Starfield samurai build

If you’re looking for a samurai Starfield build, there are a lot of ways you can orientate your character towards dealing melee damage and being as agile as possible. Damage resistance is a major factor to consider when building a Starfield samurai, as most of your opponents will be using ranged weapons to take you down.

For more ways to play, be sure to check out our Starfield build guides to Starfield stealth builds, melee builds, and social builds. Or, if you’re trying to establish your own space dojo, take a browse through our guides to Starfield outposts, Outpost Management, and Outpost Engineering.

The best backgrounds for Starfield samurai build

First thing first, once you’ve completed the Starfield opening mission and reached the Starfield character creator window, take the Ronin option from the list of backgrounds. Unlike other types of build, the Ronin background is the only option really viable for a potential space samurai, so waste no time in picking it.

By taking the Ronin background, you’ll begin the game with the following Starfield skills:

1. Dueling – Provides a boost to your melee weapons.
2. Stealth – Provides you with a stealth meter and makes it harder to detect you. Good for a Shinobi/Samurai build.
3. Scavenging – Adds additional credits and resources to containers. A Samurai doesn’t work for free!

The best traits and skills for Starfield samurai builds

Trait-wise, take anything that boosts your health or damage options. Alien DNA gives you a health boost but does make food and drink consumables less effective, so you may want to reconsider this trait if you want to eat a mountain of sushi in the middle of combat.

As you level up, invest heavily in the physical skill tree, particularly in the Wellness, Fitness, Gymnastics, and all three damage resistance skills. Gymnastics will give you a combat slide ability, which will allow you to duck some incoming fire while you sprint toward your target.

By investing in the physical skill tree, you’ll be able to access the Martial Arts skill earlier. The Martial Arts skill boosts your melee weapon damage further and reduces the damage you take while using a melee weapon at higher ranks.

The best weapons and armor for Starfield samurai builds

For armor, the Crimson Fleet Pirate Charger Spacesuit and related armor pieces are your best choice for early-game combat. Each Pirate Charge armor piece boasts high physical damage resistance, which you will need to weather a lot of early-game damage.

A really good early-game armor option is the Gran-Gran set, which you get for free from Mom if you choose the Kid Stuff trait when creating your character. It also has more of a samurai aesthetic than the Crimson Fleet armor, but either set will carry you until at least level 10.

As for weapons, you won’t see the Wakizashi or Tanto weapons for sale until you near the Level 30 range, so start off with either the UC Naval Cutlass or the Combat Knife and work your way up.