Rust Knowledge Library
Last updated: May 18, 2026 Patch context: post-April 30, 2026 "Upgrade Hard, Raid Harder" mortar update
This is a personal reference library for Rust (Facepunch). Every file is standalone — read what you need, skip what you don't. All numbers are concrete (HP, scrap values, sulfur costs, rW draws, mL of water). When two sources disagreed in 2026, both are noted and you verify in-game.
How the files are organized
Numbered files run roughly in the order you'd care about them across a wipe: how to build, how to defend, how to power, how to automate, how to grow food, how to farm scrap, where to go, how to spend wipe day. Then quick-reference and patch notes at the end.
| File | What's in it |
|---|---|
| 01_Building.md | Tiers, HP, raid math, soft/hard side, honeycombing, TC rules, mortar implications |
| 02_Base_Designs.md | Solo/duo/trio/clan layouts with full cost breakdowns and weaknesses |
| 03_Electricity.md | Every power source, every component, wiring rules, battery math, branch vs splitter |
| 04_Industrial.md | Conveyors, crafters, filters, the 16-container hard cap, default frequencies, recipes |
| 05_Horticulture.md | Genetics math, crossbreeding stage, optimal gene strings, fertilizer/water/light |
| 06_Automation_Circuits.md | Text-diagram circuits for auto-turret pods, smart lights, traps, base alarms |
| 07_Scrap_Farming.md | Every route to scrap: passive, recycler, monument, ocean, arbitrage, tea bonus |
| 08_Monuments_Guide.md | Every monument with loot, recycler presence, PvP risk, keycard requirements |
| 09_Wipe_Day_Playbook.md | Hour-by-hour optimal solo progression from spawn to first AK |
| 10_Cheatsheets.md | Pure tables: raid costs, power draw, gene targets, recycle values |
| 11_Patch_Meta_2026.md | April 30 2026 mortar patch, workbench upgrades, current meta shifts |
| sources.md | URL list for everything cited so you can verify in-game or follow links |
How to use this
If you're mid-wipe and need a fast answer, go to 10_Cheatsheets.md first — it has the look-up tables. If you're planning a build or thinking about progression, the topic files have the reasoning behind the numbers. If something feels off, check sources.md and follow the link — Rust gets balance-patched constantly and old guides go stale fast.
Conventions used throughout
- Costs are in raw materials (wood, stone, frags, HQM, sulfur). Where I show raid cost, it's the total sulfur to craft the explosive plus the explosive itself.
- Power is in rW (Rust watts). Day-only sources (solar) are noted explicitly.
- Water for plants is in mL (planter capacity is in liters but the game shows mL on the planter readout).
- Soft side is the side that takes 2x damage from explosives — the inside-facing side of a wall. Always face the hard side outward.
- Pro Tip: lines call out non-obvious mechanics.
- Common mistake: lines call out the thing most players get wrong.
What's NOT in here
This library covers mechanics, not aim mechanics or PvP gunplay. Recoil patterns, peeker advantage, sound whoring — different topic, different library. Also no specific server recommendations (those change weekly) and no skin/economy stuff (Steam market, not gameplay).
When in doubt
The game's own wiki at https://wiki.facepunch.com/rust is authoritative for raw numbers. https://rustlabs.com is the community-maintained mechanics database and is usually correct within a day or two of any patch. Both are linked throughout.