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There are few constants in the universe, but the economy’s bound to be one of them.Starfieldtakes after plenty of its space-based sci-fi predecessors in labeling its currency ‘credits’, and as you might expect, there are myriad ways to earn credits throughout the game.
Related:Starfield: How To Level Up Quickly
Yet for all the credits you’ll earn, doubtless you’ll be spending nearly as many. Starfield is positively bursting with ways to blow your cash, from pricey guns and spacesuits to top-of-the-line ships and high-rise apartments. Even those med packs add up fast. Here’s how to ensure your income outweighs those mandatory outcomes.
Loot Cleverly
You’re going to be picking up a lot of things in Starfield. Anyone who’s played anything from Bethesda Game Studios since Morrowind isn’t going to think of this as revelatory. But you should be careful just what it is that you’re picking up, because time is money, andStarfield’s maximum carry weight restrictions can be pretty punishing.
Therefore, we recommend a golden rule to help max your credit gain when you’re back at a shop:if it weighs more than a value of two kilograms, don’t take it unless it’s worth at least 1200 credits; and if it seems like total junk, ignore it, because it probably is. Basically, don’t pick up cups and cans. But don’t grab that 8.5-kilogram spacesuit if you think it’ll sell for an unimpressive sum, either, becauseit will eat up space for more valuable things.
Remember to use your companion as a mule, and your cargo hold on your ship is also great. But there’s only so much room in either instance, so be frugal - it pays!
Commence With Commerce
Starfield’s skill tree is robust. If there’s a downside, it’s that so many of these skills are so good, and with only one skill point to spend per level-up, it can be a challenge to decide what matters most. While we’d recommend a handful of things beforehand - a rank each in Booster Pack and a weapon of your choice is a good idea -start investing in the Commerce skill fairly early on.
Commerce is one of Starfield’s most straightforward skills; each rankincreases how much you sell stuff for whilst decreasing how much you need to pay for new stuff. No twists, no deviations. But think how much you sell every time you’re back in civilization. Really think about it.If you pick up Commerce in the first few hours, you can potentially rack up millions more credits over time.
It’s Only A Crime If You’re Caught
You’ll experience it many times throughout the game if you don’t know what to do about it: you’re completing a mission, you’re scooping up all the goods after sweeping through some base filled with thugs, and you lay your eyes onsomething worth tens of thousands of creditsonly to wince when you realize why - it’s contraband.
Contraband aboard your ship gets you busted big-timeif you fly into many star systems. Needless to say, it’s confiscated, meaning you get zilch cash. But a few quick tricks will help you get these illegal goods where they need to go, so you’ll come out on top, far richer than you’d otherwise have been. We’ve got afull guideon it - heed the author’s advice to a tee!
Be Your Own Empire
Though it will take you some time to get things going,the best way to earn steady credits in Starfield is to construct outposts to mine high-selling resources. You can take on operations to deliver massive quantities of ores to places likeDeimos Shipyardsin the Sol System.
The time required for this only builds as you wait for the mining operation to become fruitful.Assign crew with outpost-related skills to expedite the process, and as you build a steadily stronger outpost - and then several more outposts! - you’ll eventually be swimming in more credits than you’ll know what to do with.
