Rust is brutal to newcomers, especially on wipe day when everyone’s racing for the same spots. But your first day comes down to a clear set of priorities. This guide gives you a wipe-day survival checklist — your opening minutes, a starter base, tools, scrap and surviving the first night.
1. Gather and tool up fast
You spawn with a rock and a torch. Hit trees and stone nodes for wood and stone, then craft a stone hatchet and pickaxe (they gather faster and are weapons in a pinch), and a bow for defence and hunting. Speed matters on wipe day — the faster you tool up, the less time you spend vulnerable with just a rock.
2. Build a starter base
Place a Tool Cupboard (it protects your build and stops others building nearby), then a small 2×1 or 1×1 base with a code-locked door and ideally an airlock. Upgrade to stone as fast as you can — twig and wood are raided in seconds. Pick a spot with resources nearby but not on top of a major monument.
3. Workbench & scrap
Farm roadside barrels for scrap and components, and craft a Workbench Level 1 (50 scrap) to start unlocking gear. See the scrap guide and tech tree guide — getting a bench and your first gun is the wipe-day goal.
4. Survive the night, then expand
- Keep food and water up — cook meat, drink from rivers, carry a bit of food.
- Avoid open PvP until you’re geared; pick your fights.
- Honeycomb and upgrade your base as you grow (see base designs).
- Hide a bag/bed away from your main base so a raid doesn’t end your wipe.
From there it’s guns, monuments and raiding. Learning is far easier with friends on your own server. Rust hosting from $7/month, 30% off with XGAMEON.
