Meaningful Backgrounds Plus

Normally, backgrounds give you three novice skills. I've changed them so that every background gives two novice and one advanced skill. In order to let you rank up the advanced skill, you also get a hidden 4 point bonus toward unlocking skills in that category, so this means earlier unlocks for that skill category, giving each background more importance. Background that start with a combat skill will also now start with a relevant weapon. Every Advanced skill is represented by one background, which required making three new backgrounds: Fixer, Privateer, and Sentry.

Additionally, the Plus edition also adds a small permanent bonus to each background, so they truly do always matter. These are approximately equal to the value of one skill rank or one rare armor effect, so they're nice to have, but not game-breaking.

If you're concerned about how some skills are not very useful, I also have a mod to help with that, called Better Bad Skills.

Ideally, you'll only use this on a new character, but background passives and hidden skill boosts will work on existing characters.

The list of changes is below.

· Beast Hunter Fitness, Ballistics -> Rifle Certification, Gastronomy ¬ You take 15% less damage from aliens. Starts with a Lawgiver

· Bouncer Boxing, Security -> Intimidation, Fitness ¬ You take 15% less damage from melee attacks.

· Bounty Hunter Piloting, Targeting Control Systems -> Shield Systems, Boost Pack Training ¬ Your ship weapons recharge 20% faster.

· Chef Gastronomy, Dueling -> Nutrition, Scavenging ¬ Food you consume is 10% more effective.

· Combat Medic Wellness, Medicine, Pistol Certification -> Energy Weapon Dissipation ¬ Medicines and chems you use last 10% longer.

· Cyber Runner Stealth, Security, Theft -> Gymnastics ¬ You are 25% more difficult to detect when sneaking.

· Cyberneticist Medicine, Security, Lasers -> Incapacitation ¬ You take 15% less damage from robots. Starts with a Novablast

· Diplomat Persuasion, Commerce, Wellness -> Diplomacy ¬ You are 5% more likely to succeed with Persuasion, Diplomacy, Intimidation, and Instigation.

· Explorer Lasers, Surveying, Astrodynamics -> Scanning ¬ Ships you pilot take 10% less damage and jump 15% further. Starts with an Equinox

· Fixer Negotiation, Theft, Security ¬ You can bank 1 more hacking auto attempt and auto attempts build up much faster.

· Gangster Shotgun Certification, Boxing -> Deception, Theft ¬ You are 15% more likely to successfully pickpocket. Starts with an Old Earth Shotgun

· Homesteader Geology -> Botany, Surveying, Weight Lifting ¬ Your carrying capacity is 25 kilograms higher.

· Industrialist Persuasion, Security, Research Methods -> Weapon Engineering ¬ You mitigate 25% of damage to ship systems.

· Long Hauler Weight Lifting, Piloting, Ballistic Weapon Systems -> Payloads ¬ You can pack ship cargo holds with 10% more capacity.

· Pilgrim Scavenging, Surveying, Gastronomy -> Environmental Conditioning ¬ You have 5 resistance to all environmental damage.

· Privateer Energy Weapon Systems, Commerce, Targeting Control Systems ¬ Ship weapons deal 20% increased system damage.

· Professor Geology -> Space Suit Design, Astrodynamics, Research Methods ¬ You gain 10% more experience from all sources.

· Ronin Dueling, Stealth, Scavenging -> Isolation ¬ You take 15% less damage from humans. Starts with a Tanto

· Sculptor Medicine -> Heavy Weapons Certification, Geology, Persuasion ¬ You are more likely to recover from injuries naturally. Starts with a Bridger

· Sentry Particle Beams, Weightlifting, Medicine ¬ You take 5% less damage from attacks. Starts with a Novalight

· Soldier Fitness -> Pain Tolerance, Ballistics, Boost Pack Training ¬ You gain up to +100 Energy and Physical resistances as your health drops. Starts with an AA-99

· Space Scoundrel Pistol Certification, Piloting -> Engine Systems, Persuasion ¬ You have increased turning rate and maneuverability with any ship. Starts with a Regulator

· Xenobiologist Lasers -> Zoology, Surveying, Fitness ¬ You are more likely to recover from infections naturally.

· [FILE NOT FOUND] Wellness, Ballistics -> Demolitions, Piloting ¬ You cause 5% more damage with weapons. Starts with Impact Grenades x9

Also available on Nexus: https://www.nexusmods.com/starfield/mods/11430

LOAD ORDER: This only changes the background perk records, so just make sure it's lower than anything else that might do that.