The Goblin Cave in The Forge is locked behind one of the most demanding questlines in the game. You cannot teleport there from the Portal Tool like other regions; the only way in is to earn a dedicated Goblin Cave key from the Goblin King.
Prerequisite: Reach the Forgotten Kingdom
You only start dealing with the Goblin King once you have access to the Forgotten Kingdom. That means progressing far enough to use the Portal Tool to travel there from earlier areas such as Iron Valley.
The Goblin Cave itself appears in the location index alongside Iron Valley and Forgotten Kingdom, but it is not a selectable teleport destination. The index entry is more of a teaser than a shortcut; the key is mandatory.
Where to find the Goblin King
Step 1: Travel to the Forgotten Kingdom using your Portal Tool from any earlier hub.
Step 2: From the Forgotten Kingdom spawn, face toward the main forge area and walk straight ahead until you reach the forge plaza.
Step 3: Turn left at the forge and follow the path that runs past the Runemaker and Enhancer buildings and the ramp leading up toward the Ruined Cave.
Step 4: Instead of going up the ramp, keep following the ground-level path until you see two goblin guards with axes standing in front of a camp entrance.
Step 5: Walk directly between the two goblins; they do not attack or truly block the way. Inside the camp, you’ll see the Goblin King sitting on a throne.
Interact with the Goblin King to start his questline. Once you accept the first task, his quests replace one another sequentially; you must finish each in order.
All Goblin King quests and total cost
The Goblin King offers five quests. Each one asks for a larger chunk of Gold and a pile of specific high-rarity gems mined from the Forgotten Kingdom. You hand everything in directly to him in the camp.
| Quest | Gold required | Gems required |
|---|---|---|
| First task | 5,000 Gold | None |
| Second task | 10,000 Gold | 3 × Topaz |
| Third task | 15,000 Gold | 5 × Diamond |
| Fourth task | 20,000 Gold | 5 × Emerald |
| Final task | 25,000 Gold | 5 × Ruby |
The total cost across all five quests is:
- 100,000 Gold
- 3 Topaz
- 5 Diamonds
- 5 Emeralds
- 5 Ruby
For most players, that price tag pushes the Goblin Cave firmly into late‑game territory. You are expected to have strong mining tools and a stable income before you start throwing resources at the throne.
Goblin Cave location and how the key works
Finishing the fifth quest rewards a unique Goblin Cave key. The Goblin King disappears after the final hand‑in, leaving the key behind as your permanent way into the cave.
Step 1: With the key in your inventory, turn to face the right side of the Goblin King’s camp area.
Step 2: Look for a stone wall section with a closed door and a visible padlock. This is the Goblin Cave entrance.
Step 3: Walk up to the locked door and interact (default E on keyboard). The key unlocks the wall and opens access to the Goblin Cave permanently on that save.
The cave sits essentially next to where the Goblin King was seated, so there is no extra travel needed once you are in the camp.
Where to mine Topaz, Diamond, Emerald, and Ruby
The gem requirements are the real bottleneck. All four requested ores drop from Forgotten Kingdom rocks, then more specifically from Basalt variants. Each gem has its own drop rate and eligible node types.
| Gem | Rarity tier | Approx. drop chance | Nodes that can drop it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topaz | Rare | 1 in 143 | Volcanic Rock, Basalt Vein, Basalt Core |
| Diamond | Rare | 1 in 192 | Basalt Vein, Basalt Core |
| Emerald | Epic | 1 in 363 | Basalt Vein, Basalt Core |
| Ruby | Epic | 1 in 487 | Basalt Vein only |
These odds are per mined node, so expect to clear a large number of rocks to collect the full stack the Goblin King wants, especially for Emerald and Ruby. Stronger pickaxes and mining-boosting systems are functionally required if you want to clear the questline in a reasonable time.
How to speed up Goblin King progression
The Goblin King’s design is meant to slow players down until they are comfortably established in the Forgotten Kingdom tier. A few systems in The Forge significantly accelerate both Gold and gem farming.
- Invest in a better pickaxe. Higher-tier pickaxes clear Basalt nodes faster and improve the number and value of ore drops, which compounds over long mining sessions.
- Use mining-oriented runes. Some runes directly increase mining power or boost ore-finding, effectively raising your gem yield per hour.
- Drink Luck Potions. Luck Potions increase the chance of rare drops while active. Stacking them with high-end pickaxes and runes makes a noticeable difference when hunting Rare and Epic gems.
- Focus on lucrative questlines. Quest chains such as Sensei Moro’s deliver large Gold payouts. Treat them as funding for the Goblin King rather than relying only on raw mining sales.
- Roll races that improve loot. Races like Goblin or Elf give a higher chance of valuable drops, which helps with both the gem grind and Gold income.
Tip: Do not rush into the Goblin King quests as soon as you reach the Forgotten Kingdom. Waiting until you have solid gear and income prevents the 100,000 Gold requirement from stalling your broader progression.
What to expect inside the Goblin Cave
Once unlocked, the Goblin Cave becomes a new combat and mining zone. The interior layout features:
- Standard rock nodes with unique ores that only appear on the Goblin Cave loot table
- Multiple slime enemies, including blazing variants
- A waterfall area with a small hidden alcove and Tomo’s Cat for a related quest objective
Visually, the rocks look similar to other regions, but the ore index lists several materials tied exclusively to this cave. Those ores are used for later weapons and equipment, making the Goblin King line a functional gate for late‑game crafting.
Despite the high entry cost, the cave itself is relatively compact and focused. The value comes from exclusive ore access and the way it connects to other quests, not from elaborate puzzles or bosses.
Why the Goblin King asks for so much Gold and gems
The Goblin King is deliberately tuned as a progression gate. By demanding 100,000 Gold plus multiple stacks of Rare and Epic gems, the questline ensures you have:
- Spent significant time mining Basalt Veins and Cores in the Forgotten Kingdom
- Upgraded your pickaxe, runes, and consumables to handle rare-drop grinding
- Explored core questlines and Gold sources instead of skipping straight to late‑game ores
The result is a smoother difficulty curve once you step into the Goblin Cave. Players who can pay his “tax” are already equipped for the enemies and mining demands inside.
Once the Goblin Cave key is yours and the wall opens, the Goblin King’s role is effectively complete, and the late‑game of The Forge starts to open up around the new ores and linked quests inside the cave.
