What is Quantum Essence in Starfield? From the moment you kill your first Starborn in Starfield, you’ll likely be wondering exactly what Quantum Essence is and how it works. It’s the only loot you can get from killing hostile Starborn, unlike standard enemies where you can potentially loot the best weapons.
Quantum Essence isn’t actually explained until quite a bit further into Starfield, once you’ve started acquiring powers from temples throughout the universe. It doesn’t even show up in your inventory, so what does it do? Here’s what you need to know.
Where to get Quantum Essence
Quantum Essence in Starfield is essentially an aid item that relates to your powers. You obtain Quantum Essence by defeating Starborn enemies. Once you defeat a Starborn, Quantum Essence will automatically be given to you, so you don’t have to loot the body at all in order to obtain more Quantum Essence.
How to use Quantum Essence
Once you’ve acquired your first power, head into your powers screen in the menu and you’ll be able to see how much Quantum Essence you’ve collected. In the bottom left, the amount you have will be displayed, alongside a button you can press to use one Quantum Essence.
Using Quantum Essence temporarily speeds up the rate at which your powers recharge, so you can blast through swathes of enemies with your Starborn powers much more frequently than you otherwise could. That’s all there is to it – Quantum Essence lets you use the various powers at your disposal much more quickly, compared to its slow default recharge rate.
The effect of Quantum Essence lasts for 60 seconds, so in a long fight, you could burn through quite a few powers without any effort. If you want to learn more about the various powers at your disposal, check out our list of the best Starfield powers.
That’s all you need to know about Quantum Essence in Starfield. It may sound complex and nebulous, but actually it’s incredibly simple. While you’re here, make sure you check out our guide to the best builds in Starfield, along with the best mods to craft for your weapons and armor.
