Grimm Forge
About the Game
Dark Fantasy Roguelike Deckbuilder
What Is Grimm Forge?
Grimm Forge is a free-to-play roguelike deckbuilder set in the world of R.J. Stenson's debut novel. You play as a Grimm, a dragon-blooded warrior reborn in the forge fires, delving into the miasma-choked depths of an ancient dungeon, building a deck from four disciplines, and deciding when to extract before the corruption claims you.
The Core Fantasy
Build. Delve. Extract. Or Die.
Every run begins with a choice: which Grimm do you send into the depths? Each one carries a starting deck built from one of four disciplines (Combat, Flame, Stone, or Storm) and the cards you find inside will shape everything that follows.
The deeper you go, the richer the rewards. But the miasma rises with every floor, and death in the depths is permanent. Only what you carry in your secure pouch survives the journey back.
Extraction beacons offer a way out before the darkness takes you. The question is always the same: do you push deeper for one more reward, or do you cut your losses and live to fight again?
Deckbuilding
Choose your discipline. Draft cards from the dungeon. Build a deck that survives the deep floors.
Extraction
Use beacons to escape with your loot. Push too far and lose everything. Timing is survival.
Permadeath
Die in the miasma and your run ends. Only your secure pouch survives. Every decision matters.
Progression
Your guild persists between runs. Unlock new cards, relics, and upgrades that carry forward.
What Sets It Apart
More Than a Deckbuilder
Extraction Mechanics
Unlike traditional roguelikes where you fight to the end, Grimm Forge rewards smart exits. Every run is a risk-management puzzle. Carry too much and you might lose it all. Extract too early and you leave power on the table.
Lore-First World
Every card, enemy, relic, and event is rooted in the mythology of The Grimm Forge novel. The miasma, the disciplines, the forge fires... it all connects to a larger story that the book tells in full.
No Forced Class
Your Grimm is not locked into a single discipline. Start with Combat and unlock Flame as you level. Mix disciplines to create builds that no one has tried before. Every Grimm is built different.
The Four Starting Disciplines
Choose Your Path
Strike hard. Defend harder. Master of weapons, armor, and raw physical power.
Burn everything. Fire damage, AoE devastation, and the Burning status.
Unbreakable defense. Shields, thorns, and endurance that outlasts anything.
Speed and chain lightning. Draw cards, gain energy, strike from everywhere.
More disciplines unlock as your Grimm levels up. No two builds are the same.
Who Is This For?
You'll Love Grimm Forge If…
You love Slay the Spire, Monster Train, or Cobalt Core
You enjoy dark fantasy settings with real lore behind them
You like extraction mechanics and risk-reward decisions
You want a deckbuilder where your choices carry weight
You're a fan of Dungeon Crawler Carl or Red Rising energy
You want to play a game connected to a novel you can read