Starfield’s New Game+ implementation is pretty unique in that it’s part of the actual story itself; Along with this unique implementation is a decision you need to make.. When should you start NG+ in your Starfield playthrough?
Before we go any further – if it isn’t obvious – this guide is going to be fairly spoiler-heavy, so this is your warning.
What should I do before starting NG+ in Starfield
If you’re already at the end of the main story and are staring Unity in the face, you’ll have noticed at least one or two groups of people that your alternate-universe-self will narrate a little story for how your life has impacted them.
If you haven’t arrived yet (or are willing to turn around and come back to Unity later), however, I do suggest you do a few of the larger side quests outside the main story. Why?
Well, not only do you get the narration of what will happen, but in your New Game+ playthrough you’ll be able to literally reference what happened in-game with many of them.. And sometimes things may even be a little (or a lot) different due to variations in the multiverse!
Additionally, make sure you’ve discovered all the temples and unlocked all the powers (note that you’ll need to reach Unity to trigger the hunt for more temples, so expect to leave & come back).
I should also note: If you plan on starting NG+2 or 3, make sure to get a number of side quests in.. You can rush ahead to Unity again if you opted to skip the main quest, but the idea is to do the stuff you didn’t do the first time, letting you see how things unfold before you potentially encounter variations in other NG+ playthroughs.
What should I do after starting NG+ in Starfield
Alright, so you’ve started your NG+ playthrough. Most importantly, when you visit the Lodge in the new universe, you have a choice: Play the main story, or skip it?
At least for your first NG+ playthrough, assuming everything looks about the same as it did in your first playthrough.. Skip it. You’ll be busy enough doing side quests and all the extra stuff you missed out on previously.
You may want to consider doing NG+2 or 3, which may have alternative settings for the main story (that’s all I’ll say there), so keep that in mind; I BELIEVE in most cases you’ll want to skip the main story as the story itself either doesn’t change or isn’t even available (due to the characters of Constellation not being available).. However, it’s all based on a random dice roll, so testing this thoroughly is going to take some time.
Either way, make sure you visit the Lodge early to get some freebie stuff. You’ll retain all your powers and skills (plus get a sweet new space suit), but you’re pretty much broke and have no weapons.
Beyond that, your first steps should include getting as much money as possible: You’ll encounter a Starborn trader in NG+ randomly that usually has some exceptionally good gear for a lot of money. While you won’t need a new space suit for quite a while, you will need to get all new weapons (my first NG+ playthrough had the Constellation folks give me a freakin’ grenade launcher, which.. No), and as cool as the Starborn ship is, you can’t upgrade it (aside from getting a slightly better one each time you NG+ it).. Which means you’ll need to upgrade the main story ship (which you’ll get for free after visiting the lodge) or buy a new one.
Finally, don’t forget to do the temple hunting quest: You’ll get upgraded versions of your existing star powers!
What skills should I focus on in NG+?
In NG+ you’ll have a bit more freedom to try things out with your build; If you focused on FPS combat skills, work on boosting your ship & outpost skills. If you focused on ship-based skills, focus on FPS stuff.
Also: Definitely invest in Social skills (especially Commerce) and Stealth if you didn’t in your first playthrough. These will make the NG+ playthrough much smoother until you can build up your weapons and ship again.
Speaking of your ship: Definitely get yourself up to piloting C-class ships. While the Starborn ship looks cool, it’s a little weak and can easily get overwhelmed if you’re not careful.. I actually found it weaker than my ship from my first playthrough in some ways, which was still class A.