Give yourself the edge in any skirmish with the best early game ships in Starfield. Here are the strongest vessels you can get ahold of in just the first few hours.
Central to Starfield’s identity is it’s space travel mechanics. Considering that you’re going to spend at least half of your playthrough piloting and customizing and repairing your very own star cruiser, choosing the best one at the start of the game is a big decision. On top of that, there are tons of factors that make each of Starfield’s ship unique, giving each spaceship its own flavor.
That said, it can feel pretty overwhelming from the offset. Starfield is Bethesda at its most ambitious, offering near-unlimited possibilities when it comes to building your own vessel. So we’ve narrowed it down to the 5 best early game ships and where to get them. Light spoilers ahead!
5 Best Early Game Ships in Starfield
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How to Get the Razorleaf
We’re starting things off with the Razorleaf ship, which comfortably lands at the top of our list of best early game ships. The Razorleaf lets you safely struggle contraband in shielded cargo holds, gives you a dedicated display room for your favorite guns and armor, and shreds enemy cruisers with high-powered ballistics.
To get the Razorleaf, you need to complete the ‘Mantis’ mission, which may require a bit of grinding. As soon as you get your bearings after the opening sequence, you’ll be able to explore abandoned outposts and space stations across the star system. There, you’ll likely encounter ‘Spacers’, low-level scavengers that shoot you on sight. Kill enough of them until a Spacer drops the “Secret Outpost” data slate (you can repeatedly load a saved encounter in the same location until a Spacer finally drops it.)
Once you reach the secret location, eliminate all of the Spacers inside the base, make your way past the puzzle (Spoiler: The password is “Tyrannis”) to reach the cavern hangar. Press the elevator button to take the ship up to the surface where you’ll be able to claim one of the best early game ships in the game.
How to Get the Star Eagle
Believe it or not, you can get an incredibly powerful Class A space cruiser completely for free.
To get the Star Eagle ship, travel to the planet Akila in the Cheyenne star system. Once you enter the city, head to the bank and resolve the hostage situation. The sidequest will then lead you to completing a mission for the Freestar Rangers. From there, talk to the Marshall to receive additional missions. Successfully completing these while staying on the right side of the law will lead you back to Akila to receive your Freestar Ranger badge.
Afterwards, return to the Akila City Ship Services. Here you’ll unlock plenty of new options, including a Star Eagle starship that should already be in your collection. It’s in-flight capabilities and hull strength alone makes the Star Eagle one of the best early game ships in Starfield.
Bethesda’s classic RPG mechanics let you get out of sticky situations by merely conversation. To find out more about the power of persuasion in Starfield, and what the game developer has done to innovate the genre, check out our persuasion guide for Starfield.
How to Get The Kepler R
This ship avoids being a glass canon freighter by combining high-class shields with top-of-the-line cargo storage, making the Class C fighter one of the biggest ships in the game.
To get the Kepler R, speak to Walter Stroud to receive the “Overdesigned” side-mission. When you reach a particular star station, look for Jules to learn about the R&D department’s dispute. Go for a larger budget for the ship, let the other department members know, and then finish both “Destroy” quests on the Mission Board. Later on, speak to Jules opt for a teambuilding session before ending the quest and receiving the Kepler R.
How to Get The Wanderwell
The Wanderwell is a quaint space cruiser that offers dependable performance on all fronts for the low low price of visiting your parents.
Starfield players who chose the “Kid Stuff” trait when making their character will get the option to visit their parents in New Atlantis on the planet Jemison. Doing so will deduct about 2% of your credits every month, but after progressing through the first hours of the game, you’ll unlock more dialogue options. Eventually, you’ll be gifted a ship from your folks that costs WAY more than what you were giving them. Just make sure to clean your room afterwards.
How to Get The Discovery
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Compact and a bit of a fixer-upper, the Discovery makes the list of best early game ships for it’s affordability and speed. In addition, the Discovery has the potential to become a lethal fighter if you outfit its highly mobile hull with the optimal armaments.
Getting the Discovery ship into your collection is pretty straightforward. First, set a course for New Homestead in the Sol Solar system. This may take a while, seeing as its a few systems away from the starting area. Once you land, approach the technician and purchase the Discovery for 45,000 credits.
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