How to Make a Rust PvE Server (server.pve vs TruePVE, 2026)

To make a Rust PvE server, install Oxide or Carbon, add the TruePVE plugin, set rules so players cannot hurt each other or each other's bases, and tag the server pve. Rust also has a built in server.pve true setting, but it only reflects damage back at attackers, so most PvE servers use TruePVE instead.

Can you make Rust PvE without plugins?

Yes, partly. Rust has a vanilla convar for it:

server.pve true

With it on, damage a player deals to another player is reflected back at the attacker, and attacking a building you are not authorised on also hurts you. It stops casual griefing, but it is not true PvE:

• Players can still trick others into damage, and some damage sources behave oddly.
• There is no control over which entities can damage which.
• Traps, turrets and vehicles still interact in ways that surprise people.

That is fine for a small group of friends who just want nobody shooting each other. For a public PvE server, use TruePVE. Its author is explicit that it is meant to run with server.pve false, so do not combine the two.

What is the best way to make a Rust PvE server?

The standard setup is the Oxide or Carbon framework plus a few well known plugins:

If you have not installed plugins before, follow how to install Rust plugins on Oxide or Carbon first, then come back here.

How do I set up TruePVE step by step?

1. Choose Oxide or Carbon. On a hosted server pick the server type in the panel. Self hosters install the framework over the Rust server files.
2. Make sure server.pve is false. Run server.pve false in the console and remove any server.pve true line from server.cfg.
3. Upload TruePVE.cs to oxide/plugins (or carbon/plugins). It compiles and loads on its own.
4. Open the config that appears in oxide/config/TruePVE.json (or carbon/configs).
5. Edit the default RuleSet (see the next section), save, and reload the plugin with oxide.reload TruePVE or c.reload TruePVE.
6. Test with a friend. Shoot each other, hit each other's walls, test a turret. Use tpve.trace in the console to log why any damage was allowed or blocked. It turns itself off after five minutes.

Which TruePVE rules should a PvE server use?

TruePVE works with a RuleSet that has a default behaviour plus rules written in plain English between entity groups, like players cannot hurt players. More specific rules win over broad ones such as anything and nothing.

For a classic PvE server, aim for this behaviour:

The plugin writes a default RuleSet the first time it loads. Start from that file and check it against the table above rather than writing one from nothing: make sure defaultAllowDamage is false and that players cannot hurt players is in the rules. Back up the file before every edit, because a typo in the JSON stops the plugin loading. The console prints an error on reload when that happens.

How do I add PvP zones to a PvE server?

Install Zone Manager, create a zone with its admin command, then in TruePVE map that zone ID to a second RuleSet that allows player damage. Players fight inside the zone and are protected outside it. Many servers use this for one monument, a dome or an arena. TruePVE also has a Schedule section that switches RuleSets at set times, for example PvP on weekend evenings and PvE the rest of the week, with a broadcast message on each switch.

Which server settings suit Rust PvE?

PvE players build bigger and play longer, so a few settings matter more than on PvP servers. Set them in server.cfg or the console:

More convars are covered in Rust server.cfg settings explained, and the wipe rhythm options are in our Rust force wipe schedule.

How do I keep a PvE server interesting?

Without player raiding, you need other goals:

• Raidable Bases spawns NPC bases on a timer for players to raid. You need base files saved for Copy Paste before anything spawns.
• Monument content already in vanilla: Oil Rig, Cargo Ship, the patrol helicopter, Bradley at Launch Site and the new powergrid loot rooms from the Livestock update.
• Farming. The October 2026 livestock systems, cows, sheep and genetics, suit long term PvE players well.
• Events and economy. Shop and event plugins give players something to spend on. See the best Rust server plugins.

How much RAM does a PvE Rust server need?

More than the same PvP server. PvE bases rarely get destroyed, so entity counts keep climbing all wipe, and Raidable Bases adds its own entities. 12 GB is a sensible starting point for a community PvE server, and 16 GB suits a busy one with many plugins.

Running a PvE server on GamezServers

Pick Oxide or Carbon at checkout, upload TruePVE and its friends in the Files tab, and use the Reload Oxide plugins or Reload Carbon plugins button after each config change. The browser tags field in Settings is where pve goes. Our Rust hosting page lists plans from 8 GB, and the 12 GB Standard plan is the usual pick for a PvE community.

FAQ

What does server.pve do in Rust?

It reflects damage dealt to other players back at the attacker, and hurts players who attack buildings they are not authorised on. It is a basic deterrent, not full PvE.

Should I use server.pve with TruePVE?

No. TruePVE is designed to run with server.pve false. Running both can cause unexpected damage behaviour.

Can you have PvP and PvE on one Rust server?

Yes. Use Zone Manager to create PvP areas and map them to a TruePVE RuleSet that allows player damage, or use TruePVE's schedule to switch modes at set times.

Do players need to download anything to join a PvE server?

No. Rust plugins run only on the server. The server shows in the Modded tab of the browser because it uses a framework.

How do I stop players raiding on a PvE server?

Use TruePVE with a RuleSet that blocks player damage to other players' building blocks and locked boxes. Owners can still remove their own builds with the AuthorizedDamage flag.