Starfield Social Skill Tree explained: all skills and ranks

Starfield is finally here after years of hype, and the game’s skill system is just as vast as the universe it’s set in. Both can be explored for hours and hours on end, but only one really SHOULD be (unless you’re one of those players that enjoys spending half your session in menus. Personally, I am).

There are five different skill trees into which you can dump your points earned upon leveling up in Starfield, and each tree has four ranks of three to five skills—each with up to four tiers of that skill. So yeah, there’s a lot. The Social skill tree isn’t as immediately obvious in its benefits as, say, the Combat tree, but it can be every bit as beneficial to your character’s strength in and out of combat.

Starfield: Social skill tree explained

If you’re new to Bethesda games, you might be a little uncertain as to exactly how the Social tree actually affects your character. If you’re experienced with Fallout, you probably know a little bit more about what to expect as it does follow the Bethesda formula for the most part, only the formula is even more developed in Starfield.

The Social skill tree enhances your options with followers, vendors, and NPCs (both friendly and hostile). It also can allow you to allocate more workers to outposts, leading to greater production yield, and can increase the number of companions you can have aboard your ship as crew members. For this reason, Social does not just dictate dialogue and prices; it actually can have a very tangible effect on most areas of the game. If you like diving into settlement building and expansion, you’ll certainly want to put some skill points into this tree.

Starfield: Social skills and ranks explained

The Social tree, like all Skill trees in Starfield, has four tiers: Basic, Advanced, Expert, and Master. To move up a tier (from basic to advanced, for example), you must put four skill points into the previous tier(s). This can be in four separate skills or all in one skill to reach higher ranks of that skill.

Ranking up a skill isn’t as simple as spending another skill point, though. Before you’re able to move up a rank in a skill, you must complete a unique challenge associated with that skill. For example, the Commerce skill improves your buying and selling prices at first rank. Before you can acquire the second rank of Commerce, you must buy or sell 25 unique items. Challenge progress is tracked within the skill menu by hovering over a skill. Completing the challenge doesn’t automatically grant the next rank, it just unlocks the option: you will still have to spend another skill point.

Basic Social skills

This is the starter tier and doesn’t have any prerequisites. Obviously, there aren’t many game-changing skills available in this tier, but there are some great options for quality of life. This is also how you’ll unlock the ability to pick pockets—a staple of Bethesda games.

• Commerce—at rank one, Commerce decreases purchase prices by 5 percent and and sale prices by 10 percent. There are four ranks of this skill, each increasing by these same values until 20 percent price reduction: 25 sale increase is reached at the fourth rank. You must sell 25 unique items before rank two is available, and this number also increases per rank.
• Gastronomy—At rank one, allows you to craft specialty food and research additional recipes at Research Labs. At second rank, gourmet recipes become available. At the third rank, delicacies become available, and at the fourth rank, exotic recipes become available, and there is a chance that crafting food or drinks won’t consume resources. You must craft five food or drink items before you can rank this skill up.
• Persuasion—at rank one, your chance of succeeding in Persuasion is 10 percent better. This increases by 10 percent per rank, and by 20 percent at rank four (for a total of 50 percent). You must succeed in three speech challenges before you can increase your Persuasion rank.
• Scavenging—At rank one, you have a chance to find extra credits in loot containers. At the second rank, you might find extra ammo, at the third rank, extra aid items, and at the fourth rank, you can track chosen resources to be highlighted when using the hand scanner. You must loot 25 containers before you can rank up in this skill.
• Theft—This skill unlocks the ability to pickpocket NPCs. Subsequent ranks increase your chances of success by 10 percent at rank two, 30 percent at rank three, and 50 percent at rank four. You must pickpocket five times to unlock rank two of Theft.

Advanced Social skills

This tier is where some of the minor game-changing skills come into play, as you’ll start unlocking things that will give you new options and available playstyles (you can be a pirate now!).

• Deception—ships 10 percent stronger will automatically surrender to piracy demands. Enemy contraband scans are 10 percent less effective. These percentages increase with each rank, for a maximum of 50 percent at rank four. You must convince five ships to surrender for looting to unlock rank two of this skill.

• Diplomacy—Unlocks the ability to force an NPC of equal or lower level to stop fighting. At the second rank, you can use this on enemies 10 levels higher than you, 20 levels at rank three, and at rank four, the ceasefire is permanent. You must use Diplomacy five times before you can advance to second rank.

• Intimidation—Force a target at or below your level to flee for a brief period. The second rank allows you to intimidate targets 10 levels higher, the third rank allows 20 levels higher, and the fourth rank greatly increases the fleeing duration. You must intimidate five people before the second rank is available.

• Isolation—At first rank, you gain 10 percent bonus damage and 15 additional damage resistance for each Spacesuit/Helmet equipped when you are not accompanied by a companion or crew member. Bonuses increase linearly per rank (40 percent damage increase/60 damage resistance at rank four). Kill 20 enemies while alone to access rank two.

• Negotiation—Unlocks the ability to use Bribery in dialogue. At the second rank, bribes cost 25 percent less, 50 percent at the third rank, and the fourth rank means that “bribes” will sometimes be free. You must use Bribery three times before you can advance ranks.

Expert Social skills

We’re getting into silver-tongued devil territory here, as you’ll be able to turn NPCs against their allies and charm your companions significantly faster. This is also the stage where your charisma can begin fueling your resource development.

• Instigation—Unlocks the ability to force an NPC at or below your level to become hostile towards their allies for a brief time. You can use this on enemies 10 levels higher at the second rank and 20 levels at third. At fourth rank, they are hostile until they or their allies are dead. You must use Instigate five times before you can unlock rank two.
• Leadership—Companions gain affinity (think of this as a romance meter) 25 percent faster. At second rank, they have 50 additional health and 50kg additional carrying capacity. At third rank, they will sometimes heal you in combat. At fourth rank, all of your bonuses from Physical/Combat skills are doubled on your companions, and then sometimes can revive themselves during a fight. You must sprint for 1000 meters to increase your rank of Leadership.
• Outpost Management—At first rank, you can place additional cargo links on outposts. At the second rank, you can construct additional robots, at the third rank, you can assign additional crew, and at the fourth rank, extractors produce twice as quickly. You must build/construct/assign respective categories six times before you can advance ranks.

Master Social skills

We’re at the crème de la crème now, and the nest of one of the most sought-after skills in Starfield—the ability to increase your crew size on ships.

• Manipulation—Force a target NPC of equal or lower level to fight for you for a brief time. It can be used on NPCs 10 levels higher at the second rank, 20 levels higher at the third rank, and lasts significantly longer at the fourth rank. You must Manipulate five different people before you can move up a rank.
• Ship Command—Doubles your crew size from two to four. At second rank you have a crew of five, six at third rank, and eight at rank four. You must destroy or board five different ships alongside a crew to rank up.
• Xenosociology—Force a target creature up to 10 levels higher than you to become non-hostile. At the second rank, you can make the target flee, at the third rank, you can make it attack its allies, and at the fourth rank, you can command it like you would a follower. You must use the relevant ability to each rank 15 times before you can advance ranks.