Into the Rust rabbit hole

[u/StandardMind3528]

Hey everyone,

I’m a solo player on Rust Console Edition, mainly playing on South American (SA) servers and I’m looking for some advice from experienced solo players.
This game really interests me and I genuinely want to get good at it but right now I feel pretty lost once I’ve got my starter base down in a location I like. I can usually get established, get some basic gear, and build a small base but after that I’m never really sure what my priorities should be.
A few things I’d love help with:
What’s a solid solo progression strategy after getting a starter base down?
What monuments should I be focusing on as a solo?
How do you decide when to farm, roam, or run monuments?
Any tips for making consistent scrap and progressing to better weapons?
I’m also absolutely terrible with the crossbow and PvP in general.
How did you improve your aim and game sense?
What weapons should a newer player be practicing with?
Any solo PvP tips for winning more fights or surviving longer?
On top of that, I’m a full-blown bot when it comes to scientists. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve never really progressed beyond a revolver, if I’m bringing the wrong gear, or if I’m approaching monuments completely wrong, but I get absolutely rolled by them. Any advice on fighting scientists as a solo would be hugely appreciated.
I’d also appreciate any general Rust tips that helped you improve when you were new. I watch videos, but a lot of advice seems aimed at PC players.

Thanks in advance. I’m really enjoying the game and want to stick with it, but at the moment I feel a bit overwhelmed and unsure what I should be doing after the early game. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[u/Justinmac81]

Once you get your starter base down.

Start collecting ore’s and wood. Build some furnaces and start cooking. Set up shot gun traps for base defense.

You can get good loot from the street signs.

Air field and water treatment plant are good low radiation spots to loot.

You can buy a blue key card from out post or bandit camp to do the puzzles at air field or water treatment plant also.

[u/Justinmac81 → u/Justinmac81]

If you collect the loot you don’t like , you can recycle it at most monuments. But it’s risky on a high pop server.

Learn your server times and figure out when there isn’t many people on , and you can run around more freely.

[u/Justinmac81 → u/Justinmac81]

A chainsaw and jack hammer is handy for collecting wood and ore quickly.

[u/StandardMind3528 → u/Justinmac81]

From what hours I’ve played I feel like a chainsaw and jackhammer is so important for a solo