Rust Weapons And Gear Progression Guide

Stage 1: Tools And Basic Melee

You Begin With A Rock And A Torch, Your First Upgrade Is A Hatchet And A Pickaxe, Which Gather Faster And Also Fight Better, Melee Weapons Are Quiet And Cheap, And They Work Well When You Catch Someone Gathering, But They Require You To Get Close, Which Is Risky Against Anyone With A Gun

Stage 2: Ranged Basics

A Bow Is A Good First Ranged Weapon, It Is Quiet, Easy To Craft And Its Arrows Can Be Reused, It Needs Practice, Because Arrows Drop With Distance And Take Time To Travel, Early Firearms Like Pistols And Shotguns Are A Big Step Up, Because They Work At Close Range And Are Forgiving, Shotguns In Particular Are Popular For Defending A Doorway, Where Fights Are Short And Close

Stage 3: Automatic Weapons

Submachine Guns And Early Rifles Give You Sustained Fire, They Are Strong In Close To Medium Range Fights, But Ammunition Runs Out Quickly, And Recoil Becomes Harder To Control The Longer You Hold The Trigger, Short Controlled Bursts Are Almost Always Better Than Holding The Trigger Down

Stage 4: Rifles And Long Range

Assault Rifles And Semi Automatic Rifles Let You Fight At Range, Higher Damage Per Shot Makes Them More Reliable, But They Cost More To Craft And To Feed, Learn The Weapon's Recoil Pattern Before You Rely On It In A Real Fight, And Practice Somewhere Safe

Armour

Armour Matters As Much As The Weapon, Cloth And Light Armour Give A Little Protection, And Heavier Sets Such As Road Sign And Metal Armour Reduce Damage Much More At The Cost Of Weight And Resources, A Player In Good Armour Will Beat A Player With A Slightly Better Weapon And No Armour In Many Fights

Healing And Consumables

• Bandages Stop Bleeding And Heal A Little
• Medical Syringes Heal Quickly And Are Worth Carrying Into Any Fight
• Food And Water Keep You At Full Health Outside Fights
• Boosts And Comfort Items Give Small Bonuses That Add Up Over A Long Session

Heal Before You Push And Again After You Win, Because The Next Player Is Usually Already On The Way

Ammunition And Components

A Powerful Weapon With No Ammunition Is A Club, Carry Enough For The Fights You Expect, And Keep More At Home, Keep A Small Reserve Of Components And Sulfur For Emergencies, Since They Are Also What You Spend On Explosives When You Raid

How To Move Up Faster

• Use The Kit Phrases On Our Servers To Get Decent Weapons Early, They Are Listed In The New Player Guide
• Gather And Farm Consistently, Rather Than Relying On Loot Alone, See The Farming And Resource Guide
• Fight Smart, The PvP Tips Guide Covers Positioning, Sound And Recoil
• Keep Spare Gear Stored At Home, So One Bad Fight Does Not End Your Wipe

Do Not Overspend

It Is Tempting To Craft The Best Weapon You Can Afford, A Better Plan Is A Balanced Kit: One Reliable Weapon, Armour, Healing, Ammunition And A Way To Get Home, Players Who Spread Their Resources Across All Four Survive Longer Than Players Who Put Everything Into The Gun