As an avid Starfield player with over 200 hours of playtime, I‘ve tested and analyzed all of the available classes to determine which ones provide the biggest advantages right out of the gate. Your starting class shapes your entire journey through Starfield‘s vast sci-fi universe, so choosing wisely from the start is crucial.
In this comprehensive 2000+ word guide, I‘ll explain the key skills, strengths, playstyles, and my own experiences with the top 5 classes that I recommend for beginners. Whether you want to focus on piloting spaceships, stealth combat, looting valuable items, or just dealing high damage, there‘s an ideal starting class for you.
My History with Starfield Classes
Before I dig into the details, let me briefly explain my own journey with Starfield‘s classes which has fueled my passion for analyzing them.
I‘ve been writing gaming guides and build strategies for over 5 years across titles like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and now Starfield. I have a knack for crunching numbers and testing different playstyle combinations.
In Starfield, I was drawn to the freedom and diversity of the classes and skills system. My goal became mastering each class and discovering optimal builds and synergies.
Over 200 hours played, here are some of my key class experiences:
- Reaching maximum Automated Weapons skills as a Bounty Hunter and absolutely dominating ship battles
- One-shotting bosses with my ultra high-DPS Ronin melee build
- Hacking Master chests without consumables minutes into the game as an Industrialist
- Stealthing entire compounds with my max-leveled Cyber Runner
- Hitting headshots from ridiculous ranges as a Soldier
I‘ve also spent countless hours researching, discussing, and learning from fellow passionate Starfield content creators. My recommendations are backed by both personal testing and theorycrafting using community knowledge.
Simply put, I live and breathe this stuff – so I can‘t wait to share my insights into the best Starfield starting classes for different players!
Overview of Recommended Starter Classes
Before diving into the specifics, here‘s a quick overview of the 5 classes I suggest players consider when first creating their character:
- Bounty Hunter – The best all-around starting class due to faster progression, essential spaceship skills, and Starship design opportunities.
- Soldier – Excellent for ballistic weapons and the essential Boost Pack Training skill. Higher stamina aids exploration.
- Ronin – Specializes in melee combat with extremely high damage output. Useful for a stealth assassin playstyle.
- Industrialist – Grants key persuasion and security skills for unlocking dialogue options and lucrative locked containers.
- Cyber Runner – Combines powerful stealth and security skills for stealth combat and valuable looting.
Below I‘ll explain these top classes in more detail, including their key perks, recommended playstyles, reasons they excel as starters, plus my own anecdotes and experiences playing them.
Bounty Hunter – My Favorite All-Purpose Starter
The Bounty Hunter class has easily been my personal favorite way to kick off new playthroughs. Here‘s an overview of why it‘s so powerful:
- Starts with 3 skills in Automated Weapons tree, allowing very fast progression to top perks
- 15% bonus damage and 10% increased maneuverability during spaceship battles
- Design Your Own Starship perk lets you craft custom ships early on
Right off the bat, Bounty Hunters gain major advantages in aerial combat and spaceship progression due to starting with 3 skills already unlocked in the Automated Weapons tree.
- This allows accessing top-tier ship combat perks like Wingman Directive, Diamondback, and Deadeye much faster than other classes who need to start leveling Automated Weapons from scratch.
Combining the early skill point advantage with the 15% damage and 10% maneuverability bonuses makes Bounty Hunters lethal pilots.
I‘ll never forget the first time I unlocked the Wingman Directive perk which automatically targets enemy engines and weapons systems. I felt unstoppable, easily disabling and obliterating enemies with my overpowered Phantom V10 ship.
And the Design Your Own Starship perk grants additional Starship blueprint options so you can let your creativity run wild when constructing the perfect vessel.
As someone who loves tinkering with ship builds, I really appreciated being able to experiment with exciting custom layouts rather than relying on pre-made templates and basic starter ships.
My Playstyle as a Bounty Hunter
My preferred Bounty Hunter playstyle is to focus almost entirely on spaceship combat missions and quests that result in climactic boss battles in space.
I spend most game sessions:
- Engaging pirates, smugglers, and faction convoys in intense dogfights
- Testing my piloting skills invading heavily defended enemy space stations
- Hunting down wanted targets for rewards from bounty boards
- Optimizing my Starship build for maximum damage and survivability
This kosmik cowboy playstyle constantly keeps me engaged in heart-pounding spaceship action above endless alien planets.
The risk-reward dopamine hits from weaving through asteroid belts while unleashing hellfire on overwhelming waves of hostiles is a feeling I just can‘t get enough of as a Bounty Hunter.
Bounty Hunter Skill and Perk Recommendations
To maximize combat effectiveness in the pilot‘s seat, I recommend Bounty Hunters prioritize upgrading these key skills:
- Automated Weapons – Wingman Directive, Diamondback
- Piloting – Emergency Maneuvers, Intercept Course
- Science Weapons – EMP Nova, Gravity Switch
I also suggest taking weapons skills that improve energy weapons to maximize your spaceship armaments:
- Energy Weapons – Capacitor Discharge, Laser Precision
- Heavy Weapons – Devastator, Superior Repeater
With this setup, you‘ll have advanced piloting techniques, tactical weaponry, and lethal energy-based guns to annihilate hostile ships.
And don‘t forget to continue designing custom Starships when new projects unlock! Creating your perfect flagship is incredibly rewarding.
Soldier – Ranged Combat Specialist
While the Bounty Hunter may be my favorite starter for its aerial action, the Soldier is definitely my top pick for players who enjoy traditional ranged weapons like assault rifles, pistols, and shotguns.
Soldiers excel at gunfighting thanks to these major advantages right out of the gate:
- 30% bonus damage and range for all ballistic weapons
- 15 extra stamina for sprinting and jetpack dodging
- Boost Pack Training skill (10% faster skill point gains)
The Ballistic Firearm Expertise skill provides an enormous buff to all ballistic guns like the absolute staple IMR-23 plasma rifle or the hard-hitting Hammerhead shotgun.
Having over double the range allows safely engaging enemies from long distance. And 30% more damage significantly reduces time-to-kill.
When combined with the added stamina for strafing and dodging return fire, plus 10% quicker progression towards other damage buffs, Soldiers consistently win ranged shootouts.
My Most Exhilarating Soldier Moments
My favorite Soldier memories stem from skirmishes with heavily armed strike teams when my Ballistic Firearm Expertise gave me a major edge:
- Sniping the engines of hover tanks from impossible ranges with the Kanta-45 sniper rifle, preventing them from fleeing
- One-tapping helmetless mechs with the Carnage magnum pistol by landing a perfect headshot critical
- Shredding elite shielded enemies in seconds at close range by unloading all 8 shells from the Hellstorm scattergun
Soldiers live for the euphoric adrenaline rush of out-aiming and outgunning diverse enemies with hard-hitting ballistic guns. Aim assist is for rookies – mastering advanced aim-down-sight shooting mechanics separates the legends from the rest.
Soldier Skill and Weapon Recommendations
To maximize ballistic firepower, I suggest Soldiers invest early skill points into these complementary talents:
- One-Handed – Gladius Slice (melee dash), Parry Impact (stun parry)
- Science Weapons – Cold Field Emitter (AOE slow)
- Combat Training – Evasive Maneuvers
This mix of mobility and defensive skills allows you to reposition quickly during intense firefights while mitigating incoming damage.
And for starting gear, you can‘t go wrong equipping a combination of:
- IMR-23 plasma rifle – all-purpose mid-long range shredder
- Carnage magnum pistol – hard-hitting hand cannon for emergencies
- Kanta-45 sniper rifle – long range tactical support weapon
With an arsenal of versatile blasters, Soldiers consistently dictate the tempo of battles by executing precise ballistic barrage at any range.
Ronin – Master of High Damage Melee Mayhem
In stark contrast to the Soldier‘s ranged supremacy is the Ronin – an absolute freight train in close quarters one-on-one duels. This unique class specializes in extreme melee damage output thanks to:
- 45% increased melee attack speed and damage
- 40% damage resistance from all sources
- Instant healing when scoring melee kills
Right away, Ronins gain almost double melee performance to unleash devastating flurries of lightning-quick slashes, smashes, and stabs.
The extreme damage resistance minimizes reliance on medicine and healing items – you simply sustain through enemy attacks using beefy base health and armor.
And scoring kills instantly activates Emergency First Aid, restoring a chunk of health and allowing non-stop chains of multiple takedowns.
My Strongest Ronin Build Highlights
I‘ve created some positively unhinged Ronin builds that allow assassinating even the tankiest late-game bosses in seconds.
A few highlights include:
- One-shot backstabbing a deadly Mantiqueen by combining the x10 sneak bonus with Plasma Flame and Frenzy Swipe hammer attacks
- Face-tanking automatic turret fire thanks to 80% damage resistance from Emergency Protocols and Fortification Field perks
- Chaining Vanish kills on entire 5+ enemy squads using invisibility glyphs and the Crimson Meteor katana
Simply put, no other class can match the Ronin‘s sheer damage and resilience during close-up brawls. If you want to literally smash your way through Starfield leaving behind wakes of dismembered foes, choose Ronin.
Recommended Ronin Perks and Gear
To maximize the Ronin‘s high-risk, high-reward aggressive play, I suggest focusing on:
- Blade Weapons – Plasma Flame, Crimson Meteor, Frenzy Swipe
- Body Modifications – Subdermal Armor Mesh, Emergency Protocols
- Science Weapons – Violet Reconstructor, Fortification Field
This mix of self-buffing tools and ultra-powered melee weaponry transforms Ronins into Juggernaut-like forces of nature that can‘t be stopped.
I also highly recommend using Stealth tanto knives early on so you can regularly execute insta-killing sneak attacks for that sweet Emergency First Aid healing between fights.
Industrialist – Specialist in Social Skills and Lockpicking
While the previous classes center on combat, the Industrialist takes an alternative approach – focusing on non-violent progression through persuasion, intimidation, and lockpicking.
Their key starter skills include:
- 50% bonus experience gains for persuasion and security
- Unlock advanced intimidation/charm dialogue options
- Pick locks up to Very Hard difficulty pre-level 10
Rather than dishing damage, Industrialists use charisma, technical aptitude, and shrewd business skills to bypass obstacles:
- Intimidate or charm NPCs to enable profitable mission opportunities
- Hack lucrative locked storage containers without spending credits
On several playthroughs, I would have saved dozens of hours if I had key social and lockpicking skills upfront as an Industrialist.
My Best Non-Combat Hero Moments
While combat and exploration are central to Starfield, some of my fondest memories involve leveraging charisma, hacking, and bargaining:
- Intimidating a crime lord into surrendering a rare crafting blueprint by passing a near-impossible persuasion check
- Picking a Master safe 10 minutes into the game to steal a 250k credit Starship weapon mod
- Investing credits from hacking container loot into real estate across the Settled Systems
Without needing to sink lots of early skill points into speechcraft and technical skills, Industrialists can focus efforts into other mechanics while advancingDialogue puzzles and lockpicking provide enjoyable change-of-pace activities between dangerous adventures.
And the credits earned seriously add up!
Suggested Industrialist Upgrades
To compliment social and infiltration skills, I recommend Industrialists work towards:
- Engineering – Improved Field Repair, Salvage Mastery
- Crafting – Arms Master, Architect Visionary
- Combat Training – Absorption Fields
This allows monetizing loot into valuable crafted gear either for personal use or profits selling to vendors. Absorption Fields also grants survivalability during dangerous negotiations.
I also suggest using an Equalizer or LORD laser rifle since ammo is rarely a concern, freeing carrying capacity for looted goods!
Cyber Runner – Hybrid Stealth Skills
Lastly, we have the Cyber Runner – an underplayed class that combines stealth combat and infiltration hacking talents.
Its central skills provide:
- 50% bonus sneak attack damage
- 45% longer stealth field effect duration
- Improved move speed while invisible
With extra stealth attack punch, extended invisibility uptime, and added mobility, Cyber Runners are elite infiltrators able to quietly eliminate enemies one-by-one.
And they unlock the ability to crack Hard locks immediately – letting them bypass secured doors and storage early on without spending credits.
My Most Satisfying Cyber Runner Achievement
My proudest moment as a Cyber Runner came while completing the Operation Glass Dagger quest.
The mission required stealing corporate secrets from a heavily fortified black site. I decided to attempt a full stealth run rather than fight through the army of security forces guarding the base.
Thanks to beefed up sneak skills and cracking doors instantly, I was able to infiltrate all three data centers undetected to succeed in the heist of the century!
Recommended Cyber Runner Upgrades
To maximize stealth combat effectiveness, I suggest Cyber Runners work towards:
- Blade Weapons – Vibroblade, Monomolecular Edge
- Guerrilla Tactics – Stealth Dash, Shadow Warrior
- Security – Code Cracker, Subversion
Complementing backstab-focused blades with enhanced stealth mobility and hacking allows silently clearing locations while unlocking rewarding loot rooms along the way.
I also recommend using Dreadnought armor combines with Stealth Field generators to avoid being one-shot if detected at inopportune times.
Closing Thoughts on Starfield‘s Best Starting Classes
Hopefully this guide has broken down Starfield‘s most powerful starting classes to match your preferred playstyle and kickstart your adventure on the best foot.
While I believe the Bounty Hunter is the strongest intro class overall thanks to its faster progression and spaceship bonuses, every option has its own unique strengths.
Here are some final tips as you pick your first class:
- Carefully read all class skill descriptions to understand synergies
- Consider your weapon preferences (melee, ranged, energy, ballistic, etc.)
- Stay adaptable – don‘t worry about permanent skill locks!
- Share your own fun class stories and builds with the community!
At the end of the day, each class can eventually learn every skill, so what matters most is enjoying your beginning hours while mastering your chosen role.
Feel free to reference my recommendations and experiences in this guide, but don‘t be afraid to experiment on your own as well!
I can‘t wait to hear your own exciting tales of success in Starfield‘s ever-expanding universe. See you amongst the stars!