Starfield Cargo Secrets: Upgrading Ship Cargo Without Skill Points
Many Starfield players, like a Redditor who have have found themselves in a frustrating situation – their Starfield cargo is full, but they need more skill points to upgrade to larger reactor classes that support more cargo. This leads to an endless loop of having to take on more missions just to gain experience and level up, when all you really want is more cargo capacity.
Table of Contents
The Core Issue
In Starfield, your ship’s reactor class limits the modules you can install, including cargo capacity. To upgrade reactor class, you need to invest skill points in the Piloting skill tree. However, early on you may not have enough points available to upgrade right away.
This creates a catch where you need more cargo to progress side missions and explore, but to get more cargo you need skill points from completing those very missions. It can feel like an endless unrewarding grind just to carry more loot.
Workarounds Without Skill Points
Thankfully there are a few workarounds to increase cargo without advancing reactor class, at least temporarily:
Fortunately, there are a few secrets to upgrading cargo without investing in skill points. Here’s how to do it:
Use Class A Cargo Modules
The key is to utilize Class A cargo modules. These can be purchased at shipyards and from technicians in major cities like New Atlantis. Look for modules categorized under “Cargo” – you’ll see some listed as Class A with various cargo capacity numbers.
Class A modules are compatible with your starter ship’s reactor, so focus on purchasing and installing these first. They can be found at shipyards and from technicians in major cities. Save money from selling excess loot and missions to afford them.
Check the ship builder UI for available Class A cargo modules and how many slots you have to install them. You can potentially double or triple cargo depending on ship and layout.
Equip these modules on your existing ship to immediately boost its cargo without needing a better reactor class. A Redditor mentions adding 6 Class A cargo modules to get their cargo capacity up to around 2300.
The ship builder menu shows you all compatible modules for your ship’s current reactor class. So focus on the Class A cargo sections to expand space.
Max Out Landing Gear
One issue with adding lots of cargo modules is you may exceed the ship’s landing capacity. As a Redditor suggested, you’ll need to upgrade landing gear as well to handle the extra weight.
The ship builder menu warns you when modules exceed landing capacity. So be sure to max out landing gear modules too if you want to stack on the cargo.
Quest for Better Ships
Some quests reward large ships ideal for cargo hauling, without needing reactor upgrades. For example, a Redditor mentions completing a quest that awarded the Razorleaf ship, which they upgraded to 3300 capacity with a Class A reactor.
Keep an eye out for quests that reward ships. Even basic ones probably have more cargo potential than your starter ship if you utilize Class A cargo modules. The ship builder menu lets you see the base stats and capacities to help decide if it’s worth switching over.
Buy Ships That Support More Cargo
Instead of upgrading your starter ship, you can always buy a new one that supports more cargo capacity right from the start. Look for ships with reactor classes B or C to allow fitting higher tier cargo modules.
Save up credits from missions and sales to purchase new ships from maintenance posts and technicians. A good upgraded starter ship might run 40,000-60,000 credits.
Level Up Piloting Skill
If you do want to upgrade reactor class, you will need to invest some points in the Piloting skill. But there are quick ways to grind Piloting XP:
- Destroy pirate ships in space encounters.
- Use the piloting simulator at the UC Vanguard base.
As a Redditor mentions, every simulated kill counts as Piloting XP. So grind out levels there if you don’t want to risk real combat.
You need to destroy 5/15/30 ships to unlock access to use Class B and C reactors. It’s still worth working up at least to Class B access since it opens up more cargo possibilities.
Focus on Main/Side Missions
An easy source of XP for levels is completing main story and side missions. Since you’ll be visiting new locations anyway, take time to loot and sell everything to earn credits for upgrades too.
Don’t worry about collecting everything in an area before moving the story along. Let natural progression through missions increase your experience, wealth, and options.
The key takeaways for upgrading cargo capacity without skill points are:
- Use affordable Class A modules
- Upgrade landing gear to match
- Take quest rewards for new ships
- Buy starter ships with better reactors
- Level up Piloting carefully
- Focus on missions for income
With smart upgrades using credits earned naturally through early missions and sales, you can boost cargo quickly without derailing your skill plans. Use Class A modules first, then work up gradually to better reactor access as needed.
Keep an eye on ship rewards and purchases to move up to vessels that support more cargo out of the box. Selling unused loot can fund these ship upgrades.
Lastly, don’t over-invest early skill points into Piloting only for reactors. Level it steadily through combat or the simulator while relying on cargo modules and new ships in the meantime.
Final Thoughts
With these tips, you can break the frustrating cargo limitation loop and keep exploring the Starfield at your own pace. Keep an eye on capacity and upgrade options, and you’ll be hauling heaps of loot in no time!
Expanding cargo feels mandatory early on in order to progress in Starfield. But with some knowledge of workarounds, you can avoid an excessive grind and continue exploring the stars and advancing the main story. Use these tips to upgrade your cargo smartly and avoid the skill point gridlock.