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Learn more about Starfield character creation with this full list of backgrounds and traits. Before finalizing your custom character, you’ll be asked to select one background and three traits. Backgrounds change how some characters react to you, and backgrounds will unlock special dialogue options that can help you solve quests or even complete dialogue challenges without having to pay people off with credits or complete a Persuasion. Backgrounds don’t actually add anything to your in-game story, though. That’s what traits are for.
Traits are unique additions that can change your character stats or add new features to your in-game galaxy. Select the right traits and you can visit your parents in New Atlantis, start with an expensive house on a remote world, gain an instant adoring fan and much more. Not all traits can be mixed and matched, but they’re all viable choices that can completely define your character. Learn all about the many backgrounds and traits you can choose from.
More Starfield guides:
Best Skills | Best Ship Upgrades & Mods | All Companions | All Romance Options | All Settlement Locations | Join All Factions | How To Pirate Ships | Secret Companion | Secret Ship & Suit
Character Creator Backgrounds
Backgrounds give you starting skills, but otherwise do not change anything in-game. As you level up, you’ll be able to unlock other skills — these are just your starting skills.
- Beast Hunter: Fitness, Ballistics, Gastronomy
- Bouncer: Boxing, Security, Fitness
- Bounty Hunter: Piloting, Targeting Control Systems, 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 Certification, Boxing, Theft
- Homesteader: Geology, Surveying, Weight Lifting
- Industrialist: Persuasion, Security, Research Methods
- Long Hauler: Weight Lifting, Piloting, Ballistic 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
- [File Not Found]: Wellness, Ballistic, Piloting
Character Creator Traits
Traits can completely change certain aspects of your adventure. Traits a permanenent choice. You can select three of them — and many unlock hidden bonuses.
- Alien DNA: Your volunteered for a controversial experiment that combines alien and human DNA. As a result, you start with increased health and oxygen, but healing and food items aren’t as effective.
- Dream Home: You own a luxurious customizable house on a peaceful planet. Unfortunately it comes with a 125,000 credit mortgage with GalBank that has to be paid weekly.
- Empath: You are deeply connected to the feelings of others. Performing actions your companion likes will result in a temporary increase in combat effectiveness. But, performing actions they don’t like will have the precise opposite effect.
- Extrovert: You’re a people person. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring with human companions, but more when adventuring alone. (Can’t be combined with introvert.)
- Freestar Collective Settler: You gain access to special Freestar Collective dialogue options and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. But crime bounty towards other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
- Hero Worshipped: You’ve earned the attention of an annoying ‘Adoring Fan’ who will show up randomly and jabber at you incessantly. On the plus side, he’ll join your ship’s crew and give you gifts.
- Introvert: You really need your alone time. Exerting yourself uses less oxygen when adventuring alone, but more when adventuring with other human companions. (Can’t be combined with Extrovert.)
- Kid Stuff: Your parents are alive and well, and you can visit them at their home. But you will automatically send 2% of your credits home to them every week.
- Neon Street Rat: You grew up on the mean streets of Neon. You gain access to special dialogue options and better rewards from some missions on Neon. Crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
- Raised Enlightened: You grew up as a member of the Enlightened. You gain access to a special chest full of items in the House of the Enlightened in New Atlantis, but lose access to the Sanctum Universum chest. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
- Raised Universal: You grew up as a member of the Sanctum Universum. You gain access to a special chest full of items in the Sanctum Universum in New Atlantis, but lose access to the House of the Enlightened chest. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
- Serpent’s Embrace: You grew up worshipping the Great Serpent. Grav jumping provides a temporary boost to health and oxygen, but health and oxygen are lowered if you don’t continue jumping regularly – like an addiction. (Can’t be combined with any other religion trait.)
- Spaced: Your body has become acclimated to space. Health and oxygen are increased when in space, but decreased when on the surface. (Can’t be combined with Terra Firma.)
- Taskmaster: Occasionally, if you have a 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.
- Terra Firma: You’ve never acclimated to space. Health and oxygen are increased when on the surface, but decreased when you’re in space. (Can’t be combined with Spaced.)
- United Colonies Native: You gain access to special United Colonies dialogue options and better rewards from some missions given by the faction. However, crime bounty by other factions is greatly increased. (Can’t be combined with any other faction allegiance trait.)
- Wanted: Someone put a price on your head, and word has spread. 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.
