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There aren’t many better feelings in a game than leveling up. Sure,Stardew Valleydoesn’t have conventional “levels,” but tool upgrades and new weapons always give me that same dopamine quick-fix.
Once you hit late-game, though, weapon and tool upgrades quickly grow scarce. What’s left onceClinthas upgraded your kit to iridium?
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Fortunately, the late-game region Ginger Island offers an option: theVolcano Forge.This location allows you to buff weapons by forging, and to enhance both weapons and tools with enchanting. you’re able to even improve upon the already-mightyGalaxy Sword.
How To Reach The Forge
That said, getting to the Forge is a bit of a chore.
First, you’ll need access to Ginger Island. This requirescompleting the Community Center(or Joja’s Community Development Projects), then repairing the boat in the back ofWilly’sshop. To fix it, you’ll need to bring him 200Hardwood,5Battery Packs,and 5Iridium Bars.
That’s the easy part. Once on Ginger Island, head north from the docks. A giant turtle blocks the path during your first visit, but it moves away after you complete the first story encounter withLeo.
Keep heading north past the Island Trader and the Dig Site, and you’ll reach the volcano. Now, the next part actually requires a little effort.
Inside you’ll find theVolcano Dungeon.Its randomized floors are filled with tough baddies, traps, and treasure. verify tobring your Watering Can,though. You’ll need it to create a bridge across the lava and get inside.
Unlike Skull Cavern, the Volcano Dungeon only has 10 floors. The last floor is the volcano’s caldera, with the Forge right in the middle.
When it’s time to leave, make sure you climb down the west stairs.Don’t warp.At the bottom of the stairs you can open a gate by the dungeon’s entrance, allowing access directly to the Forge on your next visit.
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Using The Forge
Whether forging or enchanting,you needCinder Shardsfrom the dungeon to use the Forge.Depending on your goal, you’ll also need either a gemstone or aDragon Tooth.
In addition to weapons or tools, you’re able to also use the Forge tocombine two different ringsfor 20 Cinder Shards. My personal go-to is forging thePhoenix Ringwith theRing of Yobafor additional survivability.
Forging Weapons
Forging a weapon improves its stats or special properties. The buff depends on what type of gemstone you use. Each weapon can be forged three times, whether you’re stacking a single buff or spreading them out.
The first time a weapon is forged it will cost you 10 Cinder Shards. The second costs 15, and the third—and final—forging costs 20 (for a total of 45). However, if you don’t mind gambling, you can use aDiamondto get three random buffs for only 10 shards.
Forging Buff
Aquamarine
Crit. Chance
Crit. Damage
If you manage to get threeGalaxy Souls,you can forge them with the Galaxy Sword to create the game’s strongest sword: theInfinity Blade.Each forging costs 20 Cinder Shards (totaling 60).
Creating Enchantments
Using the Forge to enchant a weapon or a toolalways costs 20 Cinder Shards.In addition, you’ll usually need aPrismatic Shard.
Enchantments arealways randomized.Enchanting an item a second time replaces current enchantments—and the old ones aren’t included in the re-roll. Weapons retain enchantments after forging, and tools retain them after upgrading.
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Enchanting Weapons
All melee weapons can have acombat enchantment.These enchantments give a special ability which—except for Haymaker—provides a substantial bonus during combat.
Alas, theSlingshotcurrently can’t be enchanted.
Combat Enchantment
50% cooldown reduction for special abilities (like blocking).
Bug Killer
Double damage to bugs. Also, you may finally kill those armored bugs!
+50% damage to ghosts, mummies, etc. Plus, you can kill mummies without using bombs!
Cutting weeds has a 50% chance of dropping fiber, and a 33% chance of dropping hay. Yay.
9% chance to gain health after a kill equal to 10% of the monster’s max HP.
In addition, weaker weapons can also have aninnate enchantment.These enchantments provide bonuses based on the weapon’s level. The Galaxy Sword—and its related family of weapons—is too powerful to get an innate enchantment. Honestly? Fair.
Instead of a Prismatic Shard, you’ll need aDragon Toothto apply innate enchantments. You can find them randomly in the Volcano dungeon, by killing a Lava Lurk, or from a Fish Pond with nineStingrays.
Innate Enchantment
Boosts the player’s Attack stat by 1–5, increasing overall damage.
Increases Crit. Chance by 2%, 4%, or 6%.
Crit. Power
Increases Crit. Power, boosting the damage multiplier on critical hits.
Boosts the player’s Defense stat by 1 or 2. Applies only to weapons below level 10.
Increases Speed by 1–4, depending on base Speed and weapon level.
Slime Gatherer
Boosts the drop rate ofSlimefrom any type of slime.
Slime Slayer
Increases damage against slimes by 33%.
Reducesthe weapon’s Weight, reducing knockback. (Handy for dealing a lot of damage with daggers.)
Enchanting Tools
Stardew Valley’sForge can also enchant tools with various quality-of-life improvements in day-to-day life. Even if you’re not really into grinding Skull Cavern for Mr. Qi’s Special Orders, tool enchantments still helpin the late-game grind.
Tool Enchantment
Applicable Tools
Archaeologist
Improved chance of finding artifacts orBone Fragments.
Automatically hooks fish and starts the minigame.
Fishing Rod
Bottomless
Never need to refill with water again!
Watering Can
Doesn’t cost energy when used.
Axe, Fishing Rod, Hoe, Pick, Watering Can
10% chance of finding a fish instead of the usual treasure.
Boosts the number of items found when you use the item.
You get +1 to your Fishing skill (stacks with food bonuses).
Hacks through trees or rocks more quickly.
Preserving
50% chance that no bait or tackle uses are consumed.
Boosts the item’s area of effect (max of 5×5 tiles).
Hoe, Watering Can, Pan
Get 3 extra items of the appropriate type when chopping trees.
Swing the tool 33% faster.
Axe, Hoe, Pick
I find it’s pretty easy to acquire Cinder Shards in the Volcano Dungeon, so Prismatic Shards are the main enchanting bottleneck. Be sure to spend them carefully as you decidewhich tools to upgrade first!
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