Probably Stolen Starting Scenarios
Probably Stolen starting scenarios decide what your shop sells on day one. The 1.0 release has nine. Apprentice is the developer's pick for beginners, Rock Bottom is the hardest, and the other seven each build the shop around one trade, with that trade's trouble attached. Pick one below for its page, or read the Probably Stolen tips and tricks first.
| Scenario | Overview |
|---|---|
| Apprentice | Apprentice is the generalist start in Probably Stolen and the developer's own pick for new players: you open a basic shop and upgrade as… |
| Water Merchant | Water Merchant is the Probably Stolen start built on water: you test, purify and relabel it, or skip those steps and carry the liability.… |
| Fence | Fence is the Probably Stolen start for stolen goods: the developer's pitch is to move fast and stay invisible. Discounted stolen stock… |
| Gunsmith | Gunsmith is the Probably Stolen start for weapons and weapon mods: high margins, and security inspections that come with them. The… |
| Chemist | Chemist is the Probably Stolen start for chemicals made from closely guarded recipes. It is profitable and customers come back, because… |
| Hydroponic Farmer | Hydroponic Farmer is the Probably Stolen start for growing crops in a small space. It ends with genetically modified breeds that people… |
| Aquafarmer | Aquafarmer is the Probably Stolen start for fish farming: you breed fish and manage tanks and water quality. It began as a demo upgrade on… |
| Rat Wrangler | Rat Wrangler is the Probably Stolen start for rat ranching, built around one question: can you grow a healthy 2x3 rat? It covers breeding,… |
| Rock Bottom | Rock Bottom is the hardest Probably Stolen start: no stock, nothing to sell, and maximum difficulty. The developers suggest pairing it… |
Which Probably Stolen starting scenario to pick
Start with the Apprentice scenario on your first run. It is not tied to one trade, so you learn buying, appraising and rent before any single product line can sink you. After that, choose by the trouble you are willing to manage. Weapons bring inspections, chemicals bring addiction, water brings liability and contraband brings raids, as the store page puts it. The more profitable the product, the worse the fallout when it goes wrong.
For a calm production start, the Aquafarmer scenario is slower and lower maintenance than rat ranching, by the developer's own description. For fast money with more risk, the Fence scenario moves stolen goods. The Rock Bottom scenario starts you with nothing and is meant for players who have already won once.
Probably Stolen starting scenarios at a glance
- Apprentice: general goods; the official beginner start.
- Water Merchant: test, purify and relabel water; liability is yours. See the Probably Stolen water guide.
- Fence: stolen goods; move fast and stay out of sight.
- Gunsmith: weapons and mods; high margins, security inspections.
- Chemist: chemicals from guarded recipes; returning customers.
- Hydroponic Farmer: crops in a small space, ending in valuable modified breeds.
- Aquafarmer: fish, tanks and water quality.
- Rat Wrangler: rat breeding, feed, genetics and butchering.
- Rock Bottom: no stock and maximum difficulty.
Difficulty and perks
After choosing a scenario you pick one of four difficulty options, from beginner friendly to very hard. The developer has not published their names or exact effects yet, but difficulty is known to change vendor terms: hotfix 1.0.0.2 cut Dr. Jackson's markup on Normal from 25% to 15%. The full list of launch-day changes is in Probably Stolen patch notes.
You also choose starting perks. The developers warn against taking the Sentinel Collapse Disorder option on your first run. Whatever you pick, the goal is the same: earn enough to buy the store, as explained in how to buy the shop in Probably Stolen.
Probably Stolen starting scenarios coming later
The developer has announced three more free starting scenarios after launch: Junker (soon after release), Organ Trader and Street Food Vendor. No dates are published. If you played the Probably Stolen demo, note that it had fewer starts and only two difficulty levels, according to players.