The ships in Star Citizen are the player's main mode of transport throughout the System and across the worlds. This makes the starting decision very important and can very much dictate the experience you have when first introduced to the game.
"Free to Play" players will also want to keep an eye on these ships, as they can come in handy when first jumping into a new life in space. This guide will help Star Citizen players choose between three different options, which all have their own strengths and weaknesses but still provide the user with a balanced experience and the ability to take part in almost all the activities Stanton has to offer.
The infamous Cutlass Black will not be included in this list, as it goes above and beyond the new player's basic needs. As well as this, its price point of $115 seems a little too high to be considered next to the options given below. However, this ship is still a good option for those who may want to invest a little more than others - although it isn't essential, as there are still a range of ships that give players enough utility to partake in the Star Citizen universe. There are also a range of other ships in pre-order, but new players will want to stay away from these for now.
Drake Cutter - $75 (Discounted to $56.25)
The Drake Cutter is one of the brand new ships in Star Citizen, with its release back in November 2022. As a new ship, it heavily benefits from the superior and more realistic designs that the creative team are putting into the more recent ship releases.
The Cutter features a large cargo hold giving it lots of versatility around transporting ground vehicles such as the HoverQuad. Players will also find a bed and living space within the interior of the ship, allowing them to save and store items here as well as log off on the ship and respawn here when done so.
Although all these features are great, the best thing the Cutter brings to the table is its large quantum fuel tank. This allows for multiple trips across the System without needing to stop and refuel. Pairing this with the fastest drive in the game allows players to traverse Stanton quickly and complete missions with ease.
Unfortunately, this ship does come with some issues. With a single size 1 shield, players will struggle in combat as they are extremely vulnerable to enemy fire. This factor isn't helped by the lack of weaponry when compared to the other options.
By all means, players can use this to take on some of the lower-level bounty contracts, but past this, they may struggle in a dogfight. The Cutter also isn't the fastest ship in the Verse, neither is it the most maneuverable, meaning players will have to be extremely careful when entering a fight.
CO Nomad - $95.00
The CO Nomad is unique in its design and capabilities for a starter ship. When compared to other ships in this price range, it is one of the fastest ships available. With amazing utility paired with speed, players can easily take on a few different tasks when entering the Star Citizen universe.
The Nomad comes with 3 size 1 shield generators, making it very strong from launch without needing to spend credits on an upgrade. As for weaponry, this ship comes with 3 size 3 hard points as well as missile launchers. For those looking to take on some slightly harder bounty missions, this ship could be a great option.
The amazing interior comes equipped with a bed and kitchenette, giving the player the ability to save and log off on the ship. Players will also have plenty of physical storage inside the ship. This feature will be far more noticeable with the release of update 3.18 (currently in 3.17), which brings in persistent entity streaming. Essentially, this allows players to store and save items on the ship even when they leave.
The large storage bay at the rear of the ship allows enough space for a mining vehicle, giving new players the ability to partake in an interesting gameplay loop that the other ships cannot facilitate.
Unfortunately, the Nomad can be found at the top end of the price range for a starter ship - although it does come with some great weaponry, it's not recommended players use this as a "fighter" -- something like the Aegis Avenger can be better suited for this.
Aegis Avenger Titan - $70
The Aegis Avenger Titan has quickly become the poster boy for starter ships in Star Citizen. Its all-around capabilities and potential for upgrades make it a great option for players entering the universe for the first time. This is also a great option for "Free to Play" players as its versatility and simplicity will allow you to explore the entire System for the limited time experience.
With awesome atmospheric speed and maneuverability, new players will have an easy time navigating planets and taking on enemies within the atmosphere of different locations. With awesome firepower, including a size 4 nose mount and 2 size 3 wing mounts, the user has some great stock options to take on bounties, as well as the ability to remove the gimbaled mount and get larger weapons. Out of every starter ship, the Avenger easily provides the best combat capabilities, especially for those flying solo.
As players gain better ships in Star Citizen, the Avenger will likely become a quick taxi ship as its quick refresh time is very convenient when respawning at the home location.
Star Citizen is now available on PC.