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Forgemaster

Playstyle: Defensive · Complexity: 4/6 · Vanguard

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Who is this character?

A smith: mine Ore, craft Armor – Helmets counter, Shields block, and the workshop wins the long game.

How to play Forgemaster

If after roll 1 5× Anvil for Final Touches! are reachable. Keep 5× Anvil and reroll all dice not needed, aiming at Final Touches! (5 dice). If fewer than 5 matching dice remain after roll 1, switch to Furnace. Final Touches! deals a documented 14 damage, so the 5 committed dice stay on the table.

Late game: Exploit anvil rolls for Smelting Time and Final Touches!.

If after roll 1 4× Forge for Furnace are reachable. Keep 4× Forge and reroll all dice not needed, aiming at Furnace (4 dice). If fewer than 4 matching dice remain after roll 1, switch to Final Touches!. Furnace deals a documented 11 damage, so the 4 committed dice stay on the table.

Armored Up with 2 Armor pieces is 9/12 instead of 7/10 – craft first, then chase the straight.

The Ultimanium Shield answers undefendable-heavy opponents (Pirate, Gunslinger): prioritize it in those matchups.

Ignoring Furnace because 4× forge 'feels unlikely' – 2 after roll 1 is a legitimate chase.

Strengths

  • Armor is permanent protection: an Ultimanium Shield prevents 2 against EVERYTHING except ultimates
  • Smelting Time: 9 undefendable + a card – one of the hardest 4× turns
  • Pick Axe (5–7) and Furnace (~8.5) carry with zero setup
  • Final Touches!: 14 damage + Ore restock

Weaknesses

  • Masterwork (1 die) prevents nothing alone – without Armor he is soft
  • Ore/blueprint management costs tempo in the first rounds

Key attacks

  • Pick Axe
    Standard route

    Reliable damage route for turns without special setup.

    Take it as soon as 3× ⛏ Pick is mostly on the table after roll 1 (98% across all three rolls): safe damage beats rerolling working dice for a harder route.

    3× ⛏ Pick · 5 damage

  • Furnace
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of 4× 🔨 Forge is missing after roll 1 (54% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    4× 🔨 Forge · Sum of 1 dice + 5

  • Armored Up
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of Small straight (4 in a row) is missing after roll 1 (59% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    Small straight (4 in a row) · 7 damage

  • Smelting Time
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of 4× ⚒ Anvil is missing after roll 1 (10% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    4× ⚒ Anvil · 9 damage

  • A Good Haul
    Burst

    High single-turn damage that locks several dice.

    Only go for it when at most one symbol of 1× ⛏ Pick + 1× 🔨 Forge + 2× ⚒ Anvil is missing after roll 1 (49% across all three rolls); otherwise you give up an already safe route.

    1× ⛏ Pick + 1× 🔨 Forge + 2× ⚒ Anvil · 8 damage

  • Final Touches!
    Finisher

    Ultimate: the board's highest damage value with the hardest requirement.

    Do not force 5× ⚒ Anvil (1% across all three rolls): only when the requirement is reachable after roll 1 is giving up the safe route worth it.

    5× ⚒ Anvil · 14 damage

Key statuses & resources

  • Ore / The Forge: Mine Ore cards from the deck (The Mines: every upkeep) and bank them on The Forge in the main phase; there they pay for Armor blueprints or get scrapped. The Mines passive, A Good Haul, the Masterwork pick, ultimate (targeted search). A Shield first (permanent prevention), then a Helmet (permanent counter) – the goal is both at once (Armored Up +2).
  • Armor: Max 1 Helmet + 1 Shield: the Helmet counters 1/2/3 (Gold/Diamond/Ultimanium), the Shield prevents 1/2/2 – the Ultimanium Shield even against undefendable/pure. Craft from Ore blueprints in the main phase. Stays in place and works on every attack – Masterwork can double the effect.
  • Armor (positive) is the only recorded status: max 1 Helmet + 1 Shield at a time.
  • Ore / The Forge: The Mines passive, A Good Haul, the Masterwork pick, ultimate (targeted search).
  • Ore / The Forge: A Shield first (permanent prevention), then a Helmet (permanent counter) – the goal is both at once (Armored Up +2).
  • Armor: Craft from Ore blueprints in the main phase.
  • Armor: Stays in place and works on every attack – Masterwork can double the effect.

Abilities & board

Health: 50 · Starting CP: 2

Dice symbols

⛏ Pick · 3/6 (faces 1, 2, 3)🔨 Forge · 2/6 (faces 4, 5)⚒ Anvil · 1/6 (faces 6)

Level I abilities

  • Pick Axe
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    3× ⛏ Pick
    Damage/healing:
    5 damage
  • Furnace
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    4× 🔨 Forge
    Damage/healing:
    Sum of 1 dice + 5
  • Armored Up
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    Small straight (4 in a row)
    Damage/healing:
    7 damage
  • Smelting Time
    Undefendable
    Dice requirement:
    4× ⚒ Anvil
    Damage/healing:
    9 damage
  • A Good Haul
    Normal
    Dice requirement:
    1× ⛏ Pick + 1× 🔨 Forge + 2× ⚒ Anvil
    Damage/healing:
    8 damage

Ultimate

  • Final Touches!
    Ultimate
    Dice requirement:
    5× ⚒ Anvil
    Damage/healing:
    14 damage

Defense

Masterwork The defense roll is made whenever you are attacked. It does not prevent damage directly. Masterwork: 1 die – a pick mines, a forge doubles ONE Armor effect, an anvil doubles up to two. With a Diamond Shield + Helmet every attack on you is a losing trade (~2 prevented + counter).

Special mechanics

  • The Mines
    Board mechanic
    Passive: Ore is mined every upkeep. Additionally 3 CP can be converted into a card, which converts the CP surplus later in the game.
  • The Forge
    Board mechanic
    Banked ore sits on the forge and pays for blueprints there. Each blueprint has a fixed ore threshold; until the first threshold is met the build-up yields no defensive return at all, after that it works every following round.
  • Armor: Helmets and Shields
    Token mechanic
    At most 1 helmet and 1 shield at a time, each in gold, diamond or ultimanium. The shield prevents 1/2/2 damage per attack, the helmet counters 1/2/3. Both work permanently and without roll risk, but apply only to his own figure. · Maximum: 2
  • Masterwork
    Board mechanic
    Defense roll on a single die: a pick mines 1 ore, a forge doubles one armor effect, an anvil up to two. The roll itself prevents no damage – its value depends entirely on the current armor state.

Resources

  • Ore / The ForgeMine Ore cards from the deck (The Mines: every upkeep) and bank them on The Forge in the main phase; there they pay for Armor blueprints or get scrapped. · The Mines passive, A Good Haul, the Masterwork pick, ultimate (targeted search). · A Shield first (permanent prevention), then a Helmet (permanent counter) – the goal is both at once (Armored Up +2).
  • ArmorMax 1 Helmet + 1 Shield: the Helmet counters 1/2/3 (Gold/Diamond/Ultimanium), the Shield prevents 1/2/2 – the Ultimanium Shield even against undefendable/pure. · Craft from Ore blueprints in the main phase. · Stays in place and works on every attack – Masterwork can double the effect.

Upgrades & cards

What changes?

  • Pick Axe
    Level II
    • Damage: 6 damage instead of 5 damage
    • Dice requirement: 4× ⛏ Pick instead of 3× ⛏ Pick
  • Pick Axe
    Level III
    • Damage: 7 damage instead of 5 damage
    • Dice requirement: 5× ⛏ Pick instead of 3× ⛏ Pick
  • Armored Up
    Level II
    • Damage: 10 damage instead of 7 damage
    • Dice requirement: Large straight (5 in a row) instead of Small straight (4 in a row)

Hero-specific cards

Not sufficiently verified

Works well with

  • Seraph

    Seraph adds the healing that Forgemaster lacks.

  • Wolverine

    Wolverine adds the healing that Forgemaster lacks.

  • Gambit

    Gambit adds the healing that Forgemaster lacks.

Good matchups

  • Pyromancer

    Forgemaster keeps Pyromancer tied up with attack denial, and Pyromancer already needs tight rolls.

  • Cursed Pirate

    Forgemaster keeps Cursed Pirate tied up with attack denial, and Cursed Pirate already needs tight rolls.

  • Gunslinger

    Forgemaster keeps Gunslinger tied up with attack denial, and Gunslinger already needs tight rolls.

Tough matchups

  • Tactician

    Forgemaster pushes damage through that Tactician barely stops with Countermeasures.

  • Black Widow

    Forgemaster pushes damage through that Black Widow barely stops with Sabotage.

  • Storm

    Storm pushes damage through that Forgemaster barely stops with Masterwork.

Buy now

Dice Throne: Forgemaster Hero Pack

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