Starfield:Ballistics Skill
| Ballistics | |
|---|---|
| Tier | 1 |
| Skill Tree | Combat Skill |
| Skill ID | 002CFCAB |
The Ballistics Skill is a Combat Skill in Starfield. Centuries of conflict have proven that when it comes to threat elimination, few things stack up to the reliable power of high-speed projectiles.
Is the Ballistics Skill Worth it?
Starfield has 47 Weapons and the vast majority of them deal ballistic damage, therefore Ballistic Skill is arguably one of the best skills in the game. Rank 1-3 of the skill will increase the base damage of all ballistic weapons.
You will benefit hugely from the Rank 4 of the ballistic Skill which will increase the range of all ballistic weapons. If a weapon is out of range the damage will be reduced by up to 50% of the weapons total damage. This damage reduction effect is most noticeable with shotguns and pistols.
Note that ballistic damage perk does not increase the damage of particle beam weapons even though they deal physical damage in addition to energy damage.
Skill Details
| Benefits | Challenge |
|---|---|
| Rank 1: Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage Rank 2: Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage Rank 3: Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage Rank 4: Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30% |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
Skill Leveling Guide
Coming soon!
All Skill Categories
Combat Skills
Starfield has 17 Combat Skills. Many of Starfields weapons are affected by multiple combat skills at once, so creating the best character build for your preferred weapon type as you level up in Starfield will ensure you can easily deal with higher level enemies.
Most combat skills increase weapon damage with a specific type of weapon like: Ballistics, Demolitions, or Heavy Weapons Certification. Others improve combat abilities across weapon types, such as Rapid Reloading, Armor Penetration or Marksmanship which increases your critical hit chance.
For guidance on the fastest way to level up each skill to rank 4 by quickly completing each skill challenge, click the skills name below for a quick guide.
| Name | Image | Tier | Benefits | Challenge | Skill ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor Penetration | 
|
4 | Rank 1: Attacks ignore 15% of a target's armor Rank 2: Attacks ignore 30% of a target's armor Rank 3: Attacks ignore 50% of a target's armor Rank 4: Enemy armor is decreased by 25% for 6 seconds after a critical hit |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a non-automatic weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a non-automatic weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a non-automatic weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this r |
0027DF94 |
| Ballistics | 
|
1 | Rank 1: Ballistic weapons do 10% more damage Rank 2: Ballistic weapons do 20% more damage Rank 3: Ballistic weapons do 30% more damage Rank 4: Ballistic weapons range is increased by 30% |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a ballistic weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002CFCAB |
| Crippling | 
|
4 | Rank 1: Human enemies have a 30% increased chance to enter a downed state after taking enough damage Rank 2: Humanoid enemies have a 50% increased chance to not naturally recover from a downed state Rank 3: Human enemies now can enter a downed state earlier Rank 4: Previous ranks now apply to all enemy types You now do 100% more damage to downed enemies |
Rank 1: Put 20 enemies into the bleedout state Rank 2: Put 50 enemies into the bleedout state Rank 3: Put 100 enemies into the bleedout state Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
0027CBBA |
| Demolitions | 
|
2 | Rank 1: Throwing grenades now shows a trajectory arc Explosions have a 25% larger radius Rank 2: Explosives do 25% more damage Rank 3: Reduce damage taken from explosives by 25% Rank 4: All previous bonuses are doubled |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with explosives Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with explosives Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with explosives Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C5556 |
| Dueling | 
|
1 | Rank 1: Melee weapons do 25% more damage Take 10% less damage while wielding a melee weapon Rank 2: Melee kills make you run 20% faster for 10 seconds Rank 3: Melee weapons do 50% more damage Take 15% less damage while wielding a melee weapon Rank 4: Melee kills heal you for 10% of your health |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a melee weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a melee weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a melee weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002CFCB0 |
| Heavy Weapons Certification | 
|
2 | Rank 1: Heavy weapons do 10% more damage Rank 2: Heavy weapons do 20% more damage Rank 3: Heavy weapons do 30% more damage Rank 4: Gain 25% Physical resistance while aiming down sights with a heavy weapon |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a heavy weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a heavy weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a heavy weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
00147E38 |
| Incapacitation | 
|
2 | Rank 1: EM weapons do 5% more damage Rank 2: EM weapons do 10% more damage Rank 3: EM weapons do 15% more damage Rank 4: EM weapons have a 15% chance to do 300% EM damage |
Rank 1: Deal 400 EM damage Rank 2: Deal 1000 EM damage Rank 3: Deal 2500 EM damage Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
0027DF96 |
| Lasers | 
|
1 | Rank 1: Laser weapons do 10% more damage Rank 2: Laser weapons do 20% more damage Rank 3: Laser weapons do 30% more damage Rank 4: Laser weapons have a 5% chance to set a target on fire |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a laser weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a laser weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a laser weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C59DD |
| Marksmanship | 
|
3 | Rank 1: Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 3% Rank 2: Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 8% Rank 3: Increase critical hit chance with non-automatic ranged weapons by 15% Rank 4: Critical hits using a non-automatic ranged weapon without a scope do double damage and those with scopes knock down enemies on the next shot |
Rank 1: Deal 10 ranged critical hits Rank 2: Deal 30 ranged critical hits Rank 3: Deal 75 ranged critical hits Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C890B |
| Particle Beams | 
|
2 | Rank 1: Particle beam weapons do 10% more damage Rank 2: Particle beam weapons do 20% more damage Rank 3: Particle beam weapons do 30% more damage Rank 4: Particle beam weapons have +5% crit chance |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a particle beam weapon Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a particle beam weapon Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a particle beam weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this r |
0027BAFD |
| Pistol Certification | 
|
1 | Rank 1: Pistols do 10% more damage Rank 2: Pistols do 25% more damage Rank 3: Pistols do 50% more damage Rank 4: Pistol kills grant +25% critical hit chance for 5 seconds |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a pistol Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a pistol Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a pistol Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002080FF |
| Rapid Reloading | 
|
3 | Rank 1: Reload Ballistic weapons 30% faster Rank 2: Reload Energy and EM weapons 30% faster Rank 3: Reload Particle Beam weapons 30% faster 50% chance to avoid getting interrupted while reloading Rank 4: Chance on hitting enemies to increase reload speed for all weapons by 50% for 15 seconds |
Rank 1: Reload 30 empty magazines Rank 2: Reload 75 empty magazines Rank 3: Reload 150 empty magazines Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C555A |
| Rifle Certification | 
|
2 | Rank 1: Rifles do 10% more damage Rank 2: Rifles do 20% more damage Rank 3: Rifles do 30% more damage Rank 4: Reload rifles 30% faster while you're standing still |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a rifle Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a rifle Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a rifle Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002CE2E0 |
| Sharpshooting | 
|
4 | Rank 1: Increase headshot critical damage by 50% with ranged weapons Rank 2: Increase critical damage to enemy legs by 50% with ranged weapons Rank 3: Increase all critical damage to enemies by 50% with ranged weapons Rank 4: Ranged critical hit kills increase your critical hit chance with all ranged weapons by 25% for 20 seconds |
Rank 1: Deal 50 ranged critical hits Rank 2: Deal 125 ranged critical hits Rank 3: Deal 250 ranged critical hits Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C53AF |
| Shotgun Certification | 
|
1 | Rank 1: Shotguns do 10% more damage Rank 2: Shotguns do 20% more damage Rank 3: Shotguns do 30% more damage Rank 4: Shotgun kills grant a small chance to stun additional targets with shotguns for a limited time |
Rank 1: Kill 20 enemies with a shotgun Rank 2: Kill 50 enemies with a shotgun Rank 3: Kill 100 enemies with a shotgun Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
0027DF97 |
| Sniper Certification | 
|
3 | Rank 1: Scoped weapons are steadier and have less sway Rank 2: You can hold your breath longer with scoped weapons Rank 3: Headshots while aiming with a scoped weapon have a +25% critical hit chance Rank 4: Scoped weapons do 50% more damage while using the scope |
Rank 1: Kill 50 enemies using a scoped weapon Rank 2: Kill 125 enemies using a scoped weapon Rank 3: Kill 250 enemies using a scoped weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank challenge to unlock this rank |
002C53B1 |
| Targeting | 
|
3 | Rank 1: Increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming Marks up to one enemy within 25m that damages you Rank 2: Notably increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming Marks up to two enemies within 50m that damage you Rank 3: Greatly increased accuracy and range when shooting without aiming Marks up to three enemies within 75m that damage you Rank 4: 10% chance to disarm targets hit when shooting without aiming Marks up to four enemies within 100m that damage you |
Rank 1: Kill 50 enemies without aiming with a ranged weapon Rank 2: Kill 150 enemies without aiming with a ranged weapon Rank 3: Kill 250 enemies without aiming with a ranged weapon Rank 4: Complete the previous rank c |
002C59DA |
