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Mastering the art of sprinting and managing your character's oxygen levels is essential for efficient traversal in Starfield. Whether you're exploring new planets or racing to complete missions, mastering the art of running faster can significantly enhance your experience in Bethesda's latest epic space RPG. In this guide, we'll break down the mechanics of sprinting and share some valuable tips for efficiently moving through the Starfield universe.
Sprinting and Running in Starfield
Sprinting in Starfield is relatively straightforward but comes with a few essential considerations. Here's how to kick things into high gear:
Controller (Xbox and PC): Press down on the L3 button (left joystick) to start sprinting. This action grants you a burst of speed, making your travels quicker.
Keyboard (PC): Hold down the left Shift key to initiate sprinting. Just like on Xbox, this will give you that much-needed speed boost.
However, there's a crucial factor to keep in mind while sprinting - your oxygen supply. In Starfield, the longer you sprint, the more oxygen (O2) you consume. As your O2 depletes, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels will rise, indicated by a red bar on your watch. Once your CO2 levels are full and you continue sprinting, your character will take damage. While this won't result in immediate death, it's an inconvenience you'd prefer to avoid.
To prevent injury, take breaks to allow your O2 levels to replenish and your CO2 levels to decrease. Managing your oxygen supply is vital as it can be a matter of life or death in some situations. Imagine finding yourself in a life-or-death scenario, needing that extra O2 to survive.
Skills and Items to Enhance Your Speed
While sprinting is an excellent way to get around, there are additional methods to enhance your mobility in Starfield:
Fitness Skill: Leveling up your Fitness skill not only increases your available oxygen but also reduces oxygen consumption while sprinting. Fully upgrading this skill can significantly improve your sprinting capabilities, allowing you to cover more ground without exhausting your O2.
Carrying Capacity: Carrying too much gear can lead to faster oxygen depletion while sprinting. Consider increasing your carrying capacity or storing excess items on your ships or with companions to lighten your load and conserve O2.
Fast-Travel: For the fastest way to travel within Starfield, utilize the fast-travel system. This option is accessible from most locations, provided you're not burdened with excessive gear.
Boost Pack: Acquiring a boost pack and unlocking the Boost Pack Training skill from the Tech skill tree can drastically reduce travel time by enabling quicker map traversal.
