Surface RUST: All New Features, Balance Changes, and Content Coming with the November 2025 RUST Update
The majority of changes coming in the November 2025 patch build on last month’s major progression overhaul. Facepunch continues adjusting systems introduced in October, fine-tuning how players acquire blueprints, resources, and loot.
Once again, the Naval Update has been delayed, now expected with the upcoming December Update (pending the usual last-minute surprises). As always, keep in mind that tweaks can and likely will occur right up until wipe day.
Note: Before diving into this edition of Surface RUST, note that all official RUST servers will wipe player blueprints with the November Update and every subsequent monthly update.
Usage of Scrap, Variable Changes
Workbench Costs
October introduced Basic and Advanced Blueprint Fragments, shaking up the entire research system. November continues that trend by removing the Scrap cost from crafting all Workbench tiers (T1–T3).
The Engineering Workbench still requires 50 Scrap on the Staging Branch, but this is expected to be removed as well. The tech tree “tax” on Tier 2 and Tier 3 also appears to be on its way out, though it remains active as of testing.
Blueprint and Tech Tree Research Costs
Probably the most likely variables to change are final Scrap costs per blueprint/tech tree. It’s probably easier to show you how things will be impacted. Keep in mind that the tentative larger values represent the current cost of researching something on live, not including the tech tree tax, where applicable, which is being removed completely.
| Old Research Scrap Cost | New Research Scrap Cost |
|---|---|
| 500 | 120 |
| 125 | 60 |
| 75 | 30 |
| 20 | 15 |
These reductions, along with the removal of tech tree taxes, represent a major shift in early- and mid-game progression.
Loot Acquisition Alterations
Vending Machine Updates
- Blue Keycards have been removed from Outpost Vending Machines, likely to encourage players to return to monument exploration.
- Boat Vendors now sell Diving Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs), which no longer require HQM to craft (replaced by Metal Fragments).
- Waterwell Vendors no longer sell Semi-Automatic Pistols, and their Jackhammer price has increased to around 160–170 scrap.
Hackable Crate Loot Changes
- M4 Shotguns are making a return to hackable crates, with the chance of receiving an L96 Rifle decreasing.
- Auto Turret drop rates have been reduced across the board, as the amount dropping throughout October was a little on the high side.
Storage and Accessibility
Backpack Auto-Storage
When looting beyond your default inventory capacity, excess items will now automatically transfer into your backpack, which is a major time-saver while farming.
Vending Machine Drone Accessibility
Just a minor change, but essential when the time comes. Vending Machines accessible via Drone will now have a small green Drone icon, whereas ones blocked will not.
Storage Adapter & Auto-Sorting Boxes Change
Storage Adaptors now feature Power In and Passthrough slots, requiring 1 unit of electricity to activate sorting.
When powered, Large Boxes, Wood Storage Boxes, and Coffins connected to a Storage Adapter display a green gear icon in their UI, enabling a new automatic sorting feature. If not powered up, the gear icon will either decrease in brightness or not appear at all if it has never been powered up before.
When clicked, a powered box will present the following options;
- Enabled On/Off – Toggles the sorting feature
- Mode
- Alphabetic (sorts alphabetically)
- Count (by stack size, descending by default)
- Condition (by item durability, worst first by default)
- Category (item type as appears in the F1 menu by default)
- Custom (player places things intentionally in a box, which sets how they want it to be automatically filtered, uses the Take Screenshot button, and that is the basis for future sorting)
- Reverse (Toggles order for Modes, whether Alphabetical or Reverse, Counted Descending or Ascending, etcetera)
- Stack (Toggles whether the player would like similar items automatically stacked together to save space)
- Cancel / Apply Changes (Either leave things as they are, or accept your new sorting norms)
Currently, this system does not interfere with the Industrial System in any way and can be used independently for the 1 power cost.
Environmental and Quality-of-Life Updates
Cold Regions and Food Preservation
- Winter biome dwellers: You will no longer need to refrigerate your food.
- Foods of assorted freshness will now stack together more easily, defaulting them when paired into stacks to have the lowest freshness that was available at the time of stacking.
Surveillance and Travel Changes
New CCTV cameras have been installed at the Cargo Ship and Ferry Terminals. Use these new CCTV codes at your Computer Station to view them:
Cargo Ship Cameras
- CARGOBRIDGE
- CARGODECK
- CARGOSTERN
- CARGOHOLD1
- CARGOHOLD2
CARGOBRIDGE Camera View
CARGODECK Camera View
CARGOSTERN Camera View
CARGOHOLD1 Camera View
CARGOHOLD2 Camera View
Ferry Terminal Camera Codes
- FERRYDOCK
- FERRYPARKING
- FERRYUTILITIES
- FERRYLOGISTICS
FERRYDOCK Camera View
FERRYPARKING Camera View
FERRYUTILITIES Camera View
FERRYLOGISTICS Camera View
Note: The Cargo Ship cameras cannot be added to a Computer Station when the Cargo Ship is not present on the map. The camera names and positions are highly subject to change.
Minicopter, HAB, and Scrap Transport Helicopter Flare Changes
Minicopters and Scrap Transport Helicopters now feature a Flare port, accessible by holding the E key while viewing the gas tank. Unlike the Attack Helicopter, only a single slot is available, maxing out total Flares on Vanilla servers at 5. These may then be deployed, just as you would on the Attack Helicopter, by pressing the Right-Mouse Button while in flight.
Additional Notes:
- The act of manually throwing flares from these vehicles is no longer effective. You’ll throw it, but any locked-on missiles will be undeterred.
- Homing missiles can now lock onto Hot Air Balloons if the
homingMissileTargetsHabconvar is set to True (off by default). - Disabling a balloon’s burner for 4 seconds causes missiles to miss.
Healthier Horses?
Sometimes you don’t have time to stop and feed your steed. Fear not, as Medical Syringes can now be used on your horse on the go. It works just like healing another player with one. Additionally, it temporarily increases the horse’s speed, albeit only for a half-second.
Gear, Weapons & Loadout Updates
This time around, since they included some items with the Warhammer 40k DLC on the Steam store early to mid-October, we will be including those.
New Additions (Warhammer 40K DLC)
| Item Name | Skin For | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Krieg Shotgun | Pump Shotgun | “Heavy, reliable, and unforgiving. A weapon that never hesitates.” |
| Krieg Hazmat | Hazmat Suit | “A Krieg Hazmat Suit, standard issue for those who never retreat.” |
| Krieg Large Backpack | Large Backpack | “Carry your essentials in a rugged military pack, built for endurance and practicality” |
| Krieg Chainsword | Chainsaw | “A brutal tool of war, roaring to life with every swing.” |
| Krieg Storage Barrel | Large Wooden Box | “Industrial barrels repurposed for the front lines. Sturdy, disciplined, and unmistakably Krieg.” |
| Krieg Storage Crates | Large Wooden Box | “Military-grade crates designed for efficient storage and durability. A staple of any well-supplied outpost.” |
| RPG Launcher | Rocket Launcher | “Unmatched craftsmanship meets devastating firepower.” |
Item Changes
- Building Plan: Although subtle, players without this information will likely pull out a Building Plan for the first time after the new wipe and be slightly put off. It looks quite similar to how it is live now, but something is definitely amiss.
- Storage Adaptors: Now feature Power In, Passthrough, and auto-sort functions.
- Blue Keycard: Removed from Outpost Vendors.
- Semi-Auto Pistols: Removed from Waterwell Vendors.
- Medical Syringes: Now usable on horses while grounded or mounted, increasing health and providing a short burst of speed.
Building and Monument Changes
Elevators
- Elevators now have Power In slots on every floor, allowing them to operate on any floor if another is powered.
- The speed of the elevator ascending or descending also increased from 3 m/s to 5 m/s.
Monument Changes
Monument loot respawn timers will now work similar to junkpile mechanics. NPC kills outside of the monument will no longer be a consideration in these triggers. Reset is no longer completely contingent on keycard swipes. Looting all of the crates of a monument will trigger the reset process.
Radiation Zones are being added to puzzle areas within all monuments, specifically in their keycard rooms, so that players can’t camp them or otherwise prevent their reset mechanics. These should become active as they do on Oil Rigs now, and dissipate after a successful reset. Puzzle-specific reset timers in general are being reduced, with the following being published and others being speculative:
- Water Treatment Plant, reduced slightly
- Dome reduced from 60 minutes to 6 minutes
- Harbor 2 reduced from 50 minutes to 7 minutes
- Harbor 1 reduced from 60 minutes to 7 minutes
Military Tunnel Specific
- Bottom Lab scientists (Red Keycard Lootroom) can no longer spawn on top of players in the Military Tunnels
- Door barricade resets with the puzzle
- Diesel Fuel respawns in conjunction with other puzzle loot
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, December is set to bring the long-awaited Naval Update, promising floating cities, modular boats, and ghost ships—assuming it doesn’t get delayed again.
As always, everything here is subject to change as development continues right up until patch day. We’ll keep this article updated as new information becomes available.
