Probably Stolen Best Specialization and Start

The start screen asks you to choose a trade before you know how the store feels. That is a bad question to answer blind. This page compares the nine starts on the numbers that matter: starting credits, starting rent, the gear you get, and the trouble the trade attracts.

Difficulty does not change the starting credits or the gear. It scales some starting reputation and the rent curve. Starting perks are applied on top of the specialization from your second run onward.

The comparison table

The rent column is the opening rent, not the final rent. Rent rises during the run; the rent and buyout guide covers the curve and the buyout.

Apprentice: the correct first run

550 credits, 200 rent, Storage Bay, mixed household stock.

The Apprentice is not the most profitable start. It is the most legible one. The stock is ordinary food and household goods, so you learn appraisal on items with clear price bands. The Storage Bay gives you room to keep stock without filling the counter. The tutorial is available.

The opening stock is worth roughly 144 credits at base value according to community breakdowns, so it is not a fortune. The real gift is the 550 credits and the freedom to choose a lane after you have met the customers.

Best perks: Savings + Diplomatic. First upgrade: labeler and testing kit, then one lane.

Rat Wrangler: the best opening balance

600 credits, 200 rent, cage, feeder, three pairs of rats, cleaver.

The Rat Wrangler has the highest starting cash and a product that renews itself. Rats breed, eat, grow and produce meat; the cage and feeder are included, so the 600 credits are free to spend on rent cover and upgrades. The catch is maintenance: dirty cages spread disease, overcrowding raises stress, and a neglected colony dies.

The Rat Wrangler was the playtest's hidden scenario and unlocks the We Have Rats! achievement. It is a strong second run for a player who likes a production project. Read the rat ranching guide before you start.

Best perks: Savings + Handy or Welfare Program. First upgrade: a second cage or a cleaner robot, not more rats.

Water Merchant: the best second run

400 credits, 200 rent, water manual, testing and purification equipment, containers.

Water is the cleanest production loop in the game: cheap machines, universal demand, a test the customer can run. The start gives you the manual and the equipment, so you skip the expensive discovery phase. The margin is thinner than chemistry, but the loss rate is lower.

The Water Merchant is the best recommendation for a player who has finished one Apprentice run and wants a business with a repeatable daily routine.

Best perks: Working Pipes + Savings. First upgrade: Water Filter (25 credits) and a testing kit; the purifier (250) comes later.

Hydroponic Farmer: the long game

450 credits, 240 rent, hydroponic manual, two systems, seeds and supplies.

Hydroponics is a supply chain, not a counter product. The start gives you the machines and the inputs, but the first harvest takes time and one of the starting systems has modules you cannot remove until you get a Module Extractor. The rent is 40 credits higher than the standard 200, so the early margin is tighter.

The payoff is a renewable input for wine, food and higher-value crops. If you like production chains and want a run that grows into a second business, this is the best advanced start. If you want immediate cash, pick Water.

Best perks: Savings + Tinkerer. First upgrade: a Module Extractor or a second water source, depending on the system.

Fence: the fastest cash, the fastest raid

450 credits, 250 rent, Smuggler's Bay, contraband stock, Underground Exchange, higher Black Market rep, lower Security rep.

The Fence starts with the tools of the criminal lane: a hiding spot, stock that cannot be sold in the open, and access to the Underground Exchange. The margin is the best in the early game. The rent is 250, not 200, and the Security reputation penalty means inspections are a real threat from day one.

The Fence is a strong second run for a player who understands the crime system. It is a bad first run because the failure states arrive faster than the tutorial can teach them.

Best perks: Intimidating + Savings. First upgrade: a second hiding spot, not more contraband.

Gunsmith: high ticket, high paperwork

150 credits, 250 rent, Class I weapon permit, firearms, mods, ammo.

The Gunsmith has the lowest starting cash outside Rock Bottom and the highest rent tier. The gear is valuable, but it is not liquid: you need a customer with a licence and a reason to buy. The Class I permit covers a category, not every weapon.

The lane becomes strong once you have a parts supplier and a Security plan. It is a poor first run because the permit and inspection systems are layered on top of the shop tutorial.

Best perks: Model Citizen + Diplomatic. First upgrade: a display that separates legal and questionable stock.

Chemist: the margin ceiling

300 credits, 200 rent, chemistry manual, lab equipment.

The Chemist starts with the lab and the recipes, but no tutorial for the chemistry system. The margin ceiling is the highest in the game; the failure modes are purity, contamination, addiction and inspections. The 200 rent gives you a little breathing room, but the lab consumes capital before the first sale.

The Chemist is the best start for a player who enjoys process and spreadsheets. It is the worst start for a player who wants to learn by clicking.

Best perks: Savings + Intimidating. First upgrade: clean water and a second batch vessel, not a new recipe.

Aquafarmer: the calm start

150 credits, 240 rent, aquaculture systems, tilapia, fish food.

The Aquafarmer is the low-maintenance biological start: fish grow, water quality matters, and the product sells to food buyers. The starting cash is low and the rent is 240, so the first week is tight. The loop is slower than water and less profitable than rats, but it is forgiving.

Pick it if you want a calm production run or you like the fish tank. Do not pick it for the strongest opening; that is Rat Wrangler.

Best perks: Savings + Welfare Program. First upgrade: a water test kit and a second tank.

Rock Bottom: the challenge

0 credits, 200 rent, no gear.

Rock Bottom is the extreme challenge. You start with nothing and must generate cash from scavenging, appraisal or a lucky customer before the first rent. It is not a "hard mode" of the Apprentice; it is a different opening with no safety net.

The From Nothing and From Nothing, the Hard Way achievements require a win from this start. Read the Rock Bottom guide before you try it.

Best perks: Savings + Proficient Scavenger or Welfare Program. First upgrade: whatever keeps you alive until rent, not a machine.

Which start should you pick?

• First run: Apprentice.
• Best opening balance: Rat Wrangler.
• Best repeatable business: Water Merchant.
• Best production chain: Hydroponic Farmer.
• Fastest cash: Fence.
• Highest margin ceiling: Chemist.
• Calmest run: Aquafarmer.
• High-ticket legal trade: Gunsmith.
• Challenge: Rock Bottom.

The best perks guide has the loadouts. The first 7 days guide has the opening order for each start.

Scenario selection. Starting stock and rent set the first ten days more than any single perk.

FAQ

What is the best start for a beginner?

Apprentice: mixed stock, 550 credits, 200 rent and the developer's onboarding.

What is the best profit start?

Water Merchant for low-input cash; Fence for fast contraband cash.

Is Rock Bottom worth it?

Only after you know the rent and appraisal loop. It is a challenge, not a tutorial.

Sources and version notes

• Starting credits, rent and gear cross-checked against community start tables published 28–30 October 2026.
• In-game specialization screen, checked 2 November 2026.
• Starting perks apply from the second run; first-run restriction confirmed in the start screen.
• Build 1.0.0.6.

Official source: Steam store ↗ · Steam guides ↗ · Steam Workshop ↗, checked 2 November 2026.