Discover the best Beast Hunter Build guide in Starfield and how to create a powerful character with recommended skills, background, traits, weapons, and armor.
This build was updated for game version Starfield Update 1.11.33 – May 2024.
Beast Hunter Build Introduction in Starfield
In 2330, humanity has spread to the stars, colonizing hundreds of planets. In Starfield, a Beast Hunter is a specialized character or profession focused on tracking, capturing, or eliminating exotic and dangerous creatures across the cosmos. As a beast hunter, players take on the role of a skilled and fearless individual who traverses alien landscapes, untamed planets, and treacherous environments to hunt down these elusive and often menacing creatures.
You will want to pick the Beast Hunter if tracking down aliens, crafting food, and playing solo is for you. The Xenosociology skill allows you to control aliens, creating a fun, unique gameplay experience. The downside of the Beast Hunter is its emphasis on planets, not spaceship combat or against human enemies. However, this is for you for any space-wandering player who wants to manipulate aliens!
| Beast Hunter Build Pros | Beast Hunter Build Cons |
|---|---|
| Control Creatures | Weak in Space Fights |
| Craft Food & Drink | Favors Close Quarters |
| Solo Build | Lacks Tech Skills |
Features and Mechanics for Best Beast Hunter Build in Starfield
The following list presents all the essential Beast Hunter Build Mechanics and Features in Starfield:
- Damage: Ballistic
- Range: 40 meters
- Weapon: Shotgun
- Best Skills: Xenosociology, Instigation, Diplomacy
- Starborn Power:
- Background: Beast Hunter
- Traits: Terra Firma
- Companion: None
Related:
Background
The Beast Hunter background in Starfield gives you Fitness, Ballistics, and Gastronomy skills at level 1. Here’s of the Beast Hunter’s Background skills in Starfield:
- Fitness: You have 10% more oxygen available.
- Ballistics: Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage.
- Gastronomy: You can craft specialty food and drinks and research additional recipes at a Research Lab.
These skills are given to you at level 1, and you progress using the skill or some other function. Fitness levels can be achieved by using up all oxygen 20 times. Ballistics by killing enemies with Ballistic Weapons. Gastronomy by crafting food and drink. You should use Ballistic Weapons while in combat and research various foods and drinks to level that skill. Additionally, you can run out of oxygen on purpose via sprinting to level up your Fitness. Scroll over each skill and check how to progress once it is unlocked.
Traits
The best trait for a Beast Hunter build in Starfield is Terra Firma. Health and oxygen increase when on the surface but decrease when you’re in space. As a Beast Hunter who spends most of your time exploring planets, this will help you.
Traits are optional customization options in Character Creation. Players can select up to three attributes from a comprehensive list of traits to further shape their protagonists. The May 2024 update allows players to change their traits on a New Game + (Unity). Thus, you can change them both in the game and in a new game, which keeps your progress but starts the universe over.
Skills
Xenosociology, Instigation, and Diplomacy are the best skills for the Beast Hunter Build in Starfield because they let you manipulate NPCs, human and alien! The Beast Hunter heavily invests in the social tree, allowing dialogue manipulation and control. Moreover, on alien planets, the Xenosociology skill can make alien creatures attack enemies on your behalf. Lastly, the Isolation skill boosts damage and damage reduction while playing solo without a companion. Thus, invest heavily into social for this type of build and playstyle.
You should try to rank up skills by completing their requirements. For example, Boost Pack Training hits Boost Pack constantly in combat to level it up very quickly. Leave one enemy alive, continually boost the pack as you have fuel, and you can complete the progression in one encounter.
Level Progression
We recommend Beast Hunter for this build, which unlocks Ballistics, Fitness, and Gastronomy. Use the character creator and select any optional traits.
Starfield leveling progression system gives you three skills at level one via your background, then one skill per level without a level cap. You will need several skill points in each tree to move to the next level and pick higher-tier skills. Unlike other Bethesda games, Starfield requires you to use or complete specific objectives with your skills to take a higher rank. For instance, in Boost Pack Training, hit Boost Pack constantly in combat to level it up very quickly. Leave one enemy alive, continually boost the pack as you have fuel, and you can complete the progression in one encounter. This is why we jump from tree to tree, giving you time to level up your skill ranks. Come back or take another skill in the progression if you haven’t reached the level.
Levels 1 – 10
Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 1 – 10 with the Beast Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:
- Level 1: Ballistics, Fitness, Gastronomy
- Level 2: Boost Pack Training
- Level 3: Medicine
- Level 4: Persuasion
- Level 5: Wellness
- Level 6: Astrodynamics
- Level 7: Security
- Level 8: Boost Pack Rank 2
- Level 9: Gastronomy Rank 2
- Level 10: Persuasion Rank 2
Levels 11 – 20
Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 11 – 20 with the Beast Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:
- Level 11: Commerce
- Level 12: Isolation
- Level 13: Ballistics Rank 2
- Level 14: Medicine Rank 2
- Level 15: Astrodynamics Rank 2
- Level 16: Spacesuit Design
- Level 17: Weapon Engineering
- Level 18: Boost Pack Training Rank 3
- Level 19: Isolation Rank 2
- Level 20: Diplomacy
Levels 21 – 30
Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 21 – 30 with the Beast Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:
- Level 21: Intimidation
- Level 22: Instigation
- Level 23: Commerce Rank 2
- Level 24: Gastronomy Rank 3
- Level 25: Isolation Rank 3
- Level 26: Xenosociology
- Level 27: Spacesuit Design Rank 2
- Level 28: Weapon Engineering Rank 2
- Level 29: Isolation Rank 4
- Level 30: Xenosociology Rank 2
Weapons
The best weapon for Beast Hunter Build is the Big Bang Shotgun because it has the most burst damage up close and can be heavily modified. The Big Bang is a later game weapon, and the animation can be difficult to find, but it’s well worth it due to the damage. The weapon defaults to ballistics and energy, which helps if you take the skills in the Combat skill tree.
Here are the best weapon traits and perks for the Big Bang Shotgun weapon in Starfield:
- Exterminator: +30% damage against aliens.
- Lacerate: Randomly applies a bleed effect to the target.
- Rapid: +25% increase in attack speed.
Pick up the Breach shotgun early and use that until you level up and find a Big Bang. The secondary weapon is the AA-99 because you can modify it to fit medium or long-range with high damage, and its ammunition is easier to obtain.
Weapons can have up to 8 modifications depending on the type. Each mod requires materials or resources and the Weapon Engineering skill from the Science skill tree. You will also have to research mod upgrades via a research station, and it can take some time to unlock the full potential of the gun and weapons. Weapons have four qualities: white, blue, purple, and legendary yellow. If a weapon is blue or greater in rarity, it comes with a perk or a trait. These add additional effects in addition to modifications.
Armor
The best armor for Beast Hunter Build is the Trackers Alliance gear. Trackers Alliance armor offers great resistance and is designed for beast hunters and trackers. Here are the recommended armor perks and traits for a Beast Hunter build in Starfield:
- Auto-Medic: Automatically use a Med Pack when hit and health is below 25%, once every 60 seconds.
- Beast Hunter: -15% damage from Alien enemies.
- Reactive: 10% chance to stagger nearby attackers.
Armors are available in four distinct qualities: white, blue, purple, and the legendary yellow. If an armor piece holds the rarity of blue or higher, it boasts an accompanying perk or trait. These augmentations introduce supplementary effects alongside any modifications. For instance, the “Beast Hunter” perk reduces damage from Alien enemies by 15%. Inspect each blue or greater armor mod and see if the trait and perk align with your build.
Starborn Power
The best Starborn power for Beast Hunter Build is Alien Reanimation because it reanimates a dead alien creature that fights on your side. Combined with Xenosolocialy, this power allows additional enemies to fight at your side and make the best Beast Hunter build in Starfield! Sense Star Stuff is another great Starborn power because it helps detect enemies and friendlies.
Starborn Powers are earned through the main story campaign. You will encounter artifacts early on and acquire more of them as you progress. Using Vlad, located in the eye, and the Constellation group, located at the Lodge, to find more. Spend time discovering and exploring Temples to progress this power.
Companions
The Beast Hunter is meant to play solo with the Isolation skill. The reason is that while companions can be helpful, they often interfere with both the Xenosociology skill and Alien Reanimation. When you find the perfect creature to mind control, your companion will destroy them with a shotgun blast and ruin your entire build premise.
The downside of not using companions from a non-combat perspective is carrying capacity. Outside of this, I’d recommend sticking to solo with Isolation skills. If you are set on a companion, Vasco makes an excellent choice due to the skills you will most likely lack in the Tech tree.
Build Summary – Beast Hunter Best Build for Starfield
Background – Beast Hunter
Traits – Terra Firma
Primary Weapon – Big Bang
Secondary Weapon – AA-99
Armor – Trackers Alliance
Companion – None
- Xenosociology – Social skill line
- Isolation – Social skill line
- Instigation – Social skill line
- Boost Pack Training – Tech skill line
- Weapon Engineering – Science skill line
- Persuasion – Social skill line
- Wellness- Physical skill line
- Astrodynamics – Science skill line
- Spacesuit Design – Science skill line
- Gastronomy – Social skill line
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