Special Powers Explained (and How to Use Them)

Starfield’s Shattered Space is all set to hit marketplaces on September 30. The expansion seems like a glimmer of hope for many disappointed with the game at launch.

If you have recently jumped into the game or are looking for a refresher on the basics, our Starfield guides have you covered. This one will cover one of the most intriguing aspects of the game, Special Powers, aka Starborn Powers in the game.

What Are Special Powers in Starfield?

Todd Howard dubbed Starfield as ‘Skyrim in Space’. It was unfortunate that the game was anything but that, according to players. However, special powers are a point of similarity in both titles.

As the name implies, special powers assist the player in various scenarios, and if used correctly, they will make the player a force to be reckoned with. There are 24 Powers in Starfield.

Most importantly, post-acquisition they can also be leveled up, and the levels vary from level 1 to level 10. To have them at the highest level, collect all 24 of them in your first playthrough before jumping into each iteration of New Game+.

Powers also require some Starborn energy to cast, and your character can only have a maximum of 60 Starborn energy. From becoming invisible to unleashing a particle beam, this is how you can be one of the most powerful beings in Starfield‘s world.

The Only Starfield Guide You Need To Know About All 24 Special Powers

1. Gravity Dash

One of the many special powers in Starfield seems to do nothing at the first level apart from propelling them a little toward the direction you are facing. However, if you upgrade it to the max, you can whizz past enemies and across the game’s world at outlandish speed.

This causes 15 Starborn Power units to be cast; one also receives a damage buff right after casting it, so remember to attack right after casting. For example, you get 10% extra damage for six seconds at rank 1. However, at rank 10, you get 100% extra damage for 15 seconds.

2. Personal Atmosphere

Wandering the cosmos is difficult for more than one reason, but one reason is almost certainly the lack of a breathable chunk of air in some places. Using Personal Atmosphere in Starfield, you can refill your O2 meter even if your CO2 meter is almost filled to the brim. But remember that it costs 45 Starborn Power at Rank 1 before using it willy-nilly.

Use it right after a period of extended sprinting to replenish your Oxygen levels, and it will also give you an additional fifteen seconds of unlimited run energy. It is also one of the only powers that belongs in the Superior Tier regardless of its level.

3. Gravity Wave

Gravity Wave in Starfield is probably a power that will rub most players the wrong way. It is a short-range gravity blast that manages to disorient people for a few seconds at most.

Its utility is limited, and even ranking it up to level 10 doesn’t do it any favors; it always uses 25 Starborn Power units regardless of the rank, and other ranges are abysmal. Because of this, one should think twice before equipping and leveling it up because it won’t do them any favor apart from being a higher number on one’s screen.

4. Particle Beam

While this sounds incredibly exciting, the Particle Beam in Starfield is a humongous letdown. It allows out a blast from your palm, which looks cool but is the definition of ‘all show, no go’. This is because you barely scratch the surface and deal only 51 damage at Rank 1, which also depends on the foe’s armor.

While the damage scales up progressively, for example, it deals 200 damage at Rank 10, which sounds right but still doesn’t render it very useful as it requires 15 Starborn Power Units regardless of the rank.

The projectile is slow, but its range is pretty good. However, other powers on this list are so much better, and that is why one might want to avoid this in favor of others.

5. Eternal Harvest

This is an interesting one, as casting it will respawn all of the flora around you within a particular radius, which depends on the power’s Rank. At Rank 1, the radius is about 25 meters, and over 100 meters at Rank 10.

More importantly, the Starborn Power required to cast it also drops significantly as you increase its rank. At Rank 1, you need 25 Starborn Power Units. At Rank 10, you only need 10. It is a useful power despite there not being a lot of sense behind acquiring resources on land manually in Starfield.

6. Anti Gravity Field

This will propel enemies and objects in the air by creating an anti-gravity field around them for 10 seconds regardless of rank. However, keep in mind that it doesn’t inflict any damage whatsoever.

The only difference after ranking up this power is the decrease in Starborn Power Units, which drops from 45 to 22 as you rank up this power from 1 to 10. If one quickly needs to disorient enemies and is surrounded by swarms, the power’s area of effect will be useful.

7. Phased Time

This power allows you to slow down time. It also requires fewer Starborn Power Units and a buffed duration of effect from 10 to 20 Seconds as one goes from Rank 1 to Rank 10. So, it is worth upgrading.

You can inflict maximal damage and take little to none from enemies. While you will see attacks and projectiles moving slower due to the power’s effect, they will inflict damage instantly allowing you to gain the upper hand in combat.

8. Create Vacuum

The power does exactly what one expects it to do and is particularly useful against enemies that require Oxygen for survival, meaning that it is useless against robots. However, given the split between enemy classes in Starfield, the power is useful in most cases.

One of its downsides is that its duration and Starborn Power required to cast it don’t go down as one ranks it up, but the damage increases by a massive 300% between Rank 1 and Rank 10.

9. Creator’s Peace

A unique power in Starfield, this will take away the aggression of the hostile enemies you encounter for 10 seconds. If enemies are armed, they will also drop their weapons which you can pick up.

However, this is one of the most static powers in the game, with virtually no difference between ranks. Both the Starborn Power and the duration of effect stay the same regardless of the power’s rank.

10. Precognition

This will render you one of the most street-smart creatures in the game’s world, as you will instantly see what the potential outcome for a dialogue is when interacting with NPCs in Starfield.

Moreover, the Starborn Power Units required for casting decrease as you rank this up. This skill is useful for the space-wanderers who talk to NPCs. Unfortunately, the power doesn’t work for persuasion attempts.

11. Gravity Well

This creates an area of effect, and enemies are pulled towards its centre. It also inflicts damage on any nearby enemy caught in the field. As you rank up the power, you will also require less Starborn Power Cost, but the duration doesn’t change.

It also scales well in terms of damage, with the damage inflicted increasing by 200% as one reaches rank 10. Overall, it is useful and will make you feel like a total space badass.

12. Reactive Shield

Once again, a power in Starfield that appears incredibly powerful on paper but upon execution falls flat on its face. It weakens incoming damage and does some reflective damage, including hit effects.

Its weaknesses include not blocking incoming damage and reactive damage being almost nothing more than a tickle to the enemy if there are no hit effects at play during the confrontation. Energy Cost goes down as you rank it up, but it doesn’t help that it doesn’t cancel incoming damage completely.

13. Earthbound

This is a power that alters the gravity of the planet you are on and matches it to Earth’s gravity. Use it on low-gravity planets where you feel like floating around occupies some time in your exploration.

You can also use it on high-gravity planets to not render your knees kaput, Another clear use case is to use it on zero-G planets so that you can bring items down to Earth. Otherwise, it is irrelevant.

14. Inner Demon

This is an interesting one, as this allows you to summon a friendly replica of a foe from the multiverse. This ability’s power cost stays constant with ranks; however, its duration changes from 10 to 90 seconds going from rank 1 to 10.

15. Sense Star Stuff

This is pretty unique but not as useful as some of the other special powers in the world of Starfield. It allows you to see all NPCs friendly or otherwise through walls as their silhouette is illuminated.

Despite the minor benefits it gives you, it is not at all useful on planets where there are little or no built-up areas. Considering how a lot of the game is about exploration, it is recommended to not bother with this power.

16. Solar Flare

This is arguably one of the best powers one can have in the game. It does percent HP damage, but one of its most unique features is the ability to stack damage by casting it continuously.

It can help you defeat even the mightiest of enemies, like Terrormorphs, and it only struggles with legendary enemies, so keep that in mind while casting it.

17. Life Forced

Another solid Starborn power in Starfield allows you to simultaneously damage an enemy and heal yourself by transferring their life force to your body.

Its only downside is that the power cost stays the same, but the amount of lifeforce you can transfer increases threefold at rank 10 as compared with rank 1.

18. Elemental Pull

This is another power that will allow you to hunt useful resources on distant planets. This will attract all elements within the cast radius toward you. Moreover, as you level up you can increase the area of effect and decrease the Starborn power required to cast it.

19. Sunless Space

This will allow you to freeze enemies for extended periods ranging from 9 seconds on rank 1 to 20 seconds at rank 10. It has an area of effect, meaning you can freeze multiple enemies at once. Combine it with other powers or strong enemies to deal serious damage.

20. Moon Form

This power grants you a stone-like appearance and makes you regenerate HP but with a solid downside: immobility. As one can see, this is a power that favors the bold and trades higher risk for better rewards in Starfield. The power cost remains the same, but the duration of effect increases from 9 to 20 seconds.

21. Alien Reanimation

Cast this on a fallen alien enemy to rejuvenate them, revive them, and make them fight alongside you like a grateful companion. However, considering that you cannot use this on humanoids, it is a lousy power.

22. Parallel Self

This will allow you to spawn a replica of yourself equipped with the weapon you are wielding. It is also a perfect example of ‘sounds good but doesn’t work’, as your doppelgänger will spawn with only 200 HP and will almost instantly tap out if you go against an enemy with a level of 15 or higher.

23. Supernova

This will produce an outward blast of energy around your character, dealing around 114 damage at rank 1 and up to 350 damage at Rank 10. Everything else doesn’t scale with ranks, including the 45 power cost, meaning that ranking it up is almost a waste of time.

24. Void Form

This ability will allow you to become invisible for 20 seconds regardless of rank and only the power cost changes. Performing any action apart from movement will render it useless, so use it when you have to sneak around as it is useless in another scenario.

These are all the powers you can find in Starfield. Now that you know the good, the bad, and the ugly about them, let us know which power sounds most interesting to you in the comments below!