Starfield: The Best 5 Builds You Should Use

Whether you are a beginner or looking for the most potent setup, we present the best 5 builds You Should use in Starfield.

Creating the ideal build in Starfield involves navigating a maze of complex options. Every element influences a character’s prowess, from gear, traits, background, and skills. Build crafting in Starfield also involves outpost building, crafting, companions, and overall progression in the game that will help you craft your perfect character. The following best Builds list will help you pick your preferred playstyle by explaining the weaknesses and strengths of the top possible setups in Starfield.

What are the Best Top 5 Builds for Starfield?

The Sniper is the best overall build in Starfield due to its range, survivability, and one-shot kill potential. The Sneak build plays similarly but relies on sneaking exclusively and is vulnerable when detected. However, the Sniper has all the range and damage without worrying about other gameplay mechanics besides headshots.

The Bounty Hunter is our favorite roleplaying build, boarding ships, flying around in the open world with a Boost Pack like Bobo Fett! The Solider builds Starfield, a generic rifle user with some RP elements for veterans of military RPG stories. Bethesda has made Melee very strong with various weapons, and it is an enjoyable, unique way for you to play a Starfield build.

The 5 top builds for Starfield you should be Using:

Sniper – long-range, insane damage, easy to play, high survivability
Sneak – similar to sniper, just uses stealth mechanic exclusively
Bounty Hunter – Shotgun close range with emphasis Boost Pack and ship boarding
Soldier – standard run-and-gun rifle combat-focused build
Melee – high mobility, close-quarters combat with melee weapons

5 Melee

Below are Melee build features in Starfield:

Damage: Ballistic
Range: 5 meters
Weapon: Sword
Armor: Mantis Legendary Armor Spacesuit
Best Skills: Martial Arts, Concealment, Dueling, Gymnastics
Starborn Power: Grav Dash
Background: Ronin
Traits: Alien DNA, Extrovert
Companion: Vasco

The Melee build is all about being super aggressive with melee weapons. It focuses on using Melee Weapons, running fast for quick movement, and using simple weapons that don’t need armor. Melee is a good choice if you’re not great at aiming or want to try something intense and different. Starfield’s mechanics are perfect for making a melee build that deals lots of damage and can survive well.

Melee Build Pros:

High Damage – Melee weapons can deal devastating damage in close combat.
Mobility – you will move incredibly fast and high with jet packs!
No Ammunition – reduced reliance on finding ammunition and purchasing supplies.

Melee Build Cons

Lacks Range – you experience higher risk when in close quarters.
Range – you won’t be effective against range and must charge in close.
Skill Points – this build requires a high investment in skills to move and do damage.

The Melee builds come with high damage but risk playing in close quarters or the open. You should play this number 5 on our builds list if you want something fun and don’t want to rely on aiming in Starfield!

4 Soldier

Below are Soldier build features in Starfield:

Damage: Ballistic
Range: 48 meters
Weapon: Rifle
Best Skills: Armor Penetrator, Rifle Certification, Demolitions, Marksman
Starborn Power: Reactive Shield
Background: Soldier
Traits: Terra Firma
Companion: Vasco

The Soldier build in Starfield is focused on combat proficiency, emphasizing skills that enhance combat effectiveness and survivability. Prioritize investing in Combat-based skills, especially those that directly improve your ability to effectively engage enemies and handle various weapons. The soldier is your general all-around weapon expert who doesn’t focus on other aspects of the game like Outpost or shipbuilding.

Soldier Build Pros:

Survivability – with a reactive shield and jet pack boost, you can move around and avoid damage.
Oxygen Capacity – you won’t run out of oxygen easily, allowing sprinting and other movement options.
Sniper – can snipe, play medium range, or up close with various weapon skills.

Soldier Build Cons

Weapon Dependent – this build uses weapons and some explosives, so your damage output is directly tied to your weapon and crafting.
Lacks Ship Building – you will forgo Starship building skills and focus on weapons.
Exploration – Planet exploring and skills designed to aid in that will be left out for overall combat power.

The Soldier is your typical run-and-gun weapon build that excels in combat. However, this might be off-putting for players looking to explore, build starships, and craft outposts.

3 Bounty Hunter

Below are Bounty Hunter build features in Starfield:

Damage: Ballistic
Range: 20 Meter
Weapon: Shotgun
Best Skills: Targeting Control, Boost Pack Training, Boost Assault Training, Shotgun Certification
Starborn Power: Creator’s Peace
Background: Bounty Hunter
Traits: Wanted
Companion: Solo (Lone Wolf skill)

If you ever wanted to travel to Galaxy like Bobo Fett from Starwars, board enemy ships, or sell contraband, the Bounty Hunter Build is for you! With the best mobility in the game, you will hop around the open world with a death-from-above feel. Then, you can target ship systems, board them, and take control, selling valuable loot and living out the Bounty Hunter Dream.

Bounty Hunter Build Pros:

Best Movement – this build has the best movement in Starfield, especially in the open with a Boost Pack!
Close Range Damage – you will be lethal at close range using a shotgun.
Ship Combat – the targeting control skill allows you to take out engines, board, and loot entire ships.

Bounty Hunter Build Cons

Tech Focus – almost all of your skill points will be invested in one tree, thus limiting overall gameplay options.
Limited Range – focusing mainly on movement and close quarters means you won’t have the range of a Sniper.
Story Implications – stealing will mess up your story if you’re playing a “good” player, so be careful.

The Bounty Hunter lacks variety in crafting and outpost building, but it makes up for it in Role Play and fun factor. Something about traveling the Galaxy and boarding unsuspecting vessels makes the Bounty Hunter one of the best in Starfield, and we couldn’t skip it on our top 5 builds lists.

2 Stealth

Below are Stealth build features in Starfield:

Damage: Ballistic
Range: 100 Meters
Weapon: Rifle
Best Skills: Stealth, Concealment, Pistol Certification, Rifle Certification
Starborn Power: Void Form
Background: Cyber Runner
Traits: Neon Street Rat
Companion: Sam Coe

The Stealth build is your prototypical burst damage dealer. The build focuses on Ballistic Weapons, Concealment skills for a damage multiplier, and stealth to complete your missions. You will use a combination of medium to long-range weapons emphasizing burst damage while hidden. Like typical Bethesda games, you can expect insane damage when attacking from stealth!

Stealth Build Pros:

Sneaking Undetected – using stealth to avoid enemies when possible.
Best Damage – the sneak damage multiplier gives you the most damage in Starfield.
Long Range – using sniper rifles at 100+ meters, you can destroy entire groups and remain hidden.

Stealth Build Cons

Weapon Dependent – using a Sniper or Pistol, your build is highly weapon and combat-dependent.
Requires Suppressor – to get the most damage, you’ll need a Suppressor and many crafting skills.
Vulnerable After Detected – once you lose the element of surprise, you will be vulnerable.

The major downside to the Stealth-focused build is that you need both Pistol and Rifle certification and a heavy investment in crafting. Thus, you tie up a lot of skill points, limiting other game elements like persuasion, outpost building, and Starships. But, pick this if you enjoy the typical assassin playstyle in RPG games like Starfield.

1 Sniper

Below are Sniper build features in Starfield:

Damage: Ballistic
Range: 120 Meters
Weapon: Magsniper
Best Skills: Sharpshooter, Marksman, Sniper Certification, Armor Penetration
Starborn Power: Void Form
Background: Soldier
Traits: Alien DNA
Companion: Sam Coe

The Sniper build is your prototypical ranged marksman with precision and patience. The build focuses on ballistic weapons, stealth movement, and damage to sniper rifles. Unlike the Sneak build, the Sniper focuses on just Sniper Certification, freeing up mobility options for Boost Pack Training and Tech Starship combat. Thus, you gain almost all of the damage of a Sneak build, with more variety throughout gameplay. Overall, we believe the Sniper is the best overall build and has reached the top of the 5 playstyles in Starfield.

Sniper Build Pros:

One-Shot Kills – you can remove Starfield’s toughest enemies with a well-placed headshot.
Range—Starfield consists mainly of wide open planets and spaces, which is perfect for a 120-meter sniper headshot with a Suppressor!
High Difficulty – the Sniper is meant to be played at a high difficulty where the game is unforgiving in combat.

Sniper Build Cons

Weapon Dependent – Your damage will be determined by your weapon and modifications that advance later in Starfield.
Skill Dependent – unlike Fallout 4, Starfield doesn’t have VATS, so don’t expect auto-aiming headshots; it’s down to you!
Patience – playing a Sniper means taking a shot once the scenario lines up for multiple undetected kills; you aren’t Rambo.

Nearly every shooter game has that one build that performs so well that it’s hard to play anything else. Out of our best 5 builds in Starfield, you should use the Sniper build because sitting back at an obscene range, one-shooting enemies undetected, and then flying off to do it again is a reward play loop we think you will enjoy.

Looking For More About Starfield?

Thank you for reading the Starfield: The Best 5 Builds You Should Use Guide. We provide the latest news and create guides for Starfield. Also, watch me play games on Twitch or visit my YouTube channel!

Starfield: The Best 5 Builds You Should Use