Master the Cosmos: Unleash the Ultimate Ship Upgrades in Starfield

Upgrade and modify your ships in Starfield to customize their appearance and capabilities. Don't be limited by the default look of your spacecraft - there are plenty of options and parts available for installation. Explore various facets and considerations in our comprehensive guide on Starfield ship upgrades and modules.

Table of Contents [hide]:

- How to upgrade and modify ships in Starfield

- The most important ship stats and modules

The simple and straightforward route with ship upgrades

More customizations and modules via the Ship Builder

Potential errors when modifying ships

How to upgrade and modify ships in Starfield

You can upgrade and modify ships in Starfield by talking to a ship services technician NPC. Here's a quick summary:

Talk to any ship services technician and select "I'd like to view and modify my ships."

LB and RB let you select from those that you already own/those that you've captured.

Pressing the A button opens the upgrade screen.

Pressing the X button opens the Ship Builder screen.

The most important ship stats and modules

The screen will then show you an overview of your ship. The most important stats include:

Hull - Your ship's health points. This is the total combined HP of all installed parts.

The Reactor class pertains to the total power produced by your spacecraft, represented by the horizontal bar and its pips. Initially, you can only utilize Class-A reactors, as Class-B and Class-C necessitate a higher level of Piloting skill.

Crew capacity is impacted by a ship's cockpit, habitats, reactors, weapons, and various other factors. For comprehensive information, refer to our ship crew capacity guide.

Gravity Drive Range - The jump distance, measured in light years, represents the extent of fast travel between star systems. The main component responsible for this is the gravity drive, which is influenced by the ship's mass, comprising the combined weight of all installed modules.

Shields - Each ship is restricted to accommodating only a single shield module.

Weapons - There are three categories available: lasers, ballistics, and missiles. You have the freedom to install multiple weapon systems, but there is a restriction of three different makes and models in total. For example, you can equip your ship with several KE-20 Cannons, EMP-80 Suppressors, and Dragon 221 MW Lasers. However, it is not permitted to add a fourth weapon, such as a Spark 750 Suppressor.

Cargo - This refers to the maximum weight of materials and resources that your ship's storage can accommodate. For detailed information, please refer to our ship cargo guide.

The ship menu provides an overview of the essential statistics.

The simple and straightforward route with ship upgrades

The Starfield ship upgrade process is fairly straightforward. By selecting a ship and pressing the A button, you can access the next screen. Here, you have the option to modify the engines, shield generator, grav drives, reactor, and the three weapon systems.

The ship upgrade function has certain limitations, as it solely allows you to choose variants from the same manufacturer for non-weapon modules. For instance, if a ship is equipped with the White Dwarf 2000 engine, your upgrade options are restricted to the 2010, 2020, and 2030 engines. It's akin to possessing an Nvidia RTX 3090 graphics card, where you can only opt for the 3090 Ti or the 40 series cards. Any alternatives from AMD are not available for selection. However, despite these constraints, the ship upgrade process can be efficiently completed.

More customizations and modules via the Ship Builder

For those looking for a more immersive experience, Starfield's Ship Builder feature is the perfect solution. Once you've selected your desired ship, simply press the X button to enter the next screen. This unique feature allows for boundless customization, allowing you to effortlessly combine different modules to your heart's content. Pay attention to the attachment slots, represented by circular icons, to ensure a seamless integration between each part.

In addition to the previously mentioned components such as the reactor, shield generator, weapon systems, grav drive, and cargo hold, you'll also have the ability to make modifications to the following:

Cockpit - The ship is limited to one cockpit.

Habs - These can significantly increase crew capacity; some versions also add passenger slots for passenger ferry missions.

Bays - A single landing bay is required at the bottom and stern (i.e. back) of the ship.

Gears - You'll need at least a couple of landing gears at the bottom of your ship.

Dockers - One docker is required, and it's placed at the topmost section of the ship.

Fuel Tanks - Add a few so you can jump to more distant star systems.

Structural - These components serve a dual purpose as they not only enhance the appearance but also enable the attachment of additional fixtures such as weapon systems.

Potential errors when modifying ships

Upon completing the selection and modification process for your Starfield ship upgrade, you can proceed by clicking the start button to confirm and implement your alterations. It is important to note that there is a possibility of encountering errors during this stage. Listed below are some of the most frequently encountered issues:

Unattached modules - Any modules that aren't attached will cause an error.

Ship length - Ships that are over 28 meters won't be able to land on surfaces.

Ship reactor classification - While some components may be designated for Class-B or Class-C reactors, you possess only a Class-A reactor.

Misaligned landing gear/bay - The landing gears and bays should be positioned exclusively at the ship's lowermost point, with no other components allowed to occupy a lower elevation.

Minimum number of landing gears - Additional landing gears may be required based on the ship's size.

Misaligned docking mechanism - The docking mechanism should be positioned at the highest point of the ship, ensuring sufficient space is available and preventing it from being wedged between other modules.

Maximum weapon limit - As previously stated, there is a restriction on using only three weapon models.

Excessive utilization of engine power - The consumption of power will be considerably higher if you employ an excessive number of engines, particularly with a lower-quality reactor.

Require increased grav jump thrust - In the event of excessive weight, upgrading the grav drives or removing modules to decrease mass is necessary.

Insufficient maneuverability - The addition of numerous components, such as cargo holds, may result in a slower and less agile ship. It is possible to adapt to this configuration, but one must remain prepared for potential complications that may arise during combat.

This is all the information you need on upgrading and customizing ships in Starfield. The vast galaxy awaits, so set off on your adventure and discover the wonders with your amazing spacecraft.

Starfield is a vast game with countless planets waiting to be explored. For more helpful tips and strategies, we invite you to visit our guides hub.