Every Social Skill in Starfield

Social Skills in Starfield allow players to manipulate NPC, empower Companions, and even control Aliens!

Starfield Social Skills

Social Skills in Starfield cover a wide variety of interaction options that you utilize when interacting with the variety of characters that you will come across in your travels.

Investing skill points into the Social Skill Tree is going to increase the diversity of interactions that your character can do. These include, but aren’t limited to, buffing your Companion’s stats, bartering, increasing crew capacity, stealing, obtaining more credits while searching, and much more. 

Basic – Tier 1 Social Skills

This is where all new captains start out with Social skills. Your background may have given you some advantages, but everyone starts with the basics.

Commerce

 In the Settled Systems’ free market economy, almost anyone with the right skillset can open and run a successful business.

• Rank 1: Buy for 5% less and sell for 10% more.
• Rank 2: Buy for 10% less and sell for 15% more.
• Rank 3: Buy for 15% less and sell for 20% more.
• Rank 4: Buy for 20% less and sell for 25% more.

Gastronomy

Access to brand new worlds means access to brand new ingredients, and there is almost no limit to the delicious foods and drinks a talented chef can prepare.

• Rank 1: You can craft specialty food and drinks, and research additional recipes at a Research Station.
• Rank 2: You can research and craft gourmet food and drinks.
• Rank 3: You can research and craft food and drink delicacies.
• Rank 4: Crafting food and drinks occasionally doesn’t use up resources. You can research and craft exotic recipes.

Persuasion

In the Settled Systems, the nuanced ability to listen and discuss can often accomplish far more than simply shooting first and asking questions later.

• Rank 1: 10% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Rank 2: 20% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Rank 3: 30% increased chance of success when persuading someone.
• Rank 4: 50% increased chance of success when persuading someone.

Scavenging

There are those who can find just about anything, and their success is usually dependent on knowing how, and where, to look.

• Rank 1: There is a chance you’ll find extra credits when searching containers.
• Rank 2: There is a chance you’ll find extra ammo when searching containers.
• Rank 3: There is a chance you’ll find extra aid items, like Med Packs or chems, when searching containers.
• Rank 4: Tracked resources will get highlighted when using the hand scanner.

Theft

While not entirely honorable, and certainly not legal, it is nonetheless occasionally necessary to discreetly remove property from someone’s person.

• Rank 1: Unlock the ability to pickpocket targets.
• Rank 2: 10% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
• Rank 3: 30% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
• Rank 4: 50% greater chance to successfully pickpocket. Can now pickpocket holstered weapons.

Advanced – Tier 2 Social Skills

You must spend 4 or more points in the Social category to unlock Advanced Social Skills. 

Deception

Smuggling and piracy are both immoral and highly illegal, and considered plagues upon the Settled Systems. But certain undercover work may require a certain criminal skillset.

• Rank 1: Ships 10% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands.  Enemy contraband scans are 10% less effective.
• Rank 2: Ships 20% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands.  Enemy contraband scans are 20% less effective.
• Rank 3: Ships 30% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands.  Enemy contraband scans are 30% less effective.
• Rank 4: Ships 50% stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands.  Enemy contraband scans are 50% less effective.

Diplomacy

When a situation calls for words and not weapons, it’s best to rely on those trained in statecraft and de-escalation.

• Rank 1: You can force a target NPC at or below your level to stop fighting for a while.
• Rank 2: You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while.
• Rank 3: You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a while.
• Rank 4: You can force target NPCs to permanently stop fighting (unless they’re attacked again).

Intimidation

The ability to strike fear into an opponent, causing them to flee so that you can escape or attack first, can prove critical in a battle.

• Rank 1: You can force a target NPC at or below your level to flee for a limited time.
• Rank 2: You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than your to flee for a limited time.
• Rank 3: You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than your to flee for a limited time.
• Rank 4: Intimidated targets now flee for substantial amount of time.

Isolation

By eschewing team tactics and embracing the advantages of “lone wolf” operations, one can vastly improve their combat effectiveness.

• Rank 1: Do +10% weapon damage and gain 15 damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
• Rank 2: Do +20% weapon damage and gain 30 damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
• Rank 3: Do +30% weapon damage and gain 45 damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.
• Rank 4: Do +40% weapon damage and gain 60 damage Resistance for each Spacesuit and Helmet equipped when you don’t have a companion or any crew.

Negotiation

In certain, more challenging communciations, skillfully supplementing words with credits may help achieve the desired results.

• Rank 1: You now have access to Bribery in speech challenges.
• Rank 2: Reduces bribery cost by 25%.
• Rank 3: Reduces bribery cost by 50%.
• Rank 4: Occasionally, bribery won’t cost any money.

Expert – Tier 3 Social Skills

You must spend 8 or more points in the Social category to unlock Expert Social Skills.

 Instigation

When combat is required, it can be advantageous to convince others to do the fighting for you.

• Rank 1: You can force a target NPC at or below your level to attack their allies for a limited time.
• Rank 2: You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than your level to attack their allies for a limited time.
• Rank 3: You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than your level to attack their allies for a limited time.
• Rank 4: Enemies affected by Instigation will attack their allies until they are dead.

Leadership

Teamwork is the cornerstone of galactic survival, and nothing motivates a team more than a trained, decisive leader.

• Rank 1: Companions gain affinity 25% faster.
• Rank 2: Companions have 50 more health and 50kg more carrying capacity.
• Rank 3: Companions will occasionally heal you when you get low health.
• Rank 4: Doubles the bonuses of Combat and Phyiscal Crew Skills on Companions. Companions have a chance to pick themselves up from a downed state.

Outpost Management

While constructing an outpost offers its own challenges, properly managing that Outpost takes a special personality type, and specialized training.

• Rank 1: Additional cargo links can be placed at Outposts.
• Rank 2: Additional robots can be constructed at Outposts.
• Rank 3: Additional crew can be assigned at Outposts.
• Rank 4: Outpost extractors product twice as fast.

Master – Tier 4 Social Skills

You must spend 12 or more points in the Social category to unlock Master Social Skills. 

Manipulation

Recent studies have shown that suggestion is not an art but a science, and as such, can be weaponized to exert control over the susceptible.

• Rank 1: You can force a target NPC at or below your level to obey commands for a limited time.
• Rank 2: You can force a target NPC up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.
• Rank 3: You can force a target NPC up to 20 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.
• Rank 4: Manipulated targets now obey commands for a substatial amount of time.

Ship Command

The say a ship is only as good as its crew, but that is contingent upon that crew having the right captain to lead them.

• Rank 1: You can have up to four active crew members.
• Rank 2: You can have up to five active crew members.
• Rank 3: You can have up to six active crew members.
• Rank 4: You can have up to eight active crew members.

Xenosociology

While sentient life has yet to be discovered, the galaxy’s alien species are generally intelligent enough to be susceptible to power the suggestion.

• Rank 1: You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to stop fighting for a limited time.
• Rank 2: You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to flee for a limited time.
• Rank 3: You can force a target alien creature up to 10 levels higher than you to attack their allies for a limited time.
• Rank 4: You can force a target creature up to 10 levels higher than you to obey commands for a limited time.

What Are The Best Social Skills in Starfield?

The best Social Skills in Starfield include Isolation, Manipulation, and more. To learn more about the best skills in Starfield, check out the video or guides below.

More Guides For ESO