Rust CE As A Solo - Rust Solo guide

Introduction

Playing Rust solo can be an incredibly challenging yet rewarding experience. As a lone wolf, you don’t have the safety net of teammates to rely on. However, with the right strategies and knowledge, it is possible to not just survive but thrive as a solo player. This comprehensive guide will provide you with expert tips and strategies for all aspects of solo play in Rust during 2023.

Choosing a Server

The first step is selecting the right server to play on as a solo. Look for servers tagged as solo/duo/trio, as these limit team sizes for a more even playing field. Moderately populated servers around 100-150 players are ideal to find barrels while avoiding crowded areas. Consider lower population community servers to get started, as you’ll face less competition for loot and resources.

Base Location

One of the most important decisions is where to build your base. As a solo, you want to avoid high traffic areas like monuments where you’re likely to get overwhelmed. Aim for more secluded areas, but not too far from key points of interest. Forest areas near the coast/rivers provide cover and access to food. Building near Outpost is also safer for a solo as you can’t get raided there.

Base Design

Adopt a minimalist base design as a solo focused on utility over aesthetics. Go for a 2×2 or 2×1 footprint using triangle foundations for maximum strength. Include airlocks on all doors to prevent access to your full base if one door is blown through. Prioritize upgrading exterior walls and foundations first to armored/metal. Stash key loot like guns and sulfur in stashed chests around your base rather than one main loot room.

Mastering Survival

Learning how to efficiently gather resources and survive is key. Focus on picking hemp/mushrooms for cloth and food. Hunt animals with a bow for low-risk meat and fat. Recycle any extra materials at Outpost for scrap to research essential items. Always have a sleeping bag and bags/chest ready in case you die. Move in short bursts between cover to avoid detection. Listen closely for enemy sounds and only take calculated risks.

Winning Fights

As a solo, avoiding fights is often the best policy. However, you will need to defend yourself at times. Choose your battles wisely – fight when you have the advantage and flee when outmatched. Make use of cover and peaking to gain the element of surprise. If raiding, prioritize flame raiding wooden doors/walls over explosive raiding stone. Use pistol or compound bow for cheap but effective early game PvP that minimizes noise.

Progressing on Rust

While it is harder to progress as a solo, it’s not impossible. Patience and persistence are key. Build up a stockpile of scrap to research essential weapons, tools, and items. Focus on items that reduce costs like the garage door, satchel charges, and custom SMG. Recycle components from PvP kills. Once established, run monuments like the Airfield and Water Treatment at night for the best loot. Keep an eye out for decayed/abandoned bases to raid.

Rust End Game

In the end game as a solo, your best bet is to remain unpredictable. Keep changing up your play patterns and base locations to avoid being raided. Rooftop sniping with a bolt action at monuments can yield loot. Look for opportunities to counter-raid larger groups when they are distracted. Avoid online raiding heavily defended bases yourself – save up to go all in on reliable offline raids. With smart solo strategies, you can go from beach newman to fully geared end game player.

Mastering Rust Monuments

As a solo, running monuments is high risk but high reward. Each monument requires different strategies and loadouts. At Water Treatment, use the recycler and take advantage of the puzzles for loot. Launch Site offers elite crates but requires hazmat suits to navigate radiation. Use tall cover when looting Airfield to avoid turret fire. At Train Yard, move carefully from cover to cover to avoid scientists. Dome provides an excellent sniping position if you can clear scientists.

Advanced Rust Base Building

Beyond starters, consider more advanced base designs as a solo such as hill bases with shooting floors, deadside bunker bases unraidable from one side, or hidden cliff bases. Make use of traps like shotgun traps, flame turrets, and electric circuits wired to doors. Split your loot in stashed bags across multiple 1×1 loot rooms to minimize losses. Build tricks like fake doors, fake loot rooms, and maze designs to deceive raiders.

Optimizing Rust Crafting and Research

Manage crafting and research wisely as a solo. Queue up crafting before logging off to maximize uptime. Focus research on critical items like metal tools, weapons, and armor first. Recycle components at Outpost for scrap to research faster. Use experimentation when you have surplus scrap to try learning new items. Carry a research table in your inventory to research items on the go.

Rust Transportation and Logistics

As a solo, you’ll need to move around the map efficiently. Unlock ladder hatches for quick, hidden base access. Build a small outpost with a bed nearby to get established quicker. Maintain bags around the map to respawn at key points. Use horses for quicker and safer recycling/looting runs. Obtain a boat for offshore transportation and underwater stashes. Set up minicopters on your roof when possible for air travel.

End Game Raiding

To progress further as a solo, you’ll need to raid other groups eventually. Scout bases extensively to find weak points and patterns. Farm sulfur from nodes and recycle for explosives. Soak/drain turrets ahead of time. Employ online raiding tactics like incendiary rockets, explosives from a distance, and seal off rooms. Offline raid weaker groups on weekdays in the early mornings when population is low.

What’s the next update?

The next update to Rust is coming at the end of August – the Horsepocolyse.