Best Starting Background in Starfield

If you are wondering what is the best Background to pick in Starfield for the first playthrough, you are not alone. As a part of the character creation system, Starfield offers over 20 background options for players. This Starfield origin story dictates your early game skills and role-play options. In this guide, we provide our opinion on the best starting background in Starfield.

What is the Best Starting Background in Starfield?

Before we jump to our best Starfield backgrounds list, let’s first establish what they actually are. Starfield backgrounds are essentially like a type of class. Of course, there are no limitations in how you build and level up your character. You can do whatever you want. However, your background dictates your starting skills, and it provides you with a basic picture of how you want to play. In addition, it also has a part in role-playing, as people around you will see you based on your background. You might have special quests and interactions based on your background, some factions and companions will see you differently, NPCs will react and comment based on your origin, and more. Here’s the full list of all Starfield backgrounds:

All Starfield Backgrounds

• [File Not Found] – Wellness, Ballistics, Piloting
• Beast Hunter – Fitness, Ballistics, Gastronomy
• Bouncer – Boxing, Security, Fitness
• Bounty Hunter – Piloting, TCS, Boost Pack Training
• Chef – Gastronomy, Dueling, Scavenging
• Combat Medic – Pistol Certification, Medicine, Wellness
• Cyber Runner – Stealth, Security, Theft
• Cyberneticist – Medicine, Security, Lasers
• Diplomat – Persuasion, Commerce, Wellness
• Explorer – Lasers, Astrodynamics, Surveying
• Gangster – Shotgun Perfection, Boxing, Theft
• Homesteader – Geology, Surveying, Weight Lifting
• Industrialist – Persuasion, Security, Research Methods
• Long Hauler – Weight Lifting, Piloting, Ballistics Weapon Systems
• Pilgrim – Scavenging, Surveying, Gastronomy
• Professor – Astrodynamics, Geology, Research Methods
• Ronin – Dueling, Stealth, Scavenging
• Sculptor – Medicine, Geology, Persuasion
• Soldier – Fitness, Ballistics, Boost Pack Training
• Space Scoundrel – Pistol Certification, Piloting, Persuasion
• Xenobiologist – Lasers, Surveying, Fitness

Each Background will provide you with three starting Rank 1 abilities, as listed above. And to be perfectly frank with you, the best character Background in Starfield is the one that suits your preferred playstyle the best.

[File Not Found], Bounty Hunter and Long Hauler are excellent for players who like to fly a lot. Pilgrim, Explorer, and Homesteader are great if you want to get the most out of your visits to barren planets. Diplomat, Industrialist, and Space Scoundrel are great picks for those who like to use words more than guns. Cyber Runner and Ronin are superb choices for a more stealthy approach. Ultimately, you will be able to build your character however you want as you progress through the game. Hence, don’t break your head over it too much. Instead, think about what kind of a character you want to role-play and pick a background that suits that fantasy. Just make sure to take your time, as once you pick your background, you won’t be able to change it!