ForgeTax Relic List: Best Builds and Unlock Guide

November 15, 20261,001 words6 min read

A comprehensive ForgeTax relic list for the October 2026 patch, featuring build guides, starter relic rankings, and achievement unlock requirements.

The ForgeTax relic list consists of specialized items that modify the anvil's ticket deck to influence forging outcomes. Relics are primarily acquired from the vending machine next to the tribute counter using "sword credits"—a currency earned by feeding any sword, regardless of level, into the machine. Following the October 6 Relic & Balance Overhaul and subsequent hotfixes, the game currently features a 21-day calendar and a 2.5× multiplier for "Great" results.

How Relics Work in ForgeTax

Relics function by altering the probability of the five possible strike results:

Success: Increases sword level by +1.
Great: Increases sword level by +2 and applies a 2.5× value multiplier.
Hold: No level change.
Damage: Decreases sword level by -1.
Break: Destroys the sword entirely.

The relic machine offers three random relics per day, which can be rerolled using gold. Most relics work by adding "tickets" to the deck; adding Success or Hold tickets naturally dilutes the "Break" pool, making the sword safer to forge.

Day 1 Starter Relic Tier List

On the first day of a run, the machine provides a choice of one free relic from a pool of eight. According to the October 7 hotfix, the starter pool is ranked as follows:

Rank	Relic	Primary Effect	Strategy
1	Black Knot	Break chance −10%	The most versatile safety relic for any build.
2	Cracked Splice	Damage reduces Break chance (up to 60%)	Essential for Damage-focused builds.
3	Sealed Heart	Holds boost the next Great (up to +4 levels)	Core payoff for Hold-focused builds.
4	Undertaker's Chalice	30% of broken sword value becomes scrap	Best for players struggling with early-game tributes.
5	Bent Nail	+4 Success tickets	Basic safety; helps trim the Break percentage.
6	Sealing Stone	+2 Hold tickets; consecutive Holds grant +1 level	Niche pick for Hold engines.
7	Lucky Coal	+1 Great ticket	Low impact; only take as a last resort.
8	Inspection Stamp	+100 G per Success or Great	Skip; flat gold loses value rapidly by Day 5.

Core Relic Builds (October 2026 Patch)

1. Break Control (Universal Core)

This build is recommended for every run to ensure swords survive past +10. Break odds naturally climb to 46.7% at level +10, making these relics mandatory for high-value targets.

Black Knot (Day 2): -10% Break chance.
Iron Hoop (Day 3): -2 Break tickets.
Wirebound Scabbard (Day 4): Converts the first Break of each day into Damage. This is considered the best safety net in the game.
Dragonscale Tongs (Day 5): -25% Break chance for swords level +6 or higher.

2. Hold Engine

This build focuses on turning the "Hold" result—which normally does nothing—into a powerful trigger for "Great" strikes.

Sealed Heart: Banks +1 level per Hold for the next Great.
King's Empty Cup: Adds permanent Great tickets to the sword for every Hold landed.
Red Thread: Drops the next strike's Break chance by 20% after a Hold.
Patient Weight: Adds +3 Hold tickets to the deck to feed the engine.

3. Damage Engine

Following the October 6 overhaul, Damage relics now trigger even if the sword is at level +0 or if a relic prevents the level loss.

Cracked Splice: Each Damage "scar" reduces Break chance by 15% (stacks to 60%).
Unbroken Oath: 70% chance for a Damage result to grant +1 level instead of -1.
Abyssal Pearl: Adds +3 Damage tickets. The first two Damages per sword cost no levels but still trigger all other Damage relics.

4. Frenzy Burst

Frenzy is triggered after forging the same sword 10 times, creating a window where the Break chance is 0.0%.

Glass Hourglass: Greats during Frenzy grant +3 levels.
Undying Wick: Adds +2 seconds to the Frenzy window.
Possessed Bellows: Increases forging speed by 30% during Frenzy.
Broken Holy Sword / Dawn Scabbard: These relics stack to pass 70% of a broken sword's level and 7 Frenzy charges to the next +0 sword.

5. Success Snowball (Late Game)

This is widely considered the strongest combo for extended contracts.

Bronze Cog: Adds one permanent Success ticket every time a Success is rolled.
Seal of Twins: Grants a 2% chance per strike to create an identical copy of the sword (requires Splitblade Mastery).

Achievement and Mastery Unlocks

Many powerful relics are locked behind Steam achievements or "Mastery" (reaching level +20 with a specific sword family).

Achievement	Requirement	Relic Unlocked
Citadel Sword Mastery	Citadel Sword to +20	Unyielding Cornerstone
Sawblade Mastery	Sawblade to +20	Ceaseless Driveshaft
Splitblade Mastery	Splitblade to +20	Seal of Twins
Fishblade Mastery	Fishblade to +20	Abyssal Pearl
World Tree Mastery	World Tree to +20	Eternal Seed
All Thumbs	Break 10 swords in one run	Butterfingers
No Rest for the Hammer	Enter Frenzy 5 times in one run	Undying Wick
Keep the Change	Pay 3× the tribute requirement	Royal Change

Common Relic Management Mistakes

Inventory Capping: Players often fill all eight relic slots with early-game items (Day 2), leaving no room for high-tier relics like Dragonscale Tongs or King's Empty Cup that appear later.
Mixing Converters: Do not use Worn Whetstone and Thorn Weight together; they pull tickets in opposite directions (Hold vs. Damage) and can starve your engine.
Misusing the Scabbard: Wirebound Scabbard resets every morning. Always perform your riskiest forge on your most valuable sword first to utilize the safety charge.
Frenzy Speed: Avoid buying Leather Loop for Frenzy builds, as its speed bonus only applies to strikes made outside of the Frenzy window.

FAQ

What is the maximum number of relics I can hold?

Players can hold a maximum of eight relics at one time.

Which relics were removed in the October 6 update?

Relief Sack, Burial Coin, Copper Ledger, Interest, and Small Safe were removed from the active pool. Players with these relics in old saves received sword credits as compensation.

How does the Ghost Merchant differ from the relic machine?

The Ghost Merchant appears every third day and sells swords and consumables for gold. The relic machine only accepts sword credits and sells permanent relics.