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Is It Worth Keeping Resources in Starfield? A Resourceful Guide

Absolutely, it is worth keeping resources in Starfield. Dismissing them as mere inventory clutter would be a critical mistake. They’re the cornerstone of crafting, outpost construction, and modding. While the temptation to sell everything for quick credits is understandable, hoarding specific resources can be a game-changer, enabling you to customize weapons, build thriving outposts, and progress through research projects efficiently. Learning which resources to keep and where to find them is critical for maximizing your success across the settled systems.

Why Hoarding Resources is a Smart Move

In Starfield, resources aren’t just materials; they’re the building blocks of your entire experience. Consider these key benefits of keeping a well-stocked resource inventory:

Crafting and Modding: From weapon modifications that boost damage to spacesuit upgrades that enhance environmental protection, crafting is essential. Resources are required to build these.
Outpost Development: Building outposts for resource extraction and strategic advantages is a core element of Starfield. These bases need specific resources to get started and to upgrade facilities.
Research Projects: Researching new technologies and upgrades requires a constant supply of diverse resources. Sticking to the same items may feel easy, but you can miss out on unique opportunities.
Quest Completion: Certain quests require you to deliver specific resources. Having them on hand can save you time and credits compared to purchasing them from vendors.
Passive Income: Resource gathering is a key to making passive income by selling the products to Deimos Shipyards.
Contraband Sales: Certain rare resources may be contraband and can be extremely profitable if sold.

Key Resources to Hoard Early

While it’s not practical to keep every resource, focusing on these essential materials early in your Starfield journey will give you a significant advantage:

Aluminum (Al): The most important resource for crafting. This is essential for outposts and weapon mods.
Iron (Fe): Another plentiful and crucial resource needed for building all kinds of benches and workstations at outposts.
Copper (Cu): This is important for outpost construction and wiring.
Polymer: An organic resource vital for research projects and weapon mods.
Adhesive: Another essential organic resource also critical for research and weapon upgrades.
Tungsten (W): Crucial for research projects and weapon mods. Collect it early to speed up your outpost and weapon advancement.
Helium-3 (He-3): Fuel for your ship’s reactors and essential for building power infrastructure at outposts, especially for inter-system cargo links.

How to Manage Your Resource Inventory

The biggest challenge in hoarding resources is inventory management. Follow these tips to effectively manage your growing collection:

Upgrade Your Carry Capacity: Invest skill points in the Weight Lifting skill as early as possible to increase your base carry capacity.
Utilize Companion Storage: Your companions can act as pack mules. Offload excess resources onto them to ease your burden.
Ship Storage: Your ship’s cargo hold is essential for long-term storage. Upgrade its capacity whenever possible.
Outpost Storage: Build storage containers and cargo links at your outposts to store large quantities of resources and transfer them between locations. Automating this process allows you to generate more credits and spend less time managing resources.
Prioritize and Categorize: Regularly review your inventory and sell off resources you have in abundance or rarely use. Focus on keeping sufficient quantities of the resources you actively need.
Strategic Selling: Don’t blindly sell everything. Consider the long-term value of resources for crafting and outpost development before heading to a vendor.
Explore Earth: Visit Earth to find unique items and rare resources.

When is Selling Resources Acceptable?

While hoarding is generally recommended, there are situations where selling resources is a viable option:

Overabundance: If you have a massive surplus of a particular resource that you’re not actively using, selling some can free up valuable inventory space.
Financial Need: If you’re short on credits and need to purchase essential items, selling common resources can provide a quick cash injection.
Low-Value Resources: Some resources have minimal crafting applications and low market value. These are generally safe to sell.
Duplicated Resources: Certain resources can be purchased on multiple planets, leading to surpluses.
Passive Income: If you have an automated process for collecting and selling resources, this can lead to income.

Advanced Strategies for Resource Management

Once you’ve mastered the basics, consider these advanced techniques:

Planetary Surveying: Scan planets to identify resource deposits. Focus on planets with abundant deposits of the resources you need most.
Automated Mining: Set up automated mining outposts to passively generate resources. This is the most efficient way to acquire large quantities of essential materials.
Cargo Links: Establish cargo links between outposts to automatically transfer resources between different locations. This allows you to create complex supply chains and optimize your resource production.
Vendor Exploitation: Learn which vendors offer the best prices for specific resources. Consider traveling to different settlements to maximize your profits.
Research Optimization: Prioritize research projects that improve resource gathering efficiency and unlock new crafting recipes that utilize common resources. The Games Learning Society recognizes the importance of resourcefulness and strategic planning in game design and player experience, concepts deeply intertwined with the gameplay of Starfield.
Companion Affinity: Build relationships with your companions to get the most out of their unique abilities.

Starfield Resources: FAQs

1. Should I sell all my resources in Starfield?

No. Selling all resources is generally not recommended. While selling common resources to lighten your inventory and earn credits is fine, hoarding essential resources for crafting, outpost building, and research is crucial for long-term progression.

2. What resources should I keep in Starfield?

Focus on hoarding Aluminum, Iron, Polymer, Adhesive, Tungsten, and Helium-3. These resources are essential for crafting, outpost construction, and research projects.

3. Where To Store Items In Starfield?

The best places to store items in Starfield are your ship’s cargo hold and storage containers at your outposts. Upgrade your ship’s cargo capacity and build storage containers at your outposts to maximize your storage space.

4. Are resources useful in Starfield?

Absolutely! Resources are the lifeblood of Starfield. They’re fundamental for crafting items, modifications, and structures.

5. What is the most used resource in Starfield?

Aluminum is arguably the most important resource in Starfield, due to its wide range of applications in crafting, outpost building, and weapon modding.

6. What is the best thing to mine in Starfield?

Tungsten is a valuable resource to mine, as it’s needed for research projects and weapon mods. Finding planets with abundant Tungsten deposits can significantly accelerate your progress.

7. What is the most valuable resource to mine in Starfield?

While value can fluctuate depending on vendor prices, rare resources like gold, platinum, and certain gases often fetch high prices. However, the most valuable resource is subjective and depends on your immediate needs.

8. What is the best material to farm in Starfield?

Iron is great to farm. Because it is used so commonly, building an outpost around an Iron deposit will allow you to make many structures.

9. What should I not sell in Starfield?

Avoid selling ammo, digipicks, healing items, rare resources, Starborn gear, and unique weapons obtained through quests (like the Ember gun). These items are either essential for survival or have unique properties that make them valuable.

10. Can you make money mining in Starfield?

Yes! Building an outpost early in Starfield to mine resources is a great way to generate passive income. Automate the process with auto-miners and cargo links to maximize your profits.

11. What is the best resource for credits in Starfield?

While specific resource values can vary, establishing outposts to mine high-selling resources and delivering ores to places like Deimos Shipyards is a reliable way to earn steady credits.

12. Is there a way to mine faster in Starfield?

Yes, holding the ADS (Aim Down Sights) button while using the Cutter mining tool allows you to mine resources faster.

13. What is the best cutter in Starfield?

Heller’s Cutter is excellent, especially early on, due to its Disassembler perk, which makes it 20% more powerful against robots.

14. Does Earth exist in Starfield?

Yes, Earth exists in Starfield, but it’s not a resource-rich planet. Exploring Earth offers unique experiences and remnants of the old world.

15. What is the most important mineral in Starfield?

Aluminum and Iron are the most important minerals in Starfield. Aluminum is lightweight and essential for crafting and outpost construction, while iron is another commonly used resource for building outpost structures.

By mastering resource management in Starfield, you’ll unlock the true potential of crafting, outpost building, and research, ultimately enhancing your overall gameplay experience. Good luck, explorer! Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to further your knowledge.

Is it worth keeping resources in Starfield?