New Player Guide

Joining the Server

Open Rust, press F1, and type:

Or use the connect page for a Steam direct link.

Pick Your Faction

When you first join, a menu will appear asking you to choose one of three factions. You get one free faction change per wipe — choose carefully.

Read the full faction breakdown →

Choose Your Class

After picking a faction, you'll choose one of 10 classes. Each has a unique skill tree, spell bar, and playstyle. Your class determines your weapons, abilities, and role in group fights.

Don't stress about it. You can change your class later, but your skill points and level are tied to the class you earned them on.

Explore all 10 classes with full skill trees →

Your First 5 Minutes

Once you've picked your faction and class, do these immediately:

1. 1
   Gear is given on spawn

   Your class starter kit is automatically equipped when you respawn. Use /kit to set a favorite kit.

2. 2
   Type /st

   Opens your skill tree. You start with 2 class points — spend them to unlock your first ability.

3. 3
   Build a small base

   Twig and wood only to start (stone+ requires resources). Stay near your faction's territory for protection.

4. 4
   Kill NPCs for XP

   NPCs near your faction base are easy (Tier 1). You gain class XP from kills. Each level = 2 class points for your skill tree.

5. 5
   Use your spells

   Once you unlock abilities in /st, they appear in your spell bar at the bottom of the screen.

   Spell cycling (recommended): Use /nextspell and /prevspell to cycle through spells, then /cast to fire. The selected spell is highlighted gold in your bar.

   Recommended keybinds: Type /bindspells to bind mouse3/4/5, or /bindspells zxc to use custom keys (first=next, second=cast, third=prev).

   Optional: /spellbook gives note items you can place in your hotbar as an alternative.

Command Cheat Sheet

Learn More

Survival Tips