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Complete Monuments Guide

Monuments are the key to progression in Rust. This comprehensive guide covers every monument, including puzzle solutions, loot tables, radiation requirements, and optimal routes for maximum efficiency.

📖 30 min read🎯 All skill levels🔄 Updated June 2025

Radiation Protection Guide

  • No Protection: Up to 10 rads/sec
  • Clothing: Up to 25 rads/sec
  • Wooden Armor: Up to 30 rads/sec
  • Rad Suit: Up to 50 rads/sec
  • Hazmat Suit: Complete protection (500 rads/sec)

Tier 0 - Safe Zone Monuments

Outpost

Key Features

  • • Safe zone (no PvP)
  • • Recycler available
  • • Vending machines
  • • Level 1 workbench
  • • Drone marketplace

Trading & Services

  • • Buy basic tools & weapons
  • • Trade resources
  • • Research table access
  • • Repair bench
  • • Vehicle vendor

Pro Tip: Set up a small base near Outpost for safe recycling runs and easy shopping. The 30-second hostility timer prevents camping.

Bandit Camp

Key Features

  • • Safe zone (no PvP)
  • • Gambling wheel
  • • Recycler available
  • • Shops & vending
  • • Level 1 workbench

Unique Services

  • • Scrap gambling (1, 5, 10, 20)
  • • Buy L96 & M39 rifles
  • • Air Wolf vendor (helicopters)
  • • Horse vendor
  • • Drone marketplace

Gambling Strategy: The wheel has a 48% win chance. Only gamble excess scrap, never your progression materials.

Tier 1 - Low Radiation Monuments

Gas Station

Monument Info

  • • Radiation: None
  • • Green card spawn: Yes
  • • Recycler: Sometimes
  • • Blue barrel spawns
  • • Food crate spawns

Loot Route

  • 1. Check back office for green card
  • 2. Loot store shelves
  • 3. Check roof access
  • 4. Behind building barrels
  • 5. Road barrels nearby

Supermarket

Monument Info

  • • Radiation: None
  • • Green card spawn: Yes
  • • Recycler: Sometimes
  • • Food/medical crates
  • • Regular crate spawns

Loot Route

  • 1. Back office for green card
  • 2. Check all shelves
  • 3. Storage room crates
  • 4. Parking lot barrels
  • 5. Dumpster area

Lighthouse

Monument Info

  • • Radiation: Very low (1-2)
  • • Green card spawn: Yes
  • • Recycler: Yes
  • • 4-6 crate spawns
  • • Coastal location

Loot Route

  • 1. Ground floor crates
  • 2. Climb to top (watch rads)
  • 3. Top platform crates
  • 4. Check recycler building
  • 5. Surrounding rocks for nodes

Mining Outpost

Monument Info

  • • Radiation: None
  • • Green card spawn: No
  • • Recycler: Yes
  • • 3-4 regular crates
  • • Mining cart spawns

Special Features

  • • High chance of fuel barrels
  • • Tool crate spawns
  • • Often has crude oil
  • • Good early-game spot
  • • Low PvP traffic

Tier 2 - Blue Card Monuments

Blue Card Requirements

These monuments require a blue keycard and electric fuse(s). Blue cards spawn at Tier 1 monuments or can be bought at Outpost for 100 scrap.

Satellite Dish

Requirements

  • • Green card + Fuse
  • • Radiation: 10 rads/sec
  • • Recycler: Yes
  • • Red card spawn: Yes
  • • 6-8 crate spawns

Puzzle Solution

  1. 1. Insert fuse at entrance
  2. 2. Flip switch inside
  3. 3. Run to green door (timed)
  4. 4. Loot armory room
  5. 5. Check roof for extra crates

Speed Tip: The timer is ~30 seconds. Sprint directly to the green door after flipping the switch.

Harbor

Monument Info

  • • 2 recyclers available
  • • No radiation
  • • Green + Blue card needed
  • • Fuse required
  • • 8-10 crate spawns

Puzzle Route

  1. 1. Container with switch #1
  2. 2. Hangar switch #2
  3. 3. Green room fuse box
  4. 4. Blue card room
  5. 5. Exit via containers

Sewer Branch

Requirements

  • • Green card + Fuse
  • • Radiation: 15-20 rads
  • • Recycler: Yes
  • • Red card spawn: Yes
  • • 10+ crate spawns

Navigation Tips

  • • Follow right wall rule
  • • Jump puzzle in middle
  • • Multiple radiation zones
  • • Bring meds for rads
  • • Watch for campers

Tier 3 - Red Card Monuments

High-Tier Requirements

Red card monuments have the best loot but require red keycards, multiple fuses, and often hazmat suits. Expect heavy PvP competition.

Launch Site

Monument Info

  • • Radiation: 20-40 rads
  • • Red card required
  • • 2 recyclers
  • • Elite crates: 4
  • • Bradley APC spawns

Main Building Route

  1. 1. Enter via main entrance
  2. 2. Take elevator up
  3. 3. Clear each floor
  4. 4. Red card room on top
  5. 5. Exit via rocket

Bradley Tank: Spawns every 1 hour. Takes 2 C4 or 7 HV rockets. Drops 4 elite crates with end-game loot.

Pro Route: Parkour to the top via outside pipes to skip radiation and enemies. Requires practice but saves time and meds.

Military Tunnels

Requirements

  • • Blue + Red card
  • • 2 Fuses needed
  • • Hazmat required
  • • Elite crates: 3-4
  • • Scientists: 8-10

Puzzle Steps

  1. 1. First fuse at entrance
  2. 2. Blue door timer puzzle
  3. 3. Laboratory section
  4. 4. Second fuse placement
  5. 5. Red card elite room

Scientist Tip: Scientists have 150 HP and good aim. Peek corners and use the tunnel system for cover.

Water Treatment Plant

Monument Info

  • • Blue + Red card needed
  • • Radiation: 10-20 rads
  • • 2 Fuses required
  • • Elite crates: 3
  • • Scientists: 6-8

Loot Distribution

  • • Blue room: Military crates
  • • Red room: Elite crates
  • • Rooftops: Regular crates
  • • Ground: Barrels/food
  • • Recycler in building

Airfield

Requirements

  • • Blue + Red card
  • • 2 Fuses (main puzzle)
  • • Radiation: Variable
  • • Elite crates: 2
  • • Recycler: Yes

Unique Features

  • • Underground tunnels
  • • Multiple hangars
  • • Runway crate spawns
  • • Tower has extra loot
  • • Vehicle spawns common

Train Yard

Requirements

  • • Blue + Red card
  • • 2 Fuses needed
  • • Radiation: 20-30 rads
  • • Elite crates: 1
  • • Scientists: 4-6

Key Features

  • • Central tower puzzle
  • • Water tower sniper spot
  • • Train car loot
  • • Working trains spawn
  • • Recycler available

Combat Tip: Blue scientists patrol the yard. Clear them before starting puzzles to avoid being flanked.

Ocean Monuments

Oil Rig (Small)

Access & Defense

  • • Scientists: 10-15
  • • Blue card required
  • • No radiation
  • • Locked crate: 15 min
  • • Boat/heli access only

Loot & Strategy

  • • 2 elite crates + locked
  • • Recycler on deck 2
  • • Clear from bottom up
  • • Hold crane for defense
  • • 30-min respawn timer

Counter-Raid Tip: Heavy scientists respawn when locked crate is hacked. Use them as defense against counters.

Oil Rig (Large)

Access & Defense

  • • Scientists: 20-25
  • • Heavy scientists: 6
  • • Red card required
  • • No radiation
  • • Locked crate: 15 min

Layout & Loot

  • • 6+ elite crates total
  • • L96 spawn on helipad
  • • Multiple levels/puzzles
  • • Diesel spawn for excavator
  • • Heavy armor protection

Heavy Warning: Heavy scientists have 500 HP, M249s, and heavy armor. Bring medical supplies and high-tier weapons.

Cargo Ship

Event Details

  • • Spawns every 2-4 hours
  • • Scientists: 8-10
  • • No card required
  • • Circles the map
  • • 50-minute duration

Loot Locations

  • • Locked crate at bridge
  • • 3 elite crates total
  • • Container crates
  • • Scientist loot
  • • RHIB boats spawn

Underground Monuments

Subway System

Network Features

  • • Connects major monuments
  • • No radiation zones
  • • Scientist tunnels: 4-6
  • • Elite dweller spawns
  • • Work cart stations

Loot & Resources

  • • Military/elite crates
  • • Component barrels
  • • Ore nodes in tunnels
  • • Keycard lab sections
  • • Recycler at stations

Underwater Labs

Access Methods

  • • Submarine required
  • • Moon pool entrance
  • • Torpedo vulnerable
  • • Duo sub recommended
  • • Fishing village subs

Lab Components

  • • Randomized layout
  • • Keycard rooms (all tiers)
  • • Scientists: 15-30
  • • Elite crates: 2-8
  • • Component rooms

Navigation Tip: Follow signs and use the map. Red = loot rooms, Yellow = puzzles, Blue = common areas.

Monument Tips & Strategies

General Monument Tips

  • Bring backup gear: Store extra kits in nearby stashes
  • Learn respawn timers: Most monuments reset every 20-30 minutes
  • Watch for counters: Clear exit routes before looting
  • Use team coordination: One loots while others guard

Keycard Progression

Green
→ Gas Station, Supermarket, Lighthouse
Blue
→ Sewer, Satellite, Harbor (use Green)
Red
→ Launch, Military, Water Treatment (use Blue)

PvP Hotspots

  1. 1. Launch Site: Roof campers and Bradley farmers
  2. 2. Oil Rigs: Counter-raiders waiting offshore
  3. 3. Military Tunnels: Exit campers common
  4. 4. Airfield: Tower snipers watching puzzles
  5. 5. Cargo Ship: Multiple teams competing

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