Starfield: How to Collect Gaseous Resources

Minerals, plant matter, and animal parts are not the only things you can gather in Starfield. There are also gaseous resources, such as Helium, Chlorine, or Argon that spew through vents in the ground. Some of these are highly valuable or needed for various research projects. Gathering them can be hazardous to your health, however. Here’s how to collect gaseous resources in Starfield.

How to Collect Gaseous Resources in Starfield

Collecting gaseous resources is relatively easy in Starfield. Using your scanner, find an element that you want to gather. Since these are gas, they’ll be flowing out of vents. Confirm the element in your scanner to make sure it’s not just a Toxic Gas Vent, and scan it to register the resource for your survey if necessary. Go up to the vent and gather it. Simple and easy.

However, when it comes to acquiring any element that’s in a gaseous state, you must be aware that doing so can cause damage to your character. Since these come from underground vents, they’re also toxic. The main condition you can get from staying within the vent’s airflow is Lung Damage, which results in a cough and increased oxygen use.

The main way to avoid this status change is to interact with the gas quickly. What I do is this:

• Select the resource in my scanner.
• Pop out of scan mode and run toward the vent.
• Gather the resource quickly.
• Run away.

Most of the time, getting in and out of the vent area means you won’t take any damage or develop a condition/status effect. The longer you stay in that area to collect gaseous resources, means an increased chance of lung damage. Running drastically reduces this chance. Sometimes, I even boost myself away as an added measure, especially if the ground is rocky or uneven near the vent.

Related: How to Cure Status Effects

How to Avoid Lung Damage

To lessen the risk of getting lung damage, you want to equip spacesuits and helmets with high Airborne protection or mod your current gear. This reduces the impact of air contaminants, including toxic gas. Modding your suit or helmet does require additional skills, as well as finished research projects and a modification bench.

Resources in Caves

If you’re hesitant to gather resources in this manner, there’s a potential alternative you can look for. Caves often contain the base of the vent or a solidified form of the gas. These areas can be identified through your scanner, showing up as icons when using the scanner. When interacting with the element in a cave, you won’t be exposed to any toxic gas. No vent means no air particles to be exposed to. I personally try to explore every cave I tag while exploring for this reason, as well as the chance of rare materials inside.

That’s how to collect gaseous resources in Starfield — and how to keep yourself safe while doing so. Make sure to double-check that the gas flowing out of the ground is an actual resource before heading in. Collect the item quickly and then get out of the area. For more tips and tricks, check out our burgeoning Starfield guides hub.