Players making their way throughStarfield’s Settled Systems will undoubtedly become familiar with the game’s extensive crafting system. There is hardly a mechanic in the game that cannot be improved at one ofStarfield’s many work tables. A robust crafting system has become a hallmark of Bethesda games, so it’s hardly surprising to see it make a return inStarfield.It is important to remember, however, that crafting also requires another mechanic, one that can be considerably more tedious: the seemingly never-ending collecting of materials and resources.
Structural materials are one of the basic building blocks that many ofStarfield’s craftable items are built upon. There are several ways to get this material in the Settled Systems, but this guide will do its best to cut those options down to only the most likely to yield high amounts of resources. Whether players or looking to farm massive amounts, or simply find enough to complete a single project, they’ll need to look no further.
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Where to Get Structural Materials in Starfield
Players looking to gather structural material will have three key methods of acquiring it: purchasing, looting, and harvesting. Which route the player chooses will depend entirely upon how much they are looking for. Players needing a small amount in order tofinish a research project, or alter a piece of equipment, should be able to find what they need at a location like Jemison Mercantile in New Atlantis.
However, if players need a steady supply of this particular resource, then harvesting is the way to go. And though it can be found in small numbers, looting is by far the least effective route, mostly because there is simply no reliable way of knowing if enemy camps or abandoned buildings contain a shred of what the player needs. Because of this, this guide will dive deeper into purchasing and harvesting only.
Where to Purchase Structural Material in Starfield
Structural material is a staple ofthe crafting system inStarfield,so many of the general merchants in the Settled Systems will carry it. The best place to look for a wide selection of resources, generally speaking, are the merchants that do not specialize in a single product. As previously mentioned, Jemison Mercantile in New Atlantis regularly carries it. Shepard’s General Store in Akila City and both Sieghart’s Outfitters and Newill’s Goods in Neon are also reliable sources.
Players can expect to purchase structural materials for relatively cheap, with the average price (withoutStarfield’s Commerce skill active) hovering around 10 credits each. For small projects, this is likely the best bet.
How to Farm Structural Materials in Starfield
At the moment, truly ‘Farming’ structural materials, that is, gathering vast quantities exceptionally quickly, is not a realistic option. However, there are ways to reliably gather more than enough to last more than even the longest playthrough. There are also methods of producing these materials at an outpost, but this will involve a significant investment in both skill points and time. Both of these options will be explained here.
Harvesting Structural Material from Flora and Fauna:
This will be the most reliable method of securing a large amount of structural material at no cost. The most important factor to look for when doing this is a planet with abundant life, in both plant and animal form. Using a random planet as an example, when searching the Oborum Prime system, the planet Oborum I is revealed to have moderate flora and fauna. Within landing on the planet, in the Coniferous Forest section, a plant that offers structural material is found almost immediately: the Laga Plant.
Once a suitable plant or animal is found, scanning it at least three times will reveal the areas of the planet it can be found. In the case of the Laga Plant, there are multiple parts of Oborum I that it calls home. Now, head to every Laga Plant and harvest materials from it. On top of that, a planet with this much life is likely to have more than one source of multiple resources, so keep checking plant and animal life while gathering structural material from the main source.
Harvesting Materials from an Outpost:
Having the ability to harvest materials, including structural materials, from an outpost, will require a fair bit of work to set up. The first step will be to unlock the Outpost Engineering skill inStarfield’s Science skill tree. This will allow players to research the appropriate projects. In this case, the Horticulture habitats will be the most useful.
Next, players will have to invest into the Botany or Zoology skills, which will allow them to cultivate certain plant and animal products at their outposts. When players have all the appropriate skills unlocked, they can then begin the process of actually building the appropriate modules at their desired outpost. This will require a considerable investment in both time and resources, as the entire project will take a huge amount of materials to both research and craft. Because of this, simply following the steps to purchase or harvest from flora and fauna is generally considered the best route to getting structural materials.
Starfieldis available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.
