Start a Rust server with monuments disabled in the server config file

You can run a Rust server without monuments by editing a single setting in your server's configuration file before the server starts. Monuments are the large structures scattered across the map — like lighthouses, power plants, and satellite dishes — that draw players and create PvP hotspots. Removing them gives you a flatter, quieter map where players spread out more evenly and build their own bases without competing for landmark resources.

The process takes about five minutes if you already have a server running, or about twenty minutes if you're starting from scratch. You'll need access to your server files through FTP or a file manager, depending on whether you're renting a server from a hosting company or running one on your own machine.

Key Takeaways

  • Monuments are disabled by changing one line in the server.cfg file from server.pve false to server.pve true, or by setting server.monument_amount 0.
  • You must edit the config file before the server starts; changes made while the server is running will not take effect until you restart it.
  • Disabling monuments removes all landmark structures but keeps the map terrain, roads, and radiation zones intact.
  • Players will still find resources through barrels, crates, and fishing, but will need to farm more from the environment instead of looting monuments.

Locate your server configuration file

Your server configuration file is named server.cfg and lives in your server's root directory. If you're renting from a hosting company like G-Portal, Nitrado, or GameServers, log into your control panel and look for a "Config Files" or "File Manager" section. Click on the folder labeled with your server name, then find server.cfg in the list.

If you're running a server on your own machine, navigate to the folder where you installed your Rust server files. On Windows, this is usually C:\RustServer or wherever you extracted the server files. On Linux, it's typically /home/username/rustserver or /opt/rustserver. The server.cfg file should be visible in that main folder.

Edit the monument settings in the config file

Open server.cfg in a text editor. If you're using a hosting company's file manager, click "Edit" next to the filename. If you're on your own machine, right-click the file and choose "Open with Notepad" (Windows) or use nano or vi (Linux).

Search for the line that says server.monument_amount. This setting controls how many monuments spawn on your map. The default value is usually between 0.3 and 1.0, which means 30% to 100% of the normal monument count. Change this number to 0 to disable all monuments. The line should read: server.monument_amount 0

If you cannot find server.monument_amount in your file, add it as a new line at the end of the config. It will work even if it wasn't there before. Save the file when you're done — most hosting panels save automatically when you click outside the text box, but on your own machine use Ctrl+S or the File menu.

Restart your server to explore the change

If your server is currently running, you must restart it for the monument setting to take effect. Stop the server through your hosting panel's control menu or by running the shutdown command in the server console. Wait 30 seconds for the server to fully close, then start it again.

When the server boots up, it will generate a new map without any monuments. This happens automatically — you don't need to wipe the map or delete any files. If players are already on the server, they will see the monuments disappear the next time the map regenerates, which typically happens when you restart.

Understand what disappears and what stays

Disabling monuments removes the large structures themselves — the lighthouse, power plant, satellite dish, sewer branch, water treatment, satellite station, and all others. It also removes the loot crates and barrels that spawn inside those buildings. However, the map terrain, roads, and radiation zones remain exactly as they are. Players can still see the roads that led to monuments, and radiation zones will still exist even though there's nothing to loot inside them.

Resources like trees, ore nodes, and hemp plants are unaffected. Barrels and crates still spawn in smaller locations like warehouses, supermarkets, and player-built structures. Fishing and recycling remain viable ways to find components. The change mainly affects early-game progression — players will need to farm more from the environment and spend less time running monument routes.

Adjust other settings for a no-monument experience

With monuments gone, you may want to increase server.respawn_multiplier to make resources respawn faster, since players won't have monuments to fall back on. The default is 1.0; try 1.5 or 2.0 to double the respawn rate. You can also increase server.ore_respawn_speed and server.tree_respawn_speed to the same multiplier.

Consider lowering server.radiation or setting server.radiation_amount 0 if you want to remove radiation entirely, since radiation zones serve no purpose without monuments. Some servers also reduce server.decay (the rate at which player structures decay) to make building feel less punishing when players can't loot monuments for repair materials as quickly.

Troubleshoot if monuments still appear

If you restart the server and monuments are still on the map, the most common cause is that the server did not fully restart. Stop the server, wait a full minute, then start it again. Some hosting panels cache the old config — if it still doesn't work, try stopping the server, waiting two minutes, then starting it.

Another possibility is that the map was not wiped. Some servers keep the old map data even after a config change. Check your hosting panel for a "Wipe Map" or "Reset Map" button and click it, then restart. If you're on your own machine, delete the map folder in your server directory (usually RustServer/server/maps) before restarting — the server will generate a new one automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn monuments back on after disabling them?

Yes. Change server.monument_amount back to its original value (usually 0.8 or 1.0), save the file, and restart the server. The monuments will reappear on the next map generation. You don't need to do anything else.

Will players lose their bases if I disable monuments?

No. Player-built structures are stored separately from the monument data. Disabling monuments only removes the landmark buildings, not any bases players have already constructed. Existing player bases will remain intact.

Do I need to wipe the entire server to disable monuments?

You only need to wipe the map, not the entire server. A map wipe removes the terrain and structures but keeps player progress and blueprints. A full server wipe resets everything. Most servers wipe the map only, which you can do through your hosting panel's control menu.

What if my hosting company doesn't let me edit server.cfg?

Some budget hosting companies lock the config file. Contact your hosting support and ask them to change server.monument_amount to 0 for you, or ask if they offer a custom config option. If they refuse, you may need to switch to a hosting company that allows config editing, or run the server on your own machine.

Will disabling monuments make the server easier?

It makes early-game progression slower because players can't loot monuments for high-tier components. However, it can make the server less competitive since there's no single location where all players fight. The overall difficulty depends on how you adjust respawn rates and decay settings.