Main Story Missions

Welcome, Starbounder! This comprehensive guide will navigate you through the core narrative of Starbound, from your first crash landing to confronting cosmic threats and restoring the Protectorate. Follow these steps closely to ensure a smooth and successful journey through the galaxy.

The Protectorate's Call (Main Quest 1)

Your adventure begins abruptly after character creation. You'll find yourself on Earth, amidst chaos. Your initial objective is to reach the Protectorate Academy and participate in the graduation ceremony. This serves as a vital tutorial for basic movement, interaction, and understanding your essential tools.

Objective: Reach the graduation ceremony and receive your Matter Manipulator.
Location: Earth, Protectorate Academy.
Action:
1. Follow the Path: Move right, following the on-screen prompts and the path laid out for you.
2. Interact with NPCs: Speak to the various Protectorate members you encounter. They offer snippets of lore and basic instructions.
3. Learn Controls: Pay attention to the prompts for jumping, interacting (E by default), and using your flashlight (F by default).
4. Receive Matter Manipulator: Upon reaching the graduation ceremony stage, you will be formally inducted and receive your Matter Manipulator – an indispensable multi-tool for mining, building, and collecting.
Key Item: Matter Manipulator (essential for all resource gathering and construction).
Strategy: Don't rush. Take a moment to understand the controls and the fundamental function of your Matter Manipulator. It's your primary tool for survival.

After the ceremony, disaster strikes. The Ruin attacks, forcing you to flee. Your ship will be damaged, crash-landing on an unknown, procedurally generated planet.

Shop Class (Main Quest 2)

Upon crash-landing, your ship is inoperable. Your first task is to repair it enough to reach orbit. This involves gathering essential resources, crafting basic tools, and understanding fundamental crafting mechanics.

Objective: Repair your ship's thrusters and fuel hatch.
Location: Your starting planet (always a "Forest" biome, but specific flora/fauna vary).
Action:
1. Gather Wood: Use your Matter Manipulator (left-click) to chop down trees. Aim for at least 20-30 units of Wood initially.
2. Craft a Crafting Table: Open your crafting menu (C by default). Under the "Basic" tab, craft a Wooden Crafting Table using 10 Wood. Place it near your ship by selecting it from your hotbar and left-clicking.
3. Craft a Stone Axe: Interact with your Wooden Crafting Table. Craft a Stone Axe (requires 10 Wood, 5 Stone). This tool significantly speeds up wood gathering.
4. Gather Stone: Mine stone blocks from the ground or shallow caves using your Matter Manipulator or the Stone Axe. You'll need at least 15-20 units of Stone.
5. Craft a Stone Pickaxe: At the Wooden Crafting Table, craft a Stone Pickaxe (requires 10 Wood, 5 Stone). This tool significantly speeds up stone and ore gathering.
6. Find Coal: Explore the surface or dig down using your Stone Pickaxe to find Coal Ore. Coal is often found in shallow caves or just beneath the surface. You'll need at least 10-15 units for initial crafting.
7. Craft a Campfire: Craft a Campfire (requires 2 Wood, 10 Stone) from your basic crafting menu (C). This provides light, warmth, and a cooking source.
8. Craft a Wooden Furnace: Using your Wooden Crafting Table, craft a Wooden Furnace (requires 20 Stone, 10 Wood, 5 Coal). Place it near your Crafting Table.
9. Find Iron Ore: Now, you need Iron Ore. Dig deeper into the planet or explore caves. Iron Ore typically appears as reddish-brown veins. You'll need at least 10 units of Iron Ore.
10. Smelt Iron Bars: Interact with your Wooden Furnace. Place Iron Ore into the top slot and Coal into the fuel slot. Smelt all your Iron Ore into Iron Bars. You will need 10 Iron Bars for the ship repairs.
11. Repair Ship: Return to your damaged ship. Interact with the broken parts (the thrusters on the left and the fuel hatch on the right). With the required 10 Iron Bars in your inventory, you can repair both components.
Rewards: Ship Thrusters Repaired, Ship Fuel Hatch Repaired.
Strategy: Prioritize crafting tools (Axe, Pickaxe) first. They dramatically improve resource collection efficiency. Keep an eye out for hostile creatures; craft a basic weapon like a Wooden Hunting Bow (15 Wood, 5 Plant Fibre) or a Stone Sword (15 Wood, 10 Stone) if necessary. Always carry some healing items (e.g., Bandages crafted from 2 Plant Fibre).

Food Fight (Main Quest 3)

With your ship partially repaired, you can now reach orbit. However, your fuel reserves are empty. This quest focuses on gathering fuel and learning basic survival skills, specifically managing hunger.

Objective: Gather 100 units of Coal or Liquid Erchius Fuel to refuel your ship.
Location: Your starting planet, or potentially a nearby barren world.
Action:
1. Access Ship Computer: Interact with your ship's computer (the large console near the pilot's chair) to learn about fuel requirements. It will highlight the need for 100 units of fuel.
2. Continue Mining for Coal: The easiest way to get fuel early on is to continue mining Coal Ore on your starting planet. Dig deeper into the earth, exploring caves and tunnels. Coal is abundant once you get below the surface layer.
3. Refuel Ship: Once you have 100 Coal Ore, interact with the ship's fuel hatch (the repaired component on the right side of your ship). Drag the Coal into the fuel slot.
4. Launch into Orbit: Interact with the pilot's chair. You can now launch your ship into orbit.
Key Items: Coal (100 units required).
Strategy: While gathering fuel, also collect food items. Look for edible plants like Pearlpeas, Corn, or hunt small creatures for meat. Cook food at your Campfire to increase its hunger-satisfying properties and remove negative effects. Craft a Hunting Bow or Shortsword to defend against hostile creatures and hunt for food. Keep an eye on your hunger bar (the fork and knife icon).

Out of the Frying Pan... (Main Quest 4)

With your ship refueled, you can now travel to other star systems. This quest introduces you to the concept of galactic travel, the Starbound Outpost, and interacting with the wider galaxy.

Objective: Travel to the Outpost.
Location: The Outpost (a fixed, neutral social hub in every game).
Action:
1. Open Star Map: Interact with your ship's navigation console (pilot's chair).
2. Select the Outpost: The Outpost will be clearly marked on your star map as a unique icon (often a large space station). It's usually located in the Alpha Sector, near your starting system.
3. Initiate Travel: Click on the Outpost and then click "Go." Your ship will perform a FTL (Faster-Than-Light) jump.
4. Beam Down: Once at the Outpost, use your ship's teleporter to beam down to the station.
5. Explore the Outpost: Take your time to explore. You'll find various vendors, quest-givers, and facilities. Speak to the "Esther Bright" hologram near the Ark.
Rewards: Access to the Outpost, new vendors, and the next main quest.
Strategy: The Outpost is a safe zone. Explore thoroughly. You can sell excess items to merchants, purchase new blueprints, and get a feel for the game's social hub. Esther Bright is crucial for progressing the main story.

The Erchius Mining Facility (Main Quest 5)

Upon speaking with Esther Bright at the Outpost, she will direct you to the Erchius Mining Facility. This is your first proper "mission" dungeon, designed to teach you about combat, platforming, and mission objectives.

Objective: Retrieve the Erchius Crystal from the Erchius Mining Facility.
Location: Erchius Mining Facility (a unique, instanced mission dungeon).
Preparation:
- Armor: Craft some basic armor (e.g., Iron Armor from your Wooden Crafting Table) for better defense.
- Weapons: Ensure you have a decent melee weapon (e.g., Iron Broadsword) and a ranged weapon (e.g., Hunting Bow or a found pistol).
- Healing: Stock up on Bandages or Salves (crafted from healing plants).
- Food: Bring cooked food to manage hunger.
- Light Source: Your Matter Manipulator has a flashlight, but flares or lanterns can be useful.
Action:
1. Access Mission: From your ship's navigation console, select the "Erchius Mining Facility" mission.
2. Beam Down: Teleport into the facility.
3. Navigate and Fight: Progress through the facility, defeating Erchius Ghosts and other mining robots. These enemies are generally slow but can hit hard. Use cover and ranged attacks when possible.
4. Solve Puzzles: You'll encounter simple switch puzzles to open doors or activate platforms.
5. Collect Erchius Crystal: The primary goal is to reach the end of the facility and collect the large Erchius Crystal.
6. Boss Fight: You will face the Erchius Horror, a large, stationary boss.
  - Strategy: The Erchius Horror is invulnerable to direct attacks. Its weakness is the glowing Erchius Fuel that constantly flows into its core. You need to destroy the Erchius Fuel Pipes on the ceiling above the boss. There are usually 3-4 pipes. Once a pipe is destroyed, the fuel will spill onto the ground, harming you if you stand in it. The boss will periodically summon small Erchius Ghosts. Focus on dodging the boss's laser attacks and the ghosts while destroying the pipes.
7. Exit: After defeating the boss and collecting the crystal, use the teleporter to return to your ship.
Rewards: Erchius Crystal (used to upgrade your ship's FTL drive), significant pixels, and new blueprints.
Strategy: Take your time. Don't rush into groups of enemies. Use your shield (if you have one) or dodge rolls (double-tap movement key) to avoid damage. The Erchius Horror boss fight is more about environmental interaction than raw damage output.

Upgrading Your Ship (Main Quest 6)

With the Erchius Crystal in hand, you can now upgrade your ship's FTL drive, allowing you to travel to more distant star systems.

Objective: Upgrade your ship's FTL drive using the Erchius Crystal.
Location: Your ship.
Action:
1. Speak to S.A.I.L.: Interact with your ship's AI, S.A.I.L. (the console near the teleporter).
2. Initiate Upgrade: S.A.I.L. will recognize the Erchius Crystal in your inventory and offer the FTL drive upgrade. Confirm the upgrade.
Rewards: Access to new star systems (Gamma Sector and beyond), enabling exploration of more challenging planets and resources.
Strategy: This is a straightforward quest. The real benefit is the expanded exploration opportunities. Now you can seek out planets with higher-tier ores and more diverse biomes.

The Grand Pagoda Library (Main Quest 7)

After upgrading your ship, Esther Bright will contact you again, directing you to the Grand Pagoda Library to find a key to the Ark. This mission introduces you to the Hylotl and more complex platforming and enemy encounters.

Objective: Retrieve the Hylotl Artifact from the Grand Pagoda Library.
Location: Grand Pagoda Library (a unique, instanced mission dungeon).
Preparation:
- Armor: Aim for Steel Armor or better.
- Weapons: Bring upgraded weapons. A good ranged weapon is highly recommended for the library's layout.
- Healing: Plenty of Salves or crafted healing items.
- Movement Tech: If you've found any Tech blueprints (e.g., Dash, Double Jump), equip them for easier navigation.
Action:
1. Access Mission: Select "Grand Pagoda Library" from your ship's navigation console.
2. Navigate the Library: The library is a multi-level dungeon with many Hylotl guards and environmental hazards (e.g., water traps, laser grids).
3. Solve Puzzles: You'll encounter more intricate switch puzzles, often requiring precise jumps or activating multiple switches in sequence.
4. Collect Artifact: Reach the end of the library to retrieve the Hylotl Artifact.
5. Boss Fight: You will face the Kluex Avatar, a large, flying boss.
  - Strategy: The Kluex Avatar flies around, summoning smaller enemies and firing projectiles. Focus fire on the boss while dodging its attacks. Use platforms for cover. The boss has several phases, becoming more aggressive as its health decreases.
6. Exit: Use the teleporter to return to your ship.
Rewards: Hylotl Artifact, significant pixels, and new blueprints.
Strategy: This mission requires more careful platforming and combat. Take your time, clear areas of enemies before moving on, and use your ranged weapon to pick off foes from a distance.

Further Main Story Progression

The main story continues with a series of artifact retrieval missions, each introducing you to a different major race and culminating in a unique dungeon and boss fight. These generally follow a similar pattern:

Speak to Esther Bright: She will direct you to the next artifact mission.
Prepare: Upgrade your gear (armor, weapons, healing items) to the appropriate tier for the mission.
Access Mission: Select the mission from your ship's navigation console.
Complete Dungeon: Navigate the instanced dungeon, defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and retrieve the artifact.
Defeat Boss: Each artifact mission has a unique boss with specific mechanics.
Return to Ship: Teleport back to your ship with the artifact.
Place Artifact: Place the newly acquired artifact on the pedestal in the Ark (accessed via the Outpost).

Main Artifact Missions (in order):

The Grand Pagoda Library (Hylotl) - Covered above.
The Glitch Castle (Glitch): A medieval-themed dungeon with robotic knights and traps. Boss: Baron's Mech.
The Miniknog Stronghold (Apex): A high-tech facility with Apex guards and security systems. Boss: Big Ape Mech.
The Great Ape (Floran): A jungle-themed dungeon with aggressive Floran and plant-based enemies. Boss: Ixodoom.
The Ancient Vault (Avian): An ancient temple with Avian guardians and environmental puzzles. Boss: Asra Nox.

After collecting all six artifacts and placing them in the Ark, you will unlock the final main story mission:

The Ruin (Final Main Quest)

This is the climactic final mission of Starbound, where you confront the ultimate antagonist, The Ruin, and attempt to save the galaxy.

Objective: Defeat The Ruin.
Location: The Ruin (a massive, unique, instanced mission dungeon).
Preparation:
- Best Gear: You should have the highest tier armor and weapons available (e.g., Solarium, Durasteel, or Aegisalt tier).
- Healing: Max out your healing items (e.g., Max Stim Packs, Healing Waters).
- Food Buffs: Bring high-quality cooked food that provides beneficial buffs (e.g., health regeneration, damage boosts).
- Tech: Ensure you have your preferred movement tech (e.g., Multi-Jump, Rocket Jump, Dash) and defensive tech (e.g., Energy Shield).
Action:
1. Access Mission: Select "The Ruin" from your ship's navigation console after placing all artifacts in the Ark.
2. Navigate the Ruin: This mission is a long, challenging dungeon filled with powerful enemies and environmental hazards. It combines elements from all previous missions.
3. Mini-Boss Encounters: You will face several mini-bosses and waves of enemies throughout the dungeon.
4. Final Boss: The Ruin itself is a multi-phase boss fight.
  - Phase 1 (Tentacles): Destroy the numerous tentacles that emerge from the ground.
  - Phase 2 (Core): The Ruin's core becomes exposed. Attack it while dodging its various attacks (lasers, projectiles, summoning smaller enemies).
  - Phase 3 (Final Form): The Ruin transforms into its true, massive form. This phase is a bullet-hell style encounter. Focus on dodging and continuously attacking the weak points.
5. Victory: Upon defeating The Ruin, a cinematic will play, and the main story will conclude.
Rewards: Completion of the main story, unique cosmetic items, and access to post-game content.
Strategy: This is the ultimate test of your Starbound skills. Conserve your healing items. Learn enemy attack patterns. Use cover and environmental advantages. Don't be afraid to retreat and heal if necessary. If you struggle, consider upgrading your gear further or bringing a friend in multiplayer.

Congratulations, Protector! You have saved the galaxy. Your adventure doesn't end here, however. Starbound offers vast amounts of exploration, building, side quests, and modding opportunities for endless enjoyment.