Starfield's trait system should give your character more personality and provide some buffs. However, traits are also tricky as they come with their own demerits and penalties. Picking the right traits is a matter of comparing the cost-to-benefit ratio. In this guide, we'll recommend some of the best starting traits in Starfield.
Just so you know, if none of the drawbacks seem worth it to you, you can always forgo the option to pick traits. You can drop these traits during your campaign, so it's not a permanent decision. Regardless, you should try out these starting traits in Starfield and see if you enjoy them.
Best Starting Traits in Starfield
Here is our list of the best starting traits in Starfield, along with the pros and cons of each one and what kind of play styles they're suited for.
Alien DNA
The Alien DNA skill gives you the background of an experimented human with increased health and oxygen capacity. The drawback is that healing items could be more effective. However, this is an easily manageable cost that you can afford to work around. The increased health and oxygen can both be lifesavers.
Hero Worshipped
This may be controversial, but the Hero Worshipped trait is worthwhile. Now, could you hear us out? Yes, we know every time he opens his mouth, it will fill most players with the urge to kill him off or get rid of him. However, patience is always rewarded. When starting in Starfield, you will need all the help you can get until you have enough equipment or credits to be fully independent.
Till then, the Adoring Fan is an excellent mule and a free companion to do your bidding. The Adoring Fan’s skills are Scavenging, Concealment, and Weight Lifting, which all come in handy while exploring the game early on.
You can always ' get rid of him ' once you're tired of him or feel comfortable in your progress.
Wanted
On paper, the wanted trait invites trouble and additional nuisances to deal with during your adventures. With combat that can feel difficult enough on its own and with your limited starting resources, why would you want to face more enemies? The answer is because it's fun. The damage buff at low health will feel great during combat, but the feeling of being hunted across the galaxy is quite immersive.
Bounty Hunters will attack you while you fight a group of Spacers, and they will start to fight each other. Now, if that isn't a space spectacle you'd love to watch, what is?
Kid Stuff
Taking the Kid Stuff starting trait gives you an in-game mother and father, who you can visit and talk to for emotional and financial support (more on that in a bit).
Sure, they drain your wallet weekly, but their cost never exceeds 500 credits, which is highly manageable. Furthermore, some gifts you can receive from them are worthwhile and can net you up to 18000 credits (no spoilers).
Empath
The Empath skill is excellent, especially if you plan on romancing any NPCs (check out our Romance guide). Whenever you perform an action they approve of, you get both a persuasion buff and a combat buff. Actions they'd appreciate are pretty easy to figure out, so you can use this skill whenever you'd like.
Taskmaster
Dogfights (in space) make up a big part of Starfield, and Taskmaster can come in clutch during those close encounters. It gives your crewmembers a chance to heal your ship to full health whenever it's below 50%. This healing can save you in a challenging situation and is great to have.
However, the drawback causes all crew members to cost twice as much.
While this may seem like a lot, eventually, it becomes straightforward to manage and never exceeds a certain amount. However, it's understandable if you're unwilling to pick it up as a starting trait. Read our Credit farming guide to deal with Credit shortages quickly. You can also take a look at our advanced shipbuilding guide for more help in this department.
Any Faction
Faction traits enhance the roleplaying aspect that goes into every build in Starfield. If you feel like following a particular faction from the get-go in Starfield, then picking their trait will only help you.
Not only do you get more dialogue options, but they also give you additional loot. In addition, getting bounty hits done on other factions increases your rewards. It's a great starting trait if you're really into the roleplay in Starfield. Check out our factions guide to see which one suits you the best.
This concludes our list of the best starting traits in Starfield. Check out our list of full traits and character backgrounds while you're here. Also, be sure to check some of the best starting builds and conquer the galaxy.
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