All Starfield character backgrounds & starting skills

In Starfield, the background of your character is an important aspect that affects your gameplay, since each background has a different story and skills that you begin with. Here are the details of every Starfield character background option and their starting skills.

Starfield is officially here, and players are more than excited to dive into the game and check out all the advertised features like planets, ships, and outposts for themselves. For example, character customization appears to be quite promising, and many believe it may turn out to be Bethesda’s best yet.

A great feature of the character creator is the ability to select a background for your character. You can choose between 21 pre-defined backgrounds, each of which grants you three different starting skills.

You’ll find all the details about these Starfield backgrounds as well as the starting skills that come with them down below.

• All Starfield backgrounds and their starting skills
  • Beast Hunter
  • Bouncer
  • Bounty Hunter
  • Chef
  • Combat Medic
  • Cyber Runner
  • Cyberneticist
  • Diplomat
  • Explorer
  • Gangster
  • Homesteader
  • Industrialist
  • Long Hauler
  • Pilgrim
  • Professor
  • Ronin
  • Sculptor
  • Soldier
  • Space Scoundrel
  • Xenobiologist
  • [File Not Found]

All Starfield character backgrounds and their starting skills

Beast Hunter

A Beast Hunter in Starfield is someone who specializes in hunting down and killing the hostile alien life forms that populate the galaxy. They have learned how to track, find, and take down creatures ranging from the Ashta of Akila to the Terrormorphs that plague the whole of the Settled Systems.

Starting Skills:

• Fitness – Increases stamina and endurance
• Ballistics – Improves accuracy and damage with ranged weapons; unlocks new weapon mods and upgrades
• Gastronomy – Craft specialty food and drinks and research recipes at a Research Lab

Bouncer

The Bouncer in Starfield stays peaceful, even in the most chaotic situations as they have worked as a bouncer for various establishments across the galaxy, from seedy bars to high-class clubs. They know how to handle themselves in a fight and talk their way out of trouble.

Starting Skills:

• Boxing – Increases unarmed attack damage and uses less O2 when using a power attack
• Security – Attempt to hack Advanced locks and two auto attempts can be banked
• Fitness – Increases stamina and endurance

Bounty Hunter

Being a Bounty Hunter in Starfield is very straightforward. You specialize in hunting down and eliminating human targets for a reward. As a Bounty Hunter, you may work for various factions, organizations, or individuals who have a bounty on someone’s head. They have skills in tracking, combat, and stealth, which allow them to find and kill their prey.

Starting Skills:

• Piloting – Pilot ships efficiently
• Targeting Control Systems – Pinpoint targeting of specific systems on NPC ships during ship combat
• Boost Pack Training – Operate spacesuit’s boost pack attachment

Chef

If you think being a chef in space is the last thing you’d want to do, think again! Food is likely to be very important in Starfield and the Chef can create special recipes, which probably makes them similar to an alchemist in an Elder Scrolls title.

The Chef in Starfield is the perfect choice for a melee combat build because they also receive a melee bonus and some additional health. Here’s what the official description reads:

“While the unrefined masses scarfed down Chunks by the shipload, you catered to those with a more… discerning palate. In your kitchen, countless alien species became true culinary masterpieces.”

Starting Skills:

• Gastronomy – Craft specialty food and drinks and research recipes at a Research Lab
• Dueling – Melee weapons do more damage
• Scavenging – Find extra items while searching containers

Combat Medic

This background is exactly what you’d expect when reading its name — a combat medic who gets bonus healing from med packs. The Combat Medic in Starfield gets the pistol as a bonus weapon, and their med packs heal more. The latter skill can be a real game-changer, so if you can branch out into different weapon skills, this might be one of the best backgrounds.

“Leave it to human beings to fight over something as infinite as outer space. That’s where you come in. You’ve never been afraid to take on the enemy… but you’d much rather take care of your friends.”

Starting skills:

• Pistol Certification – Pistols do more damage
• Medicine – Med Packs heal more
• Wellness – Increases total health points

Cyber Runner

The Cyber Runner background in Starfield focuses on stealth and hacking. However, an interesting ability is that you can influence others during conversations with a Persuasion boost. This almost seems like a throwback to the Deus Ex prequel games.

Like the Combat Medic, you also do bonus damage with a pistol. Here’s the official description for this background:

“From Neon to New Atlantis, the megacorps stand as monuments to power, prestige, and profit. You’ve worked both for and against them, on the inside and out, often sacrificing conscience for credits.”

Starting skills:

• Stealth – Difficult to detect while sneaking and increased sneak attack damage
• Security – Attempt to hack Advanced locks and two auto attempts can be banked
• Theft – Pickpocket targets

Cyberneticist

The Cyberneticist background in Starfield is much more tech-oriented than the Cyber Runner. You get a bonus to healing like the Combat Medic, but you also do more damage to robots and turrets. Meanwhile, your expertise is in laser weapons, which makes this background a lot more sci-fi than the rest.

The official description for the Cyberneticist background in Starfield reads:

“Robots? Mere toys. Neuroamps? Good for parlor tricks. The Colony War may have made implants and upgrades available to veterans, but you once saw a greater future. Humans and machines, as one.”

Starting skills:

• Medicine – Med Packs heal more
• Security – Attempt to hack Advanced locks and two auto attempts can be banked
• Lasers – Laser weapons do more damage

Diplomat

The Diplomat background in Starfield, as expected, is all about dialogue. This is ideal for those looking to talk their way through the game and be a pacifist. Like the Cyber Runner, you get a boost to Persuasion, making you more successful at speech challenges. You can also use the Diplomacy skill to make an NPC stop fighting for a while.

The Diplomat background is also perfect for those looking to be a trader in Starfield as you get the Bargaining skill.

Starting skills:

• Persuasion – Increases chance of success on speech challenges
• Commerce – Buy items for less and sell them for more.
• Wellness – Increases total health points

Explorer

The key to understanding the Explorer background in Starfield is knowing what the Surveying skill does as they are good at discovering new worlds and uncovering their secrets. They have skills in lasers, astrodynamics, and surveying, which allow them to use advanced weapons, travel faster and farther, and analyze data on the ground.

Explorer is also good at using laser weapons, which we assume, are better at space combat. The official description says:

“They said exploration is a lost art. You didn’t listen. As the major factions argued over the space they desperately tried to control, you were busy uncovering the wonders of the Settled Systems.”

Starting skills:

• Lasers – Laser weapons do more damage
• Astrodynamics – Decreases Grav Jump fuel cost
• Surveying – Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased

Gangster

A Gangster in Starfield is a former member of a notorious criminal organization that operates in the Settled Systems. They have skills in theft, persuasion, and bargaining, which allow them to get what they want by any means necessary. A Gangster may have left the life of crime behind, but their past still haunts them.

Starting Skills:

• Shotgun Certification – Shotguns do more damage
• Boxing – Increases unarmed attack damage and uses less O2 when using a power attack
• Theft – Pickpocket targets

Homesteader

The Homesteader background in Starfield is related to agriculture and base-building as they have skills in farming, engineering, and wellness, which allow them to survive and thrive in harsh environments. If you chose Homesteader, you are unlikely to have any combat bonuses. A Homesteader may have a simple life, but they also have a sense of adventure and discovery.

Starting Skills:

• Geology – Get more resources from surface objects
• Surveying – Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased
• Weight Lifting – Increases total inventory capacity

Industrialist

The industrialist is a tycoon who owns and runs a successful business empire in the galaxy in Starfield. Their skills allow them to make money, protect their assets, and use advanced technology. While the Industrialists may have wealth and power, they also have enemies and rivals.

Starting Skills:

• Security – Attempt to hack Advanced locks and two auto attempts can be banked
• Persuasion – Increases chance of success on speech challenges
• Research Methods – Reduces resources required to craft items and complete research projects

Long Hauler

A Long Hauler in Starfield is a trucker who transports goods and passengers across vast distances of space. They have skills in weight lifting, piloting, and ballistic weapon systems, which allow them to travel faster and farther, carry more cargo, and find the best routes.

Starting Skills:

• Weight Lifting – Increases total inventory capacity
• Piloting – Pilot ships efficiently
• Ballistic Weapon Systems – Increases Ballistic ship weapon damage

Pilgrim

A Pilgrim in Starfield is a believer who follows a spiritual path in the galaxy. Their skills allow them to interact peacefully with others, maintain their health, and appreciate different cultures. The Pilgrims may have faith and wisdom, but they also have doubts and questions.

Starting Skills:

• Scavenging – Find extra items while searching containers
• Surveying – Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased
• Gastronomy – Craft specialty food and drinks and research recipes at a Research Lab

Professor

The Professor background in Starfield is related to science and tech since they are a scholar who studies and teaches various subjects in the galaxy. As a professor, you may have intelligence and curiosity, but you also have arrogance and pride which comes from your ‘Research Methods’ skill.

Starting Skills:

• Astrodynamics – Increases grav jump range and reduces fuel cost of jump drives
• Geology – Get more resources from surface objects
• Research Methods – Reduces resources required to craft items and complete research projects

Ronin

As the name suggests, Ronin in Starfield is a warrior who follows their own code of honor in the galaxy. They are skilled in dueling, stealth, and scavenging, which allows you to fight with melee weapons, scare off enemies, and increase stamina. A Ronin is also full of anger and resentment.

Starting Skills:

• Dueling – Melee weapons do more damage
• Stealth – Difficult to detect while sneaking and increased sneak attack damage
• Scavenging – Find extra items while searching containers

Sculptor

Going by the name, it is safe to assume that the Sculptor is an artist who creates beautiful works of art in the galaxy. They are creative and passionate but also envious. The official description for Sculptor reads, “With your knowledge of anatomy and skilled, steady hands, you could have become a surgeon. Instead, you followed your heart, and created works of art to amaze and inspire.”

Starting Skills:

• Medicine – Med Packs heal more
• Geology – Get more resources from surface objects
• Persuasion – Increases chance of success on speech challenges

Soldier

The Soldier in Starfield serves in the military of one of the biggest factions in the galaxy. You have skills in ballistics, security, and weight lifting, which allow you to use ranged weapons effectively, hack into locks and terminals, and carry more equipment. You may have loyalty and discipline, but you also have fear and trauma.

Starting Skills:

• Fitness – Increases stamina and endurance
• Ballistics – Improves accuracy and damage with ranged weapons; unlocks new weapon mods and upgrades
• Boost Pack Training – Operate spacesuit’s boost pack attachment

Space Scoundrel

The Space Scoundrel is a rogue who lives by their own rules in the galaxy. Not much is known about them except they are good with pistols and Piloting.

The official description for them reads: “Good? Bad? Whose right is it to say? If there’s anything you’ve learned traipsing through the galaxy, it’s this: space may look black, but it’s really one shade of grey.”

Starting Skills:

• Pistol Certification – Pistols do more damage
• Piloting – Pilot ships efficiently
• Persuasion – Increases chance of success on speech challenges

Xenobiologist

The Xenobiologist in Starfield is a scientist who studies alien life forms in the galaxy. They are set to discover new information about alien species or ecosystems and analyze data on the ground.

Starting Skills:

• Lasers – Laser weapons do more damage
• Surveying – Adds an optional zoom to the hand scanner, and scan distance is increased
• Fitness – Increases stamina and endurance

[File Not Found]

Not much is known about [File not Found] other than the description which says “Oddly, there’s no information on file about your past life. Clerical oversight? Deletion by some powerful unknown faction? Or was there just nothing of note to mention? Whatever the reason, your past is known only to you. What’s important is the here and now and the path you’re about to forge.”

Starting Skills:

• Wellness – Increases total health points
• Ballistics – Improves accuracy and damage with ranged weapons; unlocks new weapon mods and upgrades
• Piloting – Pilot ships efficiently

That wraps up everything related to backgrounds in Starfield. If you’re interested in the game, check out the following links:

Starfield: 10 things the game doesn’t tell you | Does Starfield have mod support at launch? | Does Starfield have New Game Plus? | Is Starfield on Steam Deck? | Does Starfield have DLC or expansions | Starfield Outposts explained: How to build bases | Every religion in Starfield explained | Starfield plants explained: All types & how to scan | Who is the Adoring Fan in Starfield? | Starfield jail system explained