About Forging

Option items
Option items in Rohan are rare drops that can be found whenever you kill a monster. When I mean rare it’s easily a 1/1000 chance or even less. However, these items, while rare, are very good as they can be added in to a forging to increase the power of the weapon that comes out. When creating a ‘Rare’ item, you can put in one Option item and it will take on the property of that option item. Option items have things such as 5% more physical damage or things such as that. When creating a ‘Unique’ item, you have the choice of putting in two separate option items.
These can also be found from fishing or very rare quests.

Powerful
1. Weapons
Normal Weapon (1-2 Modifiers) + Normal Weapon (1-2 Modifiers) + Option Item =
Rare Weapon (2-4 Modifiers + Option Item Modifier)
Rare Weapon (2-4 Modifiers + Option Item Modifier) + Rare Weapon (2-4 Modifiers + Option Item Modifier) + Option Item + Option Item = Unique Weapon (4 - 8 Modifiers + 4 Option Item Modifiers)
Unique Weapon (4 - 8 Modifiers + 4 Option Item Modifiers) + Accessory = Ancient Weapon (4 - 8 Modifiers + 4 Option Item Modifiers + Accessory Modifier)
2. Armor
Normal Armor (1-2 Modifiers) + Normal Armor (1-2 Modifiers) = Rare Armor (2-4 Modifiers)
Rare Armor (2-4 Modifiers) + Rare Armor (2-4 Modifiers) = 'Unique' Armor (4-8 Modifiers)
'Unique' Armor (4-8 Modifiers) + Option Stone = 'Enhanced' Unique Armor (4-8 Modifiers + Option Item Modifier)
You see why people are so obsessed with forging? The difference is huge.

When
This depends on three things. The first is how much of a difference the weapon or armor will make on you, the second is what level of forging you want to go up to and the third is how much time/money you’re willing to spend. All three go hand in hand.

1. How much difference will the armor or weapon make?
Look at the level 21 Unique Sword. It has 113 attack basically plus the modifiers from the previous combined weapons. Comparing that to all other weapons, the only thing that can really compete with it is the level 28 Normal sword and the level 29(Rohan powerleveling, Rohan gold) Rare Sword, having 116 and 138 attack respectively. That is a 7-8 level difference before you can catch up to that. However is it really all that hard to get from level 21 to 28, considering the fact that you can easily level down the two weapons beforehand to reach it even faster?

Always consider how long you are going to be using said weapon before you make the investment of time and money of forging it. If you’re just going to be using it for a day or two, think about whether or not it is worth all the trouble of breaking and such. However if you have managed to forge the level 61 Unique Sword and the closest alternative is 7 levels later? Those levels will take some time and that extra damage will be of great use to you.
So as a general rule of thumb, the higher level you are, the more useful it is to forge. At earlier levels it really isn’t worth it, so when you do it, don’t get too wrapped up in it. You can if you want, but it’s really not going to make or break you.

2. What level of forging do you want to go up to?
When forging you have to consider whether or not it’s really worth it to go past Rare to Unique and whether or not it’s really worth it to go up to Ancient. Remember that each time you go up a level, the chances of failure increase exponentially. Sometimes it’s better to stay at a Rare item if that has the stats you want.

Getting greedy and going up to Unique could easily destroy both items and force you to play with a weapon that’s a lot worse than even the one you had originally. So carefully consider whether going up to the next level really makes all that much of a difference.

You should NEVER go up to the next level simply for the attack bonus. It isn’t worth it unless you are using weapons without modifiers. Only consider going up to the next level if you have two weapons with modifiers that will create an even more powerful weapon when being put together. That’s the only time it’s worth it to take the risk.

3. How much time/money are you willing to put in to it?
Let’s face it. Forging is expensive and it takes a lot of time. It becomes time consuming gathering the correct weapons and armor, whether through hunting or questing, and then when they break, as they always will at one time or another; you have to get them again.

To get a truly powerful weapon or armor you have to be willing to put in a lot of effort beforehand. This also comes hand in hand with money if you’re buying them.