Wipe Day Guide — Dominate the Fresh Wipe

Wipe day is the most exciting day on any Rust server. Everyone starts fresh, the map is new, and the race is on. On MARKIII-RUST, wipe happens bi-weekly (every other Thursday) at 7PM GMT, and having a plan for those first few hours makes an enormous difference to how your wipe plays out.

This guide gives you a step-by-step strategy to go from naked to established in the shortest time possible.

Before the Wipe

Preparation starts before the wipe even drops. Join the Discord and watch for the wipe announcement — it'll confirm the exact time and any changes to the new map. If you're grouping up with friends, agree on a plan beforehand: who's building, who's farming, who's hitting the first raidable bases.

First 10 Minutes — Spawn & Setup

The moment you spawn in, type /kit to claim your starter kit. Don't waste time hitting trees with a rock — the kit gives you enough to skip that phase entirely. Next, open your map and get your bearings. Look for a location that's central to the map with good access to multiple raidable base spawn zones.

On a PVE server, base location isn't about defensibility — it's about convenience. You want to be close to the action without having to run 10 minutes to reach the nearest content. Near a road or a cluster of monuments is ideal.

First 30 Minutes — Base Down

Build a small starter base. A 2x2 with an airlock is plenty for wipe night. You can always expand later, but getting a base down fast means you have a secure place to dump loot between raids. Set a /sethome base immediately so you can teleport back.

Place your workbench, furnaces, and a few storage boxes. Don't over-build on night one — you'll waste time that's better spent earning loot from raidable bases.

First Hour — Profession & Easy Raids

Pick your profession with /profession. If you're unsure, Hunter is the strongest wipe-day pick because you'll be doing a lot of NPC combat in raidable bases. The bonus NPC damage kicks in immediately and only gets better as you level.

Now start hitting Easy raidable bases (green markers on the map). With your starter kit gear, these are quick to clear and give you resources, components, and XP. Chain as many as you can — the early hours of a wipe are when the most bases are available because everyone's spread out.

First 2-3 Hours — Scale Up

After a handful of Easy raids, you should have enough gear and resources to start tackling Medium bases (blue markers). These are where the good loot begins — weapons, armor, and enough scrap to research key blueprints. Use workbenches inside raided bases to research on the spot before they despawn.

Keep an eye on chat for event announcements. Wipe night events tend to be popular — show up, contribute, and collect your share of the rewards. Events are excellent for XP and loot density.

End of Night One — Set Yourself Up

Before logging off, make sure you've got: a secure base with storage, at least one /sethome set, a workbench tier 2 or higher, a weapon and armor set ready for tomorrow, and your profession actively levelling. If you've managed all that, you're in a great position for the rest of the wipe.

Bank your resources, sort your storage (you'll thank yourself tomorrow), and check what events are coming up. The first couple of days after wipe are the busiest and most rewarding — don't miss them.

Group vs Solo Wipe Strategy

Solo Players

Focus on efficiency. Pick Hunter or Miner as your profession, chain Easy and Medium raids, and avoid spending time on base aesthetics until you're established. Solo players should prioritise Havoc tools early — the gathering speed boost is most impactful when you're doing everything yourself.

Groups

Split roles immediately. One person builds the base while others farm or raid. Choose complementary professions — a Hunter and a Medic together can tackle Hard raidable bases on wipe night, which most players can't touch until day two or three. This head start compounds as the wipe progresses.

Related Guides

Getting Started · Raidable Bases · Professions · Havoc System · Building Guide · Events · Beginner Tips