The Forge turns pickaxes into late‑game investments, not throwaway tools. Once you reach the 100k+ cash range, the real decision is between two premium options: the Magma pickaxe for $150,000 and the Arcane pickaxe for $125,000. Both can mine every rock in the game right now, but they trade raw damage, speed, luck, and rune flexibility in different ways.
Arcane vs. Magma pickaxe stats
These are the key numbers that matter when you compare the two pickaxes in The Forge:
| Stat | Arcane Pickaxe | Magma Pickaxe |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $125,000 | $150,000 |
| Mine Power / Base Damage | 115 | 135 |
| Luck | 50% | 46% |
| Mine Speed | +10% mine speed | No mine speed bonus |
| Rune Slots | 3 slots | 2 slots |
Both tools have enough power to break every current rock type, so you are not choosing which ores you can reach. You are choosing how quickly you get there, how often you see better drops, and how much room you have to grow the pickaxe with runes.
Arcane pickaxe: strengths and weaknesses
The Arcane pickaxe is designed as a flexible, luck‑focused tool with strong upgrade potential.
- Lower price: At $125,000, Arcane is 25,000 cheaper than Magma.
- Higher luck: 50% luck versus 46% on Magma makes it better for rare drops and consistent value from each vein.
- Three rune slots: One more slot than Magma, which is critical once you start stacking minor shards and other runes.
- Mine speed bonus: +10% mine speed makes every hit faster, which matters in long grind sessions.
- Lower base damage: 115 damage is 20 below Magma’s 135.
The damage gap is real, but it is the only direct disadvantage. With three rune slots, the Arcane pickaxe can easily catch up or surpass Magma’s effective damage once you invest in power‑boosting runes. At the same time, it maintains a luck and speed edge that Magma cannot match.
That is why many experienced players treat Arcane as the best overall non‑Demonic pickaxe in the game: it has enough power to do everything, and its stats combine with runes to scale very well over time.
Magma pickaxe: strengths and weaknesses
The Magma pickaxe leans into one thing: raw mine power.
- Highest non‑Demonic power: 135 base damage gives it the strongest raw hit between the two.
- Slightly lower luck: 46% luck sits below Arcane’s 50%, which adds up over long farming sessions.
- Fewer rune slots: Two rune slots limit how many minor shards and utility runes you can stack.
- No mine speed bonus: Mine speed stays at your base stats and whatever you gain from other gear or runes.
- Higher cost: At $150,000, it is the more expensive of the two.
In practice, Magma’s extra 20 power is most noticeable early on, before you have strong runes. Blocks break a bit faster, and enemies take more damage from pickaxe hits. But that advantage flattens out once both pickaxes are upgraded, because Arcane’s third rune slot lets you run an extra minor shard or a powerful luck rune without sacrificing damage.
Magma is best thought of as a niche purchase: it makes sense only if you care more about immediate, un‑rune‑boosted damage than long‑term efficiency and drop quality.
Which pickaxe is better in The Forge?
For most players, the Arcane pickaxe is the better choice. It is cheaper, more flexible, and more efficient for grinding.
- Progression speed: Higher luck and mine speed mean more drops and faster clears per hour, which translates into quicker cash and resource gain.
- Scaling with runes: Three rune slots outclass two once you start stacking minor shards and specialized runes (for example, luck‑boosting or power‑boosting runes).
- Coverage: Arcane can mine every rock type in the current game, just like Magma.
Players who focus on reaching the Demonic pickaxe (175 power, 3 rune slots, 47%+ luck but a mine speed penalty) often use Arcane as the main stepping stone. It has enough power to handle endgame rocks while giving you maximum luck and customization on the way to 500k cash.
There are still edge cases where Magma is appealing. If your build already has heavy luck bonuses from race and gear, and you want the highest possible pickaxe damage right now without worrying about rune scaling, Magma serves that role. It is also a straightforward upgrade if you prefer simple stat lines and do not want to manage as many runes.
How rune slots change the comparison
Rune slots are what push Arcane ahead of Magma long‑term.
- On a two‑slot pickaxe like Magma, you can run:
- Two minor shards (for power or luck), or
- One shard and one utility rune (for example, speed or extra luck)
- On a three‑slot pickaxe like Arcane, you can run:
- Three minor shards for maximum raw stats, or
- Two shards plus a strong utility rune without sacrificing much power
Once you start using high‑impact runes—like a 12% overall luck increase rune—the extra slot becomes more valuable than Magma’s flat +20 damage. You can configure Arcane to match or exceed Magma’s effective power while still running stronger luck and speed setups.
That flexibility is what makes Arcane feel closer to Demonic than the raw base stats suggest. With the right runes, it punches well above its 115 power label, and it does so without the mine speed penalty attached to the Demonic pickaxe.
When to buy Arcane vs. Magma pickaxe
The decision is much easier if you frame it around your next 5–10 hours of play rather than raw numbers on the shop screen.
- Choose Arcane if:
- You want the most efficient grind toward Demonic.
- You care about luck, rare drops, and rune customization.
- You prefer a faster, smoother mining feel (thanks to the mine speed bonus).
- You want to save 25,000 cash for other upgrades, races, or rerolls.
- Consider Magma if:
- You prioritize immediate base damage and do not plan to invest heavily in runes yet.
- You like straightforward builds where you simply hit harder from the start.
- You already own strong luck bonuses elsewhere and feel comfortable sacrificing a few percent luck for power.
Both pickaxes are viable endgame tools in the current version of The Forge. Neither will block your progression. The difference is how they feel to use and how well they scale when you start optimizing your build.
If you are unsure and do not have a strong reason to favor raw power, Arcane is the safer, more future‑proof purchase. It accelerates your resource gain, plays better with rune systems, and still has enough power to clear every rock in the world.
How to unlock the Arcane and Magma pickaxes
Both pickaxes are purchased in‑game, but the Arcane pickaxe has a short quest chain attached before you can reach it.
Unlocking the Arcane pickaxe:
Step 1: Enter your portal and travel to World 1.
Step 2: Talk to the NPC Bard in World 1 and accept the quest about his missing guitar.
Step 3: Follow the quest path to the ledge where the guitar is located, then pick it up.
Step 4: Return the guitar to Bard to receive a key that opens a locked gate.
Step 5: Use the key on the gate nearby, go through, turn left, and interact with the Arcane pickaxe to purchase it for $125,000.
Unlocking the Magma pickaxe:
Step 1: Use the portal to travel to World 2.
Step 2: Follow the main path through World 2’s hub area until you reach the Magma pickaxe location.
Step 3: Interact with the pickaxe to buy it for $150,000.
Neither pickaxe requires special materials beyond cash. The main gatekeeper is your ability to reach the relevant world and complete the short Bard quest for Arcane.
Once you own one of these two, you are effectively in the endgame tier of mining tools. From there, it is a question of whether you keep upgrading runes on Arcane/Magma or push all the way to the Demonic pickaxe as your final goal.
