Introduction
There are two main types of unlocks: story unlocks that happen normally as you encounter and complete the various story lines in the game, and sprint unlocks, which require a certain number of operations in a strict time limit.
Story Unlocks
These unlocks happen as you progress normally within the story. There is no time limit. Most of the unlocks have an in-game reward for that game only; reading this table may possibly constitute a spoiler for the story. All of them also grant a permanent unlock for all future games (although currently the game does not contain values for all entries).
| Name | Goal | Difficulty | Reward | Unlock | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vatborn Monster | Defeat the unnatural monstrosity | normal | none | Coming soon | Support Zenette Faen |
| Hunter's Bane | Defeat Bounty Hunter Zerod | normal | none | Coming soon | Zerod will find you while you are carrying Val or Nikolai on your ship |
| Heir Apparent | Protect the Faen heir | normal | Crew: Valencia | Coming soon | Support Prince Faen and Valencia |
| De Rivesh Legacy | Recover the Rivesh blade | normal | Equipment: Level 7 blade
Officer: Nariman |
Coming soon | Triggers randomly on De Valtos planets; new contact Captain Khaern |
| Call of the Strong | Rescue the shock trooper | normal | Officer: Vytautas | Contact: FDF Commander | Triggers randomly on Cadar planets; new contact Russ Axeil; hard to complete with negative Steel Song reputation |
| Nikolai's Freedom | Vindicate Nikolai | normal | Officer: Nikolai | Coming soon | Triggers randomly on Moklumnue planets; new contact Spice Merchant Tuemette |
| Crowned Smuggler | Help an underworld contact ascend | normal | Potentially large trading rewards | Coming soon | Triggers randomly when contacting a basic smuggler or fixer |
| Plague Breaker | Cure the crimson pox | normal | none | Contact: Academy Doctor | Triggers during the Third Era |
| Coalition Founder | Rally 3 princes to the Arbiter | normal | none | Coming soon | Support Arbiter Estelle |
| Heir Slayer | Execute Char heir | hard | none | Contact: Court Assassin | Support Erik Faen |
| Hunt the Hunter | Defeat Bounty Hunter Zerod twice | hard | none | Coming soon | |
| Wrathful Corsair | Strike down the pirate haunting Tuko | hard | Equipment: Level 11 pistol | Coming soon | Triggers randomly |
Sprint Unlocks
These unlocks require you to complete a certain number of operations within a strict time limit. There is an unlock, but no in-game reward. If the unlock name is a link, click to visit its tips and tricks section immediately below.
| Name | Goal | Difficulty | Time Limit | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick Survey | Visit 10 planets | normal | 1 year | Coming soon |
| Expert Contractor | Complete 10 missions | normal | 2 years | Ship: Galtak Freighter |
| Perfect Contractor | Complete 25 missions without failing any | normal | none | Ship: Palace Interceptor |
| Faction Defender | Patrol 50 times | normal | 2 years | Coming soon |
| Warrior | Win 20 crew battles | normal | 5 years | Ship: Aeturnum Vindex |
| Expert Xeno Hunter | Win 5 crew battles against xeno | normal | 5 years | Contact: Retired Xeno-hunter |
| First Blood | Defeat 10 enemy ships in battle | hard | 2 years | Ship: Stellar Falcon |
| Big Network | Meet 16 new contacts | hard | 2 years | Coming soon |
| Privateer | Blockade 50 times | hard | 2 years | Coming soon |
| Covert Operative | Spy 50 times | hard | 2 years | Contact: Ex-Spy |
| Adventurer | Discover xeno artifacts 10 times | hard | 5 years | Coming soon |
| Master Adventurer | Discover xeno artifacts 30 times | hard | 10 years | Coming soon |
| Expert Prospector | Explore 50 times | hard | 5 years | Contact: Prospector |
| Master Explorer | Explore 100 times | hard | 10 years | Coming soon |
| Press Gang | Conscript 20 crew | hard | 2 years | Coming soon |
| Warmaster | Win 50 crew battles | hard | 10 years | Coming soon |
| Xeno Slayer | Win 20 crew battles against xeno | hard | 10 years | Coming soon |
Tips and tricks
This steam forum thread contains many tips for the unlocks: https://steamcommunity.com/app/335620/discussions/4/2534848209927685855/
Expert Contractor
Start with the default Smuggler Template (because he has lots of Contacts), go to Hard Difficulty, use the default map and pick Moklumnue (because they have a nice, dense starting Quad). Ignore the Arbiter. Talk to every local Contact and do as many no-jump missions as you can -- the first year or so, they give really easy missions. Load up on mission, I had 6 going at a time when I did the unlock.
First Blood
The Bounty Hunter template is especially good for First Blood as it features high Ship priority and high Experience. I'd suggest picking on weak targets like Smugglers, Explorers and Merchants. Try Blockading to find them. Since you don't care about Rep just destroy and salvage every ship for repair cash.
User nirlem@steam contributes: My successful attempt was made like this:
- Made a Pirate with Dragoon Cruiser (Talent to replace blockade card with a merchant), Experience at B, Stats at C, (Helps on save rolls on blockades). Standard map, Thulun starting zone.
- I escort the arbiter for some starting cash, then go to closest "enemy" planet to blockade.
- As soon as I salvaged my first kill I went home and bought 1 lvl 5 torpedo, then back for more
- after 2 more kills bought another lvl 5 torpedo.
- 1 more kill and I upgraded 1 of my old torpedos to lvl 5
- 1 more kill and I upgraded my 4th torpedo to lvl 5
- 1 more kill and I got the speed matrix instead of passenger cabin.
- Then I just stayed blockading/repairing until I finished (got 13 kills in 2 years)
Big Network
User dave@steam contributes: Starting: Contacts "A" gives you 8 right off the bat. Experience "B". Ship "C" Galtak freighter for 75 cargo (requires separate unlock on normal difficulty). I made sure to select all three contact types which give introductions as my first three selections so they are in my starting system. I gave my captain charisma 30 and the first level talent market confidant, so it has >40% chance to fire on each sale over 5000. For at least one officer, take second skill merchant and also get market confidant talent. Default map seed and Moklumne faction for best trading opportunities.
Trading: Only pick up items which are in a large enough quantity to sell for over 5000. If you get something that will sell for say 15K and market confidant is not on cooldown, sell half to get one try at market confidant, then the other half will still probably sell over 5k and get you another try. (The demand drops to F, so check your cooldown first.)
Introductions: you can see how many introductions each contact will give you by looking in their detail sheet, under "supporting", if there is no eye icon there then it would be a new introduction for you. Some contacts may have zero introductions to offer but it is unlikely. Cross them off your list if they have none, and keep track of when you have bought all their introductions.
I alternated between a big sale and buying an introduction, so I never ran out of cash but never got rich either. I bought the level 1 permit from Faen first, which makes it easy to profit on Luxury Clothing and Luxury Rations at all the pop planets in the quadrant. I did wind up leaving the starting quadrant once, to reach a contact with 2 introductions.
Adventurer
User areus aniketos@steam contributes: From my own experience so far, the things you should definitely do: 1) You must get the A5 weapons locker asap, or you're going to be very dead very soon. So you must first focus on making the money for the upgrade somehow fast. 2) Your custom template should be based on an explorer(later exo-scout) captain, and you should have one contact for recruiting exo-scouts and another for better weaponry. 3) You should get (at least) 2 exo-scout recruits asap. 4) You should buy the tier 6 weapons from your contact. 5) The moment there's an artifact find rumour you need to get to it asap.
User nirlem@steam contributes: i used a captain focused on crew combat (Zealot/Swordsman) 30 Quickness and Wisdom to get high initiative. i Bring both the Doctor/Combat Medic and a Pistoleer/Combat Medic to fights. Started with a contact to get Exo-scouts. (Got 2 of them) Started out running missions untill i could upgrade my weapons locker to A5. After that i started going to the wilds. This also works for Expert Xeno Hunter.