Slay the Spire is known for its strategic deckbuilding, unpredictable runs, and mysterious events that can change the course of your journey. Among these events, the Ominous Forge stands out as a unique and memorable encounter. Found in Act 3, this event offers a powerful but risky decision for players. The Ominous Forge in Slay the Spire allows you to upgrade a card without visiting a campfire, making it an important opportunity when preparing for the final boss. However, it comes with a catch that makes players think twice before choosing. In this guide, we’ll explore the mechanics, strategy, and significance of the Ominous Forge event in Slay the Spire.
Overview of the Ominous Forge
What is the Ominous Forge?
The Ominous Forge is a random event that appears in Act 3 of Slay the Spire. It takes place inside a strange, dark room where a glowing forge stands in the center. The player is presented with the choice to use the forge to upgrade a card from their deck, but there is a downside that adds tension to the decision-making process.
Flavor and Atmosphere
This event is designed with a mysterious, eerie tone. The description text implies that something unnatural powers the forge. The glowing light and disturbing heat create a sense of unease, which adds to the player’s hesitation. The design of the event plays into the theme of Act 3, where the difficulty increases and the choices become more dangerous.
Ominous Forge Mechanics
What Happens During the Event
When you enter the Ominous Forge, you are given a single option:
- Upgrade a card in your deck
However, this upgrade comes with a price your character receives acursed cardcalled Pain in return. This curse is added to your deck permanently unless removed by another effect later in the game.
The Pain Curse Explained
Pain is a non-playable curse card that triggers damage every time you play a card while it’s in your hand. Specifically, you take 1 HP of unpreventable damage each time you play another card during combat. This makes Pain especially dangerous for decks that play many cards per turn, such as combo or power builds.
Strategic Value of the Ominous Forge
When to Use the Forge
Whether or not to use the Ominous Forge depends on your deck and current health status. Consider the following scenarios:
- If you’re close to a shop and have enough gold to remove a curse, the risk is lower.
- If you’re running a low-card-count deck with essential upgrades, the value is higher.
- If you already have relics that reduce curse impact (such as Blue Candle), it’s much safer.
- If you have a deck focused on defense and few card plays per turn, Pain may be manageable.
In these situations, accepting the Pain curse might be worth the long-term benefit of an upgraded card. However, if your deck is fragile or already relies on many card plays per turn, Pain can quickly become a liability.
Upgrade Priorities
If you do choose to accept the curse and upgrade a card, select one that gives your deck the best possible edge in upcoming battles. Good upgrade candidates include:
- High-damage attacks (e.g., Bludgeon, Hyperbeam)
- Key powers (e.g., Echo Form, Wraith Form)
- Deck-defining skills (e.g., Corpse Explosion, Disarm)
Prioritize upgrades that increase your chances in elite fights and the Act 3 boss battle. Avoid upgrading cards that offer only minor benefits.
Managing the Pain Curse
Options for Dealing with the Curse
Once you’ve accepted Pain, it becomes part of your deck unless removed. Fortunately, there are several ways to manage or eliminate it:
- Blue Candle (relic): Allows you to exhaust curses from your hand at the cost of 1 HP, effectively neutralizing Pain early in battle.
- Shop Removal: Use gold to pay a merchant to remove Pain from your deck, freeing up future turns from its negative effect.
- Transform Events: Some events or relics allow you to transform or remove cards. Use these to deal with Pain when possible.
- Purity (skill card): Lets you exhaust unwanted cards, including curses, from your hand during combat.
Because the Pain curse is drawn randomly, you might not see it every combat. Still, preparing counters is essential for minimizing its impact when it does appear.
Ominous Forge and Specific Characters
The Ironclad
The Ironclad’s passive HP regeneration helps offset Pain’s damage. If you have relics like Burning Blood or cards like Feel No Pain, the curse may be less punishing. The Ironclad also has strong single-card damage, which works well with the risk-reward aspect of the Ominous Forge.
The Silent
The Silent often plays multiple cards per turn, making Pain a serious threat. Unless you have reliable ways to exhaust or remove the curse, using the forge may hurt your effectiveness. On the other hand, with Blue Candle or defensive scaling, the Silent can mitigate the risk.
The Defect
The Defect’s playstyle can vary, but many builds use repeated card plays via orbs and powers. Pain may interfere with these combos. If you’re going for a power build and have ways to upgrade key powers, the forge might be tempting. Use caution based on your orb generation and defense.
The Watcher
The Watcher tends to build around stance changes and high-impact turns. Pain can be especially dangerous during Calm-to-Wrath combos. If you rely on long turns with many cards played, avoid the curse unless you have mitigation. If you use short, bursty turns, it may be manageable.
Risk Versus Reward
Is It Worth It?
The Ominous Forge in Slay the Spire poses a classic risk-reward scenario. An upgraded card can be the difference between winning and losing the final boss, but the curse can damage your health, ruin your turn order, and force awkward plays. Ask yourself:
- Do I have a way to remove or neutralize the curse?
- Is the card I’m upgrading going to impact my chances in upcoming elite or boss fights?
- Is my deck resilient enough to absorb the penalty?
If the answers point toward yes, the forge can be a powerful advantage. If not, walking away is the smarter move.
The Ominous Forge is one of Slay the Spire’s most memorable events, combining strong benefits with a lingering curse. It fits perfectly into the game’s theme of tough decisions and uncertain outcomes. When used wisely, it can provide a powerful edge through a key upgrade. But when used recklessly, the Pain curse can undo your progress. The key lies in understanding your deck, evaluating the trade-off, and making the right call under pressure. As with all things in Slay the Spire, the right choice depends on the path you’ve built and the risks you’re willing to take to climb higher.