Solo and Duo team limits, explained
Team limits only work if they're enforced. This guide covers exactly what "solo" and "duo" mean on Rustmates, what behaviour counts as grouping, and the appeal process if you disagree with a ruling.
Solo and duo team limits cap how many players may build, raid or travel together on a server. RustMates enforces them with an automated grouping plugin plus manual staff review, so teaming is detected and punished. The benefit is simple: as a lone player you never lose a base to a five-man zerg.
The rules in one sentence
On Solo, you play alone. On Solo/Duo you may team with one other person. If two "teams" behave like one team, we treat them as one — and both get banned.
What counts as grouping
- Sharing a base, TC access, or authorised turrets.
- Coordinated raids on voice or Discord with players outside your team.
- Splitting loot after a fight, "gifting" at TCs, dropping resources on death.
- Roaming together, spotting for each other, calling shots for a non-team member.
- Placing sleeping bags in someone else's base as a "spawn point."
What does NOT count as grouping
- Trading at a public shop or vending machine.
- Fighting alongside a stranger who happens to be shooting the same enemy.
- Chatting in Discord about the wipe — as long as you don't coordinate mid-fight.
- Being neighbours. Living close is not teaming.
How we detect it
Plugin detection catches the obvious cases: shared TC auth, shared bags, shared turrets. Staff reviews handle the rest — combat logs, base ownership, voice-chat proximity, and reports from other players. We rarely act on a single report; we act on a pattern.
What happens if you're caught
First offence: permanent ban on all Rustmates servers for every account involved. There is no "warning" for grouping because by the time we're sure, you've already spent a wipe exploiting the rule. Appeals go through /contact.
Frequently asked
Can I team up with someone on Solo just for one fight?
No. Even a single coordinated engagement counts as grouping if it repeats or leads to loot sharing.
What if a stranger keeps following me?
Killing them is fine. Letting them follow, cover you, or spot for you is not. If they won't leave, report them in Discord.
Can duos on Solo/Duo raid together with another duo?
No. Two duos raiding together is a four-person team. That's a Main 2x scenario, not Solo/Duo.
How do I appeal a grouping ban?
Submit an appeal via /contact. We answer every appeal within 48 hours, including the ones we reject, with the specific evidence used.