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Quick Answer

  • S-Class multi-tools offer the highest class bonuses and can have up to four supercharged slots and up to 60 technology slots.
  • The fastest method for most players is upgrading an existing tool at the Multi-Tool Upgrade Station on any space station. It costs 50,000 nanites to go from A-Class to S-Class.
  • You can also find S-Class tools directly in weapon cabinets at space stations, the Anomaly, and minor settlements, but it takes patience and save-reloading.
  • Harmonic Camps in Dissonant systems give free Sentinel multi-tools (often with damaged slots, any class).
  • Sentinel Pillars are the exclusive source for Royal multi-tools.
  • Portal coordinates from the community (sites like the Portal Repository) let you teleport directly to confirmed S-Class tool locations.
  • Each class upgrade at the Upgrade Station also reveals one additional supercharged slot, making the nanite path doubly rewarding.

Overview

The multi-tool is your constant companion in No Man's Sky. It mines, scans, and fights. While any tool can be functional, an S-Class multi-tool pushes all class bonuses to their peak and unlocks the full potential of installed upgrades. Whether you're a new Traveller who just cleared the tutorial or a veteran looking to optimize, the routes to an S-Class tool are the same.

If you're still deciding which type of multi-tool suits your goals (Experimental for scanning income, Alien for combat, Atlantid for mining) read No Man's Sky Multi-Tool Types & Classes Explained before committing your nanites.

Method 1: Upgrade Your Current Tool at the Multi-Tool Upgrade Station

This is the most reliable route and the one the game essentially steers you toward once you're out of the early game.

Where to Find the Upgrade Station

Every regulated space station has a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station: a terminal with a hologram display, located near the multi-tool vendor (typically to the left when you enter the main hub area). Abandoned space stations also have them.

Nanite Costs Per Class Step

Upgrade Nanite Cost Bonus Gained
C-Class → B-Class 10,000 +1 Supercharged Slot revealed
B-Class → A-Class 25,000 +1 Supercharged Slot revealed
A-Class → S-Class 50,000 +1 Supercharged Slot revealed

Each step is independent. You do not need to do all three on the same tool in one session. Upgrading from C to S costs 85,000 nanites total; if you're starting from a good A-Class tool, it's just 50,000. Supercharged slot positions are determined by the tool's seed and are fixed per model, so newly revealed slots appear in predetermined locations.

When to Use This Method

Use the Upgrade Station if you already have a tool you love: the right type, good slot count, and supercharged slots in useful positions. Spending nanites to push it to S-Class is far faster than hunting for a wild S-Class of the same type. If you need nanites fast, see No Man's Sky: How to Get Nanites Fast.

Method 2: Hunt Weapon Cabinets at Space Stations and the Anomaly

Every space station and the Space Anomaly (the Nexus) has a weapon cabinet that offers a multi-tool for purchase. The class and type are randomized per star system, so this method is about working the odds.

Tips for Cabinet Hunting

  • Check system wealth. Wealthier star systems have better odds of spawning higher-class tools. Outlaw (pirate) systems have a notable chance of S-Class spawns but tend to roll lower-stat tools.
  • Save and reload to reroll. If the cabinet shows a C or B-Class tool, save your game on the planet surface, then reload. This rerolls the cabinet pool for that system. Repeat until you find something worth buying.
  • Leave the system and return. Warping out and back also resets the cabinet inventory, giving you another shot without grinding on-foot saves.
  • Minor settlements also contain weapon cabinets. Use Planetary Chart (Minor Settlement) map items to locate them. Rolling an S-Class can take many attempts, but settlements are abundant.

This method is free (beyond travel costs) but RNG-heavy. Community members report anywhere from a handful of reloads to well over a hundred before an S-Class appears.

Method 3: Use Portal Coordinates from the Community

If you want one specific S-Class tool, a particular type, colour or slot layout, hunting for it is the slow way round. Multi-tool cabinets are seeded to the building, not to the player, so a tool someone found on a planet three months ago is still sitting in that same cabinet today. Travel there by portal address, pick the tool up, and portal home.

How to Use a Portal Address

  1. Unlock all 16 portal glyphs (see No Man's Sky: How to Use Portals & Get All 16 Glyphs).
  2. Find a working portal on a planet.
  3. Enter the address from the community listing.
  4. Travel to the destination and locate the weapon cabinet or NPC with the listed tool.

This is the most targeted method and great for players who know exactly what they want. Addresses do occasionally stop working if Hello Games patches spawn locations, so check the post date and any user comments confirming the address is still live.

Method 4: Harmonic Camps (Sentinel Multi-Tools)

Sentinel multi-tools are a distinctive type available exclusively from Harmonic Camps on Dissonant planets, and they can be obtained for free, making them especially attractive early-to-mid game.

Step-by-Step

  1. Open the Galaxy Map and look for systems labeled Dissonant (visible on the map without any special scanner requirement). Warp to one.
  2. Scan planets in the system for one tagged as having Corrupted Sentinels.
  3. Obtain an Echo Locator: the most reliable source is destroying Dissonance Resonators on the planet surface (scannable structures that have a chance to drop one). Echo Locators also drop occasionally from Corrupted Sentinel Quadrupeds.
  4. Use the Echo Locator to reveal a nearby Harmonic Camp location.
  5. At the camp's Harmonic Interface, select "Scan Memory Registers" to view three arithmetic problems. Solve them, then select "Input Override Glyphs" and enter the numbered glyphs corresponding to your answers to unlock the cabinet.
  6. Claim your free Sentinel multi-tool from the cabinet inside the reinforced tent.

Important caveat: Sentinel tools from Harmonic Camps spawn with many damaged slots and are not guaranteed S-Class. Think of them as a base to upgrade. The unique aesthetics and combat bonuses make them worth the investment. Repair the damaged slots using Salvaged Glass (obtained on Dissonant planets), then use the Upgrade Station to push to S-Class.

For a full breakdown of Sentinel tools, see No Man's Sky: How to Get the Sentinel Multi-Tool.

Method 5: Sentinel Pillars (Royal Multi-Tools)

Royal multi-tools, known for their distinctive look and notable scanning range bonus, are found exclusively at Sentinel Pillars. These structures appear on many planets and require defeating the Sentinel forces guarding them.

  • To locate a Sentinel Pillar, use a Sentinel Boundary Map (obtained from Sentinel combat drops, Salvage Containers, or the Mercenaries Guild via a Cartographer).
  • Class is influenced by system wealth and type. Outlaw systems can skew toward S-Class spawns but with variable stats.
  • Like cabinets, you can save-reload or warp out and back to reroll the offered tool's class.
  • Royal tools come in a range of color variants, so if aesthetics matter to you, this hunt is worth it.
  • Royal tools spawn with most slots damaged, similar to Sentinel tools. Factor in repair costs before upgrading.

Optimizing Your S-Class Multi-Tool

Getting S-Class is only half the battle. Where and how you install upgrades determines actual performance.

Supercharged Slots

S-Class multi-tools have up to four supercharged slots (yellow-bordered slots). Upgrades installed in supercharged slots gain a significant performance boost. Key rules:

  • Cluster supercharged slots together: adjacency bonuses amplify the effect.
  • Install your best upgrades into supercharged slots: for a scanner build, put Scanner Upgrades there; for combat, weapon modules.
  • Supercharged slot positions are fixed per tool model. Upgrading class at the Upgrade Station reveals additional predetermined supercharged slots rather than placing them randomly.

Don't Over-Stack the Same Module Type

Installing more than three of the same upgrade type (e.g., four Mining Beam Upgrades) reduces the effectiveness of all modules of that type. Stick to three per category for maximum output.

For a full breakdown of upgrade strategy, see No Man's Sky: Best Technology Upgrades & Supercharged Slots Guide.

FAQ

Can I upgrade any multi-tool to S-Class, or only certain types?

Any multi-tool (regardless of type (Pistol, Rifle, Experimental, Alien, Royal, Sentinel, or Atlantid)) can be upgraded to S-Class at the Multi-Tool Upgrade Station on a space station. The tool type does not affect upgrade eligibility.

Is it better to upgrade my current tool or hunt for a native S-Class?

It depends on whether you love your current tool. If it has a good slot count and useful supercharged slot positions, upgrading with 50,000 nanites (A→S) is efficient. If you want a specific type or cosmetic, hunting via portal coordinates or cabinet rerolling gives you more control over what you end up with.

Do S-Class multi-tools found in cabinets have better stats than upgraded ones?

Not necessarily. The class determines the range of bonuses, but the specific bonus values within that range are still random. A natively spawned S-Class and an upgraded-to-S-Class tool from the same type will have similar potential. Supercharged slot placement matters more than how you acquired the class.

How many nanites do I need to go from a starting tool to S-Class?

A full C→B→A→S upgrade costs 85,000 nanites total (10,000 + 25,000 + 50,000). If you're starting from A-Class, it's 50,000 nanites. Nanite farming via selling upgrade modules or scanning fauna can get you there relatively quickly. Check out No Man's Sky: How to Get Nanites Fast for the fastest routes.

Can I have multiple S-Class multi-tools?

Yes. You can carry up to six multi-tools at once and swap between them freely via the Quick Menu. Since the Worlds Part II update, you can also archive up to 18 additional multi-tools in a Weapon Rack (used as a Multi-Tool Archive), giving you a large collection without cluttering your active slots. Many experienced players keep a dedicated combat tool (Alien or Sentinel), a scanner tool (Experimental or Royal), and a mining tool (Atlantid), all at S-Class.

Do Sentinel multi-tools from Harmonic Camps always come with damaged slots?

Yes, Sentinel multi-tools acquired from Harmonic Camps spawn with a significant number of damaged slots. You'll need to repair them using Salvaged Glass (obtained from Dissonant planets) before the full slot count is usable. Factor this repair cost into your planning before upgrading to S-Class.

Key Takeaways

  • Four main paths to S-Class: Upgrade Station (nanites), cabinet hunting (save-reload), portal coordinates (community addresses), and special sources for Sentinel/Royal types.
  • The Upgrade Station is the most consistent method: 50,000 nanites takes any A-Class tool to S-Class and reveals an additional supercharged slot in the process.
  • Cabinet rerolling is free but RNG-heavy; wealthier and Outlaw systems improve the odds.
  • Harmonic Camps offer free Sentinel tools: use Dissonance Resonators as the primary way to get an Echo Locator, expect damaged slots, and plan to repair and upgrade.
  • Sentinel Pillars are the only source for Royal multi-tools; use a Sentinel Boundary Map to locate them, and note that Royal tools also spawn with damaged slots.
  • Once you have S-Class, supercharged slot placement is the biggest performance lever. Cluster them and fill them with your top-tier upgrade modules.
  • You can carry up to six multi-tools at once, with up to 18 more archived in a Weapon Rack, so building specialists for different activities is well worth it.