I need some help brainstorming things for my players to use their profit factor on. We're into our 2nd campaign with the next generation of explorers expanding their dynasty's interests and 75 profit factor carried over from the last campaign to use as they see fit. Large purchases which burn profit factor need to be put out there too - if their profit factor scales up by another few dozen points without a speedbump thrown in this campaign I have this fear that certain aspect of the game won't carry as much weight as it used to.

Instead of offering the players "something to burn Profit", how about having somebody or something challenge the source of their profit?

I think that once in a while it is fair to throw an adventure at the Explorers where success does not mean that you get additional profit points but one where completely success means that you do not lose anything.

So, what is it that they acquired over the missions? What is their profit based on? Trait routes? Fledging colonies? Superior contacts? Where can you challenge them?

Just to get things started:

Lease Chartist Ships

Purchasable from segmentum commands and administratum bases, this enables a dynasty to use a group of chartist trade ships for it's own interests for a number of years. This could enable them to annually supply their colonies and deliver large quantities of goods harvested in distant sectors for trade in others. This is a difficult process, changing trade routes and rewriting charters that have been in place for decades, if not centuries. The cost of these new contracts range from 1-5 permanent profit factor, based on how many ships will be temporarily seconded to the dynasty and for how long.

Gregorius21778 said:

Oh I'm sure I'll throw something at them that might cost them profit factor, but I want them to really start getting a grasp of how wealthy they are.

Last campaign their first characters made a lot of profit from selling resins and chemicals harvested from Burnscour in Koronus and from Landunder in Calixis. They have a large vault of physical wealth on the ship they are currently using and lines of credit extending from Segmentum Obscurus to Segmentum Solar Administratum. They are currently journeying across Segmentum Solar looking for opportunities to expand their dynasty throughout the imperium.

They could also start spending their profit factor in insanely large ways in order to curry favour with various Imperial Agencies.

RT: Cardinal! My favourite member of the Ecclesiarchy in this sector! How you doin'?

C: Uh. Okay, I guess?

RT: I'll say you are! Say, isn't this office a little cramped?

C looks around giant ecclesiarchal shrine

C: Uh... no?

RT: Sure it is! Look, I kinda anticipated this and bought you a new place?

C: Yeah?

RT: Merlos Prime. It's about three light years corewards. Nice place. Sky matches your robes. You'll LOVE it!

C: Wait. What?

RT: Yeah... so now you own a planet, how do you feel about permanent and binding perpetual trade routes? Because, in honestly, I'm all over the idea!

Start Encouraging them to burn PF on stuff they REALLY REALLY want. For my guys, it's a better outfit fleet. I've gotten them to burn about 40PF so far on refitting 3 ships so that they'd be exactly the way they want them. I plan to take one or two away in the future in space combat (if possible).

Have you considered just choping their profit factor? Start them with a better ship, maybe a reflection of their flagship now, have them be an up and comign heir not yet given the warrant of trade, or have their lineage have suffered some setbacks since their last characters were at the helm.