Best Starfield Bounty Hunter Build Guide

This guide focuses on the Best Starfield Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield, with skills, armor, and weapons to create a powerful character.

This build was updated for game version Starfield Update 1.11.33 – May 2024.

Bounty Hunter Build Introduction in Starfield

In 2330, humanity has spread to the stars, colonizing hundreds of planets. As a Bounty Hunter, your skills will be tested as you track down elusive targets, collect lucrative rewards, and carve your legend among the stars. This playstyle emphasizes tracking down and capturing or killing criminals for a fee. This can be a very lucrative playstyle but requires many skills and abilities. Bounty hunters must be able to track down their targets, fight them if necessary, and bring them in alive or dead.

This Bounty Hunter build will blend combat and tech talent trees with high mobility. However, you will have a weaker range than other builds and may influence the story based on your actions. If you’ve ever wanted to zip around the galaxy like Boba Fett, this is your build!

Bounty Hunter Build Pros	Bounty Hunter Build Cons
Powerful Ship Combat	Requires Tech Focus
Exception Damage Close	Weak Range
Quick Movement	Story Implications

Features and Mechanics for Best Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield

The following list presents all the essential Bounty Hunter Build Mechanics and Features in Starfield:

• Damage: Ballistic and Laser
• Range: 20 meters
• Weapon: Shotgun
• Best Skills: Boost Assault Training, Targeting Control, Isolation
• Starborn Power: Creator’s Peace
• Background: Bounty Hunter
• Traits: Wanted
• Companion: None

How to Board Spaceships

In Starfield, you can target specific systems on Starships, disable them, and board them. This is perfect for the Bounty Hunter, who must capture targets in space and even commandeer their ships! The Bounty Hunter Background gets Targeting Control Systems, allowing you to focus on specific aspects to disable. The Grav drive is typically the most important, so a ship cannot travel away. The engine and weapon systems follow it. Once disabled, you can board by getting close and hitting the “Dock” key.

Once upon the ship, you can kill, capture, or negotiate with the crew. If you decide to steal the ship, you can fly it to a local spaceport and register it. Make sure there’s no contraband on board. Once registered, you can change ships by setting one to your “home.” Your previous starship will not disappear but return to the spaceport.

Starfield Contraband Explained

Contrabands in Starfield are illegal items to possess or trade in the Settled Systems. These items can vary from drugs and weapons to stolen goods and technology. You could face fines, imprisonment, or even death if caught with contraband. 

Some of the known contraband items in Starfield include:

• Drugs
• Stolen Goods
• Technology

There are a few ways to obtain contraband in Starfield. You can find it by exploring the game world, completing quests, or trading. You can also purchase it from illegal vendors, but this is risky because you will be scanned for contraband any time you travel.

If you play the Bounty Hunter build, you will likely engage in this gameplay.  One important tip is to build a Self-Service Bounty Clearance Terminal in Starfield on your outpost.  You can clear the bounty and avoid confrontations if you get caught.

Background

The Bounty Hunter background in Starfield gives you Piloting, Targeting Control, and Boost Pack Training skills at level 1. Here are the Background skills for the Bounty Hunter in Starfield:

• Piloting: You can now utilize ship thrusters.
• Targeting Control System: Unlocks the ship targeting functionality.
• Boost Pack Training: You can now utilize boost packs.

These skills are given to you at level 1 and you progress by using the skill or some other function. Fitness levels up by using up all of your Oxygen 20 times. Ballistics levels by killing enemies with Ballistic Weapons. Boost Pack levels by using the boost pack in combat. You should be using Ballistic Weapons and Boost Packing while in combat. You can tell if a weapon is Ballistic by the icon on the top right corner. Look for a grenade explosion and not an energy symbol.

Traits

The best trait for a Bounty Hunter build in Starfield is Wanted. Occasionally, armed mercenaries will show up and try to kill you, but being cornered gives you an edge – when your health is low, you do extra damage. As a Bounty Hunter, someone will likely put a price on your head, giving us a unique bonus and constant combat with Mercenaries. Consider this more of a roleplay and immersion choice rather than an optimal gameplay selection. Spaced and Task Master are also great selections.

Traits are optional customization options in Character Creation. Players can select up to three attributes from a wide list of traits to further shape their protagonists. It’s advised to limit or not select traits if it’s your first playthrough, but Terra Firma is our suggestion for the Best Starfield Bounty Hunter Build Guide.

Skills

Boost Assault Training, Targeting Control, and Crippling are the best skills for the Bounty Hunter build in Starfield. Boost Assault training and Boost Pack Training allow you to get into the air, hover, and do damage to nearby enemies. With only one point in Target Control Systems, you can disable enemies’ ships and board them when they cannot flee. Crippling is the best combat skill because it can down enemies and help you capture or disable them.

Here is the list of the best and recommended skills for the Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield:

• Boost Pack Training – must have for mobility and useful mobility skill.
• Boost Assault Training – increases the effectiveness of boost pack training adding damage and the ability to hover.
• Targeting Control System – allows the bounty hunter to disable ships.
• Crippling – disables enemies and forces them into a downed state.
• Shotgun and Pistol Certification – only two perks ended for increase damage, using pistol and shotguns.

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

The goal is to unlock many tech skills and quickly gain Boost Pack Training and Assualt training. Moreover, Isolation from Social will help reduce damage, while shotguns and other perks can help later on at higher levels. Then, focus on unlocking crafting beyond level 30 and so forth.

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 Bounty Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 1 – Piloting, Targeting Control, Boost Pack Training
• Level 2 – Pistol Certification
• Level 3 – Medicine
• Level 4 – Gastronomy
• Level 5 – Astrodynamics
• Level 6 – Shotgun Certification
• Level 7 – Security
• Level 8 – Shield Systems
• Level 9 – Persuasion
• Level 10 – Gastronomy Rank 2

Levels 11 – 20

Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 11 – 20 with the Bounty Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 11 – Commerce
• Level 12 – Isolation
• Level 13 – Medicine Rank 2
• Level 14 – Astrodynamics Rank 2
• Level 15 – Weapon Engineering
• Level 16 – Spacesuit Design
• Level 17 – Pistol Certification 2
• Level 18 – Shotgun Certification 2
• Level 19 – Demolitions
• Level 20 – Security 2

Levels 21 – 30

Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 21 – 30 with the Bounty Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 21 – Boost Pack Training 2
• Level 22 – Shield Systems
• Level 23 – Starship Design
• Level 24 – Pistol Certification 3
• Level 25 – Shotgun Certification 3
• Level 26 – Weapon Engineering 2
• Level 27 – Spacesuit Design 2
• Level 28 – Security 3
• Level 29 – Isolation 2
• Level 30 – Demolotions 2

Levels 31 – 40

Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 31 – 40 with the Bounty Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 31 – Rapid Reloading
• Level 32 – Pistol Certification 4
• Level 33 – Shotgun Certification 4
• Level 34 – Isolation 3
• Level 35 – Boost Pack Training 3
• Level 36 – Missile Weapon Systems
• Level 37 – Boost Assault Training
• Level 38 – Isolation 4
• Level 39 – Boost Pack Training 4
• Level 40 – Rapid Reloading 2

Levels 41 – 50

Here’s a list of the best skills to select from levels 41 to 50 with the Bounty Hunter Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 41 – Crippling
• Level 42 – Weapon Engineering 3
• Level 43 – Spacesuit Design 3
• Level 44 – Chemistry
• Level 45 – Boost Assault Training 2
• Level 46 – Crippling 2
• Level 47 – Boost Assault Training 3
• Level 48 – Weapon Engineering 4
• Level 49 – Spacesuit Design 4
• Level 50 – Boost Assault Training 4

Weapons

The best weapon for Bounty Hunter Build is the Big Bang 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. Pick up the Breach shotgun early and use that until you level up and find a Big Bang. Your secondary weapon choice is a Magshot Pistol, which can be used at medium range and also causes great damage.

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.

Primary Weapon

The following table lists the best mods for Big Bang Shotgun weapons:

Weapon Slot	Mod
Barrel	Extended Barrel
Laser	Recon Laser Sight
Optic	Reflex Sight
Muzzle	Double Barrel
Grip & Stock	Ergonomic
Magazine & Battery	Annihilator Rounds
Internal	Overclocked
Skin	–

Here are the best weapon traits and perks for the Big Bang Shotgun weapon in Starfield:

• Cornered: Damage increases as health decreases.
• Lacerate: Randomly applies a bleed effect to the target.
• Rapid: +25% increase in attack speed.

Secondary Weapon

The following table lists the best mods for the Magshot Pistol weapon:

Weapon Slot	Mod
Barrel	Magnetic Rails
Laser	Recon Laser Sight
Optic	Reflex Sight
Muzzle	Double Barrel
Magazine & Battery	Depleted Uranium Rounds
Internal	Hair Trigger
Receiver	Semi-Automatic
Skin	–

Here are the best weapon traits and perks for the Magshot Pistol weapon in Starfield:

• Crippling: Deals +30% damage on the next attack after hitting a target’s limbs
• Furious: Each consecutive hit deals more damage
• Lacerate: Randomly applies a bleed effect to the target

Armor

The best armor for Bounty Hunter Build is the Bounty Hunter spacesuit, power pack, and helmet. Bounty Hunter offers great protection and is made for the Bounty Hunter build with high resistance.

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.

Spacesuit

Here is a list of the best Spacesuit armor mods for the Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield:

Spacesuit Slot	Mod
Slot 1	EM Shielding
Slot 2	Optimized Servos
Slot 3	Heavy Shielding
Slot 4	Pocketed
Skin	–

Pack

Here is a list of the best Pack armor mods for the Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield:

Pack Slot	Mod
Slot 1	Hazard Protection
Slot 2	Emergency Aid
Boost Pack	Balanced Boostpack
Skin	–

Helmet

Here is a list of the best Helmet armor mods for the Bounty Hunter Build in Starfield:

Helmet Slot	Mod
Slot 1	Ballistic Shielding
Slot 2	Sensor Array
Slot 3	Heavy Shielding
Slot 4	Gravitic Composites
Skin	–

These armor pieces can come with additional perks or traits if they are blue quality or higher. Here are the recommended armor perks and traits for a Bounty Hunter build in Starfield:

• Bolstering: Grants up to +100 Energy resistance and Physical resistance, the lower your health.
• Combat Veteran: -15% damage from Human enemies.
• Repulsing: 5% chance to disarm nearby attackers.

Starborn Power

The best Starborn power for Bounty Hunter Build is Creator’s Peace because it immediately drops enemies’ weapons and makes them easy to take down. Creators’ Peace is exceptional in ship combat or close quarters, in which the Bounty Hunter Excels. Reactive Shield is another recommended power because it lowers damage and can reflect bullets. This is helpful at range when you cannot reach enemies with the Creator’s Peace. 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

Do not use a companion for a Bounty Hunter build; use the isolation skill from the social skill tree. This grants increased weapon damage and resistance for traveling alone without a companion to any crew. This is helpful to keep you in stealth without being detected due to companions fumbling around engaging with the enemy. Moreover, you will gain more strength overall using Isolation, though it requires an investment in Isolation skills.

Build Summary – Bounty Hunter Best Build for Starfield

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