starfield thief build
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ByArzyeL

Starfield Thief Build

The Best Thief Build for Starfield! A Build dedicated to making credits from stealing, pickpocketing and hacking locks in Starfield! The Thief Build is focusing on earning credits by illegal activities with the appropriate skills and avoiding combat. Roam around the streets of Neon or any other major hub in Starfield to make a small fortune from stealing!

Table of Contents

Best Background for Thief Build in Starfield

Backgrounds are basically starter classes in Starfield, that offer access to a set of three novice skills. Picking the right background for your build will help you become more efficient at your role early in the game. The Best Background for the Thief Build is Cyber Runner!

cyber runner starfield
Cyber Runner

Cyber Runner is the best Background for the Build, since it gives early access to skills required for stealing items and credits. Its skills are:

  • Stealth
  • Security
  • Theft

Stealth will help you remain undetected while trying to pickpocket NPC or when breaking into areas you shouldn’t! Security allows you to hack locks and steal items while Theft improves your chance to pickpocket NPC! A few more Backgrounds you can use as an alternative, that give you access to some of the skills above are:

  • Bouncer
  • Cyberneticist
  • Gangster
  • Industrialist

Best Traits for Thief Build in Starfield

Picking Traits that increase Oxygen and Health should be our priority, since there are not any that affect directly stealing, pickpocketing or hacking locks. The Neon Street Rat is a great Trait for role playing reasons, especially if you plan to steal items in Neon a lot! The Best Traits for the Thief Build are:

  • Alien DNA
  • Terra Firma
  • Introvert or Extrovert
  • Neon Street Rat
  • Any other Social Trait(Freestar Collective Settler or United Colonies Native, Raised Enlightened or Raised Universal or Serpent’s Embrace)

Alien DNA boosts Health and Oxygen but reduces the effectiveness of healing and food items. Terra Firma will boost your Health and Oxygen when on the ground. Extrovert boosts Oxygen when adventuring with Companions while Introvert boosts Oxygen when adventuring alone.

Theft Skill

Best Skills for Thief Build in Starfield

Skills are the core of our Thief Build in Starfield! Starfield Skills offer all kind of benefits and can make or break your Build. While we do get access to three Novice Skills with our background, there are a few more we can take to make it truly efficient. The Core skills of the Build are:

  • Stealth
  • Theft
  • Security

These are all the skills you should take for an effective Thief Build in Starfield!

Physical Skills

Fitness increases Oxygen, allowing to take more actions and sprint for more. Weight Lifting allows you to carry more loot while Wellness improves your survivability by increasing your Health. Pain Tolerance will reduce physical damage taken if you get caught. Stealth is an important skill if you wish to move undetected, stealing items and pickpocketing NPC. Concealment boosts Stealth’s capabilities, offering better options!

Commerce Skill

Social Skills

The Social skill line has several skills that a successful Thief Build can utilize well! Commerce will help you make credits in Starfield by selling all your loot while Scavenging will increase the chance to find more credits and items. Theft is an important skill for the Build, that allows you to pickpocket NPC. When things go South, Negotiation, Diplomacy and Manipulation can help! Negotiation reduces the cost of bribing the authorities while Diplomacy can force a target to stop attacking you. Manipulation can force a target to obey your orders! Finally pick Isolation or Leadership depending on whether you want to have Companions with you or not. Isolation increases your defense while Leadership increases Companions’ effectiveness.

Combat Skills

  • None Necessary

The Build is not focusing on combat so there is no reason to pick a specific Combat skill. However you can pick any combat skill you like, if you wish to defend yourself better or want to also explore with your Thief Build!

Medicine Skill

Science Skills

Medicine will keep you alive when under attack while Spacesuit Design will allow you to build better Spacesuit Mods to protect yourself. With Chemistry you can create chems to boost your character. You can also unlock Weapon Engineering to craft better Weapon Mods but that is optional(only if you are using non-melee weapons).

Tech Skills

Security is a core skill of the Build that allows you to hack locks on safes and crates and steal the items inside. You can unlock and use any other skill in the game to enrich the build and make it more personal!

Best Weapon for Thief Build in Starfield

The Build is not focusing on combat so there is no need to pick a Weapon for stealing items! You can however choose a Weapon of your Choice, Ballistic or Energy Based, a Melee weapon or even fight Unarmed! If you choose to play without a Weapon, you can basically use this Build as a Pacifist Build in Starfield! If you wish to learn more about Weapons, you can read my Starfield Weapons Guide!

Best Power for Thief Build in Starfield

Powers are unique abilities you can unlock by advancing the main quest line and completing the “Into the Unknown” main mission. Powers offer unique effects to your character and can complement your Build. The Best Power for the Thief Build is Phased Time! A Power that stops time and can help you steal items or escape! A few more powers you can use are:

  • Void Form
  • Reactive Shield
  • Creator’s Peace
  • Grav Dash
  • Precognition

If you wish to learn more about Powers, you can read my Starfield Powers Guide!

Best Companion for Thief Build in Starfield

Companions in Starfield come with their own unique skills that can assist your character and further complement your Build! Not all Companions are good for every role and type of gameplay. Picking the right Companion with the right skills will help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently. The Best Companion for the Thief Build is Andreja. Andreja can follow around with her Stealth Skill and assist in combat with Particle Beams, if necessary! Other good Companions you can use with the Build are:

If you wish to learn more details about all available Companions, you can read my Starfield Companions Guide!

More Starfield Builds

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