The Best Ships in Starfield

The long-awaited “Skyrim in space,” as Todd Howard himself called it, has finally been released. The new sci-fi RPG from Bethesda Game Studios gives you plenty to do in the game, but perhaps one of the most critical elements of the game is your spaceship fleet. The spaceships are your means of transportation and storage, acting as home among the stars. And luckily, there are plenty of ships to choose from.

But as with everything that offers plenty of choices, you may wonder which ship is the best. This article will overview some of the best ships in the game to give you a head start.

Razorleaf

Razorleaf is an excellent early-game class A ship. Its cargo can hold up to 420 units (the game simply uses Cargo to refer to a part’s capacity, which may get confusing) of loot and other things you come across during your gameplay. This isn’t the most of the starter ships, but is fairly solid.

That’s especially true when you consider that this ship can hold a ton more fuel than the Frontier, so you can go further without needing to refuel as often. Its hull protection is also much higher – good for space battle encounters. It also has a shielded cargo hold with a capacity of 160, so you can keep some of your stolen loot hidden away.

To get this ship, play the game as you normally would and find a note titled “Secret Outpost” as a random drop. Follow the clues to find a secret outpost on Denebola I-b. Once you find it, you’ll start a quest called “Mantis.” Complete this quest, and you’ll get the Razorleaf as a reward.

• How to get: Complete the “Mantis” side quest
• Price: Free

Silent Runner

The Silent Runner’s main selling point is its impressive carrying capacity of 6,060 points. This ship is particularly suitable for players who like to carry around a ton of cargo. This is why many players have labeled this ship a “space truck.”

The ability to carry five extra crew members and a shield score of 975 are also respectable features of the Silent Runner. However, it’s not necessarily a ship for those who always like to go all-guns-blazing since it only has two filled weapons slots with limited upgrade options. Its massive capacity does come with another drawback, which is a relatively low (although upgradeable) fuel capacity.

• How to get: Purchase at Hopetown HQ
• Price: 390,000 credits

Stronghold

The Stronghold is pretty much what the name suggests. Its shields are impressive at 1,600 points, and its cargo is not to be overlooked at 2,360. Some ships (such as the aforementioned Silent Runner) can carry much more, but the Stronghold will keep you protected in a space battle for much longer.

It’s not the cheapest ship in the game by far, but for what it’s worth, your credits will be well-spent in the late game. But keep in mind that much like its name implies, the mighty Stronghold isn’t the nimblest of the ships in the game.

• How to get: Purchase in Akilia City
• Price: 400k credits

Vanquisher

The Vanquisher is a Class C ship that delivers pretty amazing stats for the price. It has impressive weapon stats in all categories and the capacity for up to six crew members. Its shields register at almost 1,000, plus 4,000 cargo space, minus shield cargo, of course.

With a jump range of 29 LY, this is one of the best Class Cs out there. However, although its weapons are quite powerful already, you may want to upgrade the weapons systems to get the most out of this pre-built ship.

• How to get: Purchase at Stroud-Eklund Showroom in Neon
• Price: 335k credits

The Abyss Trekker

The strength of the Abyss Trekker lies not in any one feature but rather in being a jack-of-all-trades of ships. It may not have the highest cargo capacity, but that’s easy to make up for with a few upgrades.

Similarly, although it’s neither the fastest nor largest ship out there, it moves decently quickly and is large enough for most endeavors. This ship’s prowess in combat makes it shine: it can take out enemy vessels faster than many rivals with the base weapon parts. It’ll be hard to customize a ship that will perform like the Abyss Trekker, making it an exceptional purchase.

• To get: Purchase in Paradiso
• Price: 365k credits

Narwhal

Many players consider Narwhal to be one of the top-tier vessels in Starfield. The cost is hefty, but you get what you pay for a ballistic rating of 114, an impressive 82 missiles, and a decent 2,000+ hull points. The shield strength is nearly 1,000, so it’s a heavy-duty ship that can shrug off battles. It can accommodate up to seven crew members and has a range of 30 LY.

The one downside is its cargo capacity, which is only 1,760—not as much as other high-end ships; however, you could upgrade it to somewhat get around this limitation if you feel it’s holding you back.

• To get: Purchase at Taiyo Astroengineering in Ryuji Tower on Neon
• Price: 430k credits

Starborn Guardian

The Starborn Guardian isn’t a perfect ship, and the main downside is that you can only get it after you’ve completed the main story and started New Game+. This ship is a reward for beating the game and starting over at a higher difficulty, and it will make that difficulty more bearable and enjoyable.

You might wonder why should you go through all of that trouble for a ship. The Starborn Guardian has plenty of perks: it performs great in combat, comes with shielded cargo, is highly maneuverable, provides acceptable crew capacity, and is fantastic for traveling between star systems. As an all-rounder ship, Starborn Guardian may not be top-notch at anything, but those who know how to speedrun through the story will find it quite rewarding.

Unlike other ships, the Starborn Guardian can only be upgraded by completing the game, with each New Game+ improving its stats, for up to six upgrades total.

• To get: Start a New Game+
• Price: Free

Your Own Ship

There are many pre-built ships in “Starfield,” and they all have their ups and downs. Depending on your playstyle, one ship may serve you better than another, and your favorite pre-built ship will differ from another player’s.

These ships are especially convenient in the early game, as quest rewards, or when you’d rather not mess about with crafting and customization too much. Every player will get to use at least one or two pre-made ships in their playthroughs.

And yet, one of the game’s most outstanding features is its ship-building mechanic. You can think of it as a much-improved version of the outpost-building mechanic in “Fallout 4.” This time, instead of upgrading the base, you can create and customize your own vessel to fit your playstyle and expectations for what matters the most in a spaceship for you.

With spaceships, the journey matters just as much as the destination, and ship customization is this journey. That’s why, as you play the game, you may find that building your own ship may be more rewarding than purchasing pre-made ones. Space exploration can be that much more immersive if you invest in upgrades, tweaking your ship, and personalizing it.

All Aboard

The best ship isn’t just about firepower or speed. It’s about finding the right balance that suits your playstyle. Many ships are out there in the universe of “Starfield” waiting to be discovered, purchased, earned, stolen, or created, but it’s on you to find the one that “clicks” with you and your gameplay.

Do you have a favorite ship in “Starfield”? Have you discovered any hidden ship gems? Drop a comment and share your spacefaring thoughts.