% more damage.
2	Kill 20 enemies with a shotgun.	Shotguns do 20% more damage.
3	Kill 50 enemies with a shotgun.	Shotguns do 30% more damage.
4	Kill 100 enemies with a shotgun.	Shotgun kills grant a small chance to stun additional targets with shotguns for a limited time.

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10) Boost Pack Training

Boost packs are an incredible help for exploration (Image via Bethesda)

Boost packs are the name given to jetpacks in Starfield. These artifacts have a pair of thrusters that allow you to speed up your character's movements, especially in low-gravity environments.

One of the skills that focuses on improving the capabilities of these objects is called Boost Pack Training, which also unlocks the ability to use them. By developing this, your character will be able to reach quicker some points on the map.

Rank	Challenge	Effects
1	-	You can now utilize boost packs.
2	Boost jump 10 times while in combat.	Using a boost pack expends less fuel.
3	Boost jump 25 times while in combat.	Boost pack fuel regenerates more quickly
4	Boost jump 50 times while in combat.	Doubles previous bonuses.

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Developing all these abilities at the beginning of Starfield will allow you to play in a smoother way. Besides, you will not waste your time developing some other skills that, perhaps, are just not as important at the beginning of the game.

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