What are Planet Traits in Starfield?

This guide is here to assist you in locating and scanning these Planet Traits during your spacefaring adventures.

Bethesda

In the vast expanse of Starfield, your exploration journey will lead you to countless planets and moons teeming with wonders waiting to be uncovered. Among these intriguing finds are Planet Traits, special features that add depth and uniqueness to each celestial body. This guide is here to assist you in locating and scanning these Planet Traits during your spacefaring adventures.

Planet traits starfield
Bethesda

Understanding Planet Traits

Planet Traits, while a somewhat nebulous term, encompass various anomalies or characteristics that serve as points of interest for intrepid explorers like yourself. Typically, each planet you visit boasts anywhere from 0 to 3 undiscovered traits. To comprehensively survey a planet, you'll need to locate and document an adequate number of these traits in addition to scanning its diverse flora, fauna, and resources.

Planet Traits often manifest as distinct, large-scale areas that stand out amidst the surrounding landscape. These areas frequently host a variety of unpredictable events or encounters. Expect to encounter non-native adversaries, friendly survivalists or researchers seeking assistance, and a wealth of valuable loot, such as item-filled dung piles or bountiful harvests of ores and flora.

Starfield jameson planet
Bethesda

Hunting Down Planet Traits

Upon selecting a landing site on a planet, equip your Scanner (F on PC, LB on controller) and keep an eye out for distant markers denoting points of interest. Give priority to icons resembling map markers or waveforms, as these frequently guide you to anomalies that qualify as Planet Traits.

Once you reach an ecological or geological feature, you'll need to scan the primary source of the anomaly. This source may consist of one or more elements within the landscape. For instance, a melted glacier might necessitate scanning a single, substantial rocky outcrop at its center, while a microbial hive could require you to scan multiple spots within close proximity.

Starfield planet trait unlock
Bethesda / IGN

Scanning each designated feature at the site will officially classify the point of interest as a Planet Trait, satisfying one of the criteria for a complete planetary scan. Keep in mind that if you have multiple Planet Traits awaiting scanning, you won't be able to scan the same type of anomaly more than once, even if you encounter it elsewhere on the planet.

Should you find yourself encountering the same feature or anomaly repeatedly, consider searching for different types of unidentified map markers in the distance using your Scanner. Alternatively, consult the planet map to select a different biome for landing, as diverse terrain types may harbor distinct anomalies ready to be discovered.

 

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