Of the 82 skills in Starfield, 17 can be found under the Tech skill tree. Tech skills typically center around the player’s ships, allowing them to improve their capabilities in combat or make getting around the universe significantly easier. As is the case with some of the game’s other skill trees though, certain Tech skills in Starfield are a lot better than others.
The best Tech skills in Starfield grant access to brand-new abilities, some of which can make a huge difference to gameplay. Others grant big buffs and bonuses to existing ones, making life considerably less stressful for the player. All 17 can be useful in the right situations, but there are certain Starfield skills that are just far too functional to ignore.
Those looking for a list of every Tech skill in Starfield can find one here.
1 Boost Pack Training
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Rank 1 |
You can now utilize boost packs. |
|---|---|
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Rank 2 |
Using a boost pack expends less fuel. |
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Rank 3 |
Boost pack fuel regenerates more quickly. |
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Rank 4 |
Doubles previous bonuses. |
A lot of the best Tech skills in Starfield pretty much pick themselves as they grant access to new skills rather than improve existing ones. Boost Pack Training is a great example of this, with players needing to unlock the skill in order to be able to make use of Starfield‘s boost packs, making it something of a must for just about any and every kind of playthrough.
Although upgrading the Boost Pack Training skill requires players to boost jump a certain number of times while in combat, it’s arguably a lot more useful for map traversal purposes. That said, when paired with the Boost Assault Training skill, boost packs can make a huge difference in combat, allowing players to set nearby enemies on fire and even slow down time by 70%.
2 Piloting
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Rank 1 |
You can now utilize ship thrusters. |
|---|---|
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Rank 2 |
Increased ship turning rate and maneuverability. |
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Rank 3 |
Unlock the ability to pilot Class B ships. |
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Rank 4 |
Unlock the ability to pilot Class C ships. |
Players could perhaps make do without ship thrusters, but being limited to just Class A ships would really hold them back in the long run. This is because Class A ships tend to have ridiculously small cargo holds, forcing players to think carefully about how they manage their resources in order to avoid the dreaded Encumbered status.
Of course, the ability to use thrusters comes as a nice bonus, as too does the improved maneuverability that’s unlocked after players have upgraded the skill to Rank 2. In order to upgrade the Piloting skill and reach these higher ranks, players will simply need to destroy enemy ships, which is something that they’ll likely find themselves doing a lot of during a regular playthrough.
3 Security
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Rank 1 |
You can attempt to hack Advanced locks, and 2 auto attempts can be banked. |
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Rank 2 |
You can attempt to hack Expert locks, and 3 auto attempts can be banked. Rings now turn blue when the pick can be slotted. |
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Rank 3 |
You can attempt to hack Master-level locks, and 4 auto attempts can be banked. |
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Rank 4 |
Expend a digipick to eliminate keys that aren’t required to solve the puzzle. 5 auto attempts can now be banked. |
Those hoping to find the best loot in the universe will need to take a moment to familiarize themselves with Starfield‘s lockpicking system. Before they can do that though, they’ll first have to unlock the Security skill, which is easily one of the best Tech skills in Starfield, not to mention one of the most useful.
To increase the rank of the Security skill, players will simply need to use it to pick a certain amount of locks. By doing so, they’ll not only make the lockpicking process a lot easier, but also gain the ability to pick more complex security locks. This skill doesn’t just come in handy for safes and lockboxes either, with certain doors and computer systems making use of the lockpicking mechanic.
4 Payloads
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Rank 1 |
Ship cargo holds have 10% more capacity. |
|---|---|
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Rank 2 |
Ship cargo holds have 20% more capacity. |
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Rank 3 |
Ship cargo holds have 30% more capacity. |
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Rank 4 |
Ship cargo holds have 50% more capacity. |
There is a ridiculous amount to see and do in Starfield and an endless supply of valuables to loot and steal along the way. Unfortunately, players with a love of looting will quickly find themselves being held back by the playable character’s pitiful carry capacity, and the relatively small size of the Frontier’s cargo hold does little to help in this regard.
Eventually, players will gain access to ships with larger holds and the ability to set up outposts at which they can store their excess gear and resources. However, nothing beats the convenience of traveling around with one’s valuables in tow, making this one of the best Tech skills in Starfield. To upgrade the Payload skill, players just need to make grav jumps with 75% or more of their ship’s maximum cargo capacity.
5 Shield Systems
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Rank 1 |
Your ship has 20% increased shield capacity. |
|---|---|
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Rank 2 |
Your ship has 40% increased shield capacity. |
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Rank 3 |
Your ship has 60% increased shield capacity. |
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Rank 4 |
Your shields will occasionally resist 100% of all damage received. |
It’s often said that a good offense is the best form of defense, but that’s not really the case in Starfield. Sure, in a one-on-one dogfight, being able to destroy the opposition before they have a chance to get their bearings can be incredibly useful. More often than not though, players will find themselves up against three or four enemies at a time, at which point, offense alone just isn’t enough.
The Engine Systems skill can be a godsend in such situations, particularly at Rank 4 when boosting prevents enemies from targeting the player’s ship. However, Shield Systems just has the edge due to the huge increase in shield capacity that it provides. To level up the Shield Systems skill, players simply need their shields to take a set amount of damage, which can be accomplished pretty easily by intentionally crashing into space stations or debris.
Starfield is available now for PC and Xbox Series X|S.
