- Forge calculator: Mix majority Mythic stones with high-level filler for optimal results
- Rarity priority: Rarity impacts gear performance more than base level stats
- Attribute focus: Beginners should prioritize CD reduction, veterans stack Health Bonus
- Rune strategy: Stack a single rune type to reach 100% proc chance
- Best rune: Poison runes dominate the current meta and leaderboard
How the Forge Calculator Works
The Iron Soul Dungeon forge calculator is a mental framework for determining the most efficient stone combinations. Rather than dumping identical stones into the forge, you can calculate the exact ratio needed to maximize both item level and rarity.
Video Highlights:
- How to correctly mix Mythic stones with high-level commons
- Why forging with only common stones ruins your gear abilities
- Attribute priority differences between beginners and veterans
- Rune synergy mistakes to avoid at all costs
The core principle is simple: the output item's rarity is determined by the majority stone type used. If you feed the forge mostly Mythic stones, you get a Mythic item. However, by padding the remaining slots with the highest level common or uncommon stones available, you inflate the resulting item's level significantly.
Never forge using only common high-level stones. You will get a high-level item, but its abilities will be severely weakened by the low rarity base.
Optimal Stone Mixing Ratios
To effectively use the forge calculator, you need to understand how different stone combinations affect your final output. The goal is to balance the majority rarity requirement with the highest possible level padding.
| Mix Strategy | Majority Stones | Filler Stones | Expected Output | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mythic Mix | 60% Mythic | 40% High-level Common | High-level Mythic | Endgame gear |
| Rare Mix | 60% Rare | 40% High-level Common | High-level Rare | Mid-game progression |
| Heavy Armor | 51% Mythic | 49% Any high-level | Mythic Heavy Armor | Tank builds |
| Pure Common | 100% Common | None | High-level Common | Avoid this |
An extra five levels on your forged item is always a valuable bonus. Use high-level stones even if they are less rare to push your item level higher while maintaining the desired rarity tier.
The math is straightforward. If a forge slot requires five stones, use three Mythic stones to guarantee the Mythic rarity output, then fill the remaining two slots with the highest level stones in your inventory. This method works universally across all rarity tiers, not just Mythics.
Step-by-Step Forging Process
Gather Your Stones
Collect your rarest stones (Mythic or Rare) and identify your highest level common or uncommon stones. Separate them into two distinct piles so you can easily track your majority versus filler ratio.
Calculate the Majority
Ensure your target rarity stones make up at least 51% of the total stones being used. For a five-stone forge, this means three stones of the target rarity and two filler stones of any rarity.
Add High-Level Filler
Fill the remaining forge slots with the highest level stones you have available. Even common stones at a high level will push the final item's level up without downgrading the rarity.
Forge and Verify
Execute the forge and check the resulting item. Confirm that the rarity matches your majority stone type and that the level bonus has been applied correctly.
This mixing strategy is also the most reliable way to accumulate enough stones to craft heavy armor without wasting precious Mythic resources on every single slot.
Attribute Build Priority
Your attribute investment should shift dramatically depending on your progression stage. The forge calculator helps you build the right gear, but attributes determine how effectively you use it.
| Attribute | Beginner Priority | Veteran Priority | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| CD Reduction | 1st | Skip | Helps fend off small mobs early |
| Health Bonus | 2nd | 1st | Scales with percentage, massive boost |
| Sword/Attack | 3rd | Skip | Flat value, weak scaling at endgame |
| Ability Power | Optional | 2nd | Veterans rely on abilities over basics |
Beginner Build
- CD Reduction first
- Health Bonus second
- Helps manage early mob density
- Smooth progression curve
Veteran Build
- Health Bonus maxed
- Ability-focused combat
- Ignores sword stats entirely
- Optimized for boss encounters
Why Not Attack Power
- Flat value scaling
- Pathetic damage boost at high levels
- Health Bonus uses percentage
- Significantly better returns
Attack power adds a flat value rather than a percentage. At higher levels, this results in a negligible damage boost. Always prioritize Health Bonus for percentage-based scaling.
Rune Stacking Strategy
Runes are arguably the most impactful system in the game. The forge calculator means nothing if your rune setup is sabotaging your own damage output. The golden rule is to never mix conflicting rune types.
| Rune Type | Effect | Stackable | Meta Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Damage over time | Yes, to 100% | S-Tier |
| Freeze | Crowd control | Yes, to 100% | A-Tier |
| Fire | Burn damage | Yes, to 100% | A-Tier |
| Freeze + Fire | Cancelled out | No | F-Tier |
Do not mix freeze runes with fire runes. The fire rune cancels out the freeze effect before the freeze can deal any damage, effectively wasting both rune slots.
The correct approach is to stack a single rune type until you reach 100% proc chance. For example, placing two Level 3 Poison runes on your sword, one on your helmet, and one on your chest piece totals 100%. This guarantees a poison effect proc on every single hit.
If your runes are a lower level, simply add additional runes across your armor pieces to compensate and reach that 100% threshold.
Check the leaderboard of top-ranked players. They are all running Poison runes. This confirms Poison is currently the strongest rune choice in the game for sustained damage output.
Forge Calculator Checklist
Forge Mastery Checklist:
- Always maintain majority rarity stones before forging
- Never forge with 100% common stones regardless of level
- Reach 100% proc chance on your chosen rune type
- Never mix freeze and fire runes on the same loadout
- Invest in Health Bonus over flat attack power
- Use Poison runes for optimal meta performance
Forge Calculator FAQ
Q: How does the forge calculator determine item rarity?
The output item rarity is determined by the majority stone type. If you use mostly Mythic stones, the result will be a Mythic item. Always ensure your target rarity stones make up at least 51% of the total input.
Q: Should I use high-level common stones in the forge?
Yes, but only as filler. High-level common stones are excellent for padding the forge to increase the final item level, as long as your target rarity stones remain the majority. Never use only common stones, as the resulting item will have weak abilities.
Q: What is the best rune type for Iron Soul Dungeon?
Poison runes are currently the best choice in the game. The top-ranked players on the leaderboard all use Poison runes. Stack them across your sword, helmet, and chest piece until you reach 100% proc chance for guaranteed damage on every hit.
Q: Why is attack power considered a bad attribute investment?
Attack power adds a flat damage value rather than a percentage-based boost. At higher levels, this flat addition becomes negligible compared to percentage-based scaling from Health Bonus, which provides significantly better returns for your investment points.