It doesn't take an expert to see that Rust is an unforgiving survival game. That's because Rust puts players in a harrowing open-world environment where they must survive the dangers of the wild and, most importantly, that of other players. Not to mention that all new players start with a rock and a torch, making them perfect target practice for veteran Rust players.

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The good news is that Rust developers Facepunch Studios leveled the playing field by adding traps that can deter other players (or animals) from entering a player's base and looting their hard-earned material. But, some traps can be easily avoided, especially if a player has been playing for a long time. So, knowing which trap will make looting a lot harder is key if a player wants to protect their belongings.

5 Wooden Floor Spikes

Several Wooden Floor Spikes near a base in Rust.

How To Craft:

  • 300 Wood

Damage Output:

  • 3 Damage Per Second
  • Inflicts Bleed Status

Often regarded as a useless trap, the wooden floor spikes are without a doubt the easiest traps to avoid in Rust. Despite that, wooden floor spikes are the best beginner traps (which is why some beginners guides recommend using them early game) since they only require wood to craft. But, as already mentioned, players can avoid wooden traps quite easily since they stand out, especially during the daytime.

On top of that, players can only place wooden floor spikes outside a base. Nonetheless, they can prove to be effective against bears (especially with the introduction of polar bears in the recent Arctic Update) or wolves and perhaps new players.

4 Snap Trap

Player placing two Snap Traps in Rust.

How To Craft:

  • 50 Metal Fragments
  • 1 Gear

Damage Output:

  • 51 Initial Damage
  • 30 Damage Per Second
  • Inflicts Bleed Status

Perhaps one of the most controversial traps in Rust, the Snap Trap (or Bear Trap) is a great tool to use against looters. Unfortunately, so many players despise the Snap Trap because its range overreaches the size of their model, which means players can hide them behind walls while still damaging other players.

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On top of that, it has a slight chance to cause the Wounded effect on players, which means they'll become incapacitated. While it may be a great trap to use against other players, it doesn't harm animals, but perhaps Facepunch Studios will change that with the rumored Pet and Railway update.

3 Flame Turret

An activated Flame Trap in Rust.

How To Craft:

  • 10 High-Quality Metal
  • 2 Metal Pipes
  • 5 Empty Propane Tanks
  • 3 Gears

Damage Output:

  • 30 Damage Per Second
  • Hamper Player Movement

The Flame Turret is a powerful trap to have in any base since it can slow down player movements and drain their HP. This is especially useful against console players, which have lots of annoying input lag issues (unless they tweaked their settings) since they won't be able to get away from the flames in time.

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Unfortunately, the Flame Turret is a double-edged sword since it can potentially wreak havoc on a player's base. For example, if an enemy player manages to spot the Flame Turret, they can shoot the propane tank, which will cause a huge explosion that will destroy anything in its proximity. Moreover, the flames of the turret will cause any wooden structure to catch on fire. So, players should place the Flame Turret around a corner and surrounded by steel or stone walls.

2 Auto Turret

Player placing an Auto Turret in Rust.

How To Craft:

  • 1 Targeting Computer
  • 1 CCTV Camera
  • 10 High-Quality Metal

Damage Output:

  • High-Velocity Rocket - 187 Damage
  • Rocket - 312 Damage
  • Incendiary Rocket - 500 To 1000 Damage
  • Bolt Action Rifle - 5 Damage
  • Semi-Auto Rifle - 4 Damage
  • Assault Rifle - 4 Damage

Undoubtedly, one of the best (and expensive) traps to have in Rust, the Auto Turret can keep any player's base safe from raiders. On top of that, players can have different ammo types on their Auto Turret, some of which will instantly kill an enemy player. But, with great power comes great responsibility since players will need to have it connected to a power supply with at least 10 Electricity.

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Additionally, players will need to find High-Quality Metal, which isn't always so easy (unless the player knows about the secret of farming them quickly). The Auto Turret has three internal modes: Search, Tracking, and Peacekeeper.

Search Mode

This mode scans the area at a 180° angle and in a range of 30 meters. Once it detects an enemy (someone who's not authorized to be in a player's base), it'll switch to Tracking Mode. Players should remember that an Auto Turret will remain in Search Mode if it has no ammunition upon detecting an enemy.

Tracking Mode

This mode activates once the Auto Turret locks on a target until the target dies or gets out of range. And if there are several enemy players, it'll target the one closest to it.

Peacekeeper Mode

This mode will only target players that fire a weapon (gun or bow), harms a player, or damages a player-made structure. Players targeted by the Auto Turret in Peacekeeper Mode are declared Hostile and will remain like that as long as the player is within the line of sight of the Auto Turret. If the player remains hidden, their Hostile status will change to Friendly after 1 minute.

1 Land Mine

Player placing a Land Mine in Rust.

How To Craft:

  • 50 Metal Fragments
  • 100 Gun Powder

Damage Output:

  • Instant Death

Every Rust player can agree that the Land Mine trap is one of the most effective traps to use in the game. On top of the fact that it's cheap to make compared to the previous entry, it will instantly kill any player that steps off of it, and it also has explosive splash damage, which means that anyone near it will also die or become Wounded.

And while the Land Mine may seem overpowered, Facepunch Studios did create a way of surviving it since it'll only explode after a player steps off it. So, players can disarm the Land Mine before it explodes, but only if (and a big if) another player picks it up after it's disarmed.

Rust is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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