Your pickaxe is the heart of your progress in The Forge. It decides how fast you mine, which ores you can reach, and how often you pull rare drops. When you upgrade it in the right order, the game feels smoother and you move through each area much faster. This guide walks you through the upgrades so you always know what to focus on next.
Before diving in, here’s a quick overview: you’ll start with the Stone pickaxe as the true starter, then move to early picks like Stonewake’s Pickaxe, progress through mid-tier ones like Mythril which unlocks new ores, then reach powerful late-game picks like Arcane, Lightite, Magma, and Demonic. Along the way, rune slots let you customize your pickaxe’s abilities.
Pickaxe Progression Path and Stats
Let’s break down the main pickaxes you’ll use, their stats, costs, and where to find them.
Early Game Pickaxes
These are your starting tools. They’re affordable and get you mining basic ores.
| Pickaxe | Mine Power | Mining Speed | Luck Boost | Rune Slots | Cost (Coins) | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Pickaxe | ~5 | 0% | 0% | 0 | Starter | Starting pickaxe before Bronze |
| Bronze Pickaxe | 7 | 0% | 0% | 0 | 150 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Stonewake’s Cross) |
| Iron Pickaxe | 10 | 0% | +5% | 0 | 500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Stonewake’s Cross) |
| Gold Pickaxe | 16 | 0% | +15% | 0 | 1,500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Stonewake’s Cross) |
| Platinum Pickaxe | 24 | 0% | +25% | 2 | 5,000 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Stonewake’s Cross) |
| Stonewake’s Pickaxe | 33 | -30%* | +10% | 3 | 3,333 | Inner Cave (Stonewake’s Cross) |
*Note: The -30% mining speed on Stonewake’s Pickaxe is reported by some sources but may vary; it is generally accepted as a penalty.
Why Stonewake’s Pickaxe? It’s a great early pick because despite its slower mining speed, it has decent mine power and 3 rune slots, making it excellent for early rune customization and farming in Stonewake’s Cross. You can learn more about this location in our key locations and secrets guide.
Note on Platinum Pickaxe: Some players skip Platinum due to its lower value compared to Stonewake’s or Mythril, but it can have situational use.
Mid Game Pickaxes
Here, you start mining tougher ores. Mythril is key because it lets you mine Basalt Veins, unlocking new resources.
| Pickaxe | Mine Power | Mining Speed | Luck Boost | Rune Slots | Cost (Coins) | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobalt Pickaxe | 40 | 0% | +25% | 2 | 10,000 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Forgotten Kingdom) |
| Titanium Pickaxe | 55 | 0% | +38% | 2 | 22,500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Forgotten Kingdom) |
| Uranium Pickaxe | 67 | 0% | +41% | 2 | 37,500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Forgotten Kingdom) |
| Mythril Pickaxe | 80 | 0% | +55% | 2 or 3* | 67,500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Forgotten Kingdom) |
*Note: Mythril Pickaxe rune slots are generally 2, though some sources suggest 3.
Why Mythril? It’s essential for mining Basalt Veins, which are necessary for crafting better gear and progressing further.
Importance of Cobalt Pickaxe: It serves as a key mid-tier pickaxe before Mythril and is useful for early Forgotten Kingdom mining.
Late Game Pickaxes
These pickaxes let you mine the toughest ores and offer the best stats and rune customization.
| Pickaxe | Mine Power | Mining Speed | Luck Boost | Rune Slots | Cost (Coins) | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightite Pickaxe | 100 | +30% | +45% | 2 | 98,500 | Miner Fred’s Shop (Forgotten Kingdom) |
| Arcane Pickaxe | 115 | +10% | +50% | 3 | 125,000 | Fallen Angel’s Cave (Unlock via Bard’s Guitar quest and Unknown Key) |
| Magma Pickaxe | 135 | 0% | +46% | 2 | 150,000 | Ashen Passage (Forgotten Kingdom) |
| Demonic Pickaxe | 175 | -15% | +47.5% | 3 | 500,000 | Demonic Pickaxe Altar (Volcanic Depths, unlock via Demonic Race or key) |
Why Arcane, Lightite, and Demonic? These are the top-tier pickaxes. Arcane offers a great balance of mining power, speed, luck, and 3 rune slots. Lightite provides the highest mining speed boost (+30%) with strong luck but fewer rune slots. Demonic has the highest mine power but a slight speed penalty and excellent rune customization.
Magma Pickaxe is strong but generally considered slightly worse than the S-tier picks and is placed in A-tier.
Tier List Summary
- S-Tier: Demonic, Arcane, Lightite
- A-Tier: Magma, Mythril
- B-Tier: Uranium, Titanium, Cobalt
- C-Tier: Stonewake’s Pickaxe
- D-Tier: Platinum, Gold, Iron, Bronze
Platinum and Iron pickaxes are generally not worth buying compared to Stonewake’s or Mythril but can have situational use depending on player preference.
Use our The Forge Crafting Calculator to check what armor and weapons you can craft based on your current ores.
Why Rune Slots Matter
Rune slots let you add special runes that boost mining speed, luck, or mine power. For example:
- Mining Speed Runes: Reduce time to break blocks.
- Luck Runes: Increase chances of rare drops.
- Mine Power Runes: Help break tougher ores faster.
Applying runes is permanent but costly. You can remove and reapply runes to other pickaxes at a cost, allowing you to optimize your build as you progress. Rune optimization is crucial in late-game to maximize mining efficiency and rare ore drops.
Minor shards used for runes are dropped by enemies, so farming them early helps enhance your pickaxes.
Learn more about rune abilities and how to use them effectively in our detailed runes guide.
When to Upgrade Your Pickaxe
Upgrade when your current pickaxe can’t mine new ore types. For example:
- Can't mine Basalt Veins? Time for Mythril.
- Can't mine Volcanic Rock? Aim for Arcane or Demonic.
Don’t rush upgrades too early; save coins and materials for meaningful jumps.
Skipping the Platinum pickaxe is a player choice supported by some guides due to its poor cost-benefit ratio.
Tracking your progress and upgrades can be easier with a comprehensive checklist that helps you plan your mining and crafting goals.
Practical Tips from My Gameplay
- Farm ores in batches: Gather enough resources to craft or buy the next pickaxe.
- Complete quests: They often reward powerful pickaxes or materials.
- Use runes and potions: Combining speed runes with mining potions dramatically cuts down mining time.
- Skip unnecessary pickaxes: For example, Platinum pickaxe isn’t worth the cost or time; save for Mythril instead.
- Farm minor shards: To socket runes early and improve mining efficiency.
For quest help, check out our Sensei Moro quest guide to unlock key rewards and mining tips.
Pickaxes vs. Weapons Early On
While weapons are useful, pickaxes have a bigger impact on your progression early in the game. Better pickaxes unlock new ores and resources, which in turn let you craft stronger gear, including weapons.
If you want to explore weapon crafting, our best weapon recipes guide covers top swords and upgrades.
Focusing on your pickaxe progression in The Forge is the best way to keep your gameplay smooth and efficient. Upgrade thoughtfully, use your rune slots wisely, and enjoy mining your way to the top.
Which pickaxe are you using currently? Let us know in the comments!
