For a game as massive as Starfield, it’s impressive how many basic mechanics are left for players to discover on their own. Some of these are simple enough; it doesn’t take long to realize that carrying too much junk will slow your movement (it’s become somewhat of an annoying trope at this point). Yet others are more mysterious, hidden behind menus, numbers, and terminology that’s not all that common when it comes to a good ol’ Bethesda role-playing game. Figuring out that PHYS equates to how much damage a set of armor reduces is second nature for many, but what does Airborne mean? The pesky secondary stat is easy to miss and even though it’s not as important as your kit’s primary stats, you’ll still want to make sure you don’t neglect it. Otherwise, you could find yourself lying in a cloud of noxious fumes wondering where it all went wrong. Here’s what the Airborne stat on your armor means in Starfield.
How the Airborne Stat for Armor Works in Starfield
Sure, Starfield is stuffed with beasts and humans that would love to add you to their list of recent kills but some threats are far more… gaseous in nature. When exploring one of the many planets scattered across the cosmos, it’s very likely that you’ve stumbled upon a vent pumping all kinds of natural materials into the atmosphere. The Airborne stat of your armor represents how effective your space suit is at resisting any toxic elements in the air; the higher the stat, the less damage you’ll take when walking over an argon vent or any similar natural deposit.
Related: Bethesda Considered Making Starfield’s Earth the One From Fallout
While the vents scattered across a planet’s surface are common enough, the Airborne stat also applies to much rare but even more deadly dust storms. These occurrences not only make it tougher to navigate on foot, but they also have an ongoing negative impact on your oxygen and health. A higher Airborne stat makes it easier to survive in these conditions.
As mentioned above, having a supremely high Airborne attribute on your armor isn’t a necessity when it comes to playing Starfield. However, if you’re one to spend a great deal of time mining resources, especially from vents, then I’d recommend tracking down the Mark 1 Constellation armor set, which can be found in Constellation’s headquarters The Lodge. The Mark 1 Space Helmet and Pack both provide a combination of 5 Airborne resistance each, which might not seem like a lot but when you take into consideration how good the other stats are, that’s a solid overall option. You could also go ahead and beat Starfield‘s New Game Plus eight times and unlock the Starborn Spacesuit Avitus, the best armor set in the game, but that’ll require much more legwork. Don’t fret too much though, as long as your helmet filters out some of the dastardly dust particles, you’ll be fine in the long run.
If you’re looking for more guides, check out how to get the incredibly powerful Narwhal ship in Starfield.
