Mortal Shell 2 Tarforge — All 5 Upgrade Parts and What They Unlock
Section titled “Mortal Shell 2 Tarforge — All 5 Upgrade Parts and What They Unlock”The Tarforge is in Marrow Keep and is managed by Franz. Its main upgrade functions are opened by five components: Muradean Actuator, Obsidian Lathe, Etching Needles, Foundry Stone, and Endless Core.
The first four are returned to Franz. The Endless Core works differently: install it through the Tarforge menu itself.
How does the Tarforge work?
Section titled “How does the Tarforge work?”Each component opens or extends a specific Tarforge function:
- Muradean Actuator unlocks primary weapon enhancement.
- Obsidian Lathe unlocks sidearm enhancement.
- Etching Needles unlock Tarstone upgrading, or Tempering.
- Foundry Stone unlocks Smelt Equipment, which refunds weapon and sidearm upgrade materials.
- Endless Core removes the normal weapon and sidearm upgrade cap.
You do not need to collect the five parts in one fixed order. The useful order depends on where you are in the game and which upgrade function you need next.
All 5 Tarforge upgrades at a glance
Section titled “All 5 Tarforge upgrades at a glance”| Part | Location | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| Muradean Actuator | Village Outskirts Beacon dungeon during the Prologue route | Primary weapon enhancement |
| Obsidian Lathe | Martyr’s Tomb in Fainweald, southeast of Widow’s Overlook | Sidearm enhancement |
| Etching Needles | Glutted Mire, on the supported route after Tarblighted Shepherd and before Magdalena | Tarstone upgrading / Tempering |
| Foundry Stone | South of the Outskirts of Mammon Beacon, around a battlefield / fortification area | Smelt Equipment |
| Endless Core | Hidden Nave in The Unfound Path | Removes the normal weapon and sidearm upgrade cap |
Muradean Actuator location — unlock weapon upgrades
Section titled “Muradean Actuator location — unlock weapon upgrades”The Muradean Actuator can be found during the Prologue route in the Village Outskirts Beacon dungeon.
It is in a missable chest, so it is worth checking this route carefully rather than assuming the component is awarded automatically.
Return the Muradean Actuator to Franz in Marrow Keep to unlock primary weapon enhancement at the Tarforge.
If you are deciding which melee weapon to invest in, use the Weapons guide for the site’s current weapon routes.
Obsidian Lathe location — unlock sidearm upgrades
Section titled “Obsidian Lathe location — unlock sidearm upgrades”The Obsidian Lathe is in Martyr’s Tomb, in Fainweald southeast of Widow’s Overlook.
Bring the Obsidian Lathe back to Franz to unlock sidearm enhancement. Use the Sidearms guide for the launch roster and compact location checklist.
This is a useful component to pair with exploration of the wider Martyr’s Tomb area and the Tiel route, but the Tarforge objective remains simple: find the Lathe, return it to Franz, and the sidearm enhancement function becomes available.
Etching Needles location — unlock Tarstone upgrades
Section titled “Etching Needles location — unlock Tarstone upgrades”The Etching Needles are in Glutted Mire.
On the supported route, they are found after Tarblighted Shepherd and before Magdalena.
Return the Etching Needles to Franz to unlock Tarstone upgrading / Tempering at the Tarforge.
For Tarstone effects, XP, Tarcores, and the broader Tarstone system, use the separate Tarstones guide. This page keeps its focus on unlocking the Tarforge function itself.
Foundry Stone location — unlock Smelt Equipment
Section titled “Foundry Stone location — unlock Smelt Equipment”The Foundry Stone is found south of the Outskirts of Mammon Beacon, around a battlefield or fortification area, in a chest.
Return it to Franz to unlock Smelt Equipment.
Smelt Equipment lets you recover weapon and sidearm upgrade materials from gear you no longer want to keep upgraded.
Balance Patch 1 made this function cheaper to use: the Gloom cost of Smelt Equipment was reduced by 75%. See Balance Patch 1 for the other economy, boss, weapon, and Tarstone changes.
Endless Core location — remove the upgrade cap
Section titled “Endless Core location — remove the upgrade cap”The Endless Core is in the Hidden Nave, within The Unfound Path.
This is an endgame-area component and it is handled differently from the first four Tarforge parts.
Do not give the Endless Core to Franz. At the Tarforge, use the Install Endless Core option instead.
Installing it removes the normal upgrade cap on weapons and sidearms.
Current launch information is not consistent enough to use this page for a fixed final maximum upgrade level, so the safe takeaway is simple: the Endless Core opens further upgrading beyond the normal cap.
What changed for the Tarforge in Balance Patch 1?
Section titled “What changed for the Tarforge in Balance Patch 1?”The Tarforge change confirmed for Balance Patch 1 is:
- Smelt Equipment Gloom cost reduced by 75%
The function still requires the Foundry Stone to unlock. The patch makes using Smelt Equipment cheaper; it does not make smelting free.
Which Tarforge parts should you get first?
Section titled “Which Tarforge parts should you get first?”There is no need to force one universal order.
A practical approach is:
- Muradean Actuator first if you missed it. It is available on the Prologue route and opens primary weapon enhancement.
- Choose your next component by the function you need.
- Want to enhance sidearms? Go for Obsidian Lathe.
- Want to upgrade Tarstones? Go for Etching Needles.
- Want to recover weapon or sidearm upgrade materials? Go for Foundry Stone.
- Endless Core comes later. It is in the endgame area The Unfound Path and removes the normal weapon and sidearm upgrade cap.
This keeps the route tied to your build instead of sending you across the map for a function you do not need yet.
Tarforge FAQ
Section titled “Tarforge FAQ”Where is the Tarforge?
Section titled “Where is the Tarforge?”The Tarforge is in Marrow Keep, where Franz manages its upgrade functions.
What does Muradean Actuator unlock?
Section titled “What does Muradean Actuator unlock?”It unlocks primary weapon enhancement at the Tarforge.
Where is Obsidian Lathe?
Section titled “Where is Obsidian Lathe?”The Obsidian Lathe is in Martyr’s Tomb in Fainweald, southeast of Widow’s Overlook.
What do Etching Needles do?
Section titled “What do Etching Needles do?”They unlock Tarstone upgrading / Tempering at the Tarforge.
How do you unlock Smelt Equipment?
Section titled “How do you unlock Smelt Equipment?”Find the Foundry Stone south of the Outskirts of Mammon Beacon and return it to Franz.
What does Endless Core do?
Section titled “What does Endless Core do?”It removes the normal upgrade cap on weapons and sidearms.
Do you give Endless Core to Franz?
Section titled “Do you give Endless Core to Franz?”No. Install it directly through the Tarforge menu using Install Endless Core.
Should you kill Franz?
Section titled “Should you kill Franz?”Some launch guides report that killing Franz unlocks the four main Tarforge functions, but this is unnecessary for normal progression and permanently changes an NPC state. This guide follows the normal component route.
What changed for the Tarforge in Balance Patch 1?
Section titled “What changed for the Tarforge in Balance Patch 1?”The Gloom cost of Smelt Equipment was reduced by 75%.