Build it legit

The profile

Your first hour, day and week

The civilian economy

Everything you build costs 10% less and earns 20% more. Together that cuts every payback by a quarter, and the gap compounds every time rent buys more property.

Base rates before land and city bonuses. Full ladder in the property guide.

Shifts

• Grocery shift at FreshWay: 1.5× your hourly wage for 20 energy, every 30 minutes.
• Dock work in Port Marlow: 1.8× for 25 energy, on the same 30-minute shift timer. Better per shift, about even per point of energy.
• Restock rush at the grocery, every 12 hours: up to 2× your hourly wage for 25 items shelved.

An Energy Drink costs $15 for 25 energy. A shift pays more than the energy it burns at every level, so on a busy day, buy the drinks.

Where to build

• Havenbrook (day one): delis, restaurants and bakeries +25%, homes +15–20%. A civilian Deli here pays back in about 10 days.
• Port Marlow (day one): fair land; warehouses and fish markets +25%.
• Sundale (level 3): 40% off land on top of your 10%. Gas stations +30%, motels +25%.
• Ironbridge (level 5): 30% off land; warehouses +30%, factories +25%.
• Neon Bay (level 8): the endgame. Casinos and nightclubs earn the most, but land costs 40% more. Arrive with real money.

Bad Penny's contracts

Three a day, sized to your level: work shifts, open or upgrade a business, collect your registers, bank some money, win a fight, make a run. Each claim raises your standing (Unknown, Known, Trusted, Made, Legend), every tier pays 10% more, and all three in a day pays a 50% bonus. Most are things you were doing anyway. See the long game.

Heists: the civilian's secret

Face and Inside man run on charm, and civilians get 30% more charm than anyone at the same level. You also never draw heat on a job, so you walk off with an even share and nothing for the police to chase. A level 10 civilian Face is worth a level 13 criminal in the same seat. See the roles.

Defending your empire

Muggings

A mugger takes a share of your cash above your safe (two days of salary: $548 at level 1, $1,780 at level 10). Your wage lands in your pocket every hour, so the fix is simple: bank often. Your ×1.15 defense helps, armor helps more, and nobody can beat you more than twice a day. If someone does, hit back within 24 hours: it's free and 15% stronger, or put a bounty on them.

Property robberies

Robbers take 45–90% of what's in a register, never your pocket. Collect before bed and there's nothing to take. Upgrades and your own defense both add to a building's defense.

Find a crew

A crew turns a lonely landlord into a hard target. Crewmates can't attack or rob each other, and each one in your city adds +5% attack and defense, up to +25%. A crew that holds your block pays you +5% instead of taking a 3% cut. See the crews guide.

Should civilians fight?

Rarely. Five attacks a day at ×0.80 attack. Pick fights only when the directory says 70% or better, usually injured or under-geared players, and use bots for contracts that ask you to win fights. You never gain heat for it.

Common mistakes

• Leaving days of payroll in your pocket. The safe covers two; the rest is a mugger's.
• Letting registers sit full. A full register stops filling and invites a robbery.
• Rushing Neon Bay at level 8. The land premium eats a young portfolio.
• Sprawling. Past six buildings, each one shaves 1% off all your rent. Build bigger.
• Breaking the streak. It scales with level, and you level steadily.

Pro tips

• The vault pays you interest. Crack the bank's daily code for 1% of your balance (up to $1,000 per level). On $50,000 banked, that's $500.
• Docks in Marlow, grocery everywhere else. Same timer; take whichever is in town.
• Make friends with criminals. In your crew, they can't touch you, and they bring the muscle on heists.
• Upgrade where the bonus is. A city bonus re-applies at every level.