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    Probably Stolen Starting Scenarios: All 9 and Which to Pick

    Updated

    Probably Stolen has nine starting scenarios in 1.0: Apprentice, Water Merchant, Fence, Rock Bottom, Hydroponic Farmer, Gunsmith, Chemist, Rat Wrangler and Aquafarmer. Each one sets your first stock and the kind of trouble you'll be dealing with. Below: what each starts with, its main risk, where it came from, and the starting perks named in patch notes. Checked on October 23, 2026 against the developer's posts.

    All nine starting scenarios

    Apprentice

    Beginner

    The generalist start. Learn every system at your own pace and upgrade as you go.

    Starts with:
    A general store with no specialty
    Main risk:
    None in particular: you choose your risks later
    History:
    The developer calls it the best start for new players.

    Water Merchant

    Standard

    Test, purify and relabel water, honestly or not. Pure water is worth more than gold on the station.

    Starts with:
    Water testing and purification gear
    Main risk:
    Liability: mislabeled or dirty water comes back to you
    History:
    Added with the Steam demo on September 14.

    Fence

    Standard

    Deal in stolen goods. Move them fast and stay out of Security's sight.

    Starts with:
    A stolen-goods business
    Main risk:
    Raids: contraband in the shop can be found
    History:
    Listed on the Steam page since announcement.

    Rock Bottom

    Hardest

    Start with nothing at all. The game's maximum difficulty.

    Starts with:
    Nothing
    Main risk:
    Everything: no stock, no tools, rent still rises
    History:
    Added in playtest patch 48.3.10 (August 7) as the hardcore start; players named it a favorite in the September playtest survey.

    Hydroponic Farmer

    Standard

    Grow crops in a cramped space, ending with genetically modified strains that sell for a fortune, including some people probably shouldn't buy.

    Starts with:
    Hydroponic machines and farming supplies
    Main risk:
    Space and power: crops need room and energy
    History:
    Called “farmer” on the Steam page; named Hydroponic Farmer in the 1.0 list.

    Gunsmith

    Standard

    Weapons and weapon mods: high margins, regular security inspections.

    Starts with:
    A Class 1 weapon permit, a stock of firearms and ammunition
    Main risk:
    Inspections: weapons draw Security
    History:
    Listed on the Steam page since announcement.

    Chemist

    Standard

    Profitable chemicals made from closely guarded recipes.

    Starts with:
    Chemistry lab equipment
    Main risk:
    Addiction: chemicals can hook (or hurt) your customers
    History:
    Listed on the Steam page since announcement.

    Rat Wrangler

    Standard

    Breed rats. The developer's challenge: can you grow a healthy 2×3 rat?

    Starts with:
    Rats and cages
    Main risk:
    Cages wear out, rats breed and escape
    History:
    The playtest's secret scenario, hidden on the profession screen; made visible in patch 48.3.12 (August 8).

    Aquafarmer

    Beginner

    Breed fish in recirculating tanks. Water quality, food and environment decide what fish you end up with.

    Starts with:
    A stock of tilapia and recirculating aquaculture systems
    Main risk:
    Tank water quality, filtration and energy cells
    History:
    Arrived in the demo on October 19 as a Wild's Network upgrade (Retired Aquafarmer); a full starting scenario in 1.0.

    Difficulty labels are ours, based on the developer's descriptions (“best for beginners”, “maximum difficulty”, “more beginner friendly than rat ranching”). We'll rate the rest once we've played 1.0.

    Which one to pick

    If you want…Pick
    To learn every system firstApprentice
    A steady, low-maintenance incomeAquafarmer (fish) or Water Merchant
    Big margins and you don't mind inspectionsGunsmith
    Crafting with recipesChemist
    To deal in stolen goodsFence
    A breeding projectRat Wrangler (aim for a healthy 2×3 rat)
    Farming, including crops people shouldn't buyHydroponic Farmer
    The hardest runRock Bottom
    Rows of animal cages and storage bays full of rats
    A Rat Wrangler setup: cage after cage, each one wearing down with the size of its rats. Image: Questing Goose Studio / tinyBuild, from the game's Steam page

    Difficulty options

    In 1.0 you pick one of four difficulty options after choosing a scenario. Before 1.0, Hard Mode was the only toggle: it is the one mode where missing too many augs ends the run with the “Augmented” ending.

    Starting perks we know about

    Perks are bought with starting points at the start of a run. These are the ones named in official patch notes (playtest and demo). 1.0 adds more; we'll list them all after launch.

    PerkWhat it does (latest patch)
    Model CitizenBonus credits for reporting criminal customers: 50% since Update 049 (was 20%).
    IntimidatingGenerates 33% less evidence (was 25%); costs 2 starting points (was 3).
    DiplomaticBoosts reputation gains. A bug that also boosted losses was fixed in Update 049.
    Addiction perksNegative perks: an 8% trading penalty, you start with one item of your vice and withdrawal begins at once.
    Gambling AddictionAn addiction perk: scratch tickets are bought automatically, a whole stack when you can afford it.
    Sawyer's CrewTies into the smuggler bay and Sawyer's Underground Exchange Directive.

    Scenarios coming after launch

    PlannedNotes
    JunkerStarting scenario, “shortly after launch”
    Organ TraderStarting scenario, “for the Butcher fans”
    Street Food VendorStarting scenario

    For the rest of the roadmap see the patch notes and updates page.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the best starting scenario in Probably Stolen for beginners?

    Apprentice: the developer calls it the best start for new players, a generalist shop where you learn each system at your own pace. Aquafarmer is also described as beginner-friendly: fish need less upkeep than rats.

    What is the secret scenario in Probably Stolen?

    The Rat Wrangler. It was hidden on the playtest's profession selection screen from day one, and the developer made it visible in patch 48.3.12 on August 8, 2026.

    What is the hardest start?

    Rock Bottom: you start with nothing, and the developer calls it maximum difficulty. On top of the scenario, 1.0 adds four difficulty options.

    How many starting scenarios does Probably Stolen have?

    Nine in the 1.0 release. Junker (shortly after launch), Organ Trader and Street Food Vendor are planned as free updates.

    What are starting perks?

    Traits you buy with starting points when you begin a run. Positive perks such as Intimidating cost points; addiction perks are drawbacks with a trading penalty. 1.0 adds new ones, and the demo added two perks designed for challenge runs.

    Sources

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