When you create a character in Starfield, you’ll need to pick out a Background. These classes slot your character into their development before the beginning of the game.
Bethesda‘s RPGs have a formula when it comes to creating your character. Your creation forms the basis of your journey and influences how other people view you, how you interact with enemies, and much more.
Starfield embraces a lot of these common tropes through its version of classes, called Backgrounds. Like in other games, your character will level up and progress through the game, but your class is one of those crucial decisions you’ll make during your humble beginning.
What are Backgrounds in Starfield?
Starfield’s Backgrounds are preset classes that give your character a personality and three starting skills.
For example, if you choose Cyberneticist, you’ll gain be able to heal more from Med Packs and deal more damage to specific enemy types.
In essence, Backgrounds support your play style and how you want to approach Starfield.
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All Starfield Backgrounds
There are 21 Backgrounds to choose from in Starfield. The amount of choice here may be overwhelming for some players, so to make things easier, here’s every Background along with its skills and description.
| Background | Class Skills | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Beast Hunter | Fitness, Ballistics, Gastronomy | “From the Ashta of Akila to the Terrormorphs that plague the whole of the Settled Systems, hostile alien life abounds. You’ve learned the skills to track them, find them, and take them down.” |
| Bouncer | Boxing, Security, Fitness | “You’ve worked the line at the toughest clubs in the Settled Systems. Back then, you learned that most non-lethal confrontations can be solved one of two ways: a strong right hook, or a more strongly secured door.” |
| Bounty Hunter | Piloting, Targeting Control Systems, Boost Pack Training | “Wherever there are wanted individuals, there are those who profit from their capture. And your quarry knows that in the vastness of space, they can run… but they can’t hide.” |
| Chef | Duelling, Gastronomy, Wellness | “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.” |
| Combat Medic | Medicine, Pistol Certification, Weight Lifting | “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.” |
| Cyber Runner | Persuasion, Pistol Certification, Security | “From Neon to New Atlantis, the megacorps stand as monument to power, prestige and profit. You’ve worked both for and against them, on the inside and out, often sacrificing conscience for credits.” |
| Cyberneticist | Lasers, Medicine, Robotics | “Robots? Mere toys. Neuroamps? Good for parlor tricks. The Colony War may have made implants and upgrades to veterans, but you once saw a greater future. Humans and machines, as one.” |
| Diplomat | Bargaining, Diplomacy, Persuasion | “The wars are over. Peace no 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.” |
| Explorer | Astrodynamics, Lasers, Surveying | They said exploration is a lost art. You didn’t listen. As the major factions argued over the space they desperately tried to control, you were busy uncovering the wonders of the Settled Systems. |
| Gangster | Shotgun Certification, Boxing, Theft | “You were always disgusted by suckers killing themselves to make an ‘honest wage.’ As soon as you were old enough to hold a weapon, you took what you wanted from anyone unlucky enough to have it.” |
| Homesteader | Geology, Surveying, Weight Lifting | “The discovery of the Settled System’s many oxygen-rich planets and moons meant humans could live just about anywhere…if they had the know how. You did, and utilized it to great effect.? |
| Industrialist | Security, Persuasion, Research Methods | “There was a time when all you wanted to be was a titan of industry, maybe a ship designer or megacorp exec. Thankfully, that skillset never goes out of style in the settled systems.” |
| Long Hauler | Weight Lifting, Piloting, Ballistic Weapon Systems | “Let those other hothead pilots obsess over laser weapons and maneuverability. You’re a space trucker, pure and simple. Pack the cargo, get it there fast, get paid, repeat. Life is simple and good.” |
| Pilgrim | Scavenging, Surveying, Gastronomy | “Wayfarer, wanderer, seeker…transient. You’ve been called many things during your travels, and learned something those others could never understand – the journey IS the destination.? |
| Professor | Astrodynamics, Geology, Research Methods | “You’ve always enjoyed learning, but nothing could compare to the joy of teaching others. As humankind spread throughout the stars, there was never a lack of knowledge to obtain, and you gladly assisted.” |
| Ronin | Dueling, Stealth, Scavenging | “Masterless and unbound, you wandered the Settled Systems as a blade for hire. To some, you were a simple mercenary. To others, a hero. And to a select few…a nightmare they could never wake from.” |
| Sculptor | Medicine, Geology, Persuasion | “With your knowledge of anatomy and skilled, steady hands, you could have become a surgeon. Instead, you followed your heart, and created works of art to amaze and inspire.” |
| Soldier | Fitness, Ballistics, Boost Pack Training | “The Settled Systems is no stranger to warfare, and if there’s one thing armed conflict relies on it’s trained warriors with guns and guts. You had both. Simple, bloody work…and you were great at it.” |
| Space Scoundrel | Pistol Certification, Piloting, Persuasion | “Good? Bad? Whose right is it to say? If there’s anything you’ve learned traipsing through the galaxy, it’s this: space may look black, but it’s really one shade of grey.” |
| Xenobiologist | Lasers, Surveying, Fitness | “The Settled Systems is home to untold alien species. And while none of them have yet proven sentient, that never deterred you. So you sought out and studied them for whatever gifts they offered.” |
| [FILE NOT FOUND] | Wellness, Ballistics, Piloting | “Oddly, there’s no information on file about your past life. Clerical oversight? Deletion by some powerful unknown faction? Or was there just nothing of note to mention? Whatever the reason, your past is known only to you. What’s important is the here and now, and the path you’re about to forge.” |
Obviously, you’ll be able to acquire more skills along the way, but your Background will give you an edge in certain areas immediately. That’s why players should take careful consideration when selecting their starting class, as it’ll shape the early hours of the game and how the character progesses.
We hope we’ve helped you out with our Starfield Backgrounds guide. For more on Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG title, check out even more content below:
Starfield Achievement list | All Starfield skills | Will Starfield have mod support? | Is Starfield’s universe procedurally generated? | How big is Starfield? | Will Starfield be on Steam Deck? | Is Starfield on PS5? | Starfield PC requirements: Recommended & minimum specs | Will Starfield have a Photo Mode at launch? | Is Starfield coming to Nintendo Switch? | Is Starfield single-player? | Does Starfield have New Game Plus mode? | All Starfield factions & groups confirmed so far | How long is Starfield? Main story length & completionist run