Starfield backgrounds
A guide to all the Starfield backgrounds, including a detailed breakdown of each one's lore and the attached three skills your character starts with
The role of Starfield backgrounds is to provide the Spacefarer with a set of starting skills for their journey. In addition to the three starting skills you get, there each background also has a short piece of flavor text to help with roleplaying. So far we’ve seen the titles of 16 different Starfield backgrounds as well as the accompanying skills for several of them.
Unlike Starfield traits, backgrounds don’t come with negative side effects and won’t align you with any Starfield factions, but your chosen background may still be reflected in certain NPC interactions.
Here are the Starfield backgrounds:
- Beast Hunter
- Bouncer
- Bounty Hunter
- Chef
- Combat Medic
- Cyber Runner
- Cyberneticist
- Diplomat
- Explorer
- Gangster
- Homesteader
- Industrialist
- Long Hauler
- Pilgrim
- Professor
- Ronin
Beast Hunter
No information.
Bouncer
No information.
Bounty Hunter
No information.
Chef
Bio entry
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 – you can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab
- Dueling – you do 10% more damage with melee weapons
- Wellness – gain 30 points in maximum health
Combat Medic
Bio entry
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 – you do 10% more damage with pistols
- Medicine – Med Packs heal 10% more
- Weight Lifting – increase your total carrying capacity by 10 kilograms
Cyber Runner
Bio entry
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
- Pistol Certification – you do 10% more damage with pistols
- Security – you can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and bank two auto attempts
- Persuasion – gain an increased chance of success in speech challenges
Cyberneticist
Bio entry
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 10% more
- Robotics – you deal 10% more damage to Robots and Turrets
- Lasers – you deal 10% more damage with laser weapons
Diplomat
Bio entry
The wars are over. Peace now reigns the Settled Systems. But only because there are those quietly fighting to keep it. Because of you, agreements were signed, words were heeded… lives were spared.
Starting skills
- Persuasion – gain an increased chance of success on speech challenges
- Diplomacy – you can force a target NPC at or below your level to stop fighting for a while
- Bargaining – buy items for 5% less and sell them for 10% more
Explorer
No information.
Gangster
No information.
Homesteader
No information.
Industrialist
No information.
Long Hauler
No information.
Pilgrim
No information.
Professor
No information.
Ronin
No information.