Rust Guide: How to Deal with Other Players in Rust

If you’re lucky enough, then you haven’t run into any other players quite yet.

Most have played for awhile and have better gear; armor and weapons will be your downfall. Avoid people like the plague. Simple enough words, a little harder to accomplish. I found myself being hunted by another player not long after joining in. Race through the trees and lose them should this happen to you. If you find yourself in a town full of massive structures, move on hastily, these players have far more experience and goods than you and will not hesitate to cut you down.

Dealing with Bandits

Bandits are the biggest headache you can experience in a game like Rust. They may not kill you right away just to steal your stuff. Some may decide to humiliate you a little before looting your hard-earned gear. If you feel you can take on a bandit, by all means give it a try, just don’t be afraid to lose anything you’ve discovered. Should you run into a group of bandits, it’s easier, and smarter, to comply with their orders. When you have a gun pointed on you, even in-game, the emotions run wild. They may not kill you after taking your stuff, instead choosing to leave you alone in the wilderness like you had just spawned in.

Dealing with Survivors

Not all people are bandits in Rust. Some players just want to enjoy the game peacefully, in their own way. These people will avoid you as if you were a bandit, choosing to take the long way around instead of coming face to face. Give them the same wide birth and everything will be okay.

If you’re lucky enough to discover a peaceful group who are looking to build a survival town, don’t take this for granted. It happens far less than people, including the developers, were hoping for. Trust is not something earned easily in Rust.

If you go out on a limb, however, you can be rewarded. The revolver in the screen above was given to me by a friendly player. I’ve now got access to his home tower.

Discovering a Town

Towns are signs of player who’ve been there far longer than yourself. It’s best to avoid these if you’re playing solo and under-prepared. The player may not be at home at the time, but the doors are most likely metal and you won’t be getting in anytime soon. Should someone be at home when you come calling, however, they will shoot first and then loot your body later. No questions asked here.

If you’re lucky enough to run with a group of survivors, shaky as that alliance may be, it may be worth the risk to loot a player-built town. Someone with explosives can blast through metal doors, bounty awaits within. Most players don’t carry everything on their person, instead they keep storage in their homes for safe keeping. Utilize this and take everything within. It is survival of the fittest after all.

Don’t Fear Players Completely

That said: Don’t be afraid to ask someone in the server for help or a question. Many players aren’t that bad–I learned more of my beginning stuff from other players. Most won’t give you anything for free, but they will be willing to trade face to face. Again, be careful, not everyone can be trusted. Only trade when you are desperate and can hold your own in a fight.

Up Next: How to build Shelters in Rust >>

Learn how to survive your first day/night in Rust.