Rust – Guide for Newcomers and Returners

Combat Basics

So, combat.

Combat is essential when picking out individual moments in a certain position at a certain point in time. Using certain weapons means that you can have higher fire rates but lower damage, higher damage in cost of automation, high damage in small loads and insanely special needed recoil. All of these are different factors in different guns. Now here is a run down of the tier list of weapons on the level workbench they need to be crafted. Each weapon will have its own section in a section (etc. Pistols, Rifles, primative weapons, shotguns and SMGs).

Level 1 Weapons:

• Bow (Default Blueprints)
• Crossbow (Default Blueprints)
• Nailgun (Default Blueprints)
• Revolver – 8 round and weak (needs blueprint to craft)
• Waterpipe – 1 shot HIV and should never be used unless in dire need (needs a blueprint)
• Double Barrel Shotgun – 2 rounds and Undoubtedly OP asf (needs a blueprint to craft)

All of the below need a blueprint to be crafted.

Level 2 Weapons:

• Python – 6 round legend and does high damage at fat recoil costs
• Semi Automatic Rifle – 16 Rounds and medium damage but a very reliable weapon
• Semi Automatic Pistol – 10 rounds, low damage and quite unreliable.
• Pump Shotgun – 6 rounds, high damage and isnt used much among the rust community.
• Thompson – 20 rounds, rapid fire, medium damage and reliable for close range.
• Custom SMG – 24 rounds, very rapid fire, medium damage and extremely reliable for close range.

Level 3 Weapons:

• AK-47u – 30 rounds, autistic recoil but high damage delivery and op if used correctly
• MP5 – 30 rounds, High damage, quick fire rates, good for mid range pickoffs with spray.
• Bolt Action Sniper – 4 rounds, High damage, usually a 2 shot but if you have accuracy you’ll love it.

Of course some weapons weren’t mentioned but that was because I didn’t mention non-craftable ones, but they’ll have their own sections after I’ve gone through the rest.

Primative Weapons Overview

This Section Covers The Primative Weapons And Their Usage.

1. The Bow

The bow is the first weapon you craft by using 200 wood and 50 cloth. It is used on wipe day and does moderate damage and can hit ranges depending on the person and where they are. It is reliable but you want to make sure to get weapons as bows aren’t very reliable against someone with guns.

2. The Crossbow

The Crossbow is a very effective bow alternative and although it may reload slower it’s damage per hit is generally better. I prefer the crossbow because I can also aim pretty well with it. With enough accuracy, there’s a chance you can snag a weapon off of someone geared, though on road sign armor and above, it isn’t very effective.

3. The Nailgun

Due to it’s recent buff, the nailgun is a widely known cancerfest weapon. If you see a gamer with a nailgun running towards you ingame and in real life, run and pray the nails dont penetrate through you. It is highly regarded and respected by the rust community now and when you can, get up close.

Pistols Overview

This Section Is On The Pistols And My Personal Preferences On Them.

1. The Revolver

The revolver is quite a trusty pistol in early game situations and in close quarters but in other situations where they are further away with better equipped loadouts, you’re basically screwed. Overall, with 8 pellets in a mag, the revolver can come in handy in certain situations where you might have an upper hand.

2. The Python

The python is capable of killing anyone no matter the gear, the damage is second to none but due to it’s high recoil, your accuracy needs to be on point. Taking down fully geared people with this pistol is like spreading butter over bread, smooth as long as you do it properly. I highly recommend to use this pistol if you die and need to return fast so you dont lose your stuff.

3. The Semi Automatic Pistol

Honestly, I wouldnt recommend the semi pistol at all, it is a highly unreliable weapon as you need consistent aim and recoil control because it is a weapon that requires pure skill. Don’t get me wrong, the majority of the guns require skill, but this pistol requires pure skill.

Shotguns Overview

This section covers the shotguns and my opinion on them.

1. The Double Barrel Shotgun

This is the best early-game weapon possible, killing almost anything within 2 shots. Me and a couple friends invented the method of riding a horse and bumrushing a bunch of low life gangstas with aks and it somehow worked. I mean to summarise the double barrel shotgun, It. Is. op.

2. The Waterpipe Shotgun

Don’t research this, Use it to get rid of it, it is utterly trash. I’ve relied on this absolute rubbish for time. It is a painful experience trying to get anything from it that benefits you, it doesnt even have to power to kill a naked running along 5 meters away from you.

3. The Pump Shotgun

This shotgun is rarely used and rarely found, In my 900 hours of experience I think this is the only weapon I haven’t died from, consider it a lucky day to see someone with a pump shotgun roaming. It is quite a good shotgun, however as it is so rare you’ll unlikely see anyone with it.

SMG’S Overview

This Section Highlights The SMG’S.

1. The Custom SMG

This SMG will significantly give you a boost if you get this early into the wipe, taking out the Cargo Ship or doing the Oil Rig with this SMG is a breeze. If you find this, keep it in base, farm enough scrap to research it and start mass crafting them :))

2. The Thompson

It is like the Custom SMG but weaker and less rounds but provides a longer range, It’s fire rate is slightly lower but is still a very trustworthy SMG For when you need to get into quick fights.

3. The MP5

When you get the MP5, sometimes it can be worth it because it’s major advantage is it’s 30 mag, quick fire, high damage mayhem that is a more so expensive alternative to the Custom SMG. I highly recommend it because the MP5’s power is pretty smexy

Rifles Overview

This Section Highlights The Rifles.

1. The Semi Automatic Rifle

With 16 Semi Automatic Rounds, high damage, and slight kicks of recoil, the semi automatic Rifle is quite powerful for it’s craft quantity, although it uses 450 metal fragments, 1 semi automatic body and 1 spring, the time of usage and damage to quantity of craft is quite significant.

2. The Assault Rifle (AK)

With this fun, recoil control is beneficial, for if you don’t have the recoil control of the ak down expect to miss 100 out of your 101 shots. using 4 springs, 1 rifle body and 50 high quality metal, it isnt cheap so be cautious when roaming with an ak.

3. Bolt Action Sniper Rifle

It still counts as a rifle technically, more so than not. But being deadass accurate is what is essential when using the bolt action, any shot to the head is a one shot unless they have a metal facemask. Otherwise, the bolt action is pretty good, though baring in mind roaming with it doesnt gain you the long distance advantage that you thought you had.

Non-Craftable Weapons

This Section Covers The Non-Craftable Weapons.

To Summarise, these weapons are UNCRAFTABLE, meaning that researching them is useless.

1. The M92 Pistol

The rapid fire on this pistol (if you can click fast enough) can give you a 100% advantage if you can control the recoil, it does high damage and is relatively overpowered, though it is hard to find but you can buy it for 250 scrap at the Bandit Camp.

2. The LR-300 Assault Rifle

The LR-300 Assault Rifle is as if the AK had a baby and it gained low recoil abilities, it is by far the best weapon in the game because of how equally overpowered it is. You can buy it for 500 scrap at the Bandit Camp.

3. The Spas-12 Shotgun

The Spas-12 is a 6 round fully automatic shotgun and does quite some damage at the cost of slight recoil, however it isnt that hard to use, you rarely see people with a spas-12 roaming as people use the spas-12 for raiding through tool cupboards as quick as possible.

4. The L96 Sniper Rifle

What can I say, this weapon 1 shots almost 90% of the time, It is a beast, taking down anything is as smooth as butter if you have decent aim. All I have to say is I have used this weapon multiple times and my god have I enjoyed every second of it. You can buy the L96 for 700 Scrap at Bandit Camp.

5. The M249

The most powerful weapon in the game, the likelihood of seeing someone not hacking with this is extremely slim, for this is known as the (Tryhard Asian Hacker Clan Weapon). I have used this once in my entire gameplay but that’s because I don’t see a purpose in trying to use it. Without hacks you can barely control the recoil anyways.

Where to Base and Why

When I first started playing Rust back in June 2018, like many other newbies, I wanted to give up and uninstall, but I didnt, because what’s the point in giving up?

At the time, my pc ran awfully and it wasnt a smooth experience, it still does now but thanks to the new team of devs the optimization settings are making the game a far greater experience.

The problem is with people uninstalling, is on wipe day they get constantly abused by people who were just quicker than them, I shouldnt say uninstall, rather feeling demotivated and not willing enough to go on. I know the experience, I’ve seen all the bs happen right before me. But there is something that everyone should do to ensure a good, steady wipe day. Plan. As soon as you or your mates load in, get an idea of the map down, see where is best to base.

Usually, I like to base by Sewer branch as that is hands down the most op rad town. The loot there is almost guaranteed a weapon within 1-3 runs depending on server pop and rng. That is where I base.

On the start of wipe day. I usually head deep into where I want to base and then start farming, as usually you get disturbed by little donkeys running around like euthanised cumrags when you’re by the shore. The best thing to do is to get a base down fast and work fast, as claiming the best spots can be crucial at any given point.

When building a base, I usually go for a 2×2 with a triangle for airlock and tc next to it facing the most open direction so that doorcamping isn’t inevitable.

Keycards and Where to Get Them

Before we go anywhere, let me start off with keycards and their access places. If you want to access a blue keycard monument you’ll need a green and blue keycard. For red aswell.

To find a green keycard, you’ll have to kill road scientists and there is a chance you’ll find a green keycard on their body. You can also find them by going to abandoned supermarket or oxum’s gas station.

To find a blue keycard, you’ll have to go to a green keycard monument and they’re usually on desks where they’re quite obvious to spot.

To find a red keycard, you’ll have to do a blue keycard monument, using a blue and green keycard.

First, you’re going to need an electrical fuse (found in normal boxes on the road).

1. The Green Keycard

The green keycard will allow you to access monuments such as:

• Sewer Branch (18-20 Crates (Wood/Military) 1 Blue card Including Parkour) Need 10% Rad Prot
• Satellite Dish (5-6 Crates (Wood) And A Blue Keycard) Need 10% Rad Prot
• Harbor (2 locations, 5-6 Crates and 1 Blue Keycard) Don’t Need Rad Prot

2. The Blue Keycard

The Blue keycard will allow you access places such as:

• Power plant (5 barrels, 7 crates (Wood/Military) and 1 red keycard) Need 25% rad prot
• Airfield (8 crates (Wood/Military) and 1 red keycard) Need 10% rad prot
• Trainyard (10 crates (Wood/Military) and 1 red keycard) Need 25% rad prot
• Water Treatment Plant (10 crates (Wood/Military) and 1 red keycard) Need 25% rad prot

3. The Red Keycard

The Red keycard will allow you access places such as:

Military Tunnels (3 Elite Crates, 2 Military Crates and 2 Normal Crates Behind Red Door If successful) Need 25% Rad Prot

For Military Tunnels You’ll need:

• A good gun with plenty ammo and meds
• Green keycard
• Blue Keycard
• Red Keycard
• Fuse

Launch Site (2 Elite Crates, 2 Military, 2 Normal Behind Red Door If Successful) Needs a Rad suit and a full jerry can of water.

For Launch Site You’ll Need:

• 2 Fuses
• Green Keycard
• Red Keycard
• No blue keycard!
• A Jerry Can full of water and a nice amount of med syringes.