Scanning is an Advanced Science skill that lets you detect rare resources on planet and moon surfaces in Starfield. Read on to learn the effects of the Scanning skill, how to unlock and rank up the Scanning skill, and the backgrounds that know it.
List of Contents
| Scanning Skill | |
|---|---|
 |
Skill Tree: Science |
| Tier: Advanced |
|
| While anyone can use a ship's scanner, it takes a specially trained operator to detect hard-to-find planetary resources, or uncover the details of nearby ships. | |
As Scanning is a higher-tier Advanced skill, it is unlocked by spending a total of 4 skill points in the Science skill tree before it can be learned.
There are no backgrounds that start with the Scanning skill.
| Rank | Challenge | Effects |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spend a total of 4 Skill Points in the Science tree. | You can detect uncommon inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more information about ships in space. |
| 2 | Scan 5 planets or moons. | You can detect rare inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and more specific information about ships in space. |
| 3 | Scan 15 planets or moons. | You can detect exotic inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain better combat information on ships in space. |
| 4 | Scan 30 planets or moons. | You can detect unique inorganic resources on planet and moon surfaces, and gain a complete list of cargo on ships in space. |
To orbit a planet or moon, select the planet or moon on your Starmap without selecting any landmark or landing spot and press the Travel prompt to the right of the screen. To scan a planet, you must first be in its orbit, then open the Starmap and press the Scan prompt on the screen's left side.
Landing on a planet or moon will automatically have them scanned and will count towards completing the challenge.
The Astrophysics Skill allows you to scan nearby planets and moons. It even allows you to scan planets and moons from other systems up to 30 light-years away! This will help complete the challenge and give some extra XP as you scan planets and moons and randomly discover their planetary traits.
| Skills Guides |
|---|
| Best Skills |
| All Skill Trees | |
|---|---|
| Physical | Social |
| Combat | Science |
| Tech | |
Scanning Skill Rank Up Guide
Genshin Impact Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon TCG Pocket (PTCGP) Strategies & Guides Wiki
Call of Duty Black Ops 6 (BO6) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Honkai: Star Rail Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake (DQ3) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Metaphor: ReFantazio Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Dragon Age: The Veilguard Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV) Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Wuthering Waves Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Zenless Zone Zero Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Pokemon Legends: Arceus Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
New Pokemon Snap Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
FF7 Remake Walkthrough & Guides Wiki
© 2023 Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. Trademarks belong to their respective owners. All Rights Reserved.
The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.
