Hotfix — Startup Fixes and Recovery Relic Improvements

Hello, this is the developer of ForgeTax.

After reviewing your reports about startup problems and difficulty following the update, I have released this hotfix. I am sorry for the disruption to your play.

Startup fixes

Fixed an issue that prevented the game from starting in some environments with the SteamInit-1 error. Local play and saving can now continue even if the Steam connection fails. Recovery handling has also been improved for errors during startup or save restoration that could leave the game on a black screen. If you encounter a similar problem after updating, please let me know. I will investigate and respond as quickly as possible.

A better chance to recover after missed tribute

• You now receive the three basic swords the next day even if you fail to meet the tribute requirement.

• Rage still accumulates, and the dragon still throws your swords angrily.

• Tutorial guidance has been updated to match.

Better access to recovery and defensive relics

Too many ways to deal with broken swords depended on a small set of relics that could be hard to find when needed. During days 2–6, Black Knot, Iron Hoop, Undertaker's Chalice, Broken Holy Sword, Cracked Splice, and Wirebound Scabbard now appear more often. Their individual minimum-day and unlock requirements still apply.

• Undertaker's Chalice: costs 1 sword and can appear from day 2. When a sword breaks, 30% of its peak value is offered as scrap tribute.

• Scorched Charm: price reduced to 1 sword; available from day 3.

• Third Hand and Golden Nail: available from day 3.

• Worn Grip: available from day 4.

Let a broken sword help your next attempt

• Broken Holy Sword: passes 30% of a broken sword's enhancement to the next unforged +0 sword. Inheriting enhancement grants 3 Frenzy charges.

• Dawn Scabbard: passes 40% of the enhancement and grants 4 Frenzy charges when enhancement is inherited.

• With both relics, the effects add together: 70% enhancement inheritance and 7 Frenzy charges. The descriptions now explicitly explain that they combine.

Stronger mid- and late-run protection

• Dragonscale Tongs: the reduction to Break chance at +6 or higher has increased from 20% to 25%.

• Lightning Mark: after a Great outside Frenzy, the next strike's Break chance reduction has increased from 35% to 40%.

• Phoenix Ash: the sword value lost when preventing a Break has decreased from 50% to 40%.

Relic cleanup and descriptions

• Relief Sack and Burial Coin have been temporarily removed from the active pool. Existing owned copies are refunded as 1 and 2 relic-shop sword credits respectively.

• Updated effects and inheritance rules are reflected in the descriptions across supported languages.

In planning around the power that future relics and content might add, I did not leave enough recovery options and room for choice in the game as it exists today. This hotfix focuses on giving you ways to manage danger and try again after losing a sword using the content currently available. Recovery relics have been strengthened. As more options are added, I will use actual play and feedback to avoid making any one relic feel essential.

I am continuing to monitor balance through play records and your feedback. My priority is to reduce excessive frustration and dependence on specific relics, and restore a healthier balance between challenge and growth as quickly as possible.

Thank you to everyone who has played and reported problems. I will keep working to make ForgeTax a better experience.