Starfield Martial Arts Leveling Guide | How to Disarm Enemies With Melee Attacks

Kung fu fighting.

by Alejandro Josan
Starfield Martial Arts Featured Image
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

While technology has long surpassed what we know as “advanced” in our world, Starfield still carries some of the history that makes us humans. Languages, conflict, and even martial arts. If that’s not humanity in a nutshell, I don’t know what is. Here is how to level up your Martial Arts skill and how to disarm enemies with melee attacks in Starfield.

Starfield Martial Arts Leveling Guide

Starfield-Martial-Arts-Skills
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

Martial Arts is an Expert-tier skill on the Physical Skill Tree in Starfield. That means that to unlock it, you will first have to spend 8 skill points in the Physical Skill Tree. These can either be one-time unlocks or rank-ups, both count toward the tally. This skill will allow you to disarm an enemy with a power attack, increase the crit chance of your melee attacks, get less damage while unarmed, and reflect any incoming damage while blocking when unarmed. To rank up or level up Martial Arts you will have to deal unarmed attack damage and disarm an increasing amount of enemies using melee or unarmed attacks.

Martial Arts RankChallengeEffects
1Spend 8 Skill Points in the Physical Skill Tree.15% increased chance to crit with a melee or unarmed attack.
2Deal 250 damage with unarmed attacks.15% chance to disarm an opponent with a melee or unarmed power attack.
3Disarm 10 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks.While unarmed or wielding a melee weapon, take 10% less damage.
4Disarm 30 enemies using melee or unarmed attacks.Reflect 50% damage back when blocking a melee or unarmed attack.

Related: How to Level Security Fast in Starfield

How to Disarm Enemies With Melee Attacks

Starfield-Martial-Arts-Disarm
Image: Attack of the Fanboy

To disarm enemies with melee attacks in Starfield, you will have to use power attacks. Contrary to what you might think, these attacks do not occur when you keep holding the attack button. You will have to press “V” on PC or press the right stick button which performs a Bash Attack. While it does not work 100% of the time, it is the only way to disarm your enemies with melee attacks. Since you will be doing this for a while, use a decent suit for protection and also level up your Wellness skill to get extra health. Keep doing this until you rank up the Martial Arts skill and you will become quite the kung fu master. Only if kung-fu master translates to more powerful than average punches.

- This article was updated on September 28th, 2023

About The Author

Alejandro Avatar

A musician with a heart of a gamer, Alejandro's life has always been accompanied by adventures on Nintendo platformers, countless hours of fantasy RPGs and several third-party FPSs. Currently, he is studying Game Design and Development and Creative Writing, preparing for a long career in the video game industry.