Hand Salvage
Hand salvaging is the most accessible way for players to take part in the salvage profession in Star Citizen. Using a special tool attachment, players can strip material from wrecks and derelicts by hand, turning scrap into profit. It’s a low-risk, solo-friendly activity perfect for new salvagers or players who enjoy ground-based exploration.
🔧 What Is Hand Salvaging?
Hand salvaging allows you to extract Recycled Material Composite (RMC) from ship hulls using the Greycat Multi-Tool with a salvage attachment. This is the same material used in ship-based salvage but gathered on foot, typically from derelicts, battle sites, or abandoned ships.
🛠️ What You’ll Need
⚙️ Required Gear:
Greycat Multi-Tool with a Salvage Attachment
Canister Backpack (e.g., Backpack Core or Pyro Rucksack) to hold extracted RMC cartridges
RMC Canisters (used to store the collected material)
Tractor Beam Attachment (optional, for moving scrap or canisters)
Utility Armor with storage capacity is strongly recommended
📦 How It Works
Equip the Salvage Tool: Attach the salvage head to your Multi-Tool.
Find a Salvage Site: Look for derelict ships or mission locations.
Scan and Strip: Aim at the exposed hull panels—when they turn orange, they’re salvageable.
Collect RMC: The tool automatically fills an RMC canister. When full, it ejects for storage or sale.
Store & Sell: Stack your canisters in a backpack or ship. Sell them at designated trade terminals.
🌍 Where to Salvage
Derelict Ships: Found on moons like Daymar, Lyria, or Aberdeen.
Mission Sites: Some investigation and delivery missions lead to wrecks.
Combat Zones: After large battles, salvageable wrecks may remain in space or on land.
Wreck Clusters: Locations like the Reclaimer wreck on MicroTech are great for repeat salvaging.
💰 Why Hand Salvage?
Low Barrier to Entry: All you need is a Multi-Tool and a backpack.
Solo-Friendly: Perfect for new players, solo adventurers, or short play sessions.
Emergent Gameplay: Often tied into other missions or exploration loops.
Supports Other Roles: Combine with looting, artifact hunting, or medical gameplay.
Profit per Canister: Not huge money, but steady income without needing a ship.
⚠️ Key Considerations
Limited Capacity: Backpack space fills quickly; more storage = more profit.
RMC Value Is Modest: It’s not ultra-lucrative, but it adds up over time.
Hostile Environments: Wreck sites may be remote, hazardous, or NPC-patrolled.
Canister Management: You’ll need to manually track, store, and sell them.