Starfield planet traits explained
What and where are they?
Wondering how to find and scan planet traits in Starfield? While surveying planets throughout Starfield’s expansive galaxy, you’ll sometimes be prompted to scan planet traits to unlock more survey data. These traits mark unique environmental landmarks on planets, but they can be a bit confusing to identify and find. Luckily, we’ve got your back with this guide.
Here’s everything you’ll need to know about planet traits and how to find and scan them in Starfield.
What are planet traits in Starfield?
Simply put, planet traits are geological features on the surfaces of planets, including everything from the Frozen Ecosystem trait for chillier planets to the Diseased Biosphere trait for areas where seemingly everything has been affected by an infection. When exploring a new planet that has traits (some don’t have any traits at all, so pay attention to the data in your starmap), you’ll need to find and scan these traits in addition to other things like flora and fauna to unlock 100% survey completion status.
How to scan planet traits in Starfield
Upon initially scanning a planet, you’ll receive data that lets you know how many scannable traits a planet has. To find these traits, you’ll need to do a bit of exploration. Simply walk around using your scanner and you’ll find “Unknown” markers. Follow these markers to their respective landmarks, look for an item or area that’s highlighted with your scanner, and then scan it to collect its data. Occasionally, you’ll need to scan a few different things to unlock all the information about a specific trait.
If you’re planning on surveying a lot of planets, it might be worth investing in your Astrophysics skill — aside from increasing the distance you’ll be able to scan from, it’ll also add a bonus chance of discovering a planet trait while scanning, with this chance increasing to a massive 50% at the skill’s highest level.
That’s all the information we’ve got on planet traits in Starfield! If you’ve finished surveying a planet and are looking for your next step, you’re in luck — you can sell your newly found data. Or, if you’re wondering what you’ll be able to find throughout your time exploring, why not check out our guide on all 1,692 planets or look into how to find Earth?