Starfield: Best Cyberneticist Build

Discover the best Cyberneticist Build 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.

Cyberneticist Build Introduction in Starfield

In Starfield, the Cyberneticist build is the blend between human and machine. The Cyberneticist background and build emphasize technology, science, and combat while forging social and physical skills. The Cyberneticist is perfect for players wanting to engage with spaceship crafting, outpost building, and crafting the best mods for their armor and weapons. You will be using scoped rifles at range while having the ability to upgrade them as you progress throughout Starfield

The downside of the Cyberneticist is weaker oxygen capacity, less combat focus than a Sniper build, and dependent on companions for skills and damage. However, if you’re a Starfield player who wants decent combat proficiency with the flexibility to craft outposts and spaceships, the best build for you is the Cyberneticist.

Cyberneticist Build Pros	Cyberneticist Build Cons
Focused Build	Less Combat Focus
Crafting Availability	Companion Dependent
Spaceship & Outpost Building	Lower Oxygen Capacity

Features and Mechanics for Best Cyberneticist Build in Starfield

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

• Damage: Laser
• Range: 50 meters
• Weapon: Rifle
• Best Skills:
• Starborn Power: Life Forced
• Background: Cyberneticist
• Traits: Taskmaster, Extrovert, Alien DNA
• Companion: Barrett

Background

Cyberneticist background gives three power skills at level 1: Medicine, Security, and Laser. This perfect blend of crafting and combat allows you to progress in combat, science, and tech. Thus, you won’t spend unnecessary skill points and conserve valuable skill points at first.

Cyberneticist – Robots? Mere toys. Neuroamps? Good for parlor tricks. The Colony War may have made implants and upgrades available to veterans, but you once saw a greater future. Humans and machines, as one.

Traits

Taskmaster, Extrovert, and Alien DNA are the best traits for a Cyberneticist build. Taskmaster helps with automatic repair during space combat. Extroverts aid in oxygen capacity while using companions, which you should be at all times. Having no physical skill points physically limits oxygen capacity and is one of the weaknesses, so consider extroversion an important trait. Lastly, we recommend Alien DNA because you have a great healing pool and endurance. The negative is weaker healing items, though you can compensate with the Starborn Power Life Forced.

Below are the recommended Cyberneticist traits (optional):

• Taskmaster – Occasionally, if you have crew trained in a certain ship system, that system will automatically repair itself to full health whenever it is damaged below 50%. However, all crew cost twice as much to hire.
• Extrovert – You’re a people person. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions, but more when adventuring alone.
• Alien DNA – You volunteered for a controversial experiment that combines alien and human DNA. As a result, you start with a higher health pool and greater endurance, but healing items aren’t as effective.

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

Sniper, Outpost Engineering, and EM Weapon Systems are the best skills for the Cyberneticist Build in Starfield. Rifleman and Sniper certifications combine to add damage to scoped rifles, which are the best weapons in Starfield. With Outpost Engineering and Special Projects, you will be free to craft anything you can imagine while settling the frontiers of space. Lastly, EM Weapon Systems and Barrett, your companion, will aid in space combat.

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

• Outpost Engineering – craft cutting-edge research and construction at your outpost and not be limited by default mods.
• Special Projects – allows further crafting progression in all aspects of Starfield, like weapons, armor, and outposts.
• Sniper and Rifle Certification – your combat damage increase perks that stack together giving you a large damage using scoped rifles.
• EM Weapon Systems – one of the best spaceship skills for destroying enemies’ shields and possibly boarding them!
• Weapon Engineering + Spacesuit Design – these two skills are necessary to optimize your weapons and armor through crafting.

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

For a Cyberneticist Build, focus on increasing your three specific skill trees: science, tech, and combat. Early on, you want to spread points throughout the three trees so the skills level passively through just playing. Then, you will gain access to a second tier of skills, increasing your power dramatically. Moreover, utility skills like Boost Pack, Piloting, and Security make the game much easier and enjoyable at early levels, so don’t skip for pure combat perks. Lastly, we focus our combat skills specifically on Rifles. Early on, laser rifles are effective, and later in the end game, ballistic rifles and eventually both in the eternity particle beam rifle are the best. Thus, focus on rifles and, eventually, the sniper perk.

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 Cyberneticist Build Guide in Starfield:

• Level 1 – Medicine, Security, Laser (Cyberneticist background)
• Level 2 – Boost Pack Training
• Level 3 – Piloting
• Level 4 – Targeting Control System
• Level 5 – Laser 2
• Level 6 – Medicine 2
• Level 7 – Security 2
• Level 8 – Boost Pack Training 2
• Level 9 – Lasers 3
• Level 10 – Medicine 3

Levels 11 – 20

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

• Level 11 – Piloting 2
• Level 12 – Targeting Control Systems 2
• Level 13 – Lasers 4
• Level 14 – Medicine 4
• Level 15 – Weapon Engineering
• Level 16 – Spacesuit Design
• Level 17 – Rifle Certification
• Level 18 – Starship Design
• Level 19 – Spacesuit Design 2
• Level 20 – Weapon Engineering 2

Levels 21 – 30

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

• Level 21 – Rifle Certification 2
• Level 22 – Starship Design 2
• Level 23 – Spacesuit Design 3
• Level 24 – Weapon Engineering 3
• Level 25 – Outpost Engineering
• Level 26 – Rifle Certification 3
• Level 27 – Starship Design 3
• Level 28 – Rifle Certification 4
• Level 29 – Marksmanship
• Level 30 – Sniper Certification

Levels 31 – 40

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

• Level 31 – Outpost Engineering 2
• Level 32 – Starship Design 4
• Level 33 – Special Projects
• Level 34 – Spacesuit Design 4
• Level 35 – Weapon Engineering 4
• Level 36 – Marksmanship 2
• Level 37 – Sniper Certification 2
• Level 38 – Special Projects 2
• Level 39 – EM Weapon Systems
• Level 40 – Marksmanship 3

Levels 41 – 50

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

• Level 41 – Sniper Certification 3
• Level 42 – Outpost Engineering 3
• Level 43 – Special Projects 3
• Level 44 – EM Weapon Systems 2
• Level 45 – Marksmanship 4
• Level 46 – Sniper Certification 4
• Level 47 – EM Weapon Systems 3
• Level 48 – Outpost Engineering 4
• Level 49 – Special Projects 4
• Level 50 – EM Weapon Systems 4

Weapons

Eternity’s Gate and Orion are the best weapons for the Cyberneticist build because rifles can be scoped and do laser damage by default. The Eternity Gate rifle does both ballistic and laser damage and is only obtained via beating the game and buying from a vendor after at least one unity (new game +). The Orion and Equinox rifles are available throughout Starfield, and with ammunition, abundance makes a great selection based on the selected skills. Once you progress in weapon crafting, make sure to scope these rifles with the Sniper certification skill for more 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. 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 traits are Chameleon Blend, Auto-Medic Automatically, and Repulsing. These are random-based traits that drop for higher-quality armor.

• Chameleon Blend – with the environment while sneaking and not moving.
• Auto-Medic Automatically – use a Med Pack when hit and health is below 25%, once every 60 seconds. Fastened
• Repulsing – 5% chance to disarm 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

Life Forced is the best Starborn Power for the Cyberneticist Build because it heals you while damaging the enemy over time. When taking the Alien DNA trait, healing through medpacks and other consumables will be less effective, thus using a Starborn power in combination with Medicine skill offsets this weakness.

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

Barrett is the best companion for a cyberneticist because he compliments your tech skills and aids you in spaceship combat and crafting. Here’s a list of x skills:

• Starship Engineering 4 – Ship system repair is 20% faster.
• Particle Beam Weapon Systems 3 – 15% increased Ship-Based Particle Beam Weapon Damage and Recharge speed.
• Robotics 2 – 25% more damage to robots.
• Gastronomy 1 – The companion will occasionally give you food.

You can also play solo, but it requires a heavy investment in your social skill tree. In the second skill level, you find isolation, which increases your damage and reduces damage when playing solo. This would be the ultimate goal later in the game, post-level 50, with abundant skill points.

Build Summary – Cyberneticist Best Build for Starfield

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