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Starfield’s classic difficulty choices are Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. Change them from Pause > Settings > Gameplay. Bethesda says difficulty affects damage and the chance of encountering legendary enemies; later gameplay options also add Extreme difficulty and separate ways to tune combat and survival pressure.
How to change difficulty in Starfield
- Pause the game.
- Choose Settings, then Gameplay.
- Choose the difficulty setting you want. Bethesda Support lists Very Easy, Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard as the classic named levels. See Bethesda’s instructions for changing Starfield’s difficulty.
Bethesda says all difficulty levels affect damage and the chance to encounter legendary enemies. Its support page does not give exact multipliers for the individual levels.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Starfield: Standard Edition - Xbox Series X | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Starfield (Standard Edition) [Xbox Series X]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51H0Hjwc50L._SL160_.jpg)
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Starfield (Standard Edition) [Xbox Series X] | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Starfield | Premium Upgrade | Xbox Series X|S & Windows Digital | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
What the difficulty options change
The classic five levels
Very Easy through Very Hard provide a straightforward way to adjust combat challenge. Bethesda’s description identifies damage and legendary-enemy encounter chance as affected, but it does not publish a full numerical breakdown for each level. Avoid treating a specific percentage or an assumed enemy-scaling pattern as an official setting effect.
Extreme and the expanded gameplay settings
Bethesda’s September 27, 2024 Starfield update announcement introduced Extreme difficulty as an extra challenge and described more granular gameplay customization. These options let players adjust space combat separately from run-and-gun combat, and control survival features. That means the difficulty experience need not be a single all-or-nothing choice: you can seek tougher ship fights while keeping ground combat more manageable, or tune survival pressure to suit your play style.
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- Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits
- Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets
- Pilot and command the ship of your dreams.
The announcement does not provide a complete numerical matrix for these options. The official material cited here also does not establish how each setting changes XP, loot, or legendary-enemy scaling beyond Bethesda Support’s general statement about damage and encounter chance.
Which Starfield difficulty should you choose?
There is no universally best setting. Pick the challenge that keeps combat enjoyable, then revisit Gameplay settings if character or ship fights become frustrating or trivial. Bethesda’s new-player guide confirms that difficulty can be changed when players struggle with character or ship combat. PlayStation also describes Starfield’s challenge and assists as individually adjustable on its PS5 game page.
Rank #2
- Includes: Starfield Standard Edition (Disc)
- Travel to the stars in this next-gen RPG from the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4
- Create a character according to your imagination and explore the endless expanses in unparalleled freedom
- The goal of this epic journey? The answer to humanity's greatest question
- Prefer a gentler combat experience: start at Very Easy or Easy.
- Want a middle ground: try Normal, then adjust if fights feel too forgiving or punishing.
- Want more combat pressure: choose Hard or Very Hard, or use Extreme if it is available in your game’s current options.
- Want a mixed challenge: use the expanded controls to tune space combat, ground combat, and survival features separately where offered.
What Bethesda has and has not specified
Bethesda’s support page names the classic five levels and says they affect damage and the chance of legendary-enemy encounters. The September 2024 announcement documents Extreme and broader gameplay controls. Those sources do not establish exact per-level damage values, legendary-enemy percentages, or effects on XP and loot, so those details should not be assumed from the names of the settings.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- TELL YOUR STORY - In Starfield the most important story is the one you tell with your character. Start your journey by customizing your appearance and deciding your Background and Traits. Will you be an experienced explorer, a charming diplomat, a stealthy cyber runner, or something else entirely? The choice is yours. Decide who you will be and what you will become.
- EXPLORE OUTER SPACE - Venture through the stars and explore more than 1000 planets. Navigate bustling cities, explore dangerous bases, and traverse wild landscapes. Meet and recruit a memorable cast of characters, join in the adventures of various factions, and embark on quests across the Settled Systems. A new story or experience is always waiting to be discovered.
- CAPTAIN THE SHIP OF YOUR DREAMS - Pilot and command the ship of your dreams. Personalize the look of your ship, modify critical systems including weapons and shields, and assign crew members to provide unique bonuses. In deep space you will engage in high-stakes dogfights, encounter random missions, dock at star stations, and even board and commandeer enemy ships to add to your collection.
- DISCOVER, COLLECT, BUILD - Explore planets and discover the fauna, flora, and resources needed to craft everything from medicine and food to equipment and weapons. Build outposts and hire a crew to passively extract materials and establish cargo links to transfer resources between them. Invest these raw materials into research projects to unlock unique crafting recipes.
- LOCK AND LOAD - Space can be a dangerous place. A refined combat system gives you the tools to deal with any situation. Whether you prefer long-range rifles, laser weapons, or demolitions, each weapon type can be modified to complement your playstyle. Zero G environments add a chaotic spectacle to combat, while boost packs give players freedom to maneuver like never before.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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