The Ultimate Starter Guide for The Forge
This guide explains how to progress efficiently in The Forge, starting from a brand-new player and moving into mid-game and late-game systems. It covers mining, crafting, combat, money, races, pickaxes, and optimal progression paths.
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Core Gameplay Loop
The Forge follows a simple but deep progression cycle:
- Mine ores
- Craft weapons and armor
- Kill stronger enemies
- Access better zones
- Repeat with higher efficiency
Everything you do revolves around improving your mining speed, combat strength, and crafting value.
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Early Game Goals (Starting Island)
Primary Objective
- Reach Level 10
- Unlock access to the second island
This can be done by completing the starting quests and basic mining.
Mining Basics
- Ores have different HP values
- Deeper cave sections contain higher-value ores
- Higher-HP ores drop better materials
The further you go into a cave, the better the rewards.
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Races and Rolls (Important Early Boost)
You can unlock different races using rolls.
Why Races Matter
Races provide powerful passive bonuses such as:- Movement speed
- Luck
- Mining bonuses
- Combat damage
- Stamina and survivability
Recommended Early Races
- Goblin – Shop discounts (very strong long-term)
- Shadow – Combat boosts
- Angel – Mobility, luck, and damage procs
- Human – XP and luck (starter-friendly)
You can store multiple races and swap strategically before shopping.
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Moving to the Second Island
Once you reach Level 10, you unlock the portal to the next area.
Getting There
- Complete the Wizard quest
- Use the portal item in your inventory
- Alternatively, use the cannon to reach the mines
Difficulty Spike Warning
Enemies on the second island:- Deal much more damage
- Have higher HP
- Require better weapons and armor
Make sure you have:
- A solid weapon
- A decent pickaxe
- Some saved currency
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Pickaxe Progression (Very Important)
Early Pickaxes
You will see multiple pickaxes for sale, but do not buy every upgrade.Recommended Path
- Starter Pickaxe
- Arcane Pickaxe (huge power spike)
- Demonic Pickaxe (late-game)
Skipping weak mid-tier pickaxes saves massive amounts of money.
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Mining Shards and Upgrades
Pickaxes can be enhanced using Mining Shards.
Best Way to Farm Shards
- Kill Bomber Skeletons
- Easy to kill
- High shard drop rate
- Dev-recommended farm method
Upgrade Priority
- Mining damage first
- Speed second
- Avoid wasting shards on weak pickaxes
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Money Making Basics
Best Early Money Sources
- Selling essence
- Crafting weapons from excess ores
- Selling unwanted crafted gear
Essence Farming
- Found in high-danger zones
- Dropped by skeletons and elite mobs
- Sold to Greedy NPC
Essence is one of the fastest and most consistent money sources.
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Crafting Explained (Very Important)
Crafting Categories
- Daggers
- Straight Swords
- Gauntlets
- Great Weapons
- Colossal Weapons
- Light / Medium / Heavy Armor
Crafting Rule
The number of ores determines the item type.Examples:
- 3 ores → Daggers
- 4–8 ores → Straight swords
- ~11 ores → Gauntlets
- ~20+ ores → Great weapons
- ~40+ ores → Colossal weapons
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Ore Multipliers (Critical Concept)
Each ore has a multiplier that affects final stats.
Key Rule
> Mixing high-value ore with low-value ore wastes potential.Best Practice
- Use ores with similar multipliers
- Avoid mixing mythic ore with scrap
- Average multiplier determines final power
This applies to both weapons and armor.
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Armor Progression
Armor tiers depend on ore count:
- 3–10 ores → Light Armor
- 10–20 ores → Medium Armor
- 20–40 ores → Heavy Armor
Heavy armor provides the best survivability for late-game zones.
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Volcanic Zone (Mid-Game Farming)
This area is extremely important for progression.
Why Farm Here
- High essence drops
- Volcanic Rock spawns
- Access to Demonic Pickaxe
- Best mid-game XP
Tips
- Dash past enemies if undergeared
- Focus elite skeletons
- Avoid Reapers until stronger
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Recommended Progression Path
- Reach Level 10
- Unlock second island
- Obtain Arcane Pickaxe
- Farm Bomber Skeletons
- Upgrade pickaxe with shards
- Farm Volcanic Zone
- Craft high-value weapons
- Sell essence and gear
- Save for Demonic Pickaxe
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Final Advice
- Do not rush pickaxe purchases
- Always consider ore multipliers
- Craft frequently and sell excess gear
- Essence farming scales extremely well
- Group farming increases efficiency
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This guide provides everything needed to progress efficiently in The Forge.
If you want next:
- A Forge progression flowchart
- A best beginner crafting recipes page
- A pickaxe comparison chart
- Or a money farming optimization guide