No Man’s Sky Ships Guide | Types & Stats

Few games have seen as much post-release development as Hello Games’ space adventure. The developers added base building, NPCs with their own quest lines, cities, and new ship classes. Our No Man’s Sky Ships Guide explains everything you need to know about your flying vehicle and gives you an overview of all the archetypes.

1) General information about No Man’s Sky ships

Without a spaceship, you would be pretty much lost in the game. You need it to travel from one planet to another and to warp to other systems via hyperdrive. A ship can also be helpful when traveling to special locations, such as ancient structures or outposts. Even on the same planet, these are sometimes so far away that you would have to travel several hours on land.

Fortunately, when you start No Man’s Sky, you start with your first ship. As the game progresses, you can own up to twelve ships at a time. To get a new ship, you can either claim a crashed or abandoned ship or buy one from an NPC. However, if you choose the seemingly free option, you’ll always have to do some repairs first. Some ships are so badly damaged that you’ll need to replace virtually all critical components.

You can compare the stats with your current ship before buying or using it. The most important parameters are the cargo and technology space, damage potential, fuel efficiency, and hyperdrive range. Shield absorption and maneuverability are also factors to consider.

2) Shuttle

The shuttle is an ideal starter ship in No Man’s Sky. Its stats are very balanced, and the cargo ranges are decent in the lower classes at 12 to 19. They don’t have a significant class bonus, and the upgrade limit for cargo is 110. Visually, shuttles look very blocky and have a rectangular cockpit.

In terms of cost, shuttles are very affordable. They are a good second ship for the first few hours of play. You can find them in all systems, regardless of species. Their maneuverability is average, and their damage potential is rather low.

There are three types of hulls for shuttles: the double tube, the tube body, and the box body. For the wings, you can choose from nine different designs, from Y, X, and V wings to bent or grill wings. Thrusters can be attached to either a single or triple engine.

3) Explorer

The Explorer is an excellent ship for long journeys in No Man’s Sky. It has a bonus to the range of its hyperdrive, so you use less fuel to warp between systems. They can be very different in appearance. Some are relatively thin and delicate, while others have thick and massive engine blocks. The unconventional design usually gives the ships an insect-like appearance.

Explorers have high maneuverability, relatively low purchase costs, and a cargo upgrade limit of 105. Inventory ranges in the small class are 15 to 19, the same as the fighter. A medium explorer has a range of 20 to 29, and a large explorer has a range of 30 to 38.

There is no damage bonus with a higher ship class, so explorers are less suitable for space combat. They are most common in systems populated by the Korvax.

4) Exotic

Let’s move on to the biggest exception in our No Man’s Sky ships guide. While all other archetypes can appear as C, B, and A classes, Exotic ships are always an S class. There is only one of each in a solar system. So, it may take a while before encountering one at one of the spaceports. However, the stats are always extremely high. Exotic ships have strong stats in shield strength, damage potential, and hyperdrive range.

However, they don’t appear as medium or large ships. They are only available in the small version with inventory ranges between 15 and 20. Their cargo upgrade limit is 105, so you should have enough units available if you want to buy one. Their purchase cost is quite high compared to other archetypes. In return, you get extraordinary ships that have excellent characteristics and look interesting and unusual.

5) Fighter

If you’re looking for space battles, dogfights, and firefights in No Man’s Sky, you should choose the Fighter. Do you want to earn some extra units as a bounty hunter? Then, the Fighter is the right choice for your missions. The ships have a high damage potential and excellent maneuverability. They are fast and agile, which makes them very popular with pirates.

Their cargo upgrade limit is 95, and their inventory slots have the same values as the explorers. Higher-class fighters don’t get a hyperdrive bonus but do in all other categories. Regarding spare parts, the fighter catalog is the most extensive and leaves much room for creativity.

Although fighters can be found everywhere, they are most common in Vy’keen-controlled systems. This is unsurprising, as they are the warrior race in No Man’s Sky.

6) Hauler

Let’s take a closer look at the heavyweights in No Man’s Sky. Haulers are the largest ships available, next to Frigates and Freighters. Their inventory slots are huge compared to the others. Even the small ones have 25 to 31, and the large ones have an impressive 40 to 48. Medium haulers range from 32 to 39.

Their maneuverability is relatively low, but haulers have a large class bonus to shield strength. Their cargo upgrade limit is 120. They are priced similarly to solar ships, living ships, and fighters. They are not the most expensive ships, but they aren’t the cheapest either.

Transporters can be built with or without wings. You’ll find them most often in Gek systems in No Man’s Sky. This makes sense, as the Gek are known as a trading species and, therefore, need large cargo capacities. Transporters are also found in Korvax and Vy’keen systems, but much less frequently.

7) Solar

Solar ships are the only archetype in No Man’s Sky that can be equipped with Vesper sails. These are retractable solar panels that use sunlight to boost the power of the impulse engines. This extra power ensures that solar ships with such a sail have the highest pulse drive ratings of all available ships.

Another advantage is that the launch thrusters slowly recharge themselves, so you don’t need to refuel to leave the surface. In S-class, solar ships have stats similar to those of exotic ships. Only in the areas of hyperdrive and shield strength are they significantly lower.

You will often encounter this type of ship when traveling in Outlaw systems. The upgrade limit for cargo is 105, and in terms of price, Solar ships are in the middle range.

8) Interceptor (Sentinel/Salvaged)

Early on in No Man’s Sky, you’ll encounter guardians who will prevent you from exploring areas and acquiring ancient knowledge. If you attract their attention, they will chase you with their Interceptors. These fighters can also be integrated into your fleet.

Salvaged ships have a very low cost. You can get them for half the price of haulers, solar ships, or living ships. Their cargo upgrade limit is 120, and they are only available in the large version, not the small or medium.

Each Interceptor contains unique elements, such as the Crimson Core or an Anti-Gravity Well. They have average maneuverability and, thanks to the sentinel cannon, a high rate of fire with decent damage potential.

9) Living Ship

Like Interceptors, Living Ships have unique components that make them particularly interesting. They aren’t limited to normal upgrades but can also contain technological modules. The number of technology slots on living ships is correspondingly high.

The maneuverability of the archetype is relatively weak, but the ships shine with a good hyperdrive range and high damage potential. You won’t be familiar with the type if you played No Man’s Sky when it was released. Living ships were only added four years after the game’s release. Their visuals can be pretty intriguing as the body parts of the flying creatures move during your journey.

The limit for cargo upgrades is 120, and a unique feature of the ships is that they can pass through a black hole without taking damage. A living ship can’t be found or bought but must be hatched from an egg.

10) Frigate

Frigates are mid-sized ships in No Man’s Sky, and you can own up to 30. The prerequisite is that you already own a freighter. Frigates can be sent on expeditions to other solar systems. You manage your fleet from the command room in your freighter. If you build multiple Command Rooms, you can send multiple Frigates on active missions at the same time.

The archetype is available in several specializations:

• Combat
• Exploration
• Trade
• Industrial
• Support

To take command of a frigate, you must go to its position near an NPC freighter and contact the frigate captain via intercom. Not all ships are available for purchase. A green icon indicates their availability.

Be careful before selecting a frigate. Some of them are broken and have glitches. For example, if you see negative values or the expedition number is exactly the same as the rank advancement level, you should stay away from the ship.

11) Freighters

Finally, let’s look at the freighters in No Man’s Sky. They are the most expensive of all ships, ranging from five to 178 million units. However, they also offer the most cargo space and can be used as a base and for farming at the same time.

Freighters are a special type of ship that can’t land on planets or be piloted. They come in standard and large versions. Like most other ship types, they can be of class C, B, A, and S. Shield strength and damage potential don’t matter for Freighters. Their stats are limited to hyperdrive and fleet coordination.

As mentioned above, freighters are the base for commanding and sending frigates on expeditions. In the game, they act like a cross between a space station and a ship.

Upgrade your ships with PLITCH!

Our No Man’s Sky ships guide gives you a good overview of the archetypes available in the game and what they are suitable for. However, they can be very expensive to acquire, and you’ll need a lot of units, especially if you want to upgrade them to your liking. Therefore, use the No Man’s Sky cheats from PLITCH and add as much money as you want.

You can also use our codes to ensure that your ship has an infinite hyperdrive, that your deflector shield doesn’t fail, and that your launches don’t burn fuel.

Check out our video to see our No Man’s Sky mods in-game, or read this blog to learn more about PLITCH!

Happy Gaming!