Forging

Forging is the Artisan skill related to the creation of weapons. The skill includes crafting, forging edged weapons, forging blunt weapons, forging polearms, forging two-handed weapons, and forging brawling weapons.

Forging Process

The forging process consists of, essentially, three parts. Crafting the handle, forging the blade, then combining the two.

Crafting the Handle

Any wood or metal can be used when crafting the handle. Generally, using a block of wood would be ideal because wood is very cheap compared to metal. Basically, to craft the handle, while holding the medium in your left hand, STARE at the appropriate handle-glyph, available in your local forging shop. Once the medium is "scribed" with the appropriate glyph, TURN the grinder. There are four possible outcomes:

• Major failure - The entire medium is destroyed. You are left with a toothpick.
• Minor failure - Try again. The weight of the medium is reduced slightly, which means you may need more medium.
• Success - You've a crafted handle. Not great, but functional.
• Major success - This can become a part of a perfect weapon, with the right amount of luck.

Upon completion of the grinding portion of the forging process, you must polish the finished piece by LEANing on the polisher.

Forging the Blade

Only metal can be used to forge a blade. To do so, place water or oil in the trough, then scribe the medium similar to the grinding process using a blade-glyph. Once the medium is scribed with the appropriate glyph, put the medium in your left hand and a forging-hammer in your right hand, then GET the tongs. There are five possible outcomes:

• Continue working - You've more work to do on this part. It means nothing, it just takes longer to create larger pieces.
• Major failure - The entire medium is destroyed. You are left with nothing.
• Minor failure - Try again. The weight of the medium is reduced slightly, which means you may need more medium.
• Success - You've a forged blade. Not great, but functional.
• Major success - This can become a part of a perfect weapon, with the right amount of luck.

As with crafting, you must polish the finished piece by LEANing on the polisher.

Combining the Pieces

After the blade and handle have been polished, hold both pieces, the blade in your left hand, and TURN the vise. There are four outcomes:

• Major failure - The pieces are combined, albeit at a severely reduced quality.
• Minor failure - Merely try again.
• Success - The pieces are combined. You will not get a perfect weapon from this result, but if the two pieces going into the vise are "best" pieces, the resulting weapon will be a superior weapon.
• Major Success - The pieces are combined at increased quality. If the two pieces were "best" pieces, the resulting weapon will be a perfect weapon, provided that you are a master of crafting. If the two pieces are not "best" pieces, then the resulting weapon will be a superior weapon.

After this step, the blade is complete. The weapon will be a <quality> <material>-handled <material> <weapon>. The handle portion of the short can be removed using the polisher (LEAN ON POLISHER WITH CLEAN).

NOTE: It is possible to dye both the handle and the blade piece before combining them, but you must finish the piece (polish it) before dying it. If you dye a rough (un-polished) piece, it becomes impossible to combine them. Also it should be noted that the dyes from the dyers tent will be reduced to just the root word, and will also replace the handle's description. For example, if I were to dye a finished oak handle Periwinkle Blue, and finished steel cudgel head Emerald Green, the result would be a perfect blue-handled green steel cudgel. On forging hammers heads, the dye will replace the metal description as well, so if the previous example were a forging hammer, it would be a perfect blue-handled green forging-hammer. Due to this reductive nature, the color options for forged weapon dyeing is drastically reduced.

Other Tools

• Slab cutter (Crafting Room) - Used to divide the medium into several pieces. Since a successful forging attempt uses the entire portion of medium, this cuts down on waste. To do so, PULL slab-cutter, after PUSHing to adjust the cut size, or POKEing to reset it to cut the medium in half. To find out how much medium to use, MEASURE the glyph.

Learning to Forge

Learning to forge involves actually doing it. There are six skills that make up the forging Artisan Guild Skill: One-handed edged, two-handed weapons, brawling, polearms, blunt weapons, and crafting. For each skill, there are 500 ranks, and for each attempt at using each individual skill, there is a chance approximately equal to the following:

Probability = (500 - RANKS + "LOG Bonus") ÷ 500

Given this, about 483 ranks is the half-way mark as far as average number of attempts it takes to mastery. Note that it has been said that Logic plays a part in determining if a character learns from an attempt at forging or not. The average number of attempts required to master a guild skill is 3400 attempts. If it takes 3 minutes per forging attempt, this translates to about 170 hours of doing nothing but forging in order to master the skill. Any use of the skills is counted as an attempt at forging, and it is possible to master by forging the simplest weapons from bronze and wood.

"LOG Bonus" in this context is not your stat bonus, but a possible small adder (assumed +1 limit) for those with the correct amount of logic bonus, assumed to be +20.

Messaging

Knowing the messages when forging is a very good way to try and keep track of how many ranks you have gained so far so that you know how close you are to mastering. It is very helpful for the long times spent to gain the last 16 ranks. Another good thing about knowing the messages is when you want to save the perfect parts created to attempt to make a perfect weapon.

• The messaging for having gained a rank when forging/crafting is: Aha, you learned something that time.
  
• The messaging for having created a perfect part when crafting a hammer is: You smile as you realize that this piece is the very best that you can create.
• Perfect steel awl-pike messaging: You finish your work and step back, turning the steel awl-pike in your hands. You smile as you realize that this piece is probably the best that you can create.
• Attuning to a forging-hammer someone else made: You feel as if you've become accustomed to the balance and heft of this forging-hammer.

Bonuses for Forging

Per Cirakin (aka JoshT), the following stat bonuses (after enhancives) affect your chances for creating an item.

Crafting	STR, DEX, DIS
Forging	STR, CON, DIS
Vise	DEX, DIS

Racial and Profession Modifiers

• Human: NA
• Halfling: NA
• Giantman: NA
• Dwarf: Crafting - bonus/Forging - small bonus
• Elf: Crafting - bonus/Forging - small bonus
• Half Elf: NA
• Half Krolvin: not known (no one has said anything)
• Sylvan: Crafting - handicap/Forging - small handicap
• Dark Elf: Crafting - bonus/Forging - small bonus
• Bard: Crafting - significant handicap
• Cleric: Crafting - significant handicap
• Empath: Crafting - significant handicap
• Paladin: Crafting - small handicap/Forging - small bonus
• Ranger: NA
• Rogue: NA
• Sorcerer: Crafting - significant handicap
• Warrior: Crafting - small handicap/Forging - small bonus
• Wizard: Crafting - significant handicap

Materials Available

There are various types of wood available in different locations. For the most part, the metals are universally available.

Woods

Wood	Town
Haon	Ta'Illistim
Hickory	Solhaven
Maoral	Wehnimer's Landing
Maple	Icemule Trace
Modwir	Kharam Dzu
Monir	Ta'Vaalor
Oak	Zul Logoth
Walnut	River's Rest

Non-magical metals

Metal Type	Towns Sold	Percent chance in EG 2015 Slab Generator	Minutes per Forging Cycle
Bronze	all	n/a	3
Iron	none, forge in Kobold Mines	37.5%1, 3	3
Steel	all	37.5%1, 3	3
Invar	Zul Logoth	7.8%1	4

Common magical metals

These metals are sold in every forging shop, and are rather common in slab generators.

Metal Type	Percent chance in EG 2015 Slab Generator	Minutes per Forging Cycle
Mithril	10.3%1	4
Ora	2.6%1	5
Imflass	12.1%1	?
Vultite	2.1%1	9

Uncommon metals

These were sold off the shelf at certain events, and show up somewhat regularly in the slab generator.

Metal Type	Percent chance in EG 2015 Slab Generator	Minutes per Forging Cycle
Drakar	3.7%1	?
Gornar	2.8%1	4
Mithglin	off the shelf only	?
Rhimar	3.5%1	?
Zorchar	3.7%1	?

Rare metals

These have only been available through auctions or raffles.

Metal Type	Percent chance in EG 2015 Slab Generator	Minutes per Forging Cycle
Eahnor	0.063%2	?
Eonake	0.209%2	?
Faenor	4.0%1	?
Golvern	0.063%2	?
Kelyn	1.610%2	7
Razern	2.5%1	?
Rolaren	0.230%2	?
Vaalorn	1.9%1	?
Veil iron	auction/raffle only	?
White ora	1.212%2	?

Notes:

Percentages come from two different sources, using the bigger sample when possible. Thus, percentages will not add to 100%.

¹Uncommon metals taken from Frorin's sample of about 680 slabs.

²Rare metals taken from Liia's release of slab generator data, totaling 4784 slabs between Prime and Platinum.

³Frorin did not break out iron and steel results; they combined to around 37.5%

Tempering Oils

In order to complete a blade, you must have the proper oil in the trough. You empty the trough by pulling the cork and then POURing the oil into the trough. Below is a table which, while not comprehensive, hopefully offers pertinent examples and tricks, sufficient for most needs.

Oil	Enchantment	Pertains to (examples)	Price
water	less than 0x	bronze, iron	free
tempering oil	0x	steel, invar†	~ 10 silver
enchanted tempering oil	1x to 2x (up to +10)	mithril, faenor, (white) ora	~ 2,000 silvers
twice-enchanted oil	2x to 3x (+11 to +19)	razern‡, imflass, mithglin, vaalorn	~ 10,000 silvers
ensorcelled oil	4x and above	vultite, eonake, rolaren, golvern	~ 20,000 silvers

Notes:

^†Invar is naturally +2 but is neither enchanted nor nor magical.

^‡Razern in principle seems to fall into the previous category, but requires twice-enchanted oil, likely owing to its natural critical weighting.

Weapon Glyphs Available

The following is a list of weapon glyphs available at the various forging workshop locations.

Edged Weapons

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles
Dagger	all	2
Short sword	all	3
Main gauche	all	4
Backsword	Wehnimer's Landing	4
Cutlass	River's Rest	4
Handaxe	Ta'Illistim	4
Falchion	Kharam Dzu	5
Longsword	Ta'Illistim	5
Broadsword	Icemule Trace	5
Estoc	Ta'Illistim	5
Rapier	none, merchant only	?

Blunt Weapons

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles
Cudgel	all	2
Mace	all	3
Crowbill	all	4
War hammer	Kharam Dzu	?
Morning star	River's Rest	4
Ridgemace	Zul Logoth	3
Spikestar	Zul Logoth	3
Ball and chain	Ta'Vaalor	5

Twohanded Weapons

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles
Quarterstaff	all	2
Mattock	all	3
Flail	all	4
Greatsword	Wehnimer's Landing	7
War-pick	Kharam Dzu	?
Flamberge	Icemule Trace	7
Greataxe	Zul Logoth	?
Maul	none, merchant only	1

Polearm Weapons

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles
Spear	all	2
Pilum	all	3
Halberd	all	4
Hammer of Kai	Wehnimer's Landing	5
Trident	Solhaven	5
Jeddart-axe	River's Rest	?
Awl-pike	Ta'Vaalor	5
Lance	none, merchant only	?

Brawling

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles
Knuckle-duster	all	2
Hook-knife	all	1
Knuckle-blade	all	2
Troll-claw	all	3
Yierka-spur	Solhaven	2
Fist-scythe	Ta'Vaalor	4
Tiger-claw	none, merchant only	?
Sai	none, merchant only	?

Hybrid

Weapon Type	Towns Sold	Forging Cycles	Skills Required
Katar	Solhaven	3	Brawling Edged Weapons
Warsword	Icemule Trace	6	Edged Weapons Two-Handed Weapons

Usefulness of Forging

The real benefit to a perfectly forged weapon is the ability to enchant or bless the weapon, which is not available to any weapon with weighting. Given the premium benefits as well as the limited merchants with the service, flares can also be added to a perfectly forged weapon, making the weapon the best choice for an upgrade in the land of Elanthia.

Also, as AvD's are increased at a flat rate as well, it is therefore similar to increasing the enchant, slightly. Below is a listing of the quality ranks, and their bonuses.

Quality	DF/Breakage Bonus	AvD Bonus
Perfect	6%	+3
Superior	4%	+2
Hefty	4%	+2
Nifty	4%	+2
Exquisite	4%	+2
Well-crafted	4%	+2
Elegant	2%	+1
Well-made	2%	+1
Fine	none?	none?
Nice	none	none
Plain	none	none
Simple	none?	-1
Crude	none?	-2
Lop-sided	none?	-2?
Flimsy	none?	-3

See the discussion page for more information on this.

See Also

• A diamond-tipped armor and weapon scriber (saved post)

Resources

• http://www.play.net/gs4/info/artisan_skills/forgingoverview.asp
• Forging saved posts
• Attempts Per Rank Log Parser - Perl
• Forged weapon dyeing