Master the Art of Ship Boarding and Capturing in Starfield

How to board and capture ships in Starfield

Boarding and capturing ships in Starfield ensures an exhilarating space combat experience. Mere destruction won't suffice; it's essential to seize the opportunity for plunder before reducing a vessel to forgotten wreckage. Our comprehensive guide details the steps to execute ship boarding maneuvers in the game, enabling you to acquire valuable loot and XP.

Unlock the Targeting Control Systems skill.

Destroy a ship's engines.

Dock and board the vessel.

Kill all enemies inside.

The Targeting Control Systems skill

In order to operate a higher class spacecraft, it is essential to possess the necessary Piloting skill.

The Targeting Control System skill holds great significance within the game due to its functionality. While there are four ranks available, only the first rank is required to unlock this mechanic. The additional ranks serve to decrease lock-on time and enhance the precision of damage inflicted. However, the decision to further level up this skill is solely yours to make.

Unlocking the function requires a single point in the Targeting Control Systems skill.

Disable a ship's engines

In order to board and capture a ship in Starfield, it is necessary to disable its engines beforehand. To achieve this, enter targeting mode by locking onto an enemy vessel and pressing the corresponding button (i.e. X button on an Xbox gamepad). As ships are usually equipped with shields, utilize lasers and missiles selected using the d-pad to bring down the shields.

Once the shields have been depleted, switch to the engines by pressing left on the d-pad. Utilize ballistics weapons and missiles until all the pips are gone. It is important to exercise caution as depleting the ship's hull strength completely will result in its destruction.

Lock onto the engines of an enemy craft and accurately target them.

Boarding a vessel and eliminating hostiles

After successfully disabling the ship's engines, a button prompt will appear (for example, the X button on an Xbox gamepad) allowing you to initiate docking procedures. It is important to note that this action can only be performed once all other hostile ships have been eliminated. In other words, you can only board the last remaining enemy vessel in the area.

Upon boarding the enemy ship, your primary objective is to eliminate all hostile forces present. The number of enemy soldiers you encounter will vary based on factors such as the ship's level, size, and class. Engaging in this activity is an excellent opportunity to earn experience points and level up your character.

Eliminate all hostiles onboard the vessel before capturing it.

The Piloting skill and selling captured ships

Furthermore, you have the option to claim the ship as your own by accessing the pilot's seat. However, depending on the ship's class, you may need to further develop your Piloting skill. Typically, you will come across Class-A ships, which do not require a certain Piloting skill level, but higher-tier classes like B and C will demand more advanced Piloting abilities.

Finally, when you choose to teleport to a different star system, the vessel you have acquired will serve as your temporary home ship. From there, you can navigate to any designated docking area, such as New Atlantis, and proceed to sell the spacecraft. However, it is important to note that before selling the ship, you will be required to pay a registration fee, which results in lower profits when compared to its actual value.

In conclusion, these are the essential details regarding boarding and commandeering ships in Starfield. This method is just one of the ways to obtain free ships within the game.

Starfield is a massive game with numerous planets to explore. For other tips and tactics, you can visit our guides hub.