Starfield Guide – Where to Find the Best Ships?

Starfield is a game of many things, from exploration and discovery to combat and mining. Of course, it’s also about the spaceships necessary for traversing the Settled Systems. Even if the abundance of loading screens as you go from planet to planet and system to system makes them seem redundant, spaceships are very important. They can handle numerous tasks, from smuggling and space combat to storing resources.

You can build spaceships, but there are plenty of great premade ships. Check out their locations and how to get them. Spoilers follow, so beware.

The Best Ships and Where to Find Them

Razorleaf

You must receive the “Secret Outpost!” datapad, given randomly while exploring (though it’s reportedly found after finishing One Small Step on Kreet). After you get the side quest “Mantis”, go complete it.

Venture to the Denebola system and locate the The Lair of the Mantis on Denebola I-b. After slaying enough enemies, you meet an NPC named Livvey, who talks about a puzzle. Long story short, the solution is TYRANNIS, but you have to walk on the letters on the floor to input it. Get a single one wrong, and the surrounding turrets will kill you. Do that, defeat some more enemies, and you get the Mantis suit and the Razorleaf.

The Razorleaf is a Class A ship with a capacity for two crew members. It can jump 16 Light-years and has a shield of 468. Despite not having any Ballistic weapons (you can install those later), it has 36 Missile strength and 16 Particle Beam strength. Perhaps the best part is the 462 cargo capacity, which includes a shielded cargo hold for up to 160 kg of contraband. It doesn’t bypass planetary scans entirely, but still helps. Head here for more details on smuggling contraband throughout the Settled Systems.

Star Eagle

Another Class A ship, the Star Eagle, is obtained by joining the Freestar Collective. Head to Akila City on Akila and speak to Marshall Daniel Blake. You receive the quest Job Gone Wrong, which involves defusing a bank robbery. Once done, you’re on the path to joining the Collective and becoming a Ranger. Earn their approval by finishing enough quests, and you receive the Star Eagle after making an important decision.

The Star Eagle packs a punch in space combat and has 2736 cargo capacity. It can seat five crew members, jumps 18 Light-years and has a whopping 180 Missile strength. Its EM strength is 2, while the Laser strength is 18, but at least you have a 912 Shield for defense. Just be warned that rival factions will attack if they spot you, but at least that saves the trouble of finding them first.

Shieldbreaker

You can buy the Shieldbreaker from the Ship Services Technician on New Atlantis on Jemison in the Alpha Centauri system. It’s a Class B ship with 58 Missile strength, 28 Ballistic strength and 24 Laser strength (which also automatically attacks hostile targets). There’s also a 610 shield for tanking with lots of damage. Of course, being able to jump 22 Light-years, seat five crew members and store up to 2280 cargo is also good, though you need to invest in a separate shielded cargo hold.

The catch? It costs a whopping 265,443 Credits, so if you only follow the main story quests, that may be out of your reach. Don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to earn Credits in Starfield. Check out our guide for more details.

Narwhal

Considered one of the best ships in the game, the Narwhal is a Class C ship that can be purchased from Taiyo Astroneering in Neon on Volii in the Volii System. It costs a whopping 432,620 credits but more than warrants the price. It seats up to seven crew members and can jump 30 Light-years. It also has a 995 Shield, 1760 cargo capacity, 114 Ballistic weapon strength, 82 Missile strength and 24 Laser strength.

If you want the best ship for all your needs, whether combat or transporting cargo, nothing compares to the Narwhal.

Abyss Trekker

As a Class C ship purchased from the Ship Services Technician in Paradiso on Porrima II in the Porrima system for 347,230 Credits, the Abyss Trekker is a top-tier combat option. It has a crew capacity of six and can jump 25 Light-years, but its weapons are the main draw with 162 Ballistic weapon strength, 96 Missle strength and 38 Particle Beam strength. Coupled with a 1031 Hull and 850 Shield, best suited for long space combat engagements, it will often come out on top. The only drawback is its cargo capacity, which is a measly 340.

Honorable Mention: Starborn Guardian

The Starborn Guardian is a Class A ship acquired by completing a playthrough and choosing the New Game Plus option (head here for more details but be warned of spoilers). It’s given for free at the beginning and has a crew capacity of five. Its Laser strength is 24 while Missile strength is 70.

The 950 cargo capacity and 30 Light-year jump distance make it ideal for early goods transportation, and thanks to the 630 Shield, it can hold its own in a fight. While not necessarily the best ship in the game, it offers a big boost when starting a new playthrough.

Starfield is available for Xbox Series X/S and PC and is playable on Game Pass. Check out our review here and additional tips and tricks here.