Man of the House

Master every character path, unlock all scenes, and maximize your stats with this comprehensive guide

Man of the House is an adult simulation game that puts you in control of a 20-year-old protagonist navigating relationships with multiple characters while managing key stats. Success in the game requires understanding stat mechanics, timing events correctly, and following specific progression paths for each character. This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know to unlock all scenes, maximize your stats, and experience every storyline the game offers. Whether you’re stuck on a particular character’s path or looking to optimize your playthrough from the beginning, this walkthrough provides actionable strategies and detailed event timings to help you progress efficiently.

Understanding Core Game Mechanics and Stat System

Let’s be honest: when you first boot up Man of the House, the sheer number of stats, choices, and beautiful characters can feel overwhelming. 😅 I remember my first playthrough—I spent days just talking to everyone, missing obvious triggers, and watching the in-game clock tick away without making real progress. I was totally lost on the stat maximization strategy needed to unlock the good stuff. Sound familiar?

That’s why understanding the game mechanics walkthrough from the start is your golden ticket. Think of stats as your keys. Without the right key, the door to a character’s story remains firmly locked, no matter how many times you click. This chapter is your master keyring. We’re going to break down exactly what each stat does, where to grind them, and how to plan your days for maximum efficiency. By the end, you’ll have a solid Man of the House stats guide foundation, turning you from a confused housemate into a strategic maestro. 🎮

How the Three Core Stats Work

At its heart, Man of the House is driven by a network of attributes that track your progress and relationships. While there are several, three core categories form the backbone of your entire experience: Body, Love, and Arousal. Mastering these is 90% of the battle.

Your Body stat is the simplest, but arguably the most crucial early on. It represents your physical fitness and has a hard maximum of 50. This is your personal stat; it doesn’t change based on who you’re with. The primary—and pretty much only—way to boost it is by hitting the Health Club. Every workout session increases your Body by 1 point. It’s a grind, but it’s a non-negotiable one, as many events and interactions require a minimum Body level. I can’t stress this enough: start pumping iron early! 💪

Love and Arousal, however, are where the game gets interesting. These are character-specific. You don’t have one universal Love stat; you have a Love stat for Sarah, another for Madison, another for Aunt Lydia, and so on. Each can go up to 100, and reaching high levels (like 85, 90, or 100) is often the final requirement for a character’s most intimate scenes. Love generally grows through respectful, caring, and story-advancing interactions—helping with tasks, giving thoughtful gifts, and choosing supportive dialogue. Arousal progresses through more flirty, physical, and daring choices. It’s a balancing act; sometimes you need to raise both in tandem.

Then you have the supporting stats: Submission, Suspicion, and Jealousy. These are usually hidden meters that influence scene availability and dialogue branches.
* Submission (for certain characters) tracks their willingness to follow your lead.
* Suspicion is a household-wide meter that can limit your options if it gets too high.
* Jealousy can pop up if you’re openly pursuing multiple characters in front of others.

To give you a clear overview, here’s a breakdown of the core system:

Maximizing Stats at Game Start

Here’s my biggest piece of advice, learned from multiple frustrating restarts: Your first in-game week should be almost entirely selfish. Forget trying to romance anyone right out of the gate. Your sole focus should be on building your foundation. This early stat maximization strategy will save you dozens of hours later.

Why? Because actions that raise your Body stat or make money are time-sensitive. You can only work out twice a day (morning and afternoon), and jobs are only available at specific times. Romance actions, however, are often available during more flexible windows, especially evenings. By front-loading your grind, you’ll soon have the stats and cash to breeze through character-specific requirements without constantly watching the clock. This is the essence of how to increase stats efficiently.

Let’s talk about Body stat workout locations. There’s really only one: the Health Club downtown. It’s open from morning until evening. A classic newbie mistake is not going here immediately. Your first goal should be to get your Body to at least 15-20 before you even think about serious story progression with the more physical paths. Trust me, you’ll hit a wall quickly otherwise.

To put this into a practical plan, here is a step-by-step early-game routine I swear by:

1. Day 1-3: The Grind Foundation. 🏋️

   • Morning: Immediately go to the Health Club. Work out.
   • Afternoon: Go to the Health Club again. Work out. (Yes, twice a day, every day early on).
   • Evening: If energy allows, do a light activity like watching TV with a housemate for minor, passive relationship points. Otherwise, rest.

2. Day 4-7: Money and Body Combo. 💰

   • Morning: Health Club workout.
   • Afternoon: Get a job. The construction site or bar are great early options. You need money for gifts, travel, and club entries later.
   • Evening: You can start lightly engaging with characters. Focus on simple talks or favors that don’t consume items or money yet.

3. Unlock Fast Travel ASAP: This isn’t a stat, but it’s vital for efficiency. Use some of your early earnings to get a car or unlock taxi routes. Running across town on foot is a massive time-waster.

4. Monitor the In-Game Hints: The phone’s hint system is surprisingly good. If it says a character “might appreciate something stronger” or “is getting more comfortable,” it’s often signaling that your Love and Arousal progression is nearing a threshold. Use it!

Pro Gamer Tip: Don’t ignore the cheat mode (the clock icon in the menu). This is your ultimate optimization tool. Did you finish your afternoon workout but realize you forgot to talk to someone in the morning? Use cheat mode to rewind time and fix your schedule. It’s not cheating; it’s smart time management!

By the end of your first week, you should have a Body stat in the 20s, a healthy bank account, and fast travel unlocked. Now you’re ready to start the real game without constant roadblocks.

Stat Requirements for Unlocking Events

This is where your careful grinding pays off. Every meaningful scene in Man of the House is gated behind specific event unlock requirements. It’s not just about being in the right place at the right time; you must have the correct stat thresholds met. Missing by just a few points means the event simply won’t trigger, leaving you confused.

These requirements are almost always a combination of Love OR Arousal, AND sometimes Body. For example, a early romantic scene might require:
* Sarah’s Love > 30
* Sarah’s Arousal > 25
* Body > 10

A more advanced, intimate event later could demand:
* Madison’s Love > 85
* Madison’s Arousal > 75
* Body > 30

See how that early Body grind is already paying off? You’ll already have the 30 Body needed, so you can focus purely on Madison’s Love and Arousal progression.

The sequences are also strict. Events for each character follow a narrative path. You usually cannot trigger Event C without having seen Event B. The game checks for this. So, if you’re using a guide and trying to jump to a “hot scene” but haven’t done the earlier build-up, it won’t work. This is why a structured game mechanics walkthrough approach is better than trying to cherry-pick scenes.

Here’s my strategic approach to managing this:

• Focus on One or Two Characters at a Time: Splitting your attention too thinly early on slows everything down. Pick a primary and a secondary interest. Spend your flexible evening time on them.
• Use Gifts Strategically: Once you have money, gifts are powerful stat boosters. Pay attention to what each character likes! A perfect gift can give a huge Love boost, while a sexy gift can spike Arousal.
• The Order of Operations: For a given character, I often try to raise Love first. Higher Love makes them more receptive to the actions that raise Arousal. Trying to push Arousal when Love is too low can backfire or feel unnatural.
• Keep Suspicion Low: Getting caught sneaking or in a compromising position raises household Suspicion. If it gets too high, the game can lock you out of events until it cools down. Save risky behavior for when you’re sure you won’t get caught!

Remember, this Man of the House stats guide is about giving you the tools to control the game, not just react to it. By understanding that stats are your currency for story, and by grinding them efficiently early, you transform your experience. You’ll stop hitting invisible walls and start smoothly unlocking scenes, mastering every character path with the confidence of someone who knows exactly what it takes to succeed. Now, with your stats on the rise, you’re ready to dive into the individual character walkthroughs and put this knowledge into action! 🏆

Man of the House offers a complex simulation experience that rewards careful planning and strategic stat management. By understanding the core mechanics, following character-specific event sequences, and implementing advanced optimization techniques, you can unlock all scenes and experience every storyline the game has to offer. The key to success lies in balancing stat maximization with character progression, managing multiple relationship paths simultaneously, and using the game’s cheat features strategically to optimize your daily schedule. Whether you’re pursuing a specific character’s complete storyline or aiming to unlock every achievement and scene, this comprehensive guide provides the roadmap you need. Start with early-game stat grinding, progress through character events in the correct order, and leverage advanced strategies to overcome any progression obstacles. Your journey to becoming the ultimate player in Man of the House begins with understanding these fundamental principles and applying them consistently throughout your playthrough.