Summary
- Building Outposts in Starfield allows players to mine important resources for ship upgrades and adds crew assignments, but it requires a significant investment in building materials.
- When choosing a planet for an Outpost, consider the types of resources it contains and the climate. Planets with rich resources and manageable climates are ideal locations.
- While finding stable, habitable planets in Starfield is challenging, there are a few planets in the starting star systems with stable environments and colorful flora and fauna.
One of the amazing things about the epic space exploration game Outposts also increase the number of assignments for the crew, so they aren't limited to just being on the ship. However, the initial investment in an Outpost isn't a cheap one and requires specific building materials and resources to start. Things like Solar Arrays, Water Vapor Extractors, and Science Habs all come with a hefty cost, so planning is important.
Luckily, when searching for the right planet to start an Outpost in Starfield, there are a few key factors to keep in mind, the most important of those being the types of resources the planet contains and the climate on the planet. Resource gathering is one of the primary purposes of constructing an Outpost, and planets with rich resources required in crafting or research should be considered. Climate should also be considered, as more harsh climates will require higher-level spacesuits to sustain outside the walls of the Outpost. Later in the game, there's a good chance Outpost construction will be done specifically for key resources.
5 Jemison (Alpha Centauri System)
Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's hard to find a stable, habitable planet—even in the early game of Starfield. Many planets either have very harsh weather conditions or can't sustain life at all, making the task of finding an Outpost a surprisingly hard one early on. However, if you're looking for the most beautiful planet, Jemison in the starting Alpha Centauri System is the way to go. There's a reason why New Atlantis is located on the planet, and it's a good starting point for most people's journeys by providing a variety of biome choices.
While the planet itself has a limited variety of natural resources, it does have a nice variety of colorful flora and fauna that can be explored, as well as a stable environment that enables players to be outside of their space suit when outside of the walls of their Outpost. Ultimately, it serves as a nice place to get started with understanding the mechanics of Outpost building and resource gathering.
4 Volii Epsilon (Volii System)
Volii Epsilon is a mineral-rich planet in the Volii System that boasts seven different resources that can be mined. While Volii Epsilon wouldn't be the first thought in Outpost location selection due to its intense solar radiation, its variety of resources still makes it a worthwhile location.
Though the water is Chemical based, it has other things going for it and contains the resources Lead and Copper, as well as Chlorosilanes, Ionic Liquids, and Fluorine. When considering Outpost placement, it's smart to place the Outpost in areas surrounded by a variety of resources, making mining expeditions easier if planning on going it on foot in the early game.
3 Porrima IV-D (Porrima System)
Porrima IV-d is actually not a planet at all, but rather a moon of Porrima IV, a gas giant planet located in the Porrima system. While the location isn't exactly ideal, with high levels of environmental radiation, the unique resources that can be harvested there make the planetary trip well worth it. Interestingly enough, the planet that it orbits, Porrima II, while impressive in size, is not actually a habitable planet, leaving its moons as the only options for Outposts.
Notably, the planet contains Uranium, Lead, Nickel, and Argon and harder-to-find resources like Neon, Plutonium, and Carboxylic Acids. In addition, the surface of Porrima IV-d is also pretty impressive, boasting a pink and purple surface due to the environmental effects on the planet.
2 Nesoi (Olympus System)
If looking for resources like Iron, Uranium, or Argon, the Nesoi planet in the Olympus star system is the perfect place to set up the next Outpost. With its moderate climate and plentiful resources, this Rock planet has even more types of resources than the basic ones, including Carboxylic Acids, Tantalum, Benzene, and Iridium.
Unlike other planets that might have toxic or radiated environments, Nesoi has an atmosphere that provides a good environment when outside of the walls of the actual Outpost. Though it might get a bit chilly on its frost-capped mountain ranges, the planet itself is a good place to start in the early game if investing in resource collection.
1 Procyon III (Procyon A System)
Procyon III in the Procyon A System is quite the strange planet. While it would appear to be a lush, beautiful habitat, the temperature is actually quite cold, and it contains chemical water. What Procyon lacks in actual habitability; however, it makes up in droves by possessing rare resources that can be mined from the planet's crust. Add to this the proximity to some of the lower-level star systems like Alpha Centauri, and this is one spot that deserves more investigation a bit earlier in the game.
In addition to Copper, Argon, and Flourine, the planet is in possession of rarer resources like Neon, Ionic Liquids, and Tetraflourides. It also has a moderate variety of both fauna and flora that can be discovered and analyzed.
Ultimately, picking a choice location for Outposts in Starfield is actually a bit harder than you'd think. Rather unsurprisingly, the perfect conditions that sustain life on Earth are actually more rare when speaking about the rest of the universe and different star systems. The perfect confluence of factors must all align for the planet to even sustain life. Even then, there are environmental hazards and other factors that may not make it the most desirable place to set up shop. There are still hundreds of different star systems and planets that have yet to be explored, so the sky is the limit on the different places one could start an Outpost in Starfield.
