Probably Stolen Best Perks: Complete Starting Tier List & Build Guide

Master Probably Stolen with our tier list of the best perks. Compare positive, negative, and modded traits to build the ultimate shopkeeping run.

Choosing the right starting setup in Questing Goose Studio's cyberpunk pawnshop sim can easily make or break your store before the first week of rent hits. Picking the Probably Stolen best perks establishes your baseline economy, protects your shelves from overnight raids, and dictates how swiftly you unlock lucrative faction inventories. Because starting trait points are strictly limited, knowing which Probably Stolen best perks deliver massive returns ensures your dystopian retail counter survives well into the late game.

Whether starting as a well-funded Apprentice or attempting a brutal Rock Bottom run with empty pockets, your starting trait build dictates every trading strategy available to you. Below, we break down vanilla perk rankings, economic value comparisons, combo synergies, and top modded perks from the community.

Starting Perk Tier List for Probably Stolen

Starting traits range from cost-free utility boons to steep multi-point investments [0.25.1]. In our evaluation of the Probably Stolen best perks, options are judged on point efficiency, long-term scaling, and early-game survival impact.

Tier	Perk Name	Point Cost	Primary Benefit	Summary Verdict
S	Diplomatic	2 Points	+33% faction rep from trade	Best-in-slot reputation scaling for every build. [0.25.1]
S	Sawyer's Crew	1 Point	Free daily janitor + early Exchange	Unrivaled economy value; saves daily overhead from day one. [0.25.1]
A	Welfare Program	1 Point	Early Commissary + weekly food stamps	Instant inventory injection; unmatched starting velocity. [0.25.1]
A	Vigilant	2 Points	Store is immune to nighttime burglaries	Negates theft losses and lets you skip early insurance fees. [0.25.1]
A	Well-Connected	2 Points	+15 starting rep across all factions	Instantly unlocks early merchant and customer thresholds. [0.25.1]
B	Model Citizen	1 Point	+30 Security rep & +20% bounty payout	Immediate Security merchant access and cheap oxamore. [0.25.1]
B	Savings	1 Point	Start with +150 cold credits	Essential for Rock Bottom runs; mediocre on Apprentice. [0.25.1]
C	Secret Admirer	1 Point	Periodic free store supplies	Fun passive flavor, but item drops are low-tier consumables. [0.25.1]
C	Proficient Scavenger	1 Point	+2 search actions at Dumping Grounds	Good early foraging, but wound risks hamper consistency. [0.25.1]
C	Colorful Character	1 Point	+3 perk slots (net +2 bonus slots)	Requires taking negative perks to capitalize on capacity. [0.25.1]
C	Tape Head	1 Point	All 6 music cassettes pre-loaded	Fun flavor; selling tapes nets +190c, but only on day 7. [0.25.1]
F	Intimidating	3 Points	-25% crime evidence generated	Overpriced; baseline investigation systems are easy to manage. [0.25.1]

Deep Dive: S-Tier and A-Tier Perks

To understand why certain picks consistently outperform the competition, examine the numbers behind the top-tier options.

Diplomatic (2 Perk Points — S-Tier)

Reputation governs practically everything in Probably Stolen. Higher reputation unlocks exclusive faction inventory, lowers wholesale purchase prices, and expands customer spending allowances [0.25.1]. Diplomatic grants an incredible +33% reputation bonus on all trade transactions [0.25.1]. Because selling items is your primary daily activity, this perk accelerates faction progression at a rate unmatched by any other trait [0.25.1]. It stays relevant from day 1 through the deep endgame with zero trade-offs [0.25.1].

Sawyer's Crew (1 Perk Point — S-Tier)

Widely regarded among the Probably Stolen best perks for budgeting, Sawyer's Crew is remarkably cost-efficient [0.25.1]. It provides:

Immediate access to the Underground Exchange [0.25.1].
100% free daily janitor services (unless vandalized) [0.25.1].
Heavily discounted cleanup bills whenever your storefront is vandalized [0.25.1].

In normal circumstances, players skip utility bills like power and cleaning during the fragile first two weeks just to stay solvent [0.25.1]. Sawyer's Crew lets you maintain high store cleanliness effortlessly, saving hundreds of credits across a 30-day playthrough for a single perk point [0.25.1].

Welfare Program (1 Perk Point — A-Tier)

Welfare Program immediately unlocks the Commissary and rewards you with a weekly food stamp based on net worth [0.25.1]. Player testing confirms that you start Day 1 with an initial food stamp redeemable for 160 Commissary tokens (or 120 raw credits at a general vendor) [0.25.1]. Spending those tokens on cheap food items to resell on your shop shelves yields substantial profit margins [0.25.1]. Just remember community survival advice: make sure to acquire a satchel or bag early on so your starting two-slot pocket capacity doesn't bottleneck your grocery haul [0.25.1].

Day 1 Food Stamp (160 Tokens) ──> Convert to Food Stock ──> Restock Shelves ──> High Early Cash Flow

Vigilant & Well-Connected (2 Perk Points Each — A-Tier)

Vigilant: Guarantees you never get robbed overnight [0.25.1]. In early weeks, store inventory is precious, and daily insurance premiums bleed your thin margins dry [0.25.1]. While missing daily insurance slightly slows Joe Wild favor generation, the peace of mind and preserved stock make it an A-tier staple [0.25.1].
Well-Connected: Grants +15 reputation with every single faction [0.25.1]. This leaves you just 5 rep points shy of unlocking extra daily shoppers from the Lower Levels and summoning the Security faction merchant to your counter [0.25.1].

Early Economy Comparison: Cash vs. Goods

Picking up extra capital on Day 1 is vital, but different perks distribute value across distinct timelines [0.25.1]. The comparison below highlights how the early economic perks stack up:

Economic Perk	Point Cost	Immediate Value (Day 1)	Delayed Value (Day 7+)	Flexibility & Caveats
Savings	1 Point	150 Credits liquid cash	N/A	Instant purchasing power; great for Rock Bottom starts. [0.25.1]
Tape Head	1 Point	0 Credits (Tapes in deck)	~190–210 Credits	Must wait until rent collection on Day 7 to liquidate. [0.25.1]
Welfare Program	1 Point	160 Tokens (~120–200c resale)	Additional Monday stamps	Inventory requires bag space to transport back from Commissary. [0.25.1]
Sawyer's Crew	1 Point	Free cleaning utilities	Hundreds saved in bills	Passive overhead reduction; constant compound savings. [0.25.1]

Community reports consistently confirm that liquid cash or instantly flippable stock on Day 1 trumps delayed payouts [0.25.1]. As observed by seasoned shopkeepers, 150 liquid credits reinvested into high-margin pawn stock across the first week easily out-earns the extra 40 credits you would get by holding Tape Head cassettes until Day 7 [0.25.1].

What Perks Should You Avoid?

Not every starting trait pulls its weight, and some can severely hamper your store's development [0.25.1].

Why Intimidating is F-Tier

At a hefty 3 perk points, Intimidating claims to reduce generated evidence by 25% for criminal actions [0.25.1]. However, player experience indicates that managing crime heat in Probably Stolen is already forgiving [0.25.1]. Between utilizing Joe Wild's bribe services, investing in station alarms, and managing crate unboxing through the Crypto Desequencer in your Smuggler's Bay, baseline investigation meters rarely reach critical thresholds [0.25.1]. Spending three precious perk points to slightly reduce evidence that rarely causes failures anyway makes Intimidating a trap choice [0.25.1].

The Trap of Proficient Scavenger

While foraging in the Dumping Grounds adds fun thematic flavor, Proficient Scavenger (+2 dump searches) often backfires [0.25.1]. Additional scavenging attempts sharply increase the roll rate for minor and major wounds [0.25.1]. Medical treatment costs in the station clinic will rapidly erase whatever junk scrap or micro-parts you managed to haul out [0.25.1].

Recommended Perk Builds by Playstyle

Tailoring your traits to your difficulty setting and commercial goals yields far better results than picking perks at random.

Apprentice Diplomat:   [Diplomatic (2)]   + [Sawyer's Crew (1)]  = Rapid Empire Expansion
Contraband Enforcer:   [Model Citizen (1)]+ [Sawyer's Crew (1)]  = Cheap Oxamore & Bay Upgrades
Hardcore Rock Bottom:  [Savings (1)]      + [Welfare Program (1)]= Day-One Liquidity

1. The High-Margin Merchant (Standard Run)

Perk Selection: Diplomatic (2) + Sawyer's Crew (1) [0.25.1]
Playstyle: Rapid legitimate expansion. You eliminate your daily maintenance costs while pumping up faction relations by +33% on every clean retail exchange [0.25.1]. By Week 2, your store attractiveness and visitor budgets soar, turning standard goods into premium profit centers [0.25.1].

2. The Smuggler's Choice (Contraband & Wholesaler)

Perk Selection: Model Citizen (1) + Sawyer's Crew (1) + Well-Connected (2) [0.25.1]
Playstyle: Smuggling illegal crates and pawned hot goods [0.25.1]. Model Citizen provides an instant +30 Security reputation, granting immediate access to wholesale Security merchants who sell tasers and oxamore [0.25.1]. Oxamore is essential for upgrading your backroom Smuggler's Bay early, while the high Security standing keeps inspection patrols away from your clandestine operations [0.25.1].

3. The Rock Bottom Survivor (0 Starting Credits)

Perk Selection: Savings (1) + Welfare Program (1) [0.25.1]
Playstyle: When playing on zero starting cash, liquid capital is life [0.25.1]. Savings provides 150 credits to make your very first counter buys, while Welfare Program yields an immediate Monday food stamp to clean out the Commissary and fill your empty display shelves [0.25.1].

Modded Starting Perks: The ExtraPerks Roster

If you run the popular Probably Stolen mod on Nexus Mods, several additional starting traits become available through MelonLoader. These modded options add dynamic roleplaying paths and distinct trade-offs.

Modded Perk Name	Trait Alignment	Point Cost	In-Game Effect	Strategic Value
Board Insider	Positive	1 Point	Starts with Junior Appraiser certificate, guides, & Magnifying Glass	Instant Day 1 appraisal mechanics for valuable relic appraisal.
Scavengers' Reign	Positive	1 Point	Start with 1 Scavenger's token	Useful for early equipment barters in lower corridors.
Wide Connections	Positive	1 Point	Weekly intel contact warns of upcoming store events	Great for stocking relevant goods before supply shortages hit.
Nocturnal	Positive	2 Points	Visit 2 nighttime locations without missing morning customers	Fantastic night-crawler utility; mutually exclusive with Deep Sleep.
Fell Off The Truck	Positive	2 Points	Weekly crate of unclaimed corporate stock delivered	Recurring passive supply crates delivered to your door.
Ultra Colorful	Neutral	2 Points	Unlocks 6 additional starting perk slots	Premium deck-builder potential; incompatible with Colorful Character.
Snob	Neutral	0 Points	+20 Upper Level rep / -20 Lower Level rep (±20% gain modifiers)	Ideal for targeting luxury upper-tier tech consumers.
Ugly Shop	Negative	-1 Point	-150 starting Store Attractiveness	Easy drawback to offset with cleanliness and interior lighting.
Deep Sleep	Negative	-1 Point	25% daily chance to miss a morning customer	Dangerous drawback that hampers early-game retail throughput.
Pissed Off Security	Negative	-3 Points	Locked at -45 Security rep; +40 Black Market & expanded bay	The ultimate criminal trait; frees up 3 perk points for illicit builds.

Pairing community-created traits like Board Insider with vanilla powerhouses like Diplomatic unlocks lucrative high-tier appraisal runs within hours of starting a new game [0.25.1].

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Probably Stolen best perks for beginners?

For new players, the absolute best perk combination is Sawyer's Crew (1 point) paired with Diplomatic (2 points) [0.25.1]. Sawyer's Crew permanently eliminates your daily janitorial expenses and cheapens vandalism cleanup, while Diplomatic boosts your faction reputation by 33% on all sales [0.25.1]. Together, they protect your early cash reserves and accelerate customer budget upgrades [0.25.1].

Is the Savings perk worth taking over Tape Head?

Yes [0.25.1]. While selling all the cassettes from Tape Head can eventually net you around 190 to 210 credits, you cannot sell them until Day 7 when the visiting merchant arrives [0.25.1]. The Savings perk gives you 150 cold credits immediately on Day 1 [0.25.1]. That immediate capital can be reinvested into inventory to make far more than the 40-credit difference over your first week of trading [0.25.1].

Does the Vigilant perk eliminate the need for insurance completely?

Functionally, yes [0.25.1]. Vigilant guarantees that you will never suffer a store burglary during the night cycle [0.25.1]. While buying insurance does award minor favor points with Joe Wild over time, avoiding daily insurance fees saves thousands of credits across a long run, particularly in the late game when store net worth drives insurance rates sky-high [0.25.1].

How do negative perk points work in Probably Stolen?

Selecting a negative perk (such as Minimalist or modded options like Ugly Shop and Pissed Off Security) awards you bonus perk points and unlocks additional perk slot capacity [0.25.1]. This allows you to stack several high-impact positive traits—such as combining Diplomatic, Vigilant, and Sawyer's Crew in a single setup [0.25.1].