The Forge Pickaxe Progression Guide

Mining is the backbone of advancement in The Forge, and your pickaxe is the single most important tool that shapes your progression, your income, and the gear you can ultimately craft. While the game offers a wide range of pickaxes—each with its own power, value, and purpose—not all of them are worth your hard-earned gold. Understanding when to upgrade, which tiers to skip, and how to reach the game’s strongest tools is essential for efficient gameplay.

This guide breaks down the complete pickaxe progression path, from your humble starter tool to the prestigious Arcane and Demonic tiers. You’ll learn how each pickaxe performs, where to obtain it, and the smartest upgrade route to minimize grinding while maximizing ore yield. Whether you’re a new miner struggling with early-game tools or a late-game player aiming to unlock top-tier equipment, this progression roadmap gives you everything you need to optimize your mining journey and forge your way to true power.

All pickaxes in The Forge

1. Stone Pickaxe
2. Bronze Pickaxe
3. Iron Pickaxe
4. Gold Pickaxe
5. Cobalt Pickaxe
6. Diamond Pickaxe
7. Platinum Pickaxe (sometimes listed as Stonewake’s / Stonewake’s Pickaxe)
8. Stonewake’s Pickaxe
9. Mythril Pickaxe
10. Titanium Pickaxe
11. Uranium Pickaxe
12. Magma Pickaxe
13. Arcane Pickaxe
14. Lightite Pickaxe
15. Demonic Pickaxe

The Forge Pickaxe Detailed progression & notes

1) Starter / Stone Pickaxe (early)

• Default starter tool. Use it to reach your first vendor and mine basic ores. Replace as soon as you can afford the first worthwhile upgrade.

2) Stonewake’s / Bronze → Iron → Mythril (early → early-mid)

• Cheap upgrades; help clear early content and increase ore yield. Buy only the fastest next-tier that you can afford — don’t buy every single incremental pickaxe. Guides recommend jumping to Mythril when possible to reduce grinding.

3) Arcane Pickaxe (mid → late; recommended “endgame” farm tool)

• Frequently cited as the best all-round pickaxe for most players before Demonic. It has excellent speed and ore yield, making it the most cost-effective for farming rare ores and crafting top weapons/armor. If you can reach Arcane, it’s typically the single best purchase for value.

4) Demonic Pickaxe (late, top-tier)

• The most powerful pickaxe in the current meta; mines fastest and unlocks rarest ore nodes. However, at time of reporting it’s locked behind a demonic door or requires a specific method to obtain (some current methods are exploit-based). See the acquisition methods section below.

Pickaxes you can safely skip

Several low-mid-tier pickaxes exist purely to upsell gold. Multiple guides recommend skipping intermediate buys and saving for Arcane/Demonic instead; buying many small upgrades wastes money. Prioritize the next meaningful jump in pickaxe stats.

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Where to buy / obtain (high level)

• Vendors in towns — most basic and mid pickaxes are purchased from shops in Stonewake or vendor stalls in world hubs.
• Cave drops / hidden chests — a few pickaxes must be found in caves or behind doors.
• Demonic Pickaxe — currently behind the demonic door in Volcanic Depths (obtaining it may require Demon race dash or a portal dash exploit until an official unlock is implemented). Use caution: these are exploits and may be patched.

Demonic pickaxe: two known methods

1. Demon race dash method — get Demon race, use its dash to clip through the demonic door in Volcanic Depths.
2. Portal dash exploit — precise portal placement + dash to glitch through.
   Both methods are reported in recent guides and videos; note that these are exploit-based and could be patched quickly. Use at your own risk.

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Best runes / traits for pickaxes

Runes/traits that boost Mine Power, ore yield, or XP-from-mining. Prioritize runes that directly increase ore quantity or mining speed so your farming runs net more gold and crafting materials. (See Rune lists in lore/guides for exact trait names.)

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Smart buying strategy (practical step-by-step)

1. Use starter pickaxe until you can buy Mythril or the first high-value pickaxe in your area.
2. Skip weak, incremental upgrades — only upgrade when the next pickaxe gives +significant+ speed/yield.
3. Once you can afford Arcane, buy it — it’s the best mid→late investment for most players.
4. If you want the Demonic pickaxe and are willing to use current exploits, consult dedicated walkthroughs/videos — otherwise wait for official unlock.

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Farming tips to afford good pickaxes faster

• Prioritize quests + sell forged heavy weapons (some guides call this the fastest cash route) while using a mid-tier pickaxe to gather rare ores.
• Use areas with high-density ore nodes and stack Mine Power buffs before a run (achievements/skills help).

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