This guide explores the Volcano Forge in Stardew Valley, a location where players can magically enhance tools and weapons using gemstones, crystals, and Cinder Shards. The 1.6 update expanded this feature, adding enchantments for the pan and innate weapon enchantments.
Acquiring Cinder Shards:
Cinder Shards are crucial for all Volcano Forge functions. Gather them by:
- Mining Cinder Shard nodes (pink-orange specks) in the Volcano Dungeon.
- Obtaining them as drops from Magma Sprites, Magma Duggies, Magma Sparkers, and False Magma Caps (with varying drop rates).
- Harvesting them from a fishing pond containing 7+ Stingrays (7-9% daily chance).
Note: Cinder Shards are resources, not gems, and can't be replicated in the Crystalarium.
The Mini-Forge:
After achieving Combat Mastery, craft a 
Mini-Forge (5 Dragon Teeth, 10 Iron Bars, 10 Gold Bars, 5 Iridium Bars). It functions identically to the Volcano Dungeon forge.
Weapon Forging:
Enhance weapons (up to three times) using gemstones and Cinder Shards (10, 15, then 20 shards per forge). Gemstone effects:
Amethyst: +1 knockback per forge.
Aquamarine: +4.6% critical hit chance per forge.
Emerald: +2/+3/+2 weapon speed per forge.
Jade: +10% critical hit damage per forge.
Ruby: +10% damage per forge.
Topaz: +1 defense per forge.
Diamond: Three random upgrades (10 shards).
Optimal Upgrades: Emerald and Ruby offer significant DPS boosts. Topaz and Amethyst improve survivability.
Unforging: Place the weapon in the left slot and select the red X to remove all forging (recovering some shards, but not the gemstone).
Infinity Weapons:
Upgrade Galaxy Sword, Dagger, or Hammer into Infinity versions using three Galaxy Souls (20 shards per soul). Existing upgrades and enchantments are retained. Obtain Galaxy Souls through Mr. Qi, Big Slimes (Dangerous Mines), or the Island Trader (after killing 50 Dangerous Monsters).
Enchantments:
Apply random effects to tools/weapons using a 
Prismatic Shard and 20 Cinder Shards. Enchantments are not selectable.
Weapon Enchantments: Artful, Bug Killer, Crusader, Vampiric, Haymaker (Bug Killer and Crusader are generally most useful).
Innate Enchantments: Use a 
Dragon Tooth to add one enchantment from each of two sets to melee weapons. Sets include: Slime Slayer/+Crit Power/+Attack/+Speed and Slime Gatherer/+Defense/–Weight.
Tool Enchantments: Twelve enchantments exist, each tool having specific compatible options (Auto-Hook, Archeologist, Bottomless, Efficient, Fisher, Generous, Master, Powerful, Preserving, Reaching, Shaving, Swift). Choose based on playstyle. (Bottomless for Watering Can, Shaving for Axe, Generous/Reaching for Hoe, Swift/Powerful for Pickaxe, Preserving for Fishing Rod, Generous/Reaching for Pan are generally considered strong choices).
