Updated on December 30th: Our The Forge Trait Tier List has been updated to include all new Ore Traits added with The Forge Winter Update. Given the power creep in the sheer power of these new traits, we've made a separate Tier List where we ranke only the Island 3 Ore Traits. Check out what are the best Traits on The Forge Island 3.
TL:DR Best Ore Traits and Passives in The Forge Winter Update:
- The best Ore multiplier on The Forge Island 3 is Gargantuan Ore (25x), which also features the strongest agressive passive Traits: Firestarter + Explosion.
- Iceite is the best CC Ore, with it's Ice Trait, which freezes enemies.
- Mosasaursit has the best armor Trait passive: +35% Extra Defense + 5% extra movement speed
Not all Ores in The Forge possess Traits, but many do offer passive abilities that enhance your build's strength and effectiveness. Unfortunately, the game does not clearly indicate what these Traits are or which Ores have them. In this The Forge Trait Tier List, I will rank each Ore Trait from best to worst, along with their respective buffs and debuffs.
The Forge Island 3 Traits Tier List - New Ore Traits Ranked
The Forge Winter Update has introduced a total of 29 new ores, 13 of which come with new Ore Traits. These are, undoubtedly, the most powerful Ore Traits currently available in The Forge, offering insane passive abilities for both armor and weapons. As such, instead of incorporating them into our previous tier list, we’ve created a separate tier list to rank them against one another.
Because of just how powerful these traits are, the tier list only includes S+, S, and A tiers. Every option here is strong, and you can’t really go wrong by incorporating any of them into your Island 3 crafting recipes. Below, you’ll find the best new The Peak and Frostpire Expanse Ore Traits, ranked.
S+ Tier (Godly & Mythical)
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Firestarter + Explosion Ore: Gargantuan Ore (Weapons) Divine | Multiplier 25x Drop Chance 1/333,333 | Dual Trait: 20% burn for 2s (30% chance) AND +35% chance for 50% DMG AoE explosion.
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| Smite Ore: Heavenite (Weapons) Divine | Multiplier 20x Drop Chance 1/157,775 | +30% of weapon damage dealt as Smite damage (50% chance on-hit).
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| Vitality Ore: Etherealite Ore (Armor) Mythical | Multiplier 11.1x Drop Chance 1/11,111 | +35% Extra Defense.
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| Ice Ore: Iceite (Weapons) Mythical | Multiplier 10.5x Drop Chance 1/9,898 | Freeze enemies for 2 seconds. 25% chance on hit (12s cooldown).
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| Vitality + Swiftness Ore: Mosasaursit (Armor) Exotic | Multiplier 7.0x Drop Chance Unique | Dual Trait: +35% Extra Defense AND +5% Movement Speed.
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S Tier (Insanely Powerful)
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Ore: Voidstar Ore (Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 10.0x Drop Chance 1/8,179 | +33% Crit Chance & +15% Crit DMG. (Debuff: -15% Max Health)
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| Poison Ore: Malachite Ore (Weapons) Epic | Multiplier 8.8x Drop Chance 1/5,123 | Deals +10% weapon dmg as poison/sec for 3s (33% chance).
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| Lethality Ore: Crimsonite Ore (Weapons) Epic | Multiplier 8.5x Drop Chance 1/4,540 | +20% Physical Damage.
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| Snow Ore: Snowite Ore (Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 8.0x Drop Chance 1/4,325 | Applies 15% Slow (ATK & Move) for 3s. 30% chance on hit.
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A Tier (Strong Utility)
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Swiftness Ore: Velchire Ore (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 5.5x Drop Chance 1/1,450 | 20% Extra Movement Speed.
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| Endurance Ore: Sanctis Ore (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 6.0x Drop Chance 1/1,830 | 18% More Stamina.
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| Lethality Ore: Frost Fossil Ore (Armor/Weap) Epic | Multiplier 4.5x Drop Chance 1/820 | +17.5% Phys Damage. (Debuff: -5% Movement Speed)
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| Swiftness Ore: Aetherit Ore (Armor/Weap) Rare | Multiplier 3.4x Drop Chance 1/390 | 5% Extra Movement Speed.
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Best Ore Traits in The Forge Ranked
NOTE: The Forge Trait Tier List below covers only the Ore Traits that existed before the Winter Update. For rankings of all newly introduced ores and traits, please refer to the table above.
In The Forge, there are over 40 types of Ores, of which 13 possess unique Traits. These Traits are passive abilities that offer various bonus effects. They can include passive stat buffs (or debuffs), area-of-effect auras, or effects that trigger under certain conditions. Some Traits are applicable only to armor, others only to weapons, while some can be used on any type of gear. Additionally, it's important to consider the multiplier when discussing Ores.
RELATED: Best Katana Recipe in The Forge
For our best Ore Traits and Passives Tier List in The Forge, I consider not only what each Trait does, but also the multiplier value of the Ore that carries it. This is an equally important factor when choosing which Ores to use for crafting a weapon or armor piece. With that said, let's jump straight into the tier list.
Important Information: In order to even active an Ore's trait, that Ore must compile more than 10% of your forging materials. It has to be more, as we've tested it multiple times at 10% with no Traits. The lowest percentage we managed to get an active Trait is 14%. I suggest going for at least 20% just to be sure, or higher if you want better Trait stats.
S+ Tier Ore Traits
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow's Phantom Step Ore: Darkryte (Armor) Mythical | Multiplier 6.3x Drop Chance 1/6655 | 15% chance to turn into a shadow and dodge attacks (invulnerability frame).
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S Tier Ore Traits
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Demon's Backfire Ore: Demonite (Armor) Mythical | Multiplier 5.5x Drop Chance 1/3336 | +25% chance to burn enemies when hit. Also deals 20% burn for 2s (15% chance on-hit).
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| Magma Explosion Ore: Magmaite (Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 5.0x Drop Chance 1/3003 | 50% AoE explosion with 35% chance on-hit.
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| Swiftness Ore: Lightite (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 4.6x Drop Chance 1/3333 | 15% extra movement speed (Armor only).
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A Tier Ore Traits
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Radioactive Ore: Uranium (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 3.0x Drop Chance 1/777 | Deals 5% of max HP as AoE damage nearby.
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| Firestarter Ore: Fireite (Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 4.5x Drop Chance 1/2187 | 20% burn for 2 seconds (30% chance on-hit).
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| Critical Chance Ore: Rivalite (Weapons) Epic | Multiplier 3.33x Drop Chance 1/569 | +20% Critical Strike Chance.
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| Lethality / Neg. Vitality Ore: Eye Ore (Armor & Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 4.0x Drop Chance 1/1333 | +15% Damage, but -10% Max Health.
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B Tier Ore Traits
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Vitality Ore: Mythril (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 3.5x Drop Chance 1/813 | 15% Extra Defense.
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| Super Defense Ore: Obsidian (Armor) Legendary | Multiplier 2.35x Drop Chance 1/333 | 30% Extra Defense.
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C Tier Ore Traits
| Trait & Ore | Ore Stats | Effect & Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Bad Smell Ore: Poopite (Armor & Weapons) Legendary | Multiplier 2.35x Drop Chance 1/333 | Deals 15% poison for 5s when below 35% HP. Casts Fear. (15s Cooldown)
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The Forge Ore Traits FAQ
You’ll need to add one of the ores listed above to your crafting recipe mix. The ore with the desired Trait must make up at least 11% of the recipe for the Trait to transfer. The more of that ore you include, the stronger the final Trait value will be, up to its maximum cap.
Yes, you can mix multiple ores with Traits to inherit Traits from both of them. However, the same rule applies: each ore must make up at more than 10% of the recipe for its Trait to appear. Keep in mind that 10% doesn't work; it has to be more (our lowest tested percentage was 14%).
The best Trait is the one on Demonite, which adds Demon's Backfire plus Burn.
Traits can gain better values during the crafting process. The more of an ore with a specific Trait you add, the better the final Trait numbers will be.
No, it does not. When you enhance a weapon or armor, it will only improve its base stats, but it doesn't work on Traits or Runes.
Yes, you can, just keep in mind the percentage of your Ores. To activate all Traits, the Ores must be more than 10% of the materials.
And with that, our The Forge Ore Traits Tier List is complete. In general, higher-rarity ores have the best Traits, but you should always take an ore’s Multiplier into account when evaluating them. The Multiplier boosts all your stats across the board, which usually provides far more value than the Trait alone. If you’re looking for more The Forge guides, check out our ultimate Pickaxe tier list.
Nikola is a Senior Staff Writer at Pro Game Guides with over 13 years of experience in gaming journalism. He has been playing video games since his father bought him an NES and a Sega Mega Drive in the early 1990s. Over the years, he has mainly become a PC gamer with a love for narrative-driven RPGs, real-time strategy games, and psychological/survival horror titles. Still, he enjoys any game that’s worth his time.