Mastering Ship Battles in Starfield: The Importance of Ship Parts

Politics, News Sept. 10, 2023, 9 a.m.

In Starfield, ship battles are pivotal. Always keep Ship Parts on hand for in-battle repairs. Buy from vendors or find them through combat. Technicians offer costly off-battle repairs.

In Starfield, ship battles are a crucial element of the gameplay experience. No matter how skilled you are, there will come a time when you find yourself engaged in intense battles that will put your ship to the test. During these encounters, the ability to repair your ship can give you a significant advantage, and Ship Parts are the key to achieving that.

In my ten hours of gameplay, I learned the hard way the importance of having an ample supply of Ship Parts in Starfield. Numerous adversaries pushed me to the brink, making me realize the necessity of checking vendors for Ship Parts whenever I visit them. If you're a less-than-graceful pilot like me, it's advisable to embark on your journeys with a well-stocked inventory of Ship Parts.

In Starfield, you have the option to purchase Ship Parts from four distinct vendors. While it's possible that other vendors may carry Ship Parts in their inventory, I can only confirm the availability of these four based on my current progress.

If you happen to be low on credits, you can prioritize acquiring Ship Parts for free within Starfield. Several methods exist for this purpose, but most of them require effort, typically involving engaging in ship battles.

During space battles in Starfield, your ship's structural hull will sustain damage once its shields are depleted. When the hull reaches zero, it's game over. To safeguard your ship's hull, it's imperative to keep your shields powered up during combat.

In those dire situations where you must utilize Ship Parts to heal your ship in Starfield, the game will provide a visual notification on your HUD. You'll be prompted to press 'O' on PC or the right thumbstick on Xbox to use Ship Parts. Obviously, if you've run out of Ship Parts, you won't be able to perform on-the-fly repairs.

Alternatively, when you find yourself out of combat, you can seek out a Ship Services Technician in a major city or outpost. They offer ship repairs for a fee. During my travels, I unexpectedly encountered one while exploring Pluto, and he offered to fix my ship for 1,100 credits. While it might be a substantial expense, it's a convenient solution if you find yourself without Ship Parts and in need of a quick ship repair early in the game.