- Augs are cybernetic visitors who buy and sell high-value cybernetic gear at your station
- Identification: robotic speech patterns are the main tell, but rarely guaranteed proof
- Big money: Aug deals can pay 100+ credits instantly plus security bonuses
- Appraisal skill determines your profit margin on cybernetic parts
- Caution: some Aug-related deals attract security attention and crime suspicion
What Are Augs in Probably Stolen?
Augs are cybernetically modified characters who periodically visit your station in Probably Stolen. They are among the most lucrative customers you will encounter, because they buy aggressively, pay in large lump sums, and drop or trade cybernetic parts that appraise far higher than ordinary scrap. In a typical day cycle, a single Aug transaction can outearn everything else combined.
In practice, an Aug shows up at your counter speaking in a stiff, robotic vocabulary. The voice is the main giveaway, and the game deliberately leaves ambiguity: you might be 100% convinced from speech alone and still be wrong. Deciding whether to deal with them is a classic Probably Stolen risk/reward moment.
Video Highlights:
- A suspected Aug offers a large cash deal that pays out 101 credits plus security bonuses
- Cybernetic parts sell for big money once properly appraised, with multipliers for add-ons
- Voice alone is not definitive proof of whether a visitor is an Aug
- Buying a smuggler's bay unlocks safer handling of restricted goods
Robotic phrasing ("normal human," stiff vocabulary) is your strongest signal. If you need credits urgently, taking the deal can be worth the risk even when identification is uncertain.
| Visitor Signal | Likelihood It's an Aug | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Robotic vocabulary, stiff phrasing | High | Consider high-value deals |
| Offers unusually large cash lump sums | Medium-High | Verify items before selling |
| Buys cybernetics at premium prices | Medium | Sell spare cybernetic parts |
| Normal speech, ordinary trade goods | Low | Standard trading routine |
Cybernetics Appraisal: Turning Parts into Profit
Cybernetic loot is where Aug-related trading truly shines. Each cybernetic piece carries base value plus additive bonuses from condition tags and add-ons. Learning the modifier math is the single biggest profit lever in the appraisal minigame.
| Modifier | Value Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EMG Plus | +50 credits | Common quality tier upgrade |
| Bladed | +80 credits | Stacks on base value |
| Wear and Tear | Lowers price | Still sellable, expect less |
| Gold Plated | +200 credits | Premium modifier |
| Neuro Interface | +100 +20 credits | High-value add-on |
| Composite Neural Armor | Set bonus | Boosts whole appraisal |
An appraisal example from real trading: an identical item appraised too low at first glance was re-checked with all add-ons included and jumped to 620 credits. Always recount every modifier before confirming a sale.
The certification fee (for example, 106 credits) cuts into profits. Only pay for certification when the item's corrected value clearly exceeds the fee after all add-ons are counted.
Quick-Sell Strategy
- Sell unmodified cybernetics fast
- Skip certification fees on low-value items
- Frees up backpack space quickly
Full Appraisal Strategy
- Count every modifier before selling
- Pay certification only on premium pieces
- Highest credits per item
Hold Strategy
- Stockpile parts in storage crates
- Wait for Aug buyers paying premiums
- Requires expanded storage bay
Step-by-Step: Handling an Aug Visit
Assess the Visitor
Listen for robotic speech and unusual payment offers. Weigh how badly you need credits against the risk of a bad deal.
Negotiate the Deal
Take the cash offer if it is substantial. Aug deals have paid out 100+ credits instantly plus security bonuses in a single transaction.
Appraise Cybernetics Carefully
Count base value, condition tags, and every add-on (gold plating, neuro interface, bladed). Re-check items that seem underpriced.
Launder Stolen Labels
Use a matching access card on labeled-stolen supplies. Opening an engineering foundry supply with its own card removes the stolen tag and yields a full crate.
Reinvest the Profit
Put earnings into upgrades: power jack (free power), alarm system (replaces insurance), smuggler's bay, and storage expansions.
Buying a stolen-labeled access card and supply together, then using one on the other, converts flagged goods into clean, full-price inventory. This combo is a reliable early-game money engine.
Risk Management and Security
Dealing with Augs and flagged goods raises your criminal-activity profile. One of your contacts may warn you that you are suspected of committing too many crimes, and security officers can raid your station. Alarm systems help, but simple alarms are often insufficient when you are carrying contraband.
| Security Event | Trigger | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Security officer visit | Trading flagged goods | Sell inventory before raids |
| Crime suspicion warning | Too many flagged deals | Trade clean goods for a while |
| Sabotage attempts | Neighborhood hostility | Giorgio's protection service |
| Rent due | Daily cycle | Keep a cash buffer above rent |
Selling everything before an inspection means security finds nothing. An empty stockroom is your best defense when a raid warning lands.
Daily operating costs matter too. Rent (209 credits in a typical run) arrives on a schedule, and the property itself can eventually be bought out for around 12,000 credits through the calendar interface once the tutorial phase is complete. Avoid bank loans and mortgage offers unless you can comfortably service them, loans are expensive.
Daily Routine Checklist
A profitable station day follows a repeatable loop: trade with visitors, appraise and sell cybernetics, manage rent, and reinvest in upgrades.
Daily Aug Trading Routine:
- Serve all visitors and note Aug speech patterns
- Appraise cybernetics with every modifier counted
- Use access cards to clean stolen-labeled supplies
- Keep cash above the next rent payment
- Sell off flagged stock before suspected raids
- Reinvest profits into power jack and alarm system
| Upgrade | Cost Priority | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Power Jack | High | Eliminates power bills entirely |
| Alarm System + Transmitter | High | Removes need for insurance |
| Smuggler's Bay | Medium | Handles restricted goods like dream dust |
| Toolbox | Medium | Organized keybind access to tools |
| Storage Bay Expansion | Medium | More room for stockpiled cybernetics |
FAQ
Q: How can I tell if a visitor is an Aug in Probably Stolen?
Robotic vocabulary and stiff speech patterns are the main indicators. However, the game intentionally keeps identification uncertain - you can be fully convinced from speech alone and still be wrong, so weigh the payoff before accepting or refusing a deal.
Q: Are Aug deals worth the risk?
Usually yes. A single Aug transaction can pay over 100 credits instantly plus security bonuses, which often outearns an entire day of regular trading. Just manage your crime profile afterward by selling off flagged goods.
Q: How do I remove the stolen label from goods?
Buy both the matching disposable access card and the labeled supply item, then use the card on the supply. Opening it removes the stolen flag and yields a full crate of clean, sellable inventory.
Q: What is the best way to sell cybernetics from Augs?
Count every modifier during appraisal - EMG Plus adds 50, bladed adds 80, gold plating adds 200, and neuro interface adds 120. Re-appraise items that seem underpriced; identical items have jumped to 620 credits when all add-ons were properly counted.