In Starfield, players encounter diverse alien vegetation, known as flora. Flora is present across countless planets and moons, contributing to varied environments. From lush jungles to barren landscapes, flora forms an integral part of each celestial body’s biological tapestry.
The Role of Plants in Starfield
Flora serves multiple purposes beyond aesthetic detail. These alien plants are a foundational element for resource acquisition, providing organic materials essential for various in-game activities. Engaging with vegetation supports exploration and contributes to scientific understanding. The collection and study of flora are interwoven with player progression and survival.
Players rely on these botanical resources for crafting and research, linking the natural world to technological advancement. The availability of specific plant types influences strategic decisions regarding planetary colonization and resource management.
Discovering and Scanning Flora
Identifying and documenting alien flora is a core gameplay mechanic. Players use a hand scanner; equipping it and pointing at a target initiates the scanning process. To fully catalog a flora species, multiple scans are typically required, often around eight instances of the same plant. Partially scanned plants appear outlined in blue, turning green once data is registered.
Completing flora scans contributes to planetary survey data. Fully surveying a planet, including its unique plant life, rewards players with experience points and survey slates, which can be sold for credits. Different types of flora are found in specific biomes; a complete planetary survey requires scanning plants across all distinct biomes on that world.
Harvesting a plant also contributes to its scan progress. Investing skill points in Botany can reduce the number of scans needed and increase resource yield, while the Scanning skill extends the hand scanner’s range.
Plant Types and Habitats
Starfield’s alien flora varies greatly, with different species thriving in distinct ecological niches. Plants are categorized by the biomes they populate, such as aquatic regions, grasslands, forests, deserts, and tundras. The game features a wide range of specific biome iterations, each potentially hosting unique plant life.
Different planets and their biomes yield unique flora, offering diverse resources like fiber, metabolic agents, nutrients, or toxins. This encourages exploration to find specific plant types for crafting and research. Understanding a planet’s biomes is essential for predicting available botanical resources.
Utilizing Plant Resources
Collected plant resources have extensive applications. These organic materials are fundamental for crafting aid items and chems, which are vital for character sustenance. Plant-derived resources are integral to various research projects, particularly in pharmacology and food development.
Beyond personal crafting, flora plays a significant role in outpost development. Players can establish greenhouses and hydroponics systems to cultivate specific plant species for sustained resource generation. Cultivation requires at least rank one in the Botany skill and completion of the Horticulture research project. These automated plant farms require power and water. Only fully scanned plants marked “Outpost Production Allowed” can be grown, transforming flora into materials for crafting, research, and economic ventures.