Probably Stolen Perks: All 48 Starting Perks Explained
Starting perks unlock after your first run. Spend at most 3 net points across 4 slots; negative perks refund points but still occupy slots. One example is Savings + Diplomatic + Lucky + Bad Lease: 3 points and 4 slots. Bad Lease adds 40 to starting rent, so keep cash for the bill. Colorful Character adds 3 slots and itself costs 1 point.
On this page
How perk points work
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Available | From your second run (disabled on the first) |
| Point budget | Net cost of 3 or less |
| Slots | 4 perks (+3 with Colorful Character) |
| Negative perks | Give points back but still take a slot |
| Conflicts | Some pairs are mutually exclusive — the screen blocks them |
Positive perks
| Perk | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Savings | 1 | +150 starting Credits |
| Model Citizen | 1 | +30 Security reputation; +50% Wanted List rewards |
| Well Connected | 2 | +15 with every faction |
| Sycophant | 1 | +15 Upper Levels; +25% Upper Levels gains; their customers carry 10% more budget |
| Vigilant | 2 | Skips ordinary insurance theft |
| Sawyer’s Crew | 1 | Underground Exchange introduction on Day 1; free ordinary cleaning |
| Diplomatic | 2 | +33% reputation from trades |
| Intimidating | 2 | Recorded crime ×0.67 |
| Secret Admirer | 1 | Galaxy Blend gift on Day 2, then rising gift chance |
| Welfare Program | 1 | Commissary open from the start; possible Monday Food Stamps |
| Proficient Scavenger | 1 | +2 searches per Dumping Grounds visit |
| Revolution Sympathizer | 1 | +25 Revolution |
| Tapehead | 1 | Seven worn player cassettes |
| Wild’s Favorite | 1 | Wild’s Network upgrades 10% cheaper; insurance 50% cheaper |
| Lucky | 1 | +5 base luck |
| Handy | 1 | Worn four-slot toolbox with four worn tools |
| Tinkerer | 1 | 20% material-saving chance on supported upgrades; does not apply to all recipes |
| Vending Machine | 2 | Vending machine out front makes sales after hours |
| Short Sleeper | 1 | Going out at night no longer costs a customer |
| Working Pipes | 2 | Unlocks the Gutterflow and Rustwater taps |
Negative perks
| Perk | Points back | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Bad Lease | 1 | Starting rent +40 |
| Convict | 1 | −30 Security; −25% Wanted List rewards |
| Awful Negotiator | 3 | No normal bargaining; worse buy/sell prices |
| Public Enemy | 2 | −15 with every faction |
| Side Street | 1 | One fewer ordinary customer; combined allowance stays within 0–6 |
| Nicotine Addiction | 1 | Market buy +8 / sell −8 while its counter is at least 3 |
| Narcotic Addiction | 1 | Market buy +8 / sell −8 when both consumption and relief counters are at least 3 |
| Alcohol Addiction | 1 | Market buy +8 / sell −8 while its counter is at least 3 |
| Blackmail | 2 | Monday demand: 40 + internal day; refusal/arrest removes the perk and costs −30 base Lower/Upper/Security/Revolution standing |
| Blabbermouth | 2 | Crime ×1.33; Black Market and Revolution gains halved |
| Minimalist | 2 | Main inventory 20 × 10 instead of 24 × 10 |
| Ascetic | 4 | Main inventory 16 × 10 |
| Sentinel Collapse Disorder | 3 | Collapse accumulates from night 7; at 20 the run ends. Immunin does not erase the accumulated pool |
| Agoraphobia | 1 | Must rest 2 nights at the shop after going out |
| Banned from the Commissary | 1 | No Commissary, no Food Stamps |
| Maimed | 2 | No Dumping Grounds scavenging |
| Gambling Addiction | 1 | Can auto-buy tickets and scratchers, subject to cash/count checks; unlocks lottery immediately |
| On Wild’s Bad Side | 1 | Network upgrades 10% dearer; insurance 50% dearer |
| Unlucky | 1 | −5 base luck |
| Illiterate | 1 | Cannot read guides or books |
| Degenerative Osteoarthritis | 1 | Lose scavenging attempts each week after week one |
| Known Snitch | 2 | −10 Revolution and Black Market; wanted-poster effects |
Neutral perks
| Perk | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Colorful Character | 1 | +3 perk slots |
| Makeshift Reactor | 1 | Off the grid: immune to blackouts, powered by a Makeshift Micro Nuclear Reactor (neglect it and it melts down) |
| Hoarder | 0 | Starts with three junk piles to clear |
| Careful Scavenger | 0 | Two fewer searches, but no scavenging injuries |
| Aug Menace | 1 | Augs from Day 1; +25% per correct kill; Augmented ending on every difficulty |
| Prime Real Estate | 0 | +1 customer per day; +75 starting rent |
Three example starter builds
| Build | Perks | Net points | Slots | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and reputation | Savings, Diplomatic, Lucky + Bad Lease | 3 | 4 | +40 starting rent |
| Network trader | Wild’s Favorite, Well Connected + Unlucky | 2 | 3 | −5 base luck |
| Water seller | Working Pipes, Savings + Bad Lease | 2 | 3 | +40 starting rent; treatment gear still needed |
These are combinations inferred from the listed effects, not tested win rates. Check the in-game screen for conflicts before confirming. Adding a negative perk to fund a positive one uses two additional slots.
Read next: Plan the rent reserve · Treat water after unlocking taps
Common questions
Why can I not pick perks?
Perk selection is disabled on your first run. It unlocks for later starts.
How many perks can I take?
Up to 4 perks with a net cost of 3 points or less. Colorful Character raises the slot limit by 3.
How should I compare negative perks?
Bad Lease gives 1 point for +40 starting rent; Unlucky gives 1 point for −5 base luck. Choose the cost your run can absorb. Both still use a slot, and neither is automatically harmless.
Sources & version notes
Community game-text research. Sources reviewed October 31, 2026. This guide does not claim an independent in-game test.
- Nico Wiki: starting perks
All 48 perks with costs and effects, point and slot limits. Release game text.
- Steam store screenshots
Starting Perks screen and a Buyout summary listing Savings among chosen perks.