Starfield has been released, allowing us to build our own outpost shortly after starting and establish a base camp for resource production and research.
What’s It About? The Guided team has already built half a dozen outposts in Starfield. We’ve gathered all our experience to create the best guide on “Outpost Building in Starfield.”
Guide Contents:
- How to Build an Outpost
- Where’s the Best Place for an Outpost?
- How to Quickly Acquire Resources for a Base
- How Much Does My First Outpost Cost? Listing All Resource Costs
- How to Defend Your Outpost from Pirates & Animals
How to Build an Outpost in Starfield
To create an outpost, you must select a planet you want to settle on and navigate there on the starmap. After selecting the planet, you can scan it to display all available resources. If everything looks good, you can land and begin building your base.
Building an Outpost – Step-by-Step:
- Scan a planet and check its resource deposits.
- Land on the desired planet.
- Activate the scanning mode.
- Press “R” on PC to select “Outpost.”
- Place your beacon in the desired location.
- Now, a new menu will open where you can select various buildings and machines for construction.
- Start by building an extractor to draw water from the ground.
- Then, build a solar array to provide power to surrounding machines.
Can I personalize my outpost? You can give your outpost a personal touch by giving it a name. Simply go to the outpost beacon and interact with its side panel to rename the outpost as you wish.
Where’s the Best Place to Build an Outpost in Starfield?
One of the fundamental aspects of base building in Starfield is choosing the right planet. We’ve made several attempts until we realized…
What to Consider When Choosing a Base Location:
- Climate
- Resource deposits
- Atmosphere
- Magnetosphere
Let’s take Aluminum, for example. Aluminum is one of the crucial components for building an outpost. We need this resource for crafting various structures, machines, and equipment. So, we search the cosmos for a planet that has this resource, along with a tolerable climate, atmosphere, and water!
Worth Reading: Gas Planets in Starfield: Fans Upset because they can’t Walk on Gas
How to Quickly Acquire Resources
Scan a planet and take a close look at the resource icons in the resource tab. For building an outpost, you mainly need Aluminum and Iron. However, you should use your base for rarer elements. The resource tab mentioned above not only reveals the resources available but also their quality:
- 0 Stars: Common resource
- 1 Star: Uncommon resource
- 2 Stars: Rare resource
- 3 Stars: Legendary resource
So, if you want to get your hands on essential building blocks like Aluminum and Copper even before constructing your outpost, you can land on more hostile planets. Some of these planets have exceptionally high ore deposits that you can mine during a visit.
Alternatively, you can buy raw materials from merchants in Starfield to finance the construction of your outpost. However, this costs quite a bit of money. Especially, players who have the Dream Home trait can quickly run out of money because of the complicated mortgage.
Resources Needed for the Smallest Functional Outpost in Starfield
As you’ve learned from the first section, you start your base with a beacon, then water, and then power. Afterward, you’ll want to attract residents and workers to your outpost. Here are the minimum costs to consider:
- Beacon: Free
- Solar Array:
- 3x Copper
- 4x Aluminum
- 2x Beryllium
- Water Extractor:
- 4x Nickel
- 3x Iron
- 5x Aluminum
- Industrial Workbench:
- 4x Aluminum
- 3x Iron
- Small Habitat:
- 6x Aluminum
- 4x Lead
- 3x Sealant
- Airlock (for hostile planets):
- 3x Aluminum
- 2x Lead
- 3x Sealant
- Transfer Container:
- 8x Iron,
- 4x Lubricant,
- 5x Tungsten
- Resource Extractor (e.g., Aluminum):
- 5x Iron
- 4x Aluminum
- 2x Tungsten
So, in total, you’ll need the following resources for your outpost:
- Copper: 3x
- Aluminum: 22x
- Beryllium: 2x
- Nickel: 4x
- Iron: 10x
- Lead: 4x
- Tungsten: 7x
- Sealant: 6x
- Lubricant: 4x
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Starfield Outpost: How to Best Defend Your Outpost
Not all planets are as safe and welcoming as New Atlantis. Some planets might be inhabited by pirates or dangerous animals that threaten your outpost. Therefore, it’s advisable to build defense systems to protect your outpost. Construct auto-turrets that automatically fire at approaching enemies.
If you still have questions about “How to Build an Outpost in Starfield,” feel free to leave us a comment, reach out directly to the author on our Discord server, and join us on social media (via Linktr.ee).
