Since Facepunch’s November 5, 2026 update, Rust’s tech trees are paid for with blueprints instead of scrap: blueprint fragments for the first tech tree level, blueprint pages for the second and blueprint books for the third. Workbenches no longer need fragments to craft, and scrap still pays for the research table but no longer touches the tech trees.
That is the short version of the rework in Rust‘s Printed and Polished update. Below we cover what changed, where each tier comes from, how the research table fits in, what happened to the workbench upgrades, and what it means for your next wipe. Everything here comes from Facepunch’s devblog and changelist, also posted on Steam, and where Facepunch has not published a number, we say so.
What Changed on November 5
Blueprint fragments are not new to Rust, but their job is. They arrived in the Meta Shift update in October 2025 as a gate on crafting better workbenches. Now that gate is gone, and blueprints gate the tech trees instead:
| Before November 5 | Since November 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Crafting Workbench Level 2 | 5 Basic Blueprint Fragments | No blueprints needed |
| Crafting Workbench Level 3 | 5 Advanced Blueprint Fragments | No blueprints needed |
| Tech tree unlocks | Paid with scrap | Paid with blueprints, one tier per level |
| Research table | Paid with scrap | Paid with scrap |
| The items | Basic and Advanced Blueprint Fragments | Blueprint Fragment, Blueprint Page, Blueprint Book |
| Salvage workbench upgrade | Reduced the scrap spent on the tech tree | 20% chance not to consume a blueprint |
| Prototype workbench upgrade | Doubled the cost | Flat 25% success rate, no doubled cost |
The changelist removes the Basic and Advanced fragments outright, so the new Blueprint Fragment is a different item with the same family name.
Facepunch explains the reason in the devblog. The old system “caused a lot of friction in the early game progression, especially for players with less time on their hands,” and because of where basic fragments spawned, reaching a Level 2 workbench could be hard: “If you couldn’t compete, you weren’t just slowed down, you were locked out.”
The Three Tiers of Blueprint
Facepunch calls these “the new currencies spent to progress tech trees,” with one for each tech tree level:
- Blueprint Fragment pays for the first level. It is the lowest tier and now turns up in common loot such as barrels and boxes.
- Blueprint Page pays for the second level.
- Blueprint Book pays for the third level.
One naming trap: Rust also uses “blueprint” for an item you have learned to craft. The new fragments, pages and books are what you spend, and a learned blueprint is what you get. Some items skip all this: November’s Shears are a default blueprint that needs only a Level 1 workbench to craft. The new Wool armor insert, by contrast, sits on the Level 1 tech tree, so you unlock it with fragments.
Where to Get Blueprint Pages and Books
Facepunch’s post gives two routes and no drop table:
- Upgrade the tier below. The lowest tier “can be upgraded into the next tier of blueprint,” so barrels alone are a slow road up.
- Run harder content. Facepunch says “puzzle rooms and harder content will still be the fastest way to progress.”
The post does not give a conversion ratio, and it does not list which crates hold pages or books. The numbers you may remember belong to the removed items: Meta Shift’s rule was 20 Basic Fragments to 1 Advanced, with Advanced Fragments in hackable crates and elite crates. Do not assume they carry over. The item text in your own game is the place to check until Facepunch publishes more.
How the Research Table Fits In
Scrap has not disappeared from progression. Facepunch says “items can still be researched with scrap on the research table,” so an item you find in the world can still become a blueprint without the tech tree. The last research prices Facepunch published, in the Pivot or Die update in November 2025, were 15 scrap for Common items, 30 for Uncommon, 60 for Rare and 120 for Very Rare. The November notes do not mention changing them.
This is deliberate. The devblog says there is now “a much greater emphasis on finding, trading for, or making allies to get items you need.” In practice, that makes a looted or traded item a second path to a blueprint.
On the tech tree itself, since April you can pick any node, see the path that leads to it, and unlock the whole path at once. The November notes do not mention changing that.
Salvage and Prototype Workbench Upgrades
Workbench upgrades arrived in May, and Facepunch said then that they cannot be crafted and are not commonly found. Two of them were built around scrap on the tech tree, so both changed:
- Salvage now has a 20% chance not to consume a blueprint. Facepunch does not say whether that rolls per blueprint or per unlock, but either way it should save you about a fifth of what you spend over time.
- Prototype lets you unlock a tech tree item regardless of progression. Facepunch says it is now “a flat 25% success rate, with the cost doubling removed.” At 25%, expect about four attempts per success on average.
Facepunch’s post does not say whether a failed Prototype attempt uses up the blueprints. Before this patch, the upgrade’s description said failures still consumed resources, so plan as if they do.
What This Means for Your Next Wipe
These are our own read of the rules above, not Facepunch’s advice:
- Loot barrels and boxes from the start. They now feed your progression directly, so roadside loot counts for more than it did.
- Do not wait on fragments for a workbench. Level 2 and Level 3 no longer ask for them, so spend your first fragments on the tech tree.
- Plan your path before you spend. Blueprints are the limit now, and each tier costs more effort to reach than the last.
- Keep your scrap for research and trading. It still pays for the research table, and a found item plus scrap skips the tree.
- Go to puzzle rooms when you can. Facepunch names them as the fastest route, so a group that can hold a monument should still pull ahead.
Expect all of this to move. Facepunch says “we’d be kidding ourselves to think we’ve got it perfect on the first iteration” and that “adjustments will be made when needed.”
The same update also reworked livestock, which our guide to taming and raising cows covers in full, and our news story on the update sums up the rest, including gamepad support. To play with a pad on Valve’s new hardware, see our guide to connecting an Xbox controller to the Steam Machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do blueprints work in Rust now? Blueprint fragments, pages and books are currencies you spend on the tech trees, one tier for each level. Since the November 5, 2026 update, scrap is no longer spent on the tech trees.
Do you still need blueprint fragments to craft a workbench? No. Facepunch’s November 5, 2026 update removed them from workbench crafting, so Level 2 and Level 3 no longer ask for blueprints.
Where do you find blueprint fragments in Rust? In common loot such as barrels and boxes. Facepunch says puzzle rooms and harder content are the fastest way to progress overall.
How do you get blueprint pages and books? By upgrading the tier below, or from harder content. Facepunch’s post does not list a conversion ratio or specific crates.
Can you still use scrap for blueprints in Rust? Yes, at the research table. Scrap researches an item you already have, but it no longer pays for tech tree unlocks.
Did the November update wipe blueprints? Facepunch’s post does not announce a forced blueprint wipe. It only says the November 5 wipe was beginning, and Facepunch said in November 2025 that most servers do not blueprint wipe, so what you keep depends on your server.
Is the blueprint rework on Rust Console Edition? Facepunch’s November devblog covers the PC version of Rust. Console Edition updates are announced separately.