Probably Stolen Perks

Quick answer

Probably Stolen has two kinds of perks. You choose starting perks on the new-game screen, after picking your start, and the table lists every one the full game offers there. Reputation perks come from the six factions: the Lower Levels, the Upper Levels, Security, the Black Market, the Revolution and the Sector 13 Cartel. They turn on by themselves when your reputation with that faction is high enough or low enough.

Your very first run has no starting perks: the game shows "Starting Perks are not available on your first run". Once a run has started, the Mind Reprogrammer is the one tool that changes them: it "can remove and add certain perks". Otherwise, start a new game to pick again.

The table was read from the full game's files on launch day. Rows marked New at launch or Changed at launch differ from the demo build this page listed before.

How to change perks in Probably Stolen

Starting perks are chosen on one panel, Starting Perks, which opens when you continue from the start you picked for a new game. It lists Available Perks and Selected Perks, with two counters: Available Perk Points and Perks. The panel's own hint reads "Choose negative perks to gain points to spend on positive perks. Some perks are mutually exclusive." Both counters have a cap, so taking a negative perk is how you make room for more positive ones. Colorful Character raises how many perks you can hold.

On your first run the panel is blocked, with the message "Starting Perks are not available on your first run".

In the full game, the Mind Reprogrammer changes starting perks during a run. Its description reads "Can remove and add certain perks. Consume Electronic Parts (Hypertech) to charge it. The device needs time to reset after each use." In the game code it is part of the Hypertech Smuggler's stock, a nightly service Joe Wild unlocks, one per visit. Without it, start a new game and pick again. A few negative perks can still go away on their own; each addiction perk says "The addiction can be cured".

Joe Wild's favors are not perks. They are bought during a run in Wild's network, and some of them were locked in the demo.

Best perks in Probably Stolen: the trade-offs

There is no single best set: what a perk is worth depends on your start and on how you plan to make money. These are the trade-offs the effects themselves point to. Savings gives you a lump of extra credits once, at the start, while Diplomatic, Welfare Program and Secret Admirer pay off a little at a time over the whole run. That matters most on a start that begins with little money.

Some positive perks take a recurring problem off your hands from day one. Vigilant means you will never get robbed during the night. Sawyer's Crew opens the Underground Exchange from the start and makes Janitorial Service free unless the store is vandalized.

Negative perks differ in what they cost you. Three addiction perks bring a trade penalty if you go without nicotine, narcotics or alcohol, and Gambling Addiction has you buy lottery tickets whenever you can; all four can be cured. Blackmail asks for a small weekly fee, with a major one-time loss of reputation across most factions if you do not pay. Minimalist shrinks your main inventory. Sentinel Collapse Disorder is a matter of survival: you need an Immunivax injection every week to stay alive.

Model Citizen and Convict both change your starting Security reputation and the reward for reporting customers on the Wanted List; Model Citizen is a positive perk and Convict a negative one. Read each effect in the table before you spend your points; the order of the table is by type, not by strength.

How reputation perks work

Every faction has its own reputation perks. Some apply when your reputation with that faction is high, such as Security's VIP, which stops thieves from targeting your store and ends inspections. Others apply when it is low, such as the Lower Levels' Mob Justice. In the game's reputation panel, each perk is marked [Active] or [Inactive], so you can see which ones are working right now.

One Black Market perk, Honor Amongst Thieves, is always active, whatever your standing. The table gives the side each perk is on, not how much reputation it takes to reach it.

All perks

Use the group links to jump to starting perks or to a faction, or search by name when JavaScript is on. Each perk name links to its own row, so you can share it.

In-game art © Questing Goose Studio and tinyBuild.

Starting perks site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Type DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT
Diplomatic	Positive	Reputation generated from trade is increased by N%.
HandyNew at launch	Positive	Start with a shabby toolbox and a set of shabby tools: a screwdriver, a wire cutter, a crowbar and a plasma cutter.
Intimidating	Positive	All committed crimes generate N% less available evidence.
LuckyNew at launch	Positive	Increases your luck. Probably.
Model Citizen	Positive	Start with an additional +N Security Reputation and will receive M% more reward for reporting customers on the Wanted List.
Proficient Scavenger	Positive	You can perform up to 2 additional Search actions in the Dumping Grounds every time you visit.
Revolution SympathizerNew at launch	Positive	Start with an additional N Reputation with The Revolution. You will receive Marketplace Requests from The Revolution more frequently.
Savings	Positive	Start with an additional N Credits.
Sawyer's Crew	Positive	The Underground Exchange is available from the start. Janitorial Service is always free, unless the Store is vandalized. Vandalism clean up cost is significantly reduced.
Secret Admirer	Positive	You will occasionally receive random items from a secret admirer when opening the Store.
Short SleeperNew at launch	Positive	You won't miss out on any customers when going out during after-hours activities the night before.
SycophantNew at launch	Positive	Start with an additional +N Upper Levels Reputation. Reputation gained with the Upper Levels is increased by M%, and Upper Level customers have K% more budget.
Tapehead	Positive	You start with all music cassettes available inside the cassette player.
TinkererNew at launch	Positive	When you upgrade an item, there is a N% chance the material used is not consumed.
Vending MachineNew at launch	Positive	Start with a vending machine installed in front of your store. Allow customers to purchase items automatically during after-hours.
Vigilant	Positive	You will never get robbed during the night.
Welfare Program	Positive	The Commissary is available from the start. On Mondays, you may receive Food Stamps depending on your total wealth.
Well Connected	Positive	Start with an additional N Reputation with all factions.
Wild's FavoriteNew at launch	Positive	All upgrades from Wild's Network cost N% less. Insurance costs M% less.
Working PipesNew at launch	Positive	You will start with the water lines already connected with unlimited Rustwater.
Aug MenaceNew at launch	Neutral	The Augmented content is unlocked at the start of the game. Earn N% more credits for killing an aug. The aug menace never ends, and letting too many augs get away ends the game on every difficulty.
Careful ScavengerNew at launch	Neutral	You can perform N fewer actions in the Dumping Grounds every time you visit, but you never get injured while searching.
Colorful Character	Neutral	Allows you to have N additional starting perk slots.
HoarderNew at launch	Neutral	Start with three piles of immovable debris along the bottom of your inventory. Each pile can be removed.
Makeshift ReactorNew at launch	Neutral	You are permanently disconnected from the station power grid and are not affected by blackouts. Start with an upgradable Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor sold to you by Dr. Jackson. It powers the Store but needs regular repairs.
Prime Real EstateNew at launch	Neutral	1 more normal customer will visit everyday but starting rent cost N credit more.
AgoraphobiaNew at launch	Negative	You are unable leave the Store to visit any after-hours locations.
Alcohol Addiction	Negative	You will suffer a trade penalty of N% if you don't consume alcohol regularly. The addiction can be cured.
AsceticNew at launch	Negative	Your main inventory is reduced to Nx10 instead of 24x10.
Awful NegotiatorNew at launch	Negative	You cannot bargain with customers, and you suffer a permanent trade penalty of N%.
Bad Lease	Negative	Your starting rent is increased by N Credits.
Banned from the CommissaryNew at launch	Negative	The Commissary is not available, and food stamps are never introduced.
Blabbermouth	Negative	All committed crimes generate N% more available evidence. You will gain 50% less reputation with the Black Market and the Revolution.
Blackmail	Negative	You have a questionable past and a blackmailer is threatening to expose your secret. You will have to pay them a small weekly fee or they will expose you, leading to a major one-time loss to your reputation across most factions.
Convict	Negative	Start with an additional N Security Reputation and will receive M% less reward for reporting customers on the Wanted List.
Degenerative OsteoarthritisChanged at launch	Negative	Scavenging in the dumping ground works normally for the first week. After that, you lose 1 max scavenging attempt every week that passes. Once your max attempts fall below N, you can no longer scavenge at all. Normal shopkeepers start with M daily max attempts. Start with K additional topical medication bandages.
Gambling Addiction	Negative	You will always buy some Lottery Tickets when possible. All lottery content is unlocked from the start. The addiction can be cured.
IlliterateNew at launch	Negative	You won't be able to read any guide.
Known Snitch	Negative	Customers from the wanted poster will never visit your store. Start with N reputation with the Revolution and the Black Market.
MaimedNew at launch	Negative	The Dumping Ground is not available. You cannot scavenge at all.
Minimalist	Negative	Your main inventory is reduced 20x10 instead of 24x10.
Narcotic Addiction	Negative	You will suffer a trade penalty of N% if you don't consume narcotics regularly. The addiction can be cured.
Nicotine Addiction	Negative	You will suffer a trade penalty of N% if you don't consume nicotine regularly. The addiction can be cured.
On Wild's Bad SideNew at launch	Negative	All upgrades from Wild's Network cost N% more. Insurance costs M% more.
Public EnemyNew at launch	Negative	Start with N Reputation with all factions.
Sentinel Collapse Disorder	Negative	You suffer from a deadly, incurable auto-immune condition and must take a weekly Immunivax injection to stay alive. Start the game with 1 Immunivax Injector.
Side Street	Negative	You get one less random customer per day.
UnluckyNew at launch	Negative	Decreases your luck. Probably.

Lower Levels site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Referral	High reputation	N% chance that M additional random customer will visit the Store per day.	Word travels fast in the Lower Levels. A satisfied customer is more than just a sale, they're your best advertisement.
Word on the Street	High reputation	You will occasionally receive tips from the Lower Levels about upcoming events.	The people of the Lower Levels have their ears to the ground. If they trust you, they'll keep you in the loop, too.
Rare Goods	High reputation	New types of customers offering Rare or Contraband goods will start to visit your Store.	With the right connections, even the Lower Levels can offer up something worth your while.
Tight Lips	High reputation	Selling Contraband to customers from the Lower Levels will only create N% of its value in available evidence.	You've earned their trust. They know you're good for it, and they're not going to rat you out.
Pillar of the Lower Levels	High reputation	You will now receive N% discount from Joe Wild and Dr. Jackson.	You've earned the respect of the Lower Levels. Even other Lower Levels leaders recognize the good you do.
Poor Reviews	Low reputation	N% chance that M less random customer will visit your Store per day.	All it takes is a few dissatisfied customers, and your Reputation in the Lower Levels takes a hit.
Mistrusted	Low reputation	Customers from the Lower Levels will no longer sell you Contraband items.	You are known throughout the Lower Levels as a liability. Those with contraband to sell will take it elsewhere.
Mob Justice	Low reputation	A mob from the Lower Levels will attack your Store and lynch you.	The people of the Lower Levels have had enough, they'll take matters into their own hands.
Marked	Low reputation	You will be targeted more frequently by thieves. Insurance will now cost Nx.	Your poor reputation has put a target on your back. The Lower Levels never forget.
Shunned	Low reputation	All suppliers will refuse to take your calls. Dr. Jackson will no longer visit your Store, except under special circumstances.	No one want to associate with you anymore. Fearing for their own reputation.

Upper Levels site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Discerning TasteNew at launch	High reputation	While a Luxury Item is in your display case, you have N% chance each day of receiving an additional customer looking to buy Luxury Items. Rises with Reputation. This customer can only visit once every M days.	Something expensive in a Lower Levels window? The Upper Levels will come down just to say they found it first.
Pourboire	High reputation	You will receive N% bonus when selling items to customers from the Upper Levels.	They don't haggle. They just drop a few extra credits and call it etiquette.
Upper Level Charity	High reputation	A benefactor from the Upper Levels will occasionally donate goods to your Store.	Publicity stunts or genuine kindness? You won't argue with free goods.
Gossipmonger	High reputation	You will receive advanced notice of most Upper Levels events.	They never stop talking up there... sometimes they even say something useful.
Household Name	High reputation	You have N% chance of receiving M additional daily customer from the Upper Levels.	Your Store has become the talk of the Upper Levels.
Rave Reviews	High reputation	All customers from the Upper Levels have N% more credits to spend.	Your Store is the worst kept secret in the Upper Levels. Customers from the Upper Levels are willing to spend more when they visit.
Tourist Trap	Low reputation	Customers from the Upper Levels are less likely to visit your Store.	Upper Levels clients expect better. Lately, you're not delivering.
Petition to Security	Low reputation	You lose Reputation with Security Nx faster and active investigations progress M% faster.	Using their influence, the Upper Levels have petitioned Security to keep a closer eye on you.

Security site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Requisition Order	High reputation	A Security Requisition Officer will occasionally visit your Store to purchase Food and Medical Supplies. Trading with them will increase your Reputation.	Even Station Security has to get their supplies from someone. They will pay you a fair price.
Security Protection	High reputation	Due to your good Reputation with Security, Thieves are more reluctant to target your Store.	Having the eyes of Station Security on you isn't always a bad thing.
Security Surplus	High reputation	A Security Surplus Merchant will occasionally visit the Store.	Station Security has agreed to sell you their decommissioned equipment, including weapons and armor.
VIP	High reputation	Due to your excellent Reputation with Security, Thieves will no longer target your Store. You will no longer be subject to inspection.	You're untouchable. Security has your back, and they're not going to let anyone mess with you.
Trusted	High reputation	Inspections will be less frequent, and any investigations will progress slower. You will receive advanced warning of any impending Security Operation.	Being trusted means less hassle from Security. Inspections are now few and far between.
Reliable Vendor	High reputation	The Security Surplus Merchant will have improved wares, and Security customers will have N% more credits to spend.	You've proven yourself to be a reliable vendor. Station Security is willing to do more business with you.
Must Be The Wind	Low reputation	Security will not longer respond to your alarms.	You've cried wolf one too many times, or maybe you're just not worth the trouble anymore. Either way, when things go south, you're on your own.
By Any Means	Low reputation	Security will immediately arrest and jail you, regardless of any evidence they have (or don't have).	When they want you gone, the truth doesn't matter. They'll make sure the "evidence" says exactly what they need it to.
No Stone Unturned	Low reputation	Security will no longer sent you lazy or shady inspectors. Additionally, inspections will be more frequent.	No more easy passes or conveniently blind inspectors. Every visit is now a full sweep.
Watchlist	Low reputation	Security has added you on their watchlist. Any investigation on you will progress xN times faster.	Your notoriety has caught the eye of Station Security. Keep your head down, or lose it.
Most Wanted	Low reputation	Any investigation on you will progress xN times faster.	Another day, another case file with your name on it on the desk of the Head of Station Security...

Black Market site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Honor Amongst Thieves	Always active	Reputation is lost with the Black Market at a rate of xN, regardless of your current Reputation.	Trust is our currency.
Small Time Broker	High reputation	Petty Thieves have an increased chance of visiting your Store. Their wares will now improve with higher Black Market Reputation.	You are starting to build a reputation with the Black Market.
Safe Hands	High reputation	You are guaranteed a visit from a Thief once per week. All thieves will now offer improved wares.	The Thieves of the Black Market know you're good for it, and more are willing to deal with you.
Underground Network	High reputation	You will receive advanced notice of most Black Market events.	It's who you know that matters.
Blacklisted	Low reputation	Customers from the Black Market will no longer sell you Contraband items. You are barred from the Underground Exchange. The Janitorial Service cost double.	Your credits aren't worth a thing if nobody trusts you enough to sell.
Uninsurable	Low reputation	Insurance services will not longer be available to you.	Due to your infamy with the Black Market, even Joe Wild can't insure you anymore. You're on your own now.

Revolution site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Raid Loot	High reputation	Members of the Revolution will occasionally visit to sell off their loot from raids. Prices will improve with higher Reputation.	The liberation of people requires the liberation of supplies.
Friend of the Revolution	High reputation	You will receive advanced notice of most Revolution events.	The revolution will make sure you are not caught in the crossfire.
Revolution Quartermaster	High reputation	A Revolution Quartermaster will occasionally visit your Store to sell Materials at a discount. The discount will improve with higher Reputation.	Revolutions can't run on ideals alone. The Quartermaster sells cheap stock to quietly fund the next move.
Revolution Marketplace Request	High reputation	You will occasionally receive Marketplace Requests from various Revolution cells.	From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.
Blacklisted	Low reputation	Customers sympathetic to the Revolution are less likely to visit your Store.	Notice has been circulated among revolutionary cells, warning members to avoid doing business with you.
Hit list	Low reputation	A revolution hit squad will be immediately tasked with eliminating you.	You have been declared an enemy of the revolution. They will stop at nothing to see you gone.

Sector 13 Cartel site-grouped

Perk IN-GAME TEXT	Active when DATA-MINED	Effect IN-GAME TEXT	Flavor text IN-GAME TEXT
Increased Stipend	High reputation	Your weekly stipend now scales with your Cartel Reputation.	Don't mistake it for kindness, it's an investment.
Reliable Chemist	High reputation	Requesting additional Materials now costs N% of the usual Reputation.	The Cartel will reward consistency, and service.
Authorized Exit	High reputation	Your handler will start to process your authorized exit from the Cartel.	You're lucky, not many get to leave without a body bag...
Forced Retirement	Low reputation	A Cartel Hitman has been dispatched to eliminate you.	Sometimes what is best for the dog is to put it down.

How to read the table

Names, effects and flavor text are the game's own English text, kept as written, typos included. Two reputation perks share the name Blacklisted, one from the Black Market and one from the Revolution; each has its own row.

Where an effect says N, M or K, the game fills in a number when it runs. Those numbers are not in the game's text and are not published here. Numbers that are part of the text itself, like Minimalist's inventory sizes, are shown as written.

Type says whether a starting perk is positive, negative or neutral. Active when says whether a reputation perk applies at high reputation, at low reputation, or all the time. Both are read from the game code of the build named under the title, not from screenshots. Starting perks are this site's group; the faction names are the game's. Starting perks are ordered positive, neutral, then negative.

The table lists the starting perks the new-game screen offers and the reputation perks the game assigns to a faction; text the game files hold for perks that are not offered is left out.