CORE RULES
What is Forged in Fire?
Overview
Forged in Fire MTCG is a strategic trading card game played with laser-engraved anodized-aluminum cards. Build a 30-card deck, deploy Forgekin, and reduce your opponent's Forge Core to 0 before they destroy yours.
Every battle combines tactical card play with a Chaos system that can alter the outcome of an attack.
Stats
A Forgekin is defeated when its damage equals or exceeds its current Power.
The amount of damage dealt by the Forgekin's basic attack.
Add the Chaos of all your Forgekin in play. At 20 or higher, perform a Chaos Check before attacking.
Core Rules at a Glance
Passive Abilities: Active while the Forgekin is in either the Battle or Standby Slot unless stated otherwise. A passive limited to the Battle Slot will begin with "Battle Slot:".
Active Abilities: Usable once per turn from the Battle Slot unless stated otherwise. Using one replaces that Forgekin's attack.
Stat Duration: Stat changes last until the end of the turn unless stated otherwise.
Minimum Power: Power cannot be reduced below 1. A Forgekin is immediately defeated when its damage equals or exceeds its current Power.
Built in Metal
Forged in Fire cards are laser-engraved on anodized aluminum and will not swell or disintegrate when wet. Dry cards before storage to prevent water spots, residue, or discoloration.
View Metal Card CareBattleflow
Resolve effects and defeats, then draw one card.
Play cards, swap, use your Forger, and choose an Attack or Ability.
Finish remaining actions, clean up, and pass the turn.
Remember: Attacking, using an Ability, playing a Decree, or resolving a Chaos Check (including Backfire or Misfire) does not end your turn. Only selecting End Turn passes play to your opponent.
Battlefield Setup
Layout
Each player controls a Battle Slot (your active fighter), up to three Standby Slots (your backup Forgekin), two Forge Slots, a Forge Core, and a Scrap Pile.
Click the battle mat to enlarge.
Battle Mat Zones
Battle Slot
Your active fighter — attack with this Forgekin or use its ability each turn. Attack the enemy's active fighter to deal damage. One Forgekin at a time per side.
Deck Building
Exactly 30 cards — no more or less.
Maximum 2 copies of each non-Legendary card.
Maximum 2 Legendary cards total, with only 1 copy of each.
Select exactly 1 Forger.
The Forger is separate and does not count toward the 30-card deck.
It begins the game in play at your Forge Core.
Its ability may be activated once per turn during your Main Phase.
Opening Setup
- 1Draw
Each player draws exactly 5 cards.
- 2Check for Forgekin
If your hand contains no Forgekin, reveal it, reshuffle it into your deck, and draw 5 new cards. Repeat if necessary.
- 3Choose Your Battle Forgekin
Place 1 Forgekin into your Battle Slot.
- 4Fill Standby
You may place up to 3 additional Forgekin into Standby Slots. Unplaced cards remain in your hand; do not draw replacements.
- 5Choose the First Player
Flip a coin. The winner chooses who goes first. The first player draws normally on their first turn.
Card Types
- Deployed to the Battle or Standby Slots.
- Have Power, Chaos, and Control stats.
- Played into Decree Slots, with a maximum of 2 played per turn.
- Move to the Scrap Pile at the end of the turn.
Rarity Tiers
Status Effects
Quick Reference
Applied by abilities. Persist until removed or the Forgekin leaves play.
Deals 1 damage at the start of its controller’s turn. Does not stack — reapplying leaves one Burn. Persists until removed or the Forgekin leaves play.
Reduces the affected Forgekin’s Control by 1. Persists until removed or the Forgekin leaves play. Does not reduce Power and cannot cause defeat.
The affected Forgekin takes 1 additional damage from every damage source. Persists until removed or the Forgekin leaves play. Does not stack.
Reduce all damage dealt to this Forgekin by 1 until the start of your next turn.
This Forgekin cannot Attack or use its Ability during its controller’s next turn. It may still be swapped, and its Passive effects remain active. Remove Stun at the end of that turn.
Every successful Poison application adds 1 Poison stack, up to a maximum of 3 stacks. At the start of its controller’s turn, each stack deals 1 damage — resolve each stack as a separate damage event and check for defeat after every stack. Removing Poison removes all stacks unless an effect explicitly removes only one.
Status Interactions & Examples
Burn and Poison may coexist. At the start of a Forgekin's controller's turn, resolve Burn first, then Poison stacks one at a time — applying Weaken separately to each event and checking defeat after each. Stop resolving immediately if the Forgekin is defeated.
FORGED IN FIRE MTCG — CORE RULES V1
METAL TRADING CARD GAME