What should a brand new player focus on first: energy, nerve, gym, or a faction?

It is not either/or: energy and nerve are separate bars. Energy goes mainly to the gym, nerve to low-risk crimes, and a faction is worth joining early if it is active. The guides disagree on how long to train only in the gym.

Suggested order

1. Energy into the gym. Gym stats are where battle stats come from, and energy spent attacking is not spent in the gym^[1]. An attack costs 25 energy^[2].
2. Nerve into low-risk crimes. A 2020 guide said new players most likely have 15 natural nerve^[3]. Nerve recovers 1 every 5 minutes^[4]. A 2021 beginner guide said to start with Search for Cash, then Shoplifting or Sell Copied Media; a 2025 guide also opens with Shoplifting; George_1000's 2020 tips say 20-30 Search for Cash first.
3. A faction, chosen carefully. A 2023 tutorial by Officer mug calls joining one a priority, and warns against inactive factions with no requirements. The wiki's Back to Basics page says some factions require daily chaining, minimum stats or a Donator Pack, and advises talking to the leader first. New members are held at a Recruit position for 72 hours^[5].
4. Job and education alongside. One 2019 guide recommended Introduction to Self Defence first^[6].

Where the guides disagree

• A 2021 guide: all energy in the gym until about 150 or 200 trains per stat.
• A 2025 guide by Pacca: all energy on Strength for the first 3-5 days, to attack for fast levelling. It notes new players cannot be attacked for their first 14 days.
• George_1000's 2020 tips: from level 15 put all energy into training and keep stats balanced until special gyms unlock.
• The wiki says each player chooses their own path on stats^[7], and the 2020 new-player mission says it is up to you to find the combination that suits your style^[8]. Players have asked whether balance matters since 2015, and the captured threads show no answers^[9][10].
• The sources do not settle the split. All the guides agree that energy is for the gym and nerve for small crimes.

Gym notes

Standard gyms use 5 energy per train in a 2022 player guide^[11]. Gyms unlock by training^[12]. Specialist gyms come later: Gym 3000 costs $100,000,000, uses 50 energy and needs Strength 25% higher than your second highest stat^[13]. The 50 million soft cap was removed in August 2022^[14].

Faction nerve upgrades

In a 2021 wiki capture, the first faction Nerve upgrade (+1 nerve) needs 500 offences and the last (+40) needs 1000000^[15][16]. That is a late-game boost, not a starting reason to join. Merits, company specials and faction specials can expand the bar by up to 65^[4].

The newest guides are 2023 and 2025, and no current staff or wiki statement on a starting order was found. The 2025, 2023 and 2021 guide details above could not be tied to source documents in this pack.

Where sources disagree

• Guides differ on early gym focus: about 150-200 trains per stat first, Strength only for 3-5 days, or balanced stats until special gyms unlock; the wiki leaves the path to the player.^[7][8]