Crafting in Starfield is a major aspect of the game's progression. As the Players explore the universe, they will have the ability to craft their Weapon and Armor improvements of choice by using up various Items or materials. Crafting also allows you to create various objects that will help you in battles and in explorations, such as Aid Items in the form of medicine, food, and drink. One of the ways that you can find and unlock recipes for Crafting is by advancing and completing Research Projects through the Research Laboratory.
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Starfield Outposts Guide ♦ Crafting Process: Research Laboratory ♦ Types of Crafting ♦ Crafting for OutpostsWhat is Crafting in Starfield?
In Starfield, the way you create and improve items like Weapon Mods, space suit upgrades, medical supplies, and food is through crafting and research. Once you learn how it all works, there's practically no limit to what you can build, from simple hand-held Mods to complex buildings. The whole process begins with completing Research Projects through the Research Laboratory, which offers you new crafting recipes and more choices. To get access to these projects, you use the resources you find and collect while exploring the game world.
For example, let's say you want to get a brand-new Rifle Mod in Starfield. The first step is to start and progress on the correct Research Project in the Research Laboratory. Once you've done that, you'll need to gather the necessary resources to finance the research project. Once the project is finished, you'll be able to craft that desired Rifle Mod. Players can then go to the appropriate Crafting device, which would be the Weapon Workbench for the case of this example, and then craft the desired Rifle Mod, provided they have sufficient materials to do so.
Where to Craft in Starfield?
Crafting in Starfield is done using devices that are in specific Locations throughout the universe. These devices are called Weapon, Spacesuit, and Industrial Workbenches, Pharmaceutical Labs, and Cooking Stations. These devices can be found in certain Locations on some Planets. However, The Lodge, found on Jemison Planet in the Alpha Centauri Star System, has a room with all of these devices, including the Research Laboratory, where you can complete Research Projects to unlock craftables that you can make with each device.
The default ship, the Frontier, will also have a Pharmaceutical Lab and Cooking Station accessible at any time, so players will want to go to these two main bases of operations for their Crafting needs whenever they need to.
Starfield Crafting Process: How to Craft
Crafting in Starfield is done with multiple devices, depending on the type of item you're trying to craft. Weapon Mods are crafted with the Weapon Workbench, while Mods for Helmets, Spacesuits, and Packs are crafted with the Spacesuit Workbench. Medical Aid Items are crafted with the Pharmaceutical Lab, while food and drink Aid Items are crafted with Cooking Station. Finally, different Outpost machinery, Units, Structures, and Furniture are created by placing an Outpost Beacon in the desired Location. Industrial Workbenches are used to craft industrial-grade, or larger materials to be used in this endeavor. Players will just need to make sure that they have enough of the materials needed to craft what they desire and then interact with the right device depending on what type of item the desired craftable is.
Starfield Research Laboratory
The Research Laboratory expands the main character's Crafting capabilities, which in turn expands the player's capabilities, in terms of healing, Equipment, and managing their Outposts. Completing Research Projects will allow the player to unlock new creations to craft using various different crafting devices. Players may be able to learn how to craft certain things throughout their journey, but the bulk of craftable items will be made available to make using the Crafting devices through the Research Laboratory. Essentially, this is the first step of the Crafting process, as it allows you to unlock what something like "recipes" for your craftables. Research Projects are divided into the following categories, which correspond to the type of craftables they unlock:
For more in-depth information on the Research Laboratory, including where to find and how to use them, visit our page here.
Starfield All Crafting Types
Pharmaceutical Lab
After completing Pharmacology Research Projects at the Research Laboratory, players will be able to craft the corresponding type of Aid Items unlocked at a Pharmaceutical Lab. The Pharmaceutical Lab allows players to create their own stock of medicinal Aid Items any time they have access to it, as long as they have the right materials to do so. There are two types of Aid Items that can be created through the Pharmaceutical Lab - Medical Treatments and Performance Enhancers. Medical Treatments are consumed to heal health points and cure ailments that the character might be suffering from, from hazardous sources. Performance Enhancers provide temporary stat increases that help the character navigate, explore, and survive the dangerous worlds around them.
Cooking Station
After completing Food & Drink Research Projects at the Research Laboratory, players will be able to craft the corresponding type of Aid Items unlocked at a Cooking Station. The Cooking Station allows players to create their own stock of food and drink Aid Items any time they have access to it, as long as they have the right materials to do so. These can range from simple food items like meat jerky to complex dishes or even cocktails that the player can learn to make. Each food or drink item has specific effects to grant the player when consumed, and all of them will require different materials in the form of Resources, or even other smaller Aid Items in order to cook.
Workbenches
Weapon Workbench
After completing Weaponry Research Projects at the Research Laboratory, players will be able to craft and manage unlocked Weapon Mods at a Weapon Workbench. The Weapon Workbench provides players with the capability to affix various modifications into multiple slots on their Weapons. These Mods encompass scopes, meticulous adjustments, barrels, visual designs, and other enhancements. Essential materials for these recipes can be sourced from mining expeditions on different Moons and Planets, or alternatively, obtained from a variety of Vendors.
For more in-depth information on the Weapon Workbench, including where to find and how to use them, visit our Workbench page here.
Spacesuit Workbench
After completing Equipment Research Projects at the Research Laboratory, players will be able to craft and manage unlocked Spacesuit Mods, Pack Mods, and Helmet Mods at a Spacesuit Workbench. The Spacesuit Workbench enables players to create and incorporate modifications into various slots on their Helmets, Packs, and Spacesuits. These Mods encompass protective features, shielding mechanisms, and alterations to the Equipment's appearance. The distinct resources necessary for crafting these Mods can be procured via mining endeavors or through transactions with Vendors.
For more in-depth information on the Spacesuit Workbench, including where to find and how to use them, visit our Workbench page here.
Industrial Workbench
The Industrial Workbench is different from the other two Workbenches in that instead of Crafting finished products, it will allow players to craft industrial-grade Resources that can then be used as materials for Crafting items using the other Crafting devices. Players can also find the Resources craftable with the Industrial Workbench as they explore the corners of the universe.
For more in-depth information on the Industrial Workbench, including where to find and how to use them, visit our Workbench page here.
Crafting for Outposts
After completing Outpost Development Research Projects at the Research Laboratory, players will be able to craft and manage unlocked Outpost Units, Structures, and Furniture through the Outpost Beacon placed in the desired Outpost Location. Outposts are player-built bases that are customizable, depending on the needs and available resources on that territory. Outposts usually feature at least one Power source that will generate and provide power to the facilities. In return, the facilities will generate resources through Extractors and Builders, or provide Defenses using Turrets. There is an Operation Cost for these facilities to run to continue production and is the upkeep that you have to maintain. The main goal of Outposts, aside from providing the player with a general home base, is to serve as a camp for exploring new Locations and studying their areas, including what Resources can be extracted from them.
To this end, players will be able to build different machinery in their Outposts that will serve as sources of energy to keep the Outpost running, different ways to automatically harvest and study Resources from the chosen Location, defend the Outpost from any hostile forces, local or otherwise, or ways to domestictate the Outpost and make it feel more appealing or comfortable. Materials for Crafting these different objects encompass Resources of different types and sizes, but mostly this is where a lot of the craftables that can be made from an Industrial Workbench will be of much use.
For an in-depth guide to Outposts, including how they work and how or what to craft on them, visit our Outposts guide here
