ROB RUN Beginner Guide: How to Start, Survive Cops and Keep Your Cash

Applies to: ROB RUN Early Access on PC (Steam), launch build from November 4, 2026, checked on November 10, 2026. Kefir's latest patch notes on Steam are from launch day, so the rules below come from the launch patch notes and the official ROB RUN Help Center. Early Access changes fast: if a newer patch lands, check it before you trust any number here.

Quick Answer

• Start on a fresh server. Kefir opens at least one new server per region every day: EU at 5 PM UTC, East US at 8 PM ET. On a fresh server, patrol cops only get pistols. Better police gear unlocks as the server gets older.
• Your first gun: weapons spawn as city loot and are sold on the Black Market by Lenny. Kefir cut the price of the basic pistol at launch and added more starter weapon spawns.
• Your first car: rent one for free at the nearest Parking Terminal if you have no active vehicle.
• Know what you lose: a Criminal who dies in Looty Bay loses their inventory. A Civilian who dies in the city keeps their bag and gear. In the desert, death always costs all your loot.
• Keep your money: sell at the Fence (the van with a $ sign on the map), grab the cash off the counter at once, then open a Looty Bay Bank account as a Civilian and launder through the Laundering Desk at your base.
• The wipe: every server wipes 7 days after it opens. The Federal Raid resets plots, bases, weapons and all cash, banked money included. Cosmetics, your name, tutorial progress, settings and jail time carry over. Servers that opened on November 4 are due around November 11, 2026.

New players are having a rough first week. On November 9 one of them posted on r/robrun that "Starting out in this game feels impossible": "i've tried to rob a store 6 times now and everytime i get at least 2 people with rifles start shooting me almost immediately." A second thread the same night asked whether you should watch tutorials before playing at all. This guide is the short version: what to do in your first hour, which server to start on, and how to keep the money you make.

What should you do first in ROB RUN?

Finish the intro quests, then go and see Lenny. Kefir's Help Center answer to "What should I do after the intro quests?" is short:

"Pick your path: pull off heists, haul cargo, run production at your base, join the police, or fight for territory. It's a sandbox where you can do it all, with new features added regularly. To get a handle on the core mechanics, visit Lenny at his Motel."

That is the official start (Help Center FAQ). Everyone begins at the bottom. Kefir's Power Pyramid post calls this tier Hobo: "Fresh out of prison with no cash and nowhere to live, you'll have to crash at Lenny's motel for a while." Your goal at this stage is simple: scrape together enough for your first plot of land.

Lenny's matters for one more reason. The Help Center says you "can only store cash at Lenny's" (FAQ). Until you have a base, that is where your money lives.

Which ROB RUN server should a beginner pick?

Pick the newest server you can find in your region. This is the single biggest fix for the "two guys with rifles" problem.

ROB RUN has two regions, EU and East US. Kefir's First Changes & Server Schedule post says it plans "at least one fresh server per day in each region": EU at 5 PM UTC and East US at 8 PM ET, with more servers opening automatically when needed.

The same post explains why fresh servers are easier: "When a fresh server opens, patrol cops will only have access to pistols. Better gear will unlock as the server gets older." Tier 1 settlements and land rentals also cost documents instead of cash now.

Our read: a server that opened tonight gives you a full seven days and weaker cops. A server that opened on November 4 has about a day left before its first Federal Raid. Anything you build there will be wiped tomorrow. If you play with friends, all of you need the same region and the same server. Our ROB RUN play with friends guide walks through Kefir's server-switch steps.

How do you get your first gun and car in ROB RUN?

Guns. Per the Help Center, "Weapons spawn as city loot and can also be bought on the Black Market — either directly from Lenny or through the laptop at your base." The launch patch "reduced the price of the basic pistol and added more starter weapon spawn points around the city."

Kefir was clear that it will not hand you a free gun: "We initially considered giving players a pistol after every death, but we feel that working your way up from nothing is an important part of ROB RUN." So expect to start unarmed and loot or buy a pistol first.

Cars. You never have to walk. "If you don't have an active vehicle, you can rent a car for free at the nearest Parking Terminal" (Help Center). Kefir's Gameplay Overview puts cars at the centre of the game: "with clever tactics and solid driving skills, you can easily outsmart cops or rival players even at a disadvantage."

Civilian, Criminal or Cop: which role should you start as?

You are a Civilian until you put on a mask. Kefir's Gameplay Overview: "The player becomes a Criminal only when they put on a mask. Before that, you can safely explore the city and assess the situation." Once masked, you can only clear Criminal status by leaving the city. The next time you enter, you choose your role again (Help Center).

What you lose on death depends on that role. This table is straight from the Help Center:

Cop is a real option for a new player. If slots are open, you enlist at the Looty Bay Police Station and get standard gear plus a patrol vehicle (Help Center). Kefir's trade-off: "cops don't risk their own equipment on shift, but their earning potential is lower." Players on r/robrun complain that the cop limit is often full, so have a plan B.

How do you rob your first store without dying?

Scout first, mask second. The Help Center's heist advice in full:

"Before masking up, scout the building and your getaway route. Keep the staff at gunpoint during the heist so they don't raise the alarm. With teammates, it's easier to split the tasks: breaking in, hauling loot, and providing cover."

Five habits that keep a beginner alive:

• Walk the store as a Civilian. You can't be robbed of what you don't carry yet, and you see who else is inside.
• Park for the exit, not the entrance. Your getaway route matters more than your aim.
• Hit small targets first. Kefir lists "small corner stores and jewelry shops" at the low end and bank vaults and police armories at the top. Depending on gear, keys and prep, "the very same location could net you either pocket change or a massive payday."
• Don't stay masked longer than you need. Notoriety climbs the longer your spree lasts. Kefir says higher Notoriety "means better loot and higher payout rates — but the risks scale right up with it."
• Bring a party. A party holds up to three players (First Look at Looty Bay). One drives, one hauls, one covers.

If cops catch you, surrendering beats dying. "Your bag contents are confiscated, but you keep your equipped gear. If the cop accepts a bribe, you keep all your loot" (Help Center). Bribes need money in the bank, which is one more reason to open an account early. If you'd rather learn the city next to someone who already knows the routes, a ROB RUN party carry puts an experienced player in your party on your own server.

Not sure about robbing yet? Free cash is lying around. The launch patch "increased the amount of cash found in dumpsters."

How do you sell loot and keep the money?

Getting the cash out is where most new players lose it. Three steps:

• Sell at the Fence. "Look for a van marked with a dollar sign on your map in Looty Bay or the Sales Center." Then: "Grab your cash off the counter immediately; otherwise, it can be stolen or confiscated" (Help Center).
• Open a bank account. "Visit the Looty Bay Bank as a Civilian to open an account, then run your cash through the Laundering Desk at your base." Laundering takes time. You can withdraw at any ATM (Help Center).
• Know what's at risk. "Cash can be stolen or confiscated. Banked money is safe from theft until the next wipe" (Help Center). Dirty cash in your bag is fair game. Banked cash is protected from players, not from the Federal Raid.

Fence vans are also where campers wait. A player on r/robrun complained on November 10 that "criminals and cops started camping selling points". Drive past once before you stop. Once you rent a plot, the Sales Center opens up as a second place to sell, per the Power Pyramid post.

For every money route Kefir lists, from loot to cargo to base production, see our ROB RUN money guide.

What comes after your first big score?

The Power Pyramid has five tiers:

The next step for a beginner is a plot. You can only set up a base in a settlement that has an owner: find a vacant plot and pay rent at the sign next to it (Help Center). Level 2 and 3 districts need Black Market documents. A base gives you storage, a Laundering Desk and production. The launch patch "massively increased profits from base businesses, including farms, labs, contraband". Our ROB RUN Grow Room guide covers the farm side. Remember that other players can raid what you store there.

What happens to beginners at the Federal Raid wipe?

Everyone resets together, so a wipe is the best moment to start. Kefir's wipe FAQ: "Every seven days, all plots, bases, weapons, and cash are wiped and converted into jail time and authority. Your cosmetics, player name, tutorial progress, settings, and accumulated jail time carry over."

So a week-one player loses no tutorial progress, and a veteran's head start goes away. Launch servers opened at 5 PM UTC on November 4, so their first Federal Raid lands around November 11, 2026. Kefir publishes the 7-day rule, not a per-server countdown. Our ROB RUN wipe schedule tracks the dates.

Common beginner mistakes

Want a crew for your first heists? Book an experienced player into your party on your own server, before your Federal Raid. Kefir's rules prohibit real-money trading, so read them before you buy anything.

• ROB RUN Party Carry: play your first runs with an experienced player in a party of up to three
• All ROB RUN services: carry, money and items on your server

FAQ

Can I buy this loadout instead of farming it? Yes: this loadout costs $47.98 on Timesaver, and a Timesaver pro completes it by hand within 24 hours. How handover works and what happens if something goes wrong: account safety.

Is ROB RUN free to play? Yes. ROB RUN is free-to-play on Steam in Early Access since November 4, 2026. Kefir says only cosmetics are sold.

What should I do first in ROB RUN? Finish the intro quests, then visit Lenny at his Motel to learn the core mechanics. Kefir's Help Center then suggests picking a path: heists, cargo, base production, the police or fighting for territory.

Do I lose everything when I die in ROB RUN? It depends. Criminals in Looty Bay lose their inventory, but can surrender to keep equipped gear. Civilians keep everything in the city. In the desert, death always costs all your loot.

How do I get a gun in ROB RUN? Loot one in the city or buy it on the Black Market from Lenny or your base laptop. The basic pistol got cheaper at launch, and there are more starter weapon spawns.

What server should I join in ROB RUN as a new player? The newest one in your region. New servers open daily, EU at 5 PM UTC and East US at 8 PM ET, and patrol cops on a fresh server only have pistols.

When does ROB RUN wipe? Each server wipes seven days after it opens. Plots, bases, weapons and all cash, banked money included, are wiped. Cosmetics, name, tutorial progress, settings and jail time carry over.

Sources

• Kefir, ROB RUN Help Center: intro quests, weapons, death, heists, selling, bank, wipe, checked November 10, 2026.
• Kefir on Steam: First Changes & Server Schedule (Nov 4, 2026), Gameplay Overview, Power Pyramid, First Look at Looty Bay.
• Player reports: r/robrun threads from November 9 and 10, 2026.