Highlights
- Ship-building mechanics in Starfield can be overwhelming and time-consuming due to the amount of detail players can add to their ships.
- The Tokamak X-120S Reactor is an early-game powerhouse that offers 28 power and can be found in Akila City.
- The SF40 Sheard Flow Reactor is the best ship Reactor in Starfield, generating 40 power, and is available in most technicians' inventory.
It can be a bit intimidating at first to experiment with the ship-building mechanics in Starfield. The amount of details players can add to their ships is overwhelming and can easily be considered time-consuming.
To properly dive into ship-building in Starfield, there are multiple crucial steps players must take. It’s important to maximize some skills that allow them to build more capable equipment into their vehicle. Additionally, building a ship requires some essential parts to be added, like a Reactor. Here are Starfield's best reactors that players can consider for their ship.
5 Tokamak X-120S Reactor
Class | Power Generated | Mass |
|---|---|---|
A | 28 | 30 |
Requirements | Locations | |
Rank 4 Starship Design | Akila City, Neon, Stroud-Eklund Staryard, Hopetown, Red Mile | |
Players start seeing the Tokamak X-120S Reactor in stores as soon as they hit level 12. It’s an early-game powerhouse, offering 28 power to the ship with a low Mass to help balance the ship's weight. While the Tokamak Reactor is available early in Starfield, players can’t find it in New Atlantis and instead must make a trip to Akila City to find it.
Being a Class A Reactor isn’t a problem since most Class B and Class C equipment must be unlocked by leveling, so players will find themselves using Class A equipment on their ship often. However, the only con is that players must have the Rank 4 Starship Design Skill to be able to install the Tokamak X-120S Reactor into their ships in Starfield.
4 Spheromak DC202 Reactor
Class | Power Generated | Mass |
|---|---|---|
A | 33 | 45 |
Requirements | Locations | |
Rank 4 Starship Design | Stroud-Eklund Staryard, Cydonia, Gagarin Landing, The Den, Deimos Staryard, New Homestead, New Atlantis | |
Players unlock the Spheromak DC202 Reactor around level 45 in Starfield. It’s one of the earliest strong Reactors that players can install in their ships. With a massive 33 power generated and a small Mass, the Spheromak Reactor adds much-needed power without sacrificing the ship’s weight.
However, the Reactor isn’t perfect as it suffers from some setbacks. Its A-Class is its biggest downfall as it limits the amount of equipment players can add to their ship. Other than that, players must reach the 4th Rank of the Starship Design Skill to be able to install the Spheromak DC202 Reactor into their ship.
3 104DS Mag Inertial Reactor
Class | Power Generated | Mass |
|---|---|---|
B | 39 | 71 |
Requirements | Locations | |
Rank 3 Piloting, Rank 4 Starship Design | Akila City, Stroud-Eklund Staryard, Cydonia, Gagarin Landing, Hopetown, Red Mile, The Den, Deimos Staryard, New Homestead, New Atlantis | |
With almost maxed-out power generated at a relatively small Mass, the 104DS Mag Inertial Reactor is a great option for players who are looking for a small yet powerful Reactor in Starfield. Being a Class B Reactor isn’t that hurtful to the 104DS Mag Inertial since it’s right there in the middle and can work with most of the ship’s equipment. Additionally, when it comes to the requirements to use the 104DS Mag Inertial Reactor, maxing the Starship Design Skill is a must in addition to unlocking the third Rank of Piloting since it’s mandatory to install any Class B equipment in Starfield.
The 104DS Mag Inertial is an endgame Reactor since players unlock it at level 60. When installed, it grants maximum power with half the weight of other maxed-out Reactors. The only sacrifice players will make is not being able to install a few Class C Shields, Engines, Grav Drives, and Weapons in Starfield.
2 Pinch 8Z Reactor
Class | Power Generated | Mass |
|---|---|---|
C | 40 | 129 |
Requirements | Locations | |
Rank 4 Piloting, Rank 4 Starship Design | Akila City, Neon, Stroud-Eklund Staryard, Hopetown, Red Mile | |
Now is the time to install the monstrous endgame Reactors that are there to stay. Players unlock the Pinch 8Z Reactor which is one of the best ship’s Reactors in Starfield, at level 60. Everything is big and demanding when it comes to installing the Pinch 8Z Reactor. From a massive Mass to the requirement of maximizing both Piloting and Starship Design skills. The Reactor is also not widely available as only a few cities have technicians who sell it.
The Pinch 8Z Reactor can generate 40 power, which is more than enough to activate all the ship’s features. It’s especially important during space battles, where players can now maximize their weapons and shields while maintaining a solid movement speed.
1 SF40 Sheard Flow Reactor
Class | Power Generated | Mass |
|---|---|---|
C | 40 | 116 |
Requirements | Locations | |
Rank 4 Piloting, Rank 4 Starship Design | Akila City, Stroud-Eklund Staryard, Cydonia, Gagarin Landing, Hopetown, Red Mile, The Den, Deimos Staryard, New Homestead, New Atlantis | |
The best ship Reactor in Starfield is the SF40 Sheard Flow Reactor, with its 40 power generated stat and smaller Mass compared to other Reactors with the same qualities. Players also unlock the SF40 Sheard Flow at level 57 as the first Reactor to generate 40 power. Not only that, but the Reactor is available in most technicians’ inventory, so players can purchase it almost anywhere.
As a Class C Reactor, the SF40 Sheard Flow allows players to use any kind of equipment in their ship. Of course, players should have Rank 4 in both Piloting and Starship Design skills, but that shouldn’t be a problem at this stage of the game.
Starfield is available now on Xbox Series X/S and PC.