Wipe Day Survival Guide
Wipe day is the most chaotic and competitive time in Rust. This guide will teach you how to get ahead of the competition, secure the best spots, and establish dominance from the moment the server wipes.
Wipe Schedule
- • Force Wipe: First Thursday of every month (all servers)
- • Weekly: Most servers wipe Thursdays
- • Bi-weekly: Every other Thursday
- • Monthly: Force wipe only
Wipe Day Timeline
Hour 0-1: The Rush
Queue Early!
Popular servers fill instantly. Join queue 5-10 minutes before wipe time. Have backup servers ready. Premium queue skip is worth it for competitive servers.
Spawn Strategy
Pro Tip: Look for hemp while running. Craft bags ASAP to secure spawn points near good locations.
First 30 Minutes Checklist
Essential Items
- ✓ Stone tools (pick/hatchet)
- ✓ Sleeping bag (30 cloth)
- ✓ Bow + 30 arrows
- ✓ Bandages (5-10)
- ✓ Building plan
- ✓ TC + lock
Resource Goals
- 📦 2000+ wood
- 📦 1500+ stone
- 📦 300+ metal ore
- 📦 500+ cloth
- 📦 100+ scrap
- 📦 Food/water secured
Hour 1-3: Early Game Progression
Base Location Priority
🥇 S-Tier Locations
- • Between Outpost and T1 monuments
- • Near Launch Site (if experienced)
- • Triple monument clusters
- • Road intersections with nodes
🥈 A-Tier Locations
- • Close to Bandit Camp
- • Between two monuments
- • Hidden valleys with nodes
- • Near underground entrances
❌ Avoid These
- • Beach/spawn areas
- • Open fields (no cover)
- • Directly at monuments
- • Clan territory (check map)
Monument Progression Route
- 1Supermarket/Gas Station: Green card + food/meds
- 2Harbor/Satellite: Blue card + tier 2 loot
- 3Sewer Branch: Multiple crates + components
- 4Recycle at Outpost: Safe scrap conversion
Starter Base Requirements
Minimum 2x1
- • TC + wooden lock
- • 2 wooden doors
- • Small box for loot
- • Sleeping bag inside
- • Total: 2.5k wood
Upgrade Priority
- 1. Code lock on TC
- 2. Metal door
- 3. Stone walls
- 4. Airlock addition
- 5. Second floor
Hour 3-6: Establishing Your Base
Critical Window
Hours 3-6 determine your wipe success. Focus on securing base, getting furnaces running, and establishing resource flow. PvP is secondary to progression.
Base Expansion Timeline
Hour 3: Secure Core
- • Upgrade to stone (priority)
- • Add airlock
- • Place furnaces (2-3)
- • Craft metal doors
Hour 4: Resource Production
- • 5+ furnaces running
- • Research bench placed
- • Workbench level 1
- • Start honeycomb
Hour 5-6: Fortification
- • Complete honeycomb
- • Sheet metal doors
- • Garage door if possible
- • External TCs
Scrap Priority List
Hour 6-12: Mid Game Push
PvP Preparation
Minimum Kit
- 🔫 Revolver/DB + ammo
- 🏹 Compound bow backup
- 🩹 10+ bandages
- 💉 2-3 syringes
- 🥫 Food/water
- 🎒 Wood armor set
Roam Smart
- • Never roam with all your scrap
- • Place bags before fights
- • Avoid groups if solo
- • Use terrain advantage
- • Know when to disengage
- • Depot frequently
Monument Control
Launch Site Dominance
If near Launch, control it early. Elite crates + Bradley = massive advantage.
- • Run every 30 minutes minimum
- • Build nearby respawn base
- • Counter other groups
- • Hoard red cards
Oil Rig Strategy
First oil run often uncontested. Huge loot advantage if successful.
- • Craft boat ASAP
- • Bring diving gear
- • 2-3 compound bows
- • Clear systematically
Tech Tree Rush
Meta Strategy: Skip traditional progression. Rush Tier 2 workbench and use tech tree for guaranteed items.
Hour 12-24: Consolidation
Late Wipe Day Goals
Base Security
- ✓ All metal doors minimum
- ✓ Armored core if possible
- ✓ Auto turret placement
- ✓ External high walls
- ✓ Multiple layers of honeycomb
- ✓ Backup loot rooms
Progression Status
- 🎯 Tier 3 workbench
- 🎯 AK/LR researched
- 🎯 Full metal kit sets
- 🎯 Explosive ammo
- 🎯 C4/Rockets ready
- 🎯 Vehicle secured
Overnight Defense
Warning: Night 1 is prime offline raid time. Many groups raid before logging off.
- Spread loot: Multiple rooms, don't stack everything
- Fake loot rooms: Empty rooms with garage doors
- Bunker base: If possible, seal when offline
- Turret placement: Cover TC and main loot
Team Wipe Day Strategies
Role Assignment
🏗️ Builder
- • Base design expert
- • Manages TC/upkeep
- • Upgrade priority
- • Trap placement
⛏️ Farmers
- • Node gathering
- • Tree farming
- • Component runs
- • Recycling trips
⚔️ PvP Chad
- • Monument control
- • Counter-raiding
- • Protecting farmers
- • Kit management
Communication Protocol
- 1Clear comms: Call directions using compass, not "over there"
- 2Gear checks: Always announce what you're wearing to avoid friendly fire
- 3Resource callouts: Share node/barrel locations while farming
- 4Death comms: Quick "I'm dead at X" then shut up for fight
Solo Wipe Day Strategies
Solo Advantages
✅ Strengths
- • No communication needed
- • Smaller base = less upkeep
- • Easier to hide
- • All loot is yours
- • Quick decisions
❌ Challenges
- • No backup in fights
- • Slower progression
- • Vulnerable when farming
- • Can't hold monuments
- • Limited bag coverage
Solo-Specific Tips
Base Location
Build between Outpost and Bandit. Safe recycling and shopping. Avoid clan areas and high-traffic zones.
Progression Path
Focus tech tree over monuments. Safer and more consistent. DB → Revolver → Python → SAR.
PvP Approach
Grub smartly. DB bushcamping is valid. Third-party fights. Always have escape route planned.
Solo Base Design
- 2x1 or 2x2 max: Anything bigger is too expensive
- Multi-TC design: Spread loot across 2-3 small bases
- Hidden stashes: Bury best loot away from base
- Bunker design: Essential for solo offline protection
Wipe Day Mistakes to Avoid
Building Too Big Too Fast
Start small and expand. Large twig bases attract raiders and slow material gathering.
Hoarding Everything
Use your resources! Better to have stone walls than lose everything as twig.
Ignoring Upkeep
Always keep 24+ hours of materials in TC. Decay = free raid for enemies.
Fighting Everyone
Make allies with neighbors. You can't fight the whole server on wipe day.
Quick Reference Checklist
🎯 First Hour
- □ Get tools & bow
- □ Place sleeping bag
- □ Gather 2k wood/stone
- □ Find build spot
- □ Get building plan + TC
🏗️ First Base
- □ 2x1 with airlock
- □ Code lock TC
- □ Metal door ASAP
- □ Upgrade to stone
- □ Place furnaces
Dominate Every Wipe
Calculate your raid costs and plan your base with our advanced tools!