Starting professions

Probably Stolen Best Starting Scenario: How to Pick All 9 Backgrounds

How to choose a Probably Stolen starting scenario by goal: first run, low-maintenance production, high profit with inspections, high turnover or a challenge run. No official power ranking exists, and starting money is not published.

Last verified：Nov 9, 2026Applies to：1.03 min read

#Best starting scenario#Starting professions#Beginner#Apprentice#Aquafarmer#Rock Bottom#GuideRead in Chinese →

The short answer

There is no official best starting scenario and no power ranking. Pick by the run you want, not by a tier list that has no data behind it.

By official positioning, the nine backgrounds split like this:

Your goal	Consider first	Official positioning
First run, learn the loop	Apprentice	Starts from nothing and learns the core loop while upgrading the shop; the generalist entry point
Low-maintenance production	Aquafarmer	Slower than rat farming but lower maintenance
High profit, inspections included	Gunsmith	Weapons and attachments sell well but draw frequent security checks
High turnover, search pressure	Fence	Moves stolen goods fast and draws the most scrutiny
Crops and late-game contraband	Hydroponic Farmer	Limited space, later high-value GMO contraband
Chemistry and recipes	Chemist	High-margin chemicals through recipes, dependent on research and purification
A farming challenge	Rat Wrangler	Raise a healthy 2×3 giant rat; high maintenance
Maximum difficulty	Rock Bottom	The official start-from-nothing challenge

This is not a tier list

The table sorts by goal, not by income or win rate. The developer publishes no income, starting money or clear rate by background, so any 1-to-9 ranking is missing the data it would need.

The nine at a glance

Background	Core official positioning
Apprentice	Start from nothing and learn the loop while upgrading the shop
Water Merchant	Start with water testing and purification; detect, purify or fake the label at your own risk
Fence	Specialise in stolen goods; fast turnover and discretion
Gunsmith	Start with guns and ammo; high profit, frequent inspections
Chemist	Start with chemistry equipment; high-margin products from recipes
Hydroponic Farmer	Start with hydroponic machines; later high-value contraband crops
Aquafarmer	Start with a recirculating system, tilapia fry and feed; lower maintenance
Rat Wrangler	Breed mutant rats; the official challenge is a healthy 2×3 giant rat
Rock Bottom	Start with nothing at all; the official highest-difficulty option

For the full starting equipment and playstyle of each background, see All 9 Starting Professions.

Why there is no ranking

Three reasons:

The developer publishes no ranking. There are positioning descriptions, not numbers.
Starting money is unpublished. It varies with the four difficulty levels, but there is no per-background table.
The differences are trade-offs. Fence's search pressure, Gunsmith's inspections and Rat Wrangler's maintenance are costs, not a simple good-versus-bad scale.

Some lists online give exact starting cash, such as "Apprentice starts with 500". Unless they state a source and build, that number is unverified.

How to decide for yourself

0/4

Pick the loop you wantWater, guns, crops, rats or a pure challenge. Choose the content before the ranking.
Look at the starting equipmentThe equipment decides what business you can run in week one. The full list is on the professions page.
Check the difficultyStarting money and pressure change with the four difficulty levels. Use a lower difficulty for the first run.
Play to the first rent settlementOne short run shows more about the feel than any table. Then decide whether to restart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best starting scenario in Probably Stolen?

There is no official answer. The developer describes each background's positioning but publishes no ranking. For a first run, Apprentice is the generalist entry point.

Which starting scenario makes the most money?

The developer has not published income or starting money by background. Gunsmith is described as high profit with frequent inspections, and Fence as fast turnover with search pressure. Neither is confirmed as the most profitable.

Which start is best for a beginner?

Apprentice is described as the generalist start that teaches the loop while you upgrade the shop. Aquafarmer is described as slower than Rat Wrangler with lower maintenance.

Does the background change starting money?

Starting money varies with the four difficulty levels, but the developer has not published per-background, per-difficulty values. Any exact number is unverified.

Can I change background later?

The developer has not published a way to change background mid-run. The background sets your starting equipment and position, so decide before you start.

Steam store page

Probably Stolen Starting Professions: All 9 Backgrounds Explained

All nine Probably Stolen 1.0 starting professions — Apprentice, Water Merchant, Fence, Rock Bottom, Hydroponic Farmer, Gunsmith, Chemist, Rat Wrangler and Aquafarmer — with the official starting equipment, playstyle and risk for each. Starting money is not published.

#Starting professions#Backgrounds#Difficulty

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The daily loop, rent, inspection and appraisal, customer types, Aug tells and faction reputation: the core mechanics explained without guesswork.

#Beginner#Core loop#Rent

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