Rust has never had as many players as it did at the beginning of 2021. Among them are certainly many beginners. So that you as a newcomer aren’t completely at a loss, here are some tips for your start – and mistakes to avoid.
What is Rust? The survival game Rust has been on the market since 2013. The setting is classic post-apocalyptic: you have to survive on an island, facing hunger, thirst, radiation, and enemies.
Rust is known for its tough entry and its harsh treatment. The classic is currently only available on PC, but it is also set to come to PlayStation and Xbox in 2021.
At the beginning of 2021, the game experienced a new hype, triggered by some streamers who made Rust popular on Twitch. This attracts many newcomers. However, the entry into Rust can be quite harsh.
Even I, as a survival expert, have faced tougher challenges in Rust than in most games of the genre. I’ve logged hundreds of hours in Conan Exiles, Fallout 76, and Don’t Starve, along with dozens of hours in DayZ, ARK, and other representatives.
If you have already read the beginner’s guide to Rust, you are in the right place to find out what’s next. Rust was a real punch in the face, and in my 23 hours there, I had to take some serious hits.
Good for you, you can now learn from my mistakes. And as a bonus, here are some tips from an expert who has spent over 5,000 hours in Rust – he must know how to survive there.
The right start – 5 quick tips for the first hours
If you are completely new and haven’t had any contact with survival games, the start can already overwhelm you. Because games like Rust don’t tell you what you must or can do. You start naked, literally, with just a rock in hand. Your first steps should look like this:
- 1. Get your bearings on the map and head towards your desired building spot – The edge of the snowy areas with access to loot spots is ideal for starting. Collect cloth along the way.
- 2. Build and place a sleeping bag so that you don’t spawn too far away if you die.
- 3. Use critical points when gathering resources (a red X on trees, glowing spots on rocks) – this way you will get more materials per hit.
- 4. Craft tools and a weapon – a spear or bow should provide basic protection for you at the start.
- 5. Secure your base with a tool cupboard and stay hidden as much as possible.
The most important thing is not to want too much. Especially the beginning is hard, and you should learn from your mistakes rather than be discouraged. If something goes wrong, take it as a learning experience and do better next time.
By the way, it can be quite useful to start with Rust right after a wipe. Then all players begin at 0, and you run less risk of being taken out by a veteran.
On just-wiped.net you can find an overview of which servers had a wipe and when.
5 mistakes as a beginner in Rust and how to avoid them
If you have settled in a bit or already have experience with survival games, there are a few things you should particularly pay attention to in Rust. Five mistakes are still bitterly remembered from my time, and I would definitely do them differently if I started anew.
1. Mistake: Starting unprepared
This is the mistake: Rust only forgives mistakes to a limited extent, and you can find yourself naked somewhere in the middle of nowhere faster than you would like. This happens especially when you set off without a plan and no idea of what you should do.
Exploring aimlessly is certainly a fun idea. But if you want to start Rust properly right away, there’s hardly anything worse than approaching the game completely blindly – unless you have a really strong tolerance for frustration and are a quick learner. Experience has shown that both qualities are often overestimated, especially among veterans.
How to avoid it: The first step you have already taken by reading this guide. Well done! But that’s just the start. Rust is complex. It takes hours to learn the basics and even longer to somewhat find your way around independently. It’s best to educate yourself early about things like:
- Base building and safe spots
- Areas on the map that you should avoid
- Weapons, armor, and upgrades that are useful
- Resources and where to get them
2. Mistake: Leaving the base open or building wrong
This is the mistake: Those who like to build and be creative often feel the urge to beautify their base. Windows, a nice entrance, a creative roof, a porch… But in Rust, this is a big mistake.
Enemies don’t care about your front door; they break in where it’s easiest. A double magnetic lock door with a hatch won’t help you if a thief can simply loot your chests through the window.
How to avoid it: There’s a rule of thumb for building in Rust: build pragmatically. No matter how nice your base looks, if it’s not secure, it probably won’t last long. The loot inside is just too tempting. Therefore, some tips for building bases are:
- Don’t put windows on the lower floor; they’re easy entry points.
- Reinforce not just the door but the whole ground floor.
- Hide your boxes and containers so they’re hard to reach.
- Secure your base from the inside with doors.
- Choose a spot that is hard to see and don’t tell anyone where you live.
3. Mistake: Trusting strangers
This is the mistake: Since Rust is a survival MMO, you will often encounter other players. Those spoiled by communities like that of Fallout 76 might want to start chatting right away.
However, in Rust, it can quickly happen that you find yourself with a bullet in your head. The game is tough and merciless, and so are its players. Trust can quickly end fatally.
How to avoid it: Consider every player you don’t know to be an enemy at first. You don’t have to attack immediately when you see someone. But try to stay hidden yourself. And if someone makes you an offer in a conversation that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Be generally skeptical. In Rust, the likelihood that someone wants to rob you is higher than that they are helping you out of altruism. There are of course exceptions, but it’s not worth neglecting your protection for them.
4. Mistake: Getting frustrated and not learning from mistakes
This is the mistake: In Rust, you will die. Often. You will sometimes lose your gear, your resources, and probably even your base, in which you’ve put many hours of work. This can be frustrating and may lead you to want to stop playing Rust forever. However, a death or the loss of your base is not the end of the world; rather, it should be viewed as an opportunity to learn.
How to avoid it: Unfortunately, there’s no really easy solution here. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time. You will often be thrown back, but that’s just part of a survival game.
Don’t condemn the game and the players for a mistake you made. Instead, try to look forward and be excited about what you can achieve with your newfound knowledge.
5. Mistake: Becoming overconfident and expecting too much
This is the mistake: If your start was surprisingly mild or you achieved a lot in a short time, you might quickly overestimate yourself. The area that was too tough a few hours ago might now seem easier than it actually is. The neighbor with the rocket launcher might not seem so dangerous if you just aim well enough. The truth is, however, most of the time: Yes, the rocket launcher guy is deadly, and the area is intended for players with hundreds more hours of experience.
How to avoid it: Always remember that there’s likely someone who has even more experience and better weapons. It’s better to forgo that one resource or loot if it means you would have to take too big a risk.
Stick to the relatively safe areas, especially for the first few hours. Use the early time to learn and improve. Venture slowly into new areas, even if the urge to explore is strong.
The 5 most important tips from an expert’s perspective
We spoke with the player DaSepp, who has now spent 5,000 hours in Rust. As an expert, he has some valuable tips for you to make the entry easier. We have briefly summarized and explained them here for you.
1. Trust no one! When you talk to someone, you make yourself vulnerable. Never reveal the location of your base, as you will become an easy target.
2. Build a tool cupboard. It helps you manage and secure your belongings in your base. An upgrade to at least wood, better stone or metal, is a must.
3. Choose the right server. It’s best to start on a server that has just been reset (“wipe”) and pay attention to the group limit. If you play alone, servers with small or no groups are better.
4. Be careful with kills. Don’t loot immediately when you’ve taken someone out. Sepp says: “There’s still one.”
5. Learn from mistakes. As already recommended in our guide, the expert also advises to learn from your mistakes. “Blaming the game or shouting ‘cheaters’ won’t get you anywhere.”
In the full interview with the Rust veteran, he explains to you, that you should get used to dying.
Why is Rust suddenly so popular?
Despite its age, Rust has managed to secure a strong player base over the years and has been the largest survival MMO on Steam for some time now. Since the end of 2020, even more players have been flocking to Rust. The reason for this is likely a sudden hype triggered by a bizarre plan by several streamers:
- 50 streamers played together at the end of 2020 and propelled Rust to the top of Twitch
- Shortly after the Twitch troublemaker xQc joined and caused a stir
- However, the “Sheriff” shroud put a stop to that and cleaned up
- By now even viewers are getting involved and ruining everything without even playing
The trend started in the USA and is now spreading further. Some Spanish streamers have copied this concept. Rust is experiencing a renaissance and has as many players on Steam as never before.
Do you want your own Rust server or wish to rent one with friends? Then we recommend our Rust: Renting and Setting up a Server guide.
If you belong to the players attracted by the hype and want to start anew, our guide will help you master the entry.
Rust is one of the best survival games ever. If you want to take a further look, you can find our list of the 25 best survival games 2021 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation.
