Starfield is a vast game that takes your character through over 100 levels of progression. Getting through those levels is easier if you know where to go in the Settled Systems to farm some much-needed XP.
There is no level cap in the game, so you can run through several questlines to get all the needed experience to create your perfect build. But if you’re uninterested in quests or need a quick way to gain some levels for a specific mission, here are the best ways to do it.
Best ways to farm XP in Starfield
When it comes to the best XP farming location, there are a few things to consider because there are various sources of earning XP in Starfield. As of now, these are the best ways to earn XP in the game:
- Destroying Spacer bases
- Annihilating Crimson Fleet ships
- Completing Bounty missions
- Surveying planets
- Crafting components, items, mods, meals, and chems
- Eliminating local fauna
- Completing main quests and side quests
When it comes to gaining the most XP, of these seven major methods, one of them takes the cake: taking out local fauna. Depending on the planet you go to, you will find local fauna that are immediately hostile to you. In some cases, there are fauna that aren’t hostile but once you attack them, they will fight back. We will be sticking to this method thanks to a particular location.
If you’re wondering which planet to land on to find these fauna in particular, there is one planet that stands head and shoulders above the rest. That planet lies in the level 70 star system Strix, on the eastern edge of the galaxy. In this star system, we will be landing on planet Strix I to begin our XP farming journey.
XP farming guide for Strix I
Once you land on Strix I, make sure you turn down your difficulty level to Very Easy. This might give you reduced XP, but it will also allow you to kill enemies faster with their reduced health pools, making it a more efficient process. Before you head out, make sure you prepare by doing a few things first.
- Rest: This grants you the “Well-Rested” buff that increases your XP gain for a short while. If you have a romantic partner, sleeping with them increases that XP buff even further, so it might be worthwhile to complete a companion romance quest first.
- Drink tea: But not just any tea, the Boba Alien Tea grants you increased XP gain which also stacks with the Well-Rested buff, increasing those gains even further. Alternatively, you can also drink some Tranquilitea Dynastic for additional benefits.
- Use console commands (Not recommended): For PC players, you can use certain console commands to increase your XP gain even further than normal. We don’t recommend this method because it negates the need to farm in the first place and voids any achievements going forward.
Now that you’re all set, make your way around the planet and look for a particular airborne alien creature named “Flocking Nautiloos Filterer.” These creatures fly in packs over Strix I and will not be hostile to you until you attack them. Once you do, prepare for a swarm of these creatures attacking you. They aren’t too difficult to take out, however, making this an easy farming spot.
Occasionally, you might run into level 70+ Flocking Nautiloos Filterers which will skyrocket the XP you can gain. Simply rest and repeat to respawn the creatures and do this as many times as you need to. Depending on your luck, it might only take you a few hours here to max out your character’s build. Objectively, this is the best XP farming method in Starfield that we know of so far.
As simple as this method sounds, if you want to try something different, we have you covered.
Alternate XP farming locations in Starfield
If this method sounds too monotonous and repetitive for you, there is another method that is far more interactive but will also take more time to set up. This method is the Outpost Farming method and involves setting up well-placed outposts on specific planets to make the most of your resource generation, then using the resources to craft certain items.
Yes, this method relies on using the crafting method we mentioned earlier and you will need certain resources and ideal locations to get started.
XP farming guide for Andraphon
Our first order of business involves setting up fully functioning outposts on various planets and moons to get the resources we need. Primarily, we will need Aluminum, Iron, Cobalt, and Nickel to get started. Half the resources you need can be found on Andraphon, a moon in the Narion system. Find locations by scanning the planet and dropping down outpost beacons.
Make sure you have these resources and components on hand before proceeding further. You will need these to set up your first outposts. If you don’t have them on hand, you can buy them from the UC Distribution Center in New Atlantis.
- Adaptive Frames
- Aluminum
- Beryllium
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iron
- Lubricant
- Nickel
- Tungsten
- Zero Wire
Next, set up extractors and solar panels near the needed resources and start mining them. Make sure you have a storage box set up to gather the resources. When you have enough, create an Industrial Workbench and start producing Adaptive Frames. You can create up to 99 at a time depending on your resources and watch the XP numbers fly.
We also recommend having a ship with a huge cargo hold so that you can sell the extra Adaptive Frames for credits. Now we move on to the next location.
XP farming on Raselhague II
Since you know how to set up an outpost now, make your way to Raselhague II in the Raselhague system for your second outpost. This is where we will find Cobalt and Nickel, so repeat the process and create extractors for both of them. Once you have your Industrial Workbench set up here, we will be crafting different components.
This time, we use the Cobalt and Nickel to produce Isocentered Magnets. These will give you more XP since they are a rarer component compared to Adaptive Frames, so once you have the method down, you can stick to this one instead. Repeat this as many times as you need to gain enough levels for the build you want to run.
There are other methods in Starfield that allow you to gain XP fast, but none are quite as quick as the ones mentioned above. Rest assured, we will keep you updated if we learn of quicker methods.
