The Forge Guard is one of the Sentinel’s three Mastery choices in Last Epoch, standing out with its unique combination of heavy armor, fiery attacks, and summoned weapons. While Paladin and Void Knight are often considered more popular choices, Forge Guard offers a distinct playstyle that blends durability, throwing attacks, and fire-based abilities. With the right setup, this Mastery can become both a tanky frontline fighter and a deadly pack-clearing machine. It would be even safer if there were sufficient Last Epoch gold support.

 

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly build to take you through the campaign efficiently, this Forge Guard leveling guide covers everything you need—from skills and passives to gear and idols.

 

Build Overview

 

The core of this Forge Guard leveling setup revolves around two Throwing Skills: Hammer Throw and Shield Throw. Together, they provide consistent area damage and reliable single-target DPS. With Forge Guard’s natural tankiness and sustain tools, you’ll have no trouble surviving even tough encounters while clearing groups of enemies at a rapid pace.

 

Pros:

 

Easy to gear with strong performance even without rare Uniques

 

Excellent area-of-effect damage for campaign progression

 

Very tanky with strong block chance and sustain options

 

Cons:

 

Single-target damage lags behind other Masteries

 

Boss fights may feel slower compared to elite builds

 

Your general playstyle involves dashing between enemy packs using Shield Rush for mobility, then unleashing waves of hammers with Hammer Throw. Early on, hammers will orbit around you, damaging nearby foes. Later, with proper specialization, you’ll fling them outward in wide waves for stronger clearing potential.

 

Against bosses or tanky enemies, Shield Throw becomes your main single-target option, supported by buffs, healing, and utility from Smite and Symbols of Hope.

 

Skills and Specializations

 

Hammer Throw – Your primary damage skill, unlocked at level 3. Early specialization focuses on spiraling and orbiting hammers through nodes like Catapult, Avatar of the Spire, and Iron Spiral. Eventually, pick Enra’s Technique to switch to a fan-shaped spread that deals more direct damage. Take Mana Starved Forging, so Hammer Throw costs no Mana when you’re empty.

 

Shield Rush – Your mobility skill and secondary damage tool. Specialize in Rush Mastery to reduce Mana cost, then invest in Protective Speed and Unstoppable Charge for survivability. Damage nodes like Consuming Path and Warrior’s Entrance make it an effective opener when engaging packs.

 

Shield Throw – The Forge Guard’s bread-and-butter single-target option. Specialize in Siege Breaker, Defender’s Rage, Throwing Arm, and Colossus for raw damage, while Aeroplates and Vampiric Steel add sustain. Fleet of Foot provides movement speed after casting, making it useful for kiting.

 

Smite – A supportive skill that helps with both sustain and damage. Key nodes include Desperate Measures (free casts when out of Mana), Soothing Balm (restores Health and Mana), and Righteous Flurry for damage scaling.

 

Symbols of Hope – A late unlock after investing points in the Paladin passive tree. Specialize in Iron Symbols, Enduring Hope, Tetragram, and Sign of the Guardian for strong buffs and survivability. Later nodes like Quiet Mind and Heavenly Justice push your sustain even further.

 

Passive Tree Setup

 

You’ll use all three Sentinel trees to maximize your build: Sentinel, Forge Guard, and a splash of Paladin.

 

Sentinel Tree – Invest in Juggernaut for Strength, Armour Clad for damage reduction, and Time and Faith for sustain. These foundational nodes enhance both offense and defense.

 

Forge Guard Tree – Focus on key nodes like Fresh from the Forge, Siege Captain, and Hammer and Anvil for throwing damage. Defensive options like Walls of Solarum and Iron Reflexes significantly boost your survivability.

 

Paladin Tree – Place 15 points here to unlock Symbols of Hope. Prioritize Conviction for damage, with some points in Defiance and Honor for extra durability.

 

For added resistance, splash into the Void Knight’s Abyssal Endurance, which is extremely efficient for plugging gaps in your defenses.

 

Stats, Idols, and Gear

 

Offensive Stat Priority:

 

Throwing Damage

 

Throwing Attack Speed

 

Level of Hammer Throw

 

Dexterity

 

Strength

 

Critical Strike Chance

 

Critical Strike Multiplier

 

Defensive Stat Priority:

 

Health

 

Block Chance

 

Endurance

 

Resistances (especially Physical during campaign)

 

Idols – Look for Adorned Rahyeh Idols with “Chance to Cast Smite on Throwing Hit.” This dramatically boosts both sustain and DPS. For extra offense, slot Large Rahyeh Idols with Throwing Crit Multiplier and Armor Shred on Hit.

 

Unique Items to Look Out For

 

While this build doesn’t require Uniques, several can elevate it:

 

Firestarter’s Torch – Drops as early as level 1, inflicting Spreading Flames on hit and reducing Mana costs for Fire abilities like Smite.

 

Bleeding Heart – Provides strong sustain early until Smite is available.

 

Thorn Slinger and Riverbend Grasp – Boost Throwing attack effectiveness.

 

Sigeon’s Reprisal – A game-changer shield that auto-triggers Shield Throw when you’re hit. Pair it with “Damage Reflected to Attackers” on idols to massively scale Shield Throw damage.

 

Final Thoughts

 

The Forge Guard may not have the flashy Void damage of the Void Knight or the holy scaling of the Paladin, but it makes up for it with sheer durability and unique throwing-based gameplay. This leveling build is straightforward, forgiving for new players, and extremely effective at clearing packs throughout the campaign.

 

While boss fights may take a little longer, the combination of Hammer Throw, Shield Throw, Plus sufficient cheap Last Epoch gold support. Strong sustain tools ensure you’ll rarely feel overwhelmed. With proper gearing and idols, this Forge Guard setup becomes a reliable, tanky powerhouse that can carry you well into endgame content.