Dice Throne Hero Pack Forgemaster
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Categorie
Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
Pairs well with
FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Dice Throne · Hero Pack Forgemaster
Short, stout, and initially harmless. Then he finishes his armor, and at that point, you might as well stop attacking him: everything just bounces off.
What it's about
He doesn't beat you with dice. He beats you with an anvil.
The Dice Throne Hero Pack Forgemaster comes from Vanguard, the latest set in the series, along with Duelist, Druid, and Sun Elf. Designed by Nate Chatellier, Manny Trembley, and Gavan Brown, it's a single hero pack for the Dice Throne system — and it's the first that doesn't ask how much damage you deal, but how much you manage not to take.
His passive is called THE FORGE. From the deck, you draw ORE cards: gold, diamond, and the rare Ultimanium. Each mineral has two lives. You can spend it to forge a piece of armor — helmets and shields that make your defense increasingly absurd — or you can scrap it for the immediate effect printed on it. It's an entire economy within a hero, and every card is a choice between now and later.
The main feature: the equipment he forges can also be equipped on another hero. He is the only Dice Throne character who physically enhances his teammate. Complexity 4 out of 6: not a hero for a first game, but in 2v2 he's worth double.
What they say abroad
"Created with simple premise, simple concept, and gorgeous execution."
Simple premise, simple concept, gorgeous execution.
— Sprites and Dice
"The game feels fresh each time you jump in."
The game feels fresh every time you dive into it.
— Meeple Mountain
Dice Throne — Forgemaster
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and play sessionsYour arsenal
What you bring to the Mad King's arena
The smith's dice
Five custom dice. Up to three rolls per turn: lock what you need, reroll the rest — and fuel the forge with each throw.
ORE cards
Gold, diamond, and Ultimanium, the rarest mineral. Each card has two uses: forge it into armor or scrap it for the immediate effect.
Helmets and shields
The equipment you build stays on the board and increases defense turn after turn. You can equip it on yourself — or on another hero.
The THE FORGE passive
The character's engine: from here you draw minerals and decide what to build. No other Dice Throne hero has its own economy to manage like this.
In the first turns, he seems to be just fiddling with some cards. Then someone tries to hit him and realizes what he was building.
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The forge is cold
I open the board, set up the counter, and there's nothing in front of me yet: no armor, no ore. Fifty health points and a hammer. He, on the other hand, is already ready to go. He's right to take advantage of it.
The first ore
An ORE card comes out. I could scrap it immediately for the instant effect, and it would come in handy — I'm cashing in. Instead, I keep it and forge it. What I lose now, I'll see back in four turns, multiplied.
Helmet, shield, and blows start bouncing off
The armor is in place. He rolls, gets his best combination, calculates the damage — and in the end, three get through. Three. I see him recount the dice twice, thinking he made a mistake.
Ultimanium
The rarest ore ends up on my board. Now I'm not just resisting anymore: I'm building something no one else at the table can replicate. And the next piece, if I want, I'll put on my teammate.
The one still standing wins
I didn't do the most spectacular damage of the evening. I just stopped taking it, and in the end, that's what the count says. Twenty-six minutes. He wants a rematch, but this time he wants to hit me before the armor is finished.
How to play
The flow of each turn
Four phases that flow in under two minutes. With the Forgemaster, there's one more buzzing in your head: forge or scrap?
Resolve active effects on the board, then draw a card and gain a combat point. Every card drawn could be the ore you've been waiting for.
This is where you work. Spend ORE from your THE FORGE passive to build helmets and shields — or scrap them for the instant effect printed on the card. Building is slow, scrapping is convenient: getting the balance wrong means losing.
Roll the five dice up to three times and activate board abilities. You'll never be the table's heavy hitter — but with the armor on, you don't need to be.
Last cards, last upgrades, discard excess hand. Then it's your opponent's turn — and that's when you find out if you forged fast enough.
Why choose the Forgemaster
Six reasons to bring him into the arena
An economy within the dice game
ORE cards — gold, diamond, Ultimanium — are a real resource, with two alternative uses. No other Dice Throne hero lets you manage a production chain while fighting.
Forge or scrap
Every ore is a crossroads: do you turn it into permanent armor or burn it immediately for the instant effect? That choice, repeated ten times, is the whole game.
The series' most solid defense
Helmets and shields accumulate on the board and don't go away. Late in the game, attacks that would kill anyone else only take two or three health points from you.
Equip your teammates too
The helmets and shields you forge can be equipped by other heroes, not just yourself. He's the only Dice Throne character who physically strengthens your ally: in 2v2, he's unrivaled.
Ultimanium, the rare ore
The prized piece of his economy. When it arrives, the game's weight changes — and your opponent will notice from the next turn.
From the new Vanguard set
He comes from Vanguard, the series' newest line with Duelist, Druid, and Sun Elf. Still compatible with all Dice Throne heroes, Marvel included.
How it ends
One way to win. One way to be broken.
No scores, no final tally. You fight until someone runs out of health points — and the blacksmith bets everything on never being that someone.
Victory
- Reduce the opponent's health points to zero — or the last one standing
- In 2v2, the team that eliminates both enemy heroes wins: and here the blacksmith also arms his teammate
- With the Forgemaster, you win by surviving the first half of the game: after that, the tables turn
Defeat
- Your health points reach zero: you're out of the arena
- If you invest everything in forging and get beaten up before it's ready, you won't make it to the end
- There's no consolation, but no waiting either: the rematch starts in two minutes
Add the Forgemaster to your arena if you enjoy building something while others fight — and if you often play in pairs, he's the ally everyone wants. Remember: you need at least two Hero Packs to play.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Dice Throne Hero Pack Forgemaster
Can I play with this Hero Pack alone?
No, and it's best to say it right away. The Forgemaster Hero Pack contains everything needed for a single hero: to play, you need at least a second Hero Pack (or a Dice Throne box you already own). It's not a core box: it's designed for those who already have the system, or for those who are building it one hero at a time.
Isn't a hero who only defends boring?
It would be boring if defense were passive. Here, however, it's a construction: every ore you draw is a decision — do you forge it into permanent armor or scrap it for the immediate effect? In the first turns, you're exposed and have to endure; then the engine starts, and you become unmanageable. Satisfaction isn't in the big hit; it's in watching your opponent stop knowing how to hurt you.
How do minerals and forging work?
The passive is called THE FORGE. From the deck, you draw ORE cards — gold, diamond, and the rarest Ultimanium. Each card has two alternative uses: you spend it to forge armor (helmets and shields, following the forging card) or you scrap it for the immediate effect printed on it. It's a real economy within a dice game.
Can he really equip other players?
Yes, and it's his most unique feature. The helmets and shields he builds can be equipped by other heroes, not just himself. In 1v1, it's not very useful — but in 2v2, your teammate suddenly becomes much harder to take down, and no other hero in the series does anything similar.
Which set does he come from, and is he suitable for beginners?
He comes from Dice Throne Vanguard, the newest set, along with Duelist, Druid, and Sun Elf. His complexity is 4 out of 6: there's an economy to learn and a power curve to respect, so he's not a hero for a first game. For beginners, the Barbarian (complexity 1) or the Moon Elf (2) are more suitable.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. The text on the board and cards is in English, but the language is repetitive and highly iconic: after one game, the symbols read themselves. The Forgemaster has some extra text cards for forging — basic English helps here.
Dice Throne Hero Pack Forgemaster is a single hero pack for the Dice Throne dice combat system (2–6 players, ages 10+, 30 min duration). Designed by Nate Chatellier, Manny Trembley, and Gavan Brown, published by Dice Throne Inc. Main mechanic: dice rolling and manipulation with card play and asymmetrical powers. The Forgemaster comes from the Vanguard set, the newest line in the series, and has a complexity of 4 out of 6: his THE FORGE passive allows him to draw ORE cards — gold, diamond, and Ultimanium — to forge into helmets and shields or to scrap for immediate effects, building the game's most solid defense and equipping other heroes as well. Compatible with all Dice Throne heroes, including Marvel Dice Throne. At least two Hero Packs are required to play. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.