Crafting & Blacksmith Guide

Everything about Cursed Blade's blacksmith system — upgrades, reforging, reinforcement, and material management

The blacksmith is the single most important system between zone unlocks. Every material you farm, every gold coin you earn, and every weapon you find passes through the forge at some point. This guide breaks down every function of the blacksmith — upgrading, reforging, reinforcement, and crafting — so you never waste materials on the wrong upgrades, never hoard resources that could be powering your build, and always know exactly what to do with each new drop.

Recommended Route

Cursed Blade's blacksmith is your primary power spike between zone unlocks. Whether you are upgrading a starter bow for the early zones or reforging an S-tier endgame weapon, the forge system determines how fast you clear content and how far you can push into Abyss [Hard] and Hell. This guide covers everything: how upgrading scales, how reforging rerolls affixes, when to use Divine Stones to lock stats, how reinforcement pushes weapons past their base limits, and which materials matter at each stage. No fluff — just the systems, the numbers, and the smart choices.

Quick Read

Blacksmith Functions: 4 Core Systems

Upgrade Priority: Main Weapon First
Affix Lock Cost: 1 Divine Stone
Max Weapon Level: +80
Best Material Source: Abyss Dungeon

Weapon Upgrade System

How weapon upgrading works

The upgrade system at the blacksmith increases a weapon's base damage and secondary stats using monster materials dropped from enemies. Each upgrade level adds a flat stat increase. The cost in materials and gold increases with each level. Upgrading is the fastest way to increase your combat power between zone unlocks. A +5 weapon at Level 15 clears zones noticeably faster than an un-upgraded weapon at Level 18. By Level 20, a +10 upgrade is expected for comfortable farming in mid-level zones.

Upgrade priority: weapon first, gear second

Always upgrade your main weapon before upgrading armor or accessories. Damage output determines clear speed, which determines how fast you earn XP and materials. The only exception is if an accessory offers a build-defining effect that significantly improves your combat performance. A general rule: your weapon should be at least 5 levels above your gear at any given point.

When to upgrade vs when to save

Upgrade after every zone unlock. The materials you farmed in the previous zone are exactly enough to bring your weapon to the level needed for the next zone. Do not hoard materials — sitting on a stack of upgrade materials while your weapon is under-leveled slows your progression more than any inefficient upgrade choice ever could. Save Fort Stones and Abyss materials for endgame gear, but spend common monster materials freely.

Upgrade strategy for each stage

Early game (Level 1-15): Upgrade whatever weapon you are using to +5. Materials are plentiful and cheap. Mid game (Level 15-30): Push your main weapon to +15 or +20. Start being selective about which weapon you invest in — make sure it has good skill rolls before committing. Late game (Level 30+): Focus upgrades on your endgame weapon. Reinforcement unlocks become available and cost far more. <a href="/games/cursed-blade/weapons">See the full weapons guide</a> for which weapons are worth the investment.

Reforging & The Affix System

What affixes are and why they matter

Every weapon in Cursed Blade drops with random affixes — stat bonuses like increased attack speed, life steal, fire damage, critical hit chance, or elemental damage. These affixes are randomly generated on each drop. Two copies of the same weapon can have completely different affix combinations. This randomness is the core of the game's loot system and the reason why checking skill rolls on every drop is critical. A common weapon with two S-tier affixes can outperform a poorly-rolled rare weapon.

Reforging: rerolling affixes at the blacksmith

Reforging lets you reroll all affixes on a weapon. The cost includes gold and materials. When you reforge, every existing affix is replaced with new random ones. There is no way to reroll individual affixes without locking them first. Reforging is most valuable when you have a weapon with a good base name (high base ATK, good attack speed) but poor affix rolls. It is also useful late-game when you are optimizing a specific build and need specific affix combinations.

Divine Stones: locking affixes during reforging

Divine Stones are special items that let you lock one or more affixes during reforging. When you use a Divine Stone on an affix, that affix is preserved through the reforge — only the non-locked affixes are rerolled. This is critical for endgame optimization. Divine Stones are rare. Save them for your final weapon, not mid-game upgrades. The best sources are Abyss Dungeon runs and high-difficulty content. A common strategy: farm a weapon with one good affix, lock that affix with a Divine Stone, then reforge until you roll a second good affix.

Weapons Tier List

When to reforge and when to replace

Early game (before Level 20): Do not reforge. Material costs are better spent on upgrades. If a weapon has bad affixes, farm another drop instead. Mid game (Level 20-30): Reforge only if you have a weapon with a good base name and at least one decent affix. Use Divine Stones sparingly. Late game (Level 30+): Reforging becomes the primary way to optimize your weapon. Lock good affixes and reroll the rest until you get the combination you want for your build. <a href="/games/cursed-blade/guides/best-builds">See the Best Builds guide</a> for recommended affix combinations per playstyle.

Reinforcement System

What reinforcement does

Reinforcement is the system that pushes a weapon beyond its natural level cap. While standard upgrades improve base stats within the weapon's level range, reinforcement lets you exceed that range. A reinforced weapon has higher damage, better stat scaling, and can stay competitive in higher-level content longer. Reinforcement is essentially the late-game extension of the upgrade system.

Reinforcement caps by rarity

The maximum reinforcement level depends on weapon rarity. Legendary weapons can reach +80. Lower rarity weapons have lower caps. The cost per reinforcement level increases significantly as you push higher. Plan your reinforcement investment around weapons you intend to use through endgame. The reinforcement cost curve means it is not worth reinforcing early-game weapons — save the resources for your endgame gear.

Reinforcement costs and material requirements

Reinforcement requires high-tier materials, primarily from Abyss Dungeon and other difficult content. The gold cost per level also increases. Because of the steep cost curve, you should only reinforce one weapon at a time — the weapon you use for all content. Splitting reinforcement resources across multiple weapons leaves you with two mediocre weapons instead of one excellent one.

Crafting Rare Cursed Blades

How weapon crafting works

The blacksmith's Craft function lets you create rare cursed blades using high-tier materials. These crafted weapons often have higher base stats than random dungeon drops of the same level, making them a reliable path to upgrade your gear when RNG is not cooperating. Crafting requires specific material combinations, most of which come from Abyss Dungeon.

Crafting vs farming: which is better

Farming for weapon drops is faster in the early and mid game because you can try for random drops with good affixes. Crafting becomes more valuable in the late game when you need specific base stats and can afford to invest in controlled outcomes. A general strategy: farm for drops in zones, use the blacksmith to upgrade those drops, and only craft when you have excess Abyss materials or need a specific weapon type that is not dropping.

Material requirements for crafting

High-tier crafting materials come from Abyss Dungeon. You need multiple dungeon runs to gather enough materials for a single craft. This means crafting decisions matter — do not craft a weapon you will replace in two levels. Plan your craft around your endgame build direction. <a href="/games/cursed-blade/races">See the Races guide</a> for race recommendations that pair well with specific weapon types.

Material Guide & Best Farming Routes

Material types overview

Cursed Blade has several material categories. Common monster materials drop from every zone and are used for basic upgrades. Abyss Dungeon materials are high-tier resources needed for endgame forging and crafting. Fort Stones are specialized upgrade items for high-value equipment. Divine Stones are affix-locking items. Crystal Shards, Crystal Flakes, and Crystalized Ore are forging materials used in advanced upgrades. Mythic Stones are rare materials for high-tier reforging. Forging Dust is a common consumable used in multiple blacksmith functions.

Best material farming locations by level

Level 1-10: Starting zones around the beginner village. Farmer Zombies and early mobs drop basic upgrade materials. Level 10-20: Bone Necropolis and Desolate Wheat drop mid-tier materials. This is where you will farm most of your early upgrade resources. Level 15-25: Silver Village is the best all-around farming spot for materials and XP. No timer, consistent common drops, AFK-friendly. Level 20-30: Fetid Swampland and similar zones drop materials needed for +15 to +20 upgrades. Level 25+: Abyss Dungeon is mandatory for high-tier crafting materials and Divine Stones. This is the primary endgame material source.

Material management tips

Do not hoard common materials. Use them to upgrade your weapon after every zone unlock. Common materials are abundant — sitting on them slows your progression. Save Fort Stones for endgame gear. Save Divine Stones for your final weapon. Save Mythic Stones for high-tier reforging. Everything else can be spent freely. If you are unsure whether to spend or save a material, ask: 'Will this material make me stronger right now?' If yes, spend it. If it is a rare material and you are not at endgame yet, save it.

FAQ

Where is the blacksmith in Cursed Blade?

The blacksmith is in the main lobby hub. Complete the beginner quest chain (talk to Bob, kill 15 Farmer Zombies, defeat the minor boss) and use the portal next to Bob to return to the lobby. The blacksmith NPC is near the center of the hub.

What should I upgrade first at the blacksmith?

Always upgrade your main weapon first. Weapon damage determines your clear speed, which determines how fast you earn XP and materials. Upgrade armor and accessories only after your weapon is ahead of the zone curve. A +10 weapon at Level 20 outperforms any raw drop at Level 25.

Weapons Guide

How does reforging work in Cursed Blade?

Reforging rerolls all random affixes on a weapon. You lose existing bonuses and gain new random ones. Use Divine Stones to lock desirable affixes before reforging — locked affixes are preserved through the reforge. Reforging costs gold and materials. It is most valuable for endgame optimization when you have a weapon with a good base but poor affix rolls.

What are Divine Stones and how do I get them?

Divine Stones are rare items that let you lock affixes during reforging. They prevent specific affixes from being rerolled, allowing you to preserve good rolls while rerolling the rest. Divine Stones drop from Abyss Dungeon and high-difficulty content. Save them for your endgame weapon — do not use them on starter or mid-game gear.

What is the difference between upgrade and reinforcement?

Upgrade increases base stats within a weapon's natural level range. Reinforcement pushes the weapon beyond its natural cap, allowing higher stat scaling. Reinforcement has steeply increasing costs and is limited by weapon rarity — legendary weapons can reach +80 max. Use upgrades for regular progression; use reinforcement for endgame optimization.

Is it worth crafting cursed blades at the blacksmith?

Crafting is most valuable in the late game when you need specific base stats and have excess Abyss materials. In the early and mid game, farming for drops with good affix rolls is more efficient. Craft only when you have a specific endgame plan and can afford the material investment.

What materials should I save vs spend freely?

Spend freely: common monster materials, Forging Dust. These are abundant and meant to be used for regular upgrades. Save: Divine Stones, Fort Stones, Mythic Stones, Abyss Dungeon materials. These are rare or take significant effort to farm and should be reserved for endgame gear.

Beginner Guide

How high can I upgrade a weapon?

Standard upgrades are limited by the weapon's level and rarity. Legendary weapons can reach +80 max through reinforcement. Lower rarity weapons have lower caps. The cost per upgrade level increases significantly — focus your resources on one main weapon rather than splitting across multiple.

Should I reforge early game weapons?

No. Reforging costs materials and gold that are better spent on upgrades before Level 20. If a weapon has bad affixes in the early game, farm another drop instead. Save reforging for mid-game optimization (Level 20-30) and endgame perfection (Level 30+).

Next Steps

Weapons Guide Tier List Best Builds Guide Beginner Guide Races Guide Curse Meter Guide