The 9 starts at a glance
| Start | What you begin with (developers’ description) | The trouble it brings | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | A generalist shop; upgrade as you go | Nothing specific | First run |
| Water Merchant | Water to test, purify and re-label — “pure water is more expensive than gold” | Liability if bad water hurts someone | Fast money once water is cheap to make — see water |
| Fence | Stolen goods — “move fast, stay invisible” | Raids and confiscation | Players who like hiding stock |
| Gunsmith | A Class 1 weapon permit, firearms and ammunition | Security inspections | High margins |
| Chemist | Chemistry lab equipment and closely guarded recipes | Addiction; customers who come back | Chemistry and the Say My Name achievement |
| Hydroponic Farmer | Hydroponic machines and farming supplies; ends with genetically modified crops | Some crops people “probably shouldn’t buy” | The Green Thumb achievement |
| Aquafarmer | Tilapia and recirculating aquaculture systems | Water quality and fish food decide what fish you get | Patient players |
| Rat Wrangler | Rats — “Can you grow a healthy 2x3 rat?” | — | The “hidden scenario” — unlocks We Have Rats! |
| Rock Bottom | Nothing at all | Maximum difficulty | The From Nothing achievements |
The store page sums up the trade-off: weapons bring inspections, chemicals bring addiction, water brings liability, contraband brings raids. The scenario only sets how you start — you can unlock other product lines later.
Difficulty
There are 4 difficulties, picked after the scenario:
| Difficulty | Also called | Rent rise per week | Deed price | Rent graces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price Gouge | Cozy | ~2% | 12,000 | 1 |
| Mark Up | Normal | 5% | 12,000 | 1 |
| Thin Margins | Hard | 10% | 24,000 | 0 |
| Red Ink | Challenge | 10% | 36,000 | 0 |
Full breakdown in loans and rent. Patch 1.0.0.2 lowered Dr. Jackson’s markup from 25% to 15% on Normal, and 1.0.0.1 made the Merchant state the discount he really takes on your difficulty.
Starting perks
Perks are bought with points; taking negative perks gives you more points for positive ones (some perks can’t be combined). The developers’ own warning for a first run: don’t take Sentinel Collapse Disorder — it’s a negative perk that ends the run if you skip Immunivax (endings). The full list and the best picks are on the perks page.
Coming later
Junker, Organ Trader (“for the Butcher fans”) and Street Food Vendor are announced as free updates — see updates.