Starfield Thief Build

Welcome to my 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

• Thief Build Background
• Thief Build Traits
• Thief Build Skills
• Thief Build Weapon
• Thief Build Armor
• Thief Build Power
• Thief Build Companion
• How to Play the Build

Best Background for Thief Build in Starfield

The Best Background for the Thief Build is Cyber Runner! 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.

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.

Best Skills for Thief Build in Starfield

Below you can see the core skills of the 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(Novice)
• Stealth(Novice)
• Weight Lifting(Novice)
• Wellness(Novice)
• Pain Tolerance(Advanced)
• Concealment(Master)

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!

Social Skills

• Commerce(Novice)
• Scavenging(Novice)
• Theft(Novice)
• Negotiation(Advanced)
• Diplomacy(Advanced)
• Isolation(Advanced) or Leadership(Expert)
• Manipulation(Master)

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!

Science Skills

• Medicine(Novice)
• Spacesuit Design(Advanced)
• Weapon Engineering(Advanced) – Optional
• Chemistry(Expert)

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(Novice)

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!

Best Armor for Thief Build

The goal of the Build if to make money from stealing and avoid combat! Because of this you do not need to worry about wearing specific Armor that boosts certain stats or provides combat focused Perks. However you can use Armor that helps you remain undetected and steal more items from NPC! This is why the Mantis Helmet seems like a great fit for the Build! Wearing the Mantis Helmet allows you to blend with the environment while sneaking and not moving thanks to its Chameleon Perk. To maximize its efficiency with Mods you can add the following:

• First Slot – Shielding of your choice
• Second Slot – Explosive Shielding(reduces damage from explosives)
• Third Slot – Heavy Shielding(increases all damage resistance)
• Fourth Slot – Gravitic Composites(reduces detection from enemies)

For the Body you can wear any Spacesuit that offers a higher carrying capacity, so you can steal and carry more loot around!

Best Power for Thief Build in Starfield

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

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

Best Companion for Thief Build in Starfield

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:

• Sophia Grace
• Jessamine Griffin
• Adoring Fan

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

How to Play Thief Build in Starfield

A very simple Build to play that is focusing on stealing items and avoiding combat! Remain undetected and pickpocket every NPC you see. Hack locks and make a fortune from stolen items in Neon or anywhere else in Starfield. If you get caught you can choose to fight back or run and avoid combat for a pure Pacifist gameplay in Starfield!