Starfield proves itself to be a signature Bethesda game by bringing back a fan favorite game mechanic from Fallout 4–base building. Dubbed Outposts in Starfield, you the player, can leverage them to mine planetary resources and to serve as bases of operation. This Starfield guide will walk you through the basics of setting up an Outpost on any given planet.
Develop Related Skills
There are several Skills that are either required or recommended in order to construct Outposts that will chug along efficiently:
- Outpost Engineering in the Expert Tier of the Science Tree
Proper construction of habitation modules is essential to one’s survival on any alien world.
| # | UNLOCKS |
|---|---|
| Rank 1 | You can construct improved outpost modules, and research additional modules at a Research Lab. |
| Rank 2 | You can research and construct superior outpost modules |
| Rank 3 | You can research and construct cutting-edge outpost modules. |
| Rank 4 | Outpost modules now cost 50% fewer resources to build. |
- Research Methods in the Novice Tier of the Science Tree
By skilfully employing both new and time tested methods, a researcher may complete projects faster, and even gain unexpected insights.
| # | UNLOCKS |
|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 10%. |
| Rank 2 | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 20%. |
| Rank 3 | Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 40%. |
| Rank 4 | Sudden developments during research are twice as common. Resources required to craft items and complete research projects is reduced by 60%. |
- Planetary Habitation in the Master Tier of the Science Tree
While outpost building is always challenging, doing so on a world with a dangerous environment requires specialized training.
| # | UNLOCKS |
|---|---|
| Rank 1 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme temperatures (Deep Freeze and Inferno). Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 4. |
| Rank 2 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme pressure. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 8. |
| Rank 3 | You can build outposts on planets with toxic or corrosive atmospheres. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 12. |
| Rank 4 | You can build outposts on planets with extreme gravity. Increase the maximum number of Outposts you can build by 16. |
- Outpost Management in the Expert Tier of the Social Tree
While constructing an outpost offers its own challenges, properly managing that outpost takes a special personality type, and specialized training.
| # | UNLOCKS |
|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Additional cargo links can be placed at outposts |
| Rank 2 | Additional robots can be constructed at outposts. |
| Rank 3 | Additional crew can be assigned at outposts. |
| Rank 4 | Outpost extractors produce twice as fast. |
Gather Resources
You are going to need a significant pool of resources, either mined or purchased, in order to begin construction of an Outpost. You may not necessarily find all required resources on any given planet itself, so you may have to ship it through, in your Cargo Hold.
Select A Location
Your best bet when choosing a location for your Outpost is a planet where a relatively rare resource is available for passive mining. This will serve you well in the resource gathering metagame and let you focus on questing instead of mining.
Set A Beacon Down
Head out on foot on the planet and deploy the Hand Scanner. Keep an eye on the grayed-out ‘Outpost’ prompt at the bottom of the UI. Once it goes white, that indicates that the location is suitable for placement of the Outpost Beacon. Initial Beacon placement also determines where you spawn in each time you fly to your Outpost, so take care not to place it in the vicinity of environmental hazards. They also cannot be placed in close proximity to predetermined planetary landmarks i.e. Points of Interest.
Start Mining
Your first priority is recouping your investment, and you can do this by placing an Extractor over the nearest valuable resource. You will require support structures for this:
- Fueled Generator to power your modules.
- Storage container that corresponds to the type of resource you are extracting.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you have your first basic Outpost up and operating. A few things to bear in mind:
- There is a cap on the number of Outposts that you can construct across the universe, based on your Planetary Habitation Skill rank.
- The various modules are closely interconnected in terms of running costs and dependance, and you will need to take note of those requirements.
- While the overhead fly cam is great for major planning, you should walk around on foot as well, especially when decorating.
- Crew and Companions can have some bearing on the effectiveness of your Outpost, so consider staffing them, as well as other hireable NPCs.
That is a complete guide to the basic building concepts for Outposts in Starfield.