The Nine Starship Types — Strengths and How to Choose
Starships aren’t just “buy the one that looks cool” — the stat gaps are real. The type (archetype) sets the direction of performance, and the class (C–S) sets its magnitude. This page covers the differences between the nine types, how classes work, and the order a beginner should acquire ships in.
Upgrading class, expanding slots, and the routes to acquiring a ship are covered separately in Starship Classes and Slot Expansion.
The nine starship types
Many guides say “five types: Fighter, Shuttle, Hauler, Explorer, Exotic.” There are actually nine.
| Type | Strengths | Weaknesses | Launch cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shuttle | Cheap, decent early slots | Low across the board | 16.7% |
| Fighter | Best damage, very high agility | Zero hyperdrive bonus | 25% |
| Explorer | Best warp range, cheapest launches | Mediocre damage | 12.5% |
| Hauler | Best shields and cargo (120 cargo at S) | Worst agility | 25% |
| Exotic | Great all-round stats, always S-class | ~1% spawn rate, small starting cargo | 25% |
| Living Ship | S-class only, organic upgrades | Can’t install normal ship tech | 25% |
| Solar | Best pulse speed, self-recharging launch thrusters | — | 25% |
| Interceptor | Highest gun DPS, can hover in place | Hyperdrive bonus only 5–10 | 12.5% |
| Corvette | Player-built, walk-in interior, multi-crew | Requires module collecting (not for beginners) | 25% |
The takeaways:
- Explorer is the best beginner ship. Long warp range plus the cheapest launches at 12.5% means the least time spent gathering fuel.
- Fighter has a hyperdrive bonus of zero, so you have to make up warp range with technology. Treat it as a combat-only ship.
- Exotics are always S-class but appear at roughly a 1% chance in any inhabited system.
- Interceptors (Sentinel ships) use Radiant Shards instead of Launch Fuel, and can hover in mid-air.
- Corvettes were added in 6.0 (Voyagers) — ships you assemble yourself at a station workshop, with interiors you can walk around in.
Each system also has a fixed ship population: 21 designs — 7 shuttles, 3 each of Fighter/Hauler/Explorer, 4 more of the specialist type matching the system’s dominant race, and 1 Exotic. That’s why Gek systems are full of Haulers, Vy’keen systems Fighters, and Korvax systems Explorers.
Reading the stats
- Hyperdrive (warp range) — the most important stat early. Longer jumps mean fewer warp cells and less travel time.
- Launch fuel efficiency — more impactful than it looks. Each takeoff burns 25% of the launch tank (50% on Survival/Permadeath), but Explorers and Interceptors use 12.5%. Efficient Thrusters cut another 20%, and 40 Uranium fills the tank.
- Damage and shields — barely matter until you’re doing pirate fights, freighter battles, or Sentinel waves.
- Maneuverability — a dogfighting convenience; low priority early.
So the early priority is warp range > launch efficiency > cargo, with damage coming later.
A practical order for beginners
- Start with a cheap C or B Explorer (or Shuttle). Warp range and fuel efficiency drive your pace.
- Farm nanites with the crashed ship → minimal repair → scrap → sell modules loop.
- Pick one ship you like and upgrade its class with nanites. That’s usually faster than hunting a natural S-class.
- Then expand slots with Units — the class upgrade is what raises the ceiling.