11 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in Starfield

It can be hard to know what exactly you should be doing in Starfield. That's because the game really throws you into a universe with a million decisions you have to make on your own. After hours of gameplay, I found that there are some things best avoided by players. So what are they?

11 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Playing Starfield

Mistakes won't make or break your gameplay; there's little you can do to truly mess up your save file (as long as you avoid getting caught stealing, for example), but you may miss opportunities or slow down your progress. Here are the mistakes you should avoid!

One - Selling Useful Items

There are certain items you really don't want to sell in Starfield, especially med packs and digipicks. Their monetary value simply isn't equal to the utility they provide. Other medications (trauma packs, injectors, etc.) also fall in this category unless you have a major surplus.

Two - Not Being Thoughtful About Skills

Skill building may seem like an activity in Starfield that you just do as you go, but this is not the case if you're looking to get the most out of your skills. Instead of choosing your skills separately each time, consider having a game plan in mind.

You don't need to plan every step of your skill choices, but take some time when you first load into Starfield to familiarize yourself with the skills available. From there, you'll have more structured and useful enhancements through your gameplay.

Three - Ignoring the Research Lab

The Research Lab is an essential tool for improving your food, weapons, spacesuit, and pharmaceuticals. Think of it as a way to give yourself more access to the other workbenches in Starfield. If you neglect to care for or use the Research Lab, you will have a much harder time improving yourself! Make sure to check in on it often to add necessary materials.

Related: How to Add Components to Ships in Starfield

Four - Not Saving Before Important Decisions

While Starfield does have autosave, you shouldn't rely on this tool entirely. Instead, you should be cognizant about times in which saving beforehand would be advantageous to you. Doing this will make mistakes less crippling if you can simply load your last save to go back and fix it.

Five - Missing Chances for Romance

This technically isn't a big deal if you aren't big on romance in Starfield, but it should be a consideration for those who enjoy romances in their RPGs. If you skip an opportunity to flirt with Barrett, Sarah, Andreja, or Sam, you'll get a chance again, but it may not be for a long time. So if you're in a hurry to have a romance in Starfield, don't wait!

Six - Not Using Enhance!

You don't have to use Enhance!, the chain of appearance-changing stores in Starfield. But if you really don't like your name or image, don't hesitate to use the service! Unlike other games, changing your appearance and name in Starfield is simple and easy. Just go to one of the many Enhance! locations and pay just 500 Credits to instantly alter your looks.

Seven - Neglecting to Learn Space Combat

While you'll get a bit of experience with space combat via quests in Starfield, it's not nearly enough for a player to go from beginner to expert. If you want to excel at spaceship fighting, try going to the UC Vanguard and using their flight simulation tools. You can also try practicing out in the field, given you save often beforehand.

Related: Starfield Neon location, map, and points of interest

Eight - Ignoring Legendary Weapons, Suits, and Packs

While you may find some equipment that has some great damage without legendary status, just know that finding items at a higher rarity can be even more useful. Pay attention to the base stats of weapons, space suits, packs, and helmets. Improving these items will make you much more powerful in the end.

Nine - Not Using Your Ship & Companions for Weight

Weight can really become a problem, especially in Starfield's early game. Some players may forget that they aren't the only ones who have to deal with the burden, though! The best way to manage your carry weight in Starfield is to use your companion, ship crew, and your ship storage to offload some of your items.

You can even store items at The Lodge if you want, though this makes them less portable (but you can fast travel there easily enough). Additionally, leveling up the weight skill and storing items at outposts will make for more long-term weight solutions as you progress in Starfield.

Ten - Giving Your Companion Too Much Ammo

There's a little secret when it comes to ammo in Bethesda games, and Starfield is no exception to this. As long as your companion has the appropriate weapon to match their ammo, they will only need one round of that ammunition. With only one round, they can endlessly shoot that gun as a sort of "unlimited" ammunition hack.

Don't make the mistake of giving valuable rounds you could use for yourself when your companion will only need one. Some Starfield players will even find it beneficial to give a companion one round of every ammunition type. With this method, you can just trade out whatever weapon you want for your companion with no fuss.

Eleven - Not Having Fun

A tip reminding you to have fun in Starfield may sound silly, but I promise this is an issue for some players. Don't let fears of optimizing your character cause you to stop enjoying Starfield as a game. Getting too caught up in gameplay perfectionism can really drain your enjoyment, so be wary of this possible issue!

Want to read more about Starfield? If so, check out Why Inventory Management in Starfield Sucks (& How To Make It Better) on Pro Game Guides.