Rust Tool Cupboard and Upkeep Guide (With the New Group Tax)

Your Tool Cupboard (TC) is the heart of your base. Here is how it works.

What a TC does

• It lets you build in the area around it.
• It stops other players from building near you.
• It holds the resources your base uses for upkeep.

What upkeep is

Everything you build slowly wears out. Upkeep is the resources your TC spends to keep it standing. If the TC runs out, your base starts to decay and can fall apart.

Fill the TC with wood, stone, metal or HQM to match what your base is made of.

The new group upkeep tax (September 2026)

The Breach and Clear update added a tax that grows with the number of players tied to a base:

• First 4 players: no extra cost
• Next 6 players: 2% each
• Every player after that: 4% each
• The cap is 300%

If you play solo or with a small team, you don't pay extra. Big clans do.

Other upkeep notes

• In August, high walls got a 20% static upkeep cost.

Tips

1. Check your TC every time you log in.
2. Keep a little extra in the TC.
3. Don't build bigger than you can afford.
4. Remove parts you don't need.

Source: Facepunch's official Breach and Clear and Power Trip notes at rust.facepunch.com.

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