Run decisions
Forge and Shatter
Decide what to keep, improve, or dismantle without breaking the active build.
Evaluate the loop, not the color
Compare a candidate item with the trigger you already use, its slot cost, and the condition needed to activate it. Rarity does not repair a weapon or relic that points at a different resource and combat rhythm.
Shatter is a trigger
Shatter occurs when an item is dismantled. Effects such as Hanged Man's Rope can react to that event, so the dismantle itself may have value beyond clearing inventory.
Improve the stable piece
When using Forge or Weapon Parts, favor the piece that already carries the run's reliable loop. Do not spend scarce improvement choices to rescue a speculative item that still needs several unrelated drops.
Stop before the replacement weakens the run
Keep a usable fallback until the new item can perform its job. If the upgrade removes elemental coverage, reload cadence, or a required trigger, delay the swap and preserve the complete loop.
Use the current Forge path
The full release reworked Forge: ordinary weapons can reach Red through forging, while some naturally Red special weapons are not ordinary upgrade destinations. The Bound Blacksmith now appears at the stage-end shop, so compare the destination before spending the route.
Read every Shatter reaction first
Check the active Tarot face, Hanged Man's Rope, and any other dismantle reaction before confirming. Shatter is the event fired when an item is dismantled; it is not a generic armor break or a natural follow-up to Freeze.
Treat Auto Dismantle as a filter
Auto Dismantle is available in Settings. If a build creates, duplicates, or reacts to items through Shatter, Embarkation, or Destination effects, start with a narrow rarity filter and test one room. Disable it if pickups, effects, or input begin to stall.
Run the keep, forge, or shatter check
Keep the item when it already completes a needed role. Forge it when the current loop is stable and the shown destination improves that same role. Shatter it when neither condition is true and a dismantle reaction is worth more than the fallback. If the destination is unclear, keep the working item until the next shop rather than gambling away the only complete loop.