All Social Skills in Starfield

Starfield science fiction RPG developed by Bethesda Game Studios, the same studio responsible for popular game franchises like “The Elder Scrolls” and “Fallout.” Starfield is set in a futuristic, space-faring universe, where players are expected to explore the vastness of space, pilot spacecraft, interact with alien species, and engage in a variety of activities such as trading, combat, and exploration.

As players prepare to venture into the uncharted reaches of Starfield’s universe, it’s not just blasters and starships that will determine their fate, but a constellation of social skills that will shape their interactions, define allegiances, and unravel the narratives that span the stars. Read on for a full list of all social skills in Starfield and what they mean!

All Social Skills in Starfield

There are currently 16 total skills in Starfield’s social skill tree, each of which can improve your ability to communicate with others in unique ways. By working on these skills, players can expect to communicate with NPCs more effectively, improve their trading techniques, enhance their negotiation abilities, and even boost their companions’ effectiveness in combat.

To sum it all up, working on your social skills in Starfield is incredibly important. It essentially allows you to mold your character into whatever shape you want, whether you want them to be a stoic leader or a peaceful pacifist.

As many people who are familiar with Bethesda’s skill trees are already aware, you must unlock low-tiered skills first before you can unlock the others. In Starfield’s case, the 16 social skills located in the social skill tree are divided into 4 tiers. Each skill has up to 4 ranks for players to complete.

Here are all of the social skills in Starfield arranged by their respective tiers:

Tier One Skills – Novice

• Commerce – “In the Settled Systems’ free market economy, almost anyone with the right skillset can open and run a successful business.”
  • Rank 1 – Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more.
  • Rank 2 – Buy for 10% less and sell for 15% more.
  • Rank 3 – Buy for 15% less and sell for 20% more.
  • Rank 4 – Buy for 20% less and sell for 25% more.
• Gastronomy – “Access to brand new worlds means access to brand new ingredients, and there is almost no limit to the delicious foods and drinks a talented chef can prepare.”
  • Rank 1 – You can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Lab.
  • Rank 2 – You can research and craft gourmet food and drinks.
  • Rank 3 – You can research and craft food and drink delicacies.
  • Rank 4 – Crafting food and drinks occasionally doesn’t use up resources. You can research and craft exotic recipes.
• Persuasion – “In the Settled Systems, the nuanced ability to listen and discuss can often accomplish far more than simply shooting first and asking questions later.”
  • Rank 1 – 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
  • Rank 2 – 20% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
  • Rank 3 – 30% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
  • Rank 4 – 50% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Scavenging – “There are those who can find just about anything, and their success is usually dependent on knowing how, and where, to look.”
  • Rank 1 – There’s a chance you’ll find extra credits when searching containers.
  • Rank 2 – There’s a chance you’ll find extra ammo when searching containers.
  • Rank 3 – There’s a chance you’ll find extra aid items, like Med Packs or chems, when searching containers.
  • Rank 4 – Tracked resources will get highlighted when using the hand scanner.
• Theft – “While not entirely honorable, and certainly not legal, it is nonetheless occasionally necessary to discreetly remove property from someone’s person.”
  • Rank 1 – Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets.
  • Rank 2 – 10% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
  • Rank 3 – 30% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
  • Rank 4 – 50% greater chance to successfully pickpocket, can now pickpocket holstered weapons.

Tier Two Skills – Advanced

• Deception – “Smuggling and piracy are both immoral and highly illegal, and considered plagues upon the Settled Systems. But certain undercover work may require a certain criminal skillset.”
  • Rank 1 – Ships 10% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 10% less effective.
  • Rank 2 – Ships 20% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 20% less effective.
  • Rank 3 – Ships 30% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 30% less effective.
  • Rank 4 – Ships 50% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 50% less effective.
• Diplomacy – “When a situation calls for words and not weapons, it’s best to rely on those trained in statecraft and de-escalation.”
  • Rank 1 – You can force a target NPC at or below your level to stop fighting for a while.
  • Rank 2 – You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while.
  • Rank 3 – You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while.
  • Rank 4 – You can force target NPCs to permanently stop fighting, unless they’re attacked again.
• Intimidation – “The ability to strike fear into an opponent, causing them to flee so that you can escape or attack first, can prove critical in a battle.”
  • Rank 1 – You can force a target NPC at or below your level to flee for a limited time.
  • Rank 2 – You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time.
  • Rank 3 – You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time.
  • Rank 4 – Intimidated targets now flee for a substantial amount of time.
• Isolation – “By eschewing team tactics and embracing the advantages of ‘lone wolf’ operations, one can vastly improve their combat effectiveness.”
  • Rank 1 – Do +10% weapon damage and gain 15 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
  • Rank 2 – Do +20% weapon damage and gain 30 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
  • Rank 3 – Do +30% weapon damage and gain 45 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
  • Rank 4 – Do +40% weapon damage and gain 60 Damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
• Negotiation – “In certain, more challenging communications, skilfully supplementing words with credits may help achieve the desired results.”
  • Rank 1 – You now have access to Bribery in speech challenges.
  • Rank 2 – Reduces bribery cost by 25%.
  • Rank 3 – Reduces bribery cost by 50%.
  • Rank 4 – Occasionally, bribery won’t cost any money.

Tier Three Skills – Expert

• Instigation – “When combat is required, it can be advantageous to convince others to do the fighting for you.”
  • Rank 1 – You can force a target NPC at or below your level to attack their allies for a limited time.
  • Rank 2 – You can force a target PC up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time.
  • Rank 3 – You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time.
  • Rank 4 – Enemies affected by Instigation will attack their allies until they are dead.
• Leadership – “Teamwork is the cornerstone of galactic survival, and nothing motivates a team more than a trained, decisive leader.”
  • Rank 1 – Companions gain affinity 25% faster.
  • Rank 2 – Companions have 50 more health and 50kg more carrying capacity.
  • Rank 3 – Companions will occasionally heal you when you get low health.
  • Rank 4 – Doubles the bonuses of Combat and Physical Crew Skills Companions. Companions have a chance to pick themselves up from a downed state.
• Outpost Management – “While constructing an outpost offers its own challenges, properly managing that outpost takes a special personality type, and specialized training.”
  • Rank 1 – Additional cargo links can be placed at outposts.
  • Rank 2 – Additional robots can be constructed at outposts.
  • Rank 3 – Additional crew can be assigned at outposts.
  • Rank 4 – Outpost extractors produce twice as fast.

Tier Four Skills – Master

• Manipulation – “Recent studies have shown that suggestion is not an art, but a science, and as such can be weaponized to exert control over the susceptible.”
  • Rank 1 – You can force a target NPC at or below your level to obey commands for a limited time.
  • Rank 2 – You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.
  • Rank 3 – You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.
  • Rank 4 – Manipulated targets now obey commands for a substantial amount of time.
• Ship Command – “They say a ship is only as good as its crew, but that is contingent upon that crew having the right captain to lead them.”
  • Rank 1 – You can have up to four active crew members.
  • Rank 2 – You can have up to five active crew members.
  • Rank 3 – You can have up to six active crew members.
  • Rank 4 – You can have up to eight active crew members
• Xenosociology  – “While sentient life has yet to be discovered, the galaxy’s alien species are generally intelligent enough to be susceptible to the power of suggestion.”
  • Rank 1 – You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time.
  • Rank 2 – You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time.
  • Rank 3 – You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time.
  • Rank 4 – You can force a target creature up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.

Regardless of which social skills in Starfield you decide to focus on, the game rewards players who pay attention to their social competency. By working on your social skill tree, you can smooth-talk your way in or out of just about anything in Starfield!

Related: Can You Be a Pirate in Starfield?

Social skills are some of the most important skills for players to focus on in Starfield, but they’re definitely not the only thing that should hold players’ attention. If you ever need help with any of the other important factors in this game, such as your ship or your companions, just keep up with Gamer Journalist’s Starfield guides!