Rust Status Effects — Survival Hazards, Prevention & Cures

Environmental9

Radiation

Exposure to radioactive zones found at certain monuments. Radiation drains health over time and accumulates the longer you stay in the zone.

Health drain of 2-10 HP per second depending on radiation level
Radiation poisoning accumulates over time
Higher radiation levels cause faster health loss
Can kill quickly at extreme levels (25+ rads/sec)

Prevention

Wear radiation protection clothing. Hazmat Suit provides 50% protection. Combine multiple clothing items for stacking protection. Stay out of high-rad zones.

Cure

Leave the irradiated area immediately. Take Anti-Radiation Pills to quickly reduce accumulated radiation. Health will regenerate naturally once radiation clears and hunger/thirst are sufficient.

Cold

Environmental cold exposure from being in cold biomes, at night, in water, or at high elevation. Cold drains health and calories faster.

Health drain of 1-5 HP per tick depending on severity
Increased calorie consumption
Increased hydration consumption
Reduced stamina regeneration

Prevention

Wear warm clothing (hoodie, pants, boots, gloves). Stand near campfires, furnaces, or fireplaces. Stay indoors during cold nights. Arctic Suit for extreme cold biomes.

Cure

Get warm immediately — stand near a heat source (campfire, furnace, fireplace). Go indoors. Eat food to restore calories. Drink water. The cold debuff clears quickly when warm.

Hot

Environmental heat exposure from being in desert biomes or near large heat sources. Heat drains hydration faster and can lead to heatstroke.

Increased water consumption rate
Health drain at extreme heat levels
Faster dehydration can lead to death

Prevention

Remove excess clothing in hot biomes. Stay hydrated with water. Seek shade or go indoors. Avoid sprinting to reduce heat generation.

Cure

Drink water immediately. Remove heavy clothing. Move to shade or indoors. Jump in water to cool down quickly. The heat debuff clears once body temperature normalizes.

Wet

Getting wet from rain, swimming, or water sources. Being wet increases cold vulnerability and can lead to hypothermia.

Increased cold vulnerability — cold damage is amplified
Slight comfort reduction
Clothing provides less insulation when wet
Can compound with cold to cause hypothermia

Prevention

Avoid swimming and rain exposure. Stay indoors during rain. The Wetsuit protects against the wet debuff.

Cure

Stand near a heat source (campfire, furnace) to dry off. Go indoors. The wet status clears over time as your character dries. Warmer temperatures speed up drying.

Hypothermia

Severe cold exposure resulting from prolonged freezing temperatures. A dangerous condition that drains health rapidly and can be lethal.

Rapid health drain of 3-8 HP per tick
Severely increased calorie and water consumption
Reduced movement speed
Screen visual effects (blue tinting, shaking)

Prevention

Avoid prolonged cold exposure. Wear multiple layers of warm clothing. Keep campfires available for emergency warming. Carry wood and Low Grade Fuel.

Cure

Get warm immediately — campfire, furnace, or fireplace. Eat food to restore calories. Drink water. Medical Syringes can stabilize health while warming up. Takes 30-60 seconds of warming to clear.

Heatstroke

Severe heat exposure from extreme desert temperatures or too much clothing in hot biomes. Causes rapid dehydration and health loss.

Rapid hydration drain
Health drain when dehydrated
Blurred vision and screen effects
Reduced stamina regeneration

Prevention

Remove excess clothing in hot biomes. Carry extra water. Avoid sprinting in extreme heat. Stay in shade when possible.

Cure

Drink water immediately. Remove clothing to cool down. Jump in water. Move to shade or cooler areas. The effect clears once body temperature drops.

Drowning

Running out of oxygen while underwater. Causes rapid health drain. Occurs when the breath meter reaches zero.

Rapid health drain of 10+ HP per second
Screen visual effects (darkening, blurring)
Death within seconds if not surfaced

Prevention

Carry a diving tank for extended underwater exploration. Monitor your breath meter. Stay near the surface. Use a submarine for deep underwater travel.

Cure

Surface immediately to restore oxygen. The drowning effect stops instantly when you reach air. Medical Syringes can stabilize health during ascent.

Fall Damage

Damage from falling from heights. Scales with distance fallen. Can be instantly lethal from significant heights.

Health loss proportional to fall distance
Can cause bleeding at moderate fall heights
Instantly lethal from ~15+ meter falls
Leg damage can cause reduced movement speed temporarily

Prevention

Avoid jumping from heights. Use ladders and stairs. Build smart with accessible paths. Parachutes are not available — be careful on rooftops.

Cure

Bandages for bleeding. Medical Syringes for health recovery. Cannot prevent the initial damage — only treat the aftermath.

Burning

3-10 seconds after leaving the fire source

Taking fire damage from incendiary weapons, campfires, burning structures, or flame turrets. Burns deal sustained damage over time.

Health drain while on fire
Damage continues for a few seconds after leaving the fire
Ignites wooden structures in contact
Screen visual effects (flame overlay)

Prevention

Avoid fire sources. Do not stand in campfires. Be careful around flame turrets. Avoid wooden bases during incendiary raids.

Cure

Move away from the fire source. Jump in water to extinguish instantly. Wait a few seconds for the burning to stop naturally. Use Medical Syringes for health recovery.

Debuffs5

Bleeding

30-60 seconds or until healed

Active bleeding from combat wounds. Drains health over time until treated or until it naturally stops.

Health drain of 3-5 HP per tick
Leaves a blood trail that can be followed
Stacks with other damage sources

Prevention

Avoid taking damage. Armor reduces the chance of bleeding. Some clothing provides bleed resistance.

Cure

Use a Bandage to stop bleeding immediately. Medical Syringes heal and stop bleeding. Eating food slowly stops bleeding. Bleeding eventually stops on its own after 30-60 seconds.

Wounded (Downed)

60 seconds before death

The downed state when your health reaches zero. You are incapacitated on the ground and can be revived by teammates or finished off by enemies.

Cannot move, attack, or use items
Health slowly drains to zero over 60 seconds
Can be revived by another player
Can be finished off by enemies
Crawling is possible but very slow

Prevention

Keep health above zero. Use Medical Syringes to heal during combat. Wear armor to reduce incoming damage.

Cure

Another player can revive you by holding E for approximately 5 seconds. If not revived within 60 seconds you will die. Some players choose to give up (F1 kill) to respawn faster.

Hunger (Starving)

Your character's hunger bar has dropped to zero. You begin losing health from starvation. Food is essential for survival.

Health drain when calories reach zero
Reduced health regeneration
Cannot sprint when severely starving
Increased vulnerability to other damage

Prevention

Eat food regularly. Carry food supplies when exploring. Hunt animals for meat. Grow crops at your base. Eat mushrooms and berries found in the wild.

Cure

Eat any food — cooked meat, canned food, berries, mushrooms, corn, pumpkins. Calories restore gradually based on the food item's nutritional value.

Thirst (Dehydrated)

Your character's water bar has dropped to zero. You begin losing health from dehydration. Water is crucial especially in hot biomes.

Health drain when hydration reaches zero
Reduced stamina regeneration
Increased calorie consumption
Faster health deterioration in hot environments

Prevention

Drink water regularly. Carry water bottles or bota bags. Build a water catcher at your base. Drink from rivers and water wells.

Cure

Drink clean water, water from rivers (risk of hydration debuff from salt water), canned water, or juice. Water bottles and bota bags provide portable hydration. Teas also restore hydration.

Poison

30-120 seconds depending on source

Poisoned from consuming raw or spoiled food, or from certain environmental hazards. Causes health drain and nausea effects.

Health drain of 2-5 HP per tick
Nausea visual effects (screen warping)
Vomiting can occur, draining calories
Reduced movement clarity

Prevention

Cook all meat before eating. Avoid eating spoiled or raw foods. Do not eat unknown mushrooms. Be cautious with mixing table experiments.

Cure

Wait for the poison to wear off naturally. Medical Syringes can counteract health drain. Anti-Radiation Pills help with some poison types. Eating cooked food helps stabilize.

Frequently asked questions

How do you cure radiation in Rust?

Leave the irradiated area immediately, then take Anti-Radiation Pills to quickly reduce accumulated radiation. Health regenerates naturally once radiation clears and your hunger and thirst are high enough. A Hazmat Suit prevents most radiation in the first place.

How do you stop bleeding in Rust?

Apply a Bandage, Medical Syringe, or Large Medkit to stop bleeding. Eating food can also slowly counteract the health loss. Bleeding stacks, so heavy bleeding needs healing fast.

Environmental9

Radiation

Exposure to radioactive zones found at certain monuments. Radiation drains health over time and accumulates the longer you stay in the zone.

Health drain of 2-10 HP per second depending on radiation level
Radiation poisoning accumulates over time
Higher radiation levels cause faster health loss
Can kill quickly at extreme levels (25+ rads/sec)

Prevention

Wear radiation protection clothing. Hazmat Suit provides 50% protection. Combine multiple clothing items for stacking protection. Stay out of high-rad zones.

Cure

Leave the irradiated area immediately. Take Anti-Radiation Pills to quickly reduce accumulated radiation. Health will regenerate naturally once radiation clears and hunger/thirst are sufficient.

Cold

Environmental cold exposure from being in cold biomes, at night, in water, or at high elevation. Cold drains health and calories faster.

Health drain of 1-5 HP per tick depending on severity
Increased calorie consumption
Increased hydration consumption
Reduced stamina regeneration

Prevention

Wear warm clothing (hoodie, pants, boots, gloves). Stand near campfires, furnaces, or fireplaces. Stay indoors during cold nights. Arctic Suit for extreme cold biomes.

Cure

Get warm immediately — stand near a heat source (campfire, furnace, fireplace). Go indoors. Eat food to restore calories. Drink water. The cold debuff clears quickly when warm.

Hot

Environmental heat exposure from being in desert biomes or near large heat sources. Heat drains hydration faster and can lead to heatstroke.

Increased water consumption rate
Health drain at extreme heat levels
Faster dehydration can lead to death

Prevention

Remove excess clothing in hot biomes. Stay hydrated with water. Seek shade or go indoors. Avoid sprinting to reduce heat generation.

Cure

Drink water immediately. Remove heavy clothing. Move to shade or indoors. Jump in water to cool down quickly. The heat debuff clears once body temperature normalizes.

Wet

Getting wet from rain, swimming, or water sources. Being wet increases cold vulnerability and can lead to hypothermia.

Increased cold vulnerability — cold damage is amplified
Slight comfort reduction
Clothing provides less insulation when wet
Can compound with cold to cause hypothermia

Prevention

Avoid swimming and rain exposure. Stay indoors during rain. The Wetsuit protects against the wet debuff.

Cure

Stand near a heat source (campfire, furnace) to dry off. Go indoors. The wet status clears over time as your character dries. Warmer temperatures speed up drying.

Hypothermia

Severe cold exposure resulting from prolonged freezing temperatures. A dangerous condition that drains health rapidly and can be lethal.

Rapid health drain of 3-8 HP per tick
Severely increased calorie and water consumption
Reduced movement speed
Screen visual effects (blue tinting, shaking)

Prevention

Avoid prolonged cold exposure. Wear multiple layers of warm clothing. Keep campfires available for emergency warming. Carry wood and Low Grade Fuel.

Cure

Get warm immediately — campfire, furnace, or fireplace. Eat food to restore calories. Drink water. Medical Syringes can stabilize health while warming up. Takes 30-60 seconds of warming to clear.

Heatstroke

Severe heat exposure from extreme desert temperatures or too much clothing in hot biomes. Causes rapid dehydration and health loss.

Rapid hydration drain
Health drain when dehydrated
Blurred vision and screen effects
Reduced stamina regeneration

Prevention

Remove excess clothing in hot biomes. Carry extra water. Avoid sprinting in extreme heat. Stay in shade when possible.

Cure

Drink water immediately. Remove clothing to cool down. Jump in water. Move to shade or cooler areas. The effect clears once body temperature drops.

Drowning

Running out of oxygen while underwater. Causes rapid health drain. Occurs when the breath meter reaches zero.

Rapid health drain of 10+ HP per second
Screen visual effects (darkening, blurring)
Death within seconds if not surfaced

Prevention

Carry a diving tank for extended underwater exploration. Monitor your breath meter. Stay near the surface. Use a submarine for deep underwater travel.

Cure

Surface immediately to restore oxygen. The drowning effect stops instantly when you reach air. Medical Syringes can stabilize health during ascent.

Fall Damage

Damage from falling from heights. Scales with distance fallen. Can be instantly lethal from significant heights.

Health loss proportional to fall distance
Can cause bleeding at moderate fall heights
Instantly lethal from ~15+ meter falls
Leg damage can cause reduced movement speed temporarily

Prevention

Avoid jumping from heights. Use ladders and stairs. Build smart with accessible paths. Parachutes are not available — be careful on rooftops.

Cure

Bandages for bleeding. Medical Syringes for health recovery. Cannot prevent the initial damage — only treat the aftermath.

Burning

3-10 seconds after leaving the fire source

Taking fire damage from incendiary weapons, campfires, burning structures, or flame turrets. Burns deal sustained damage over time.

Health drain while on fire
Damage continues for a few seconds after leaving the fire
Ignites wooden structures in contact
Screen visual effects (flame overlay)

Prevention

Avoid fire sources. Do not stand in campfires. Be careful around flame turrets. Avoid wooden bases during incendiary raids.

Cure

Move away from the fire source. Jump in water to extinguish instantly. Wait a few seconds for the burning to stop naturally. Use Medical Syringes for health recovery.

Debuffs5

Bleeding

30-60 seconds or until healed

Active bleeding from combat wounds. Drains health over time until treated or until it naturally stops.

Health drain of 3-5 HP per tick
Leaves a blood trail that can be followed
Stacks with other damage sources

Prevention

Avoid taking damage. Armor reduces the chance of bleeding. Some clothing provides bleed resistance.

Cure

Use a Bandage to stop bleeding immediately. Medical Syringes heal and stop bleeding. Eating food slowly stops bleeding. Bleeding eventually stops on its own after 30-60 seconds.

Wounded (Downed)

60 seconds before death

The downed state when your health reaches zero. You are incapacitated on the ground and can be revived by teammates or finished off by enemies.

Cannot move, attack, or use items
Health slowly drains to zero over 60 seconds
Can be revived by another player
Can be finished off by enemies
Crawling is possible but very slow

Prevention

Keep health above zero. Use Medical Syringes to heal during combat. Wear armor to reduce incoming damage.

Cure

Another player can revive you by holding E for approximately 5 seconds. If not revived within 60 seconds you will die. Some players choose to give up (F1 kill) to respawn faster.

Hunger (Starving)

Your character's hunger bar has dropped to zero. You begin losing health from starvation. Food is essential for survival.

Health drain when calories reach zero
Reduced health regeneration
Cannot sprint when severely starving
Increased vulnerability to other damage

Prevention

Eat food regularly. Carry food supplies when exploring. Hunt animals for meat. Grow crops at your base. Eat mushrooms and berries found in the wild.

Cure

Eat any food — cooked meat, canned food, berries, mushrooms, corn, pumpkins. Calories restore gradually based on the food item's nutritional value.

Thirst (Dehydrated)

Your character's water bar has dropped to zero. You begin losing health from dehydration. Water is crucial especially in hot biomes.

Health drain when hydration reaches zero
Reduced stamina regeneration
Increased calorie consumption
Faster health deterioration in hot environments

Prevention

Drink water regularly. Carry water bottles or bota bags. Build a water catcher at your base. Drink from rivers and water wells.

Cure

Drink clean water, water from rivers (risk of hydration debuff from salt water), canned water, or juice. Water bottles and bota bags provide portable hydration. Teas also restore hydration.

Poison

30-120 seconds depending on source

Poisoned from consuming raw or spoiled food, or from certain environmental hazards. Causes health drain and nausea effects.

Health drain of 2-5 HP per tick
Nausea visual effects (screen warping)
Vomiting can occur, draining calories
Reduced movement clarity

Prevention

Cook all meat before eating. Avoid eating spoiled or raw foods. Do not eat unknown mushrooms. Be cautious with mixing table experiments.

Cure

Wait for the poison to wear off naturally. Medical Syringes can counteract health drain. Anti-Radiation Pills help with some poison types. Eating cooked food helps stabilize.

Frequently asked questions

How do you cure radiation in Rust?

How do you stop bleeding in Rust?

Apply a Bandage, Medical Syringe, or Large Medkit to stop bleeding. Eating food can also slowly counteract the health loss. Bleeding stacks, so heavy bleeding needs healing fast.