Blacksmith

This is the classic AoE-oriented Blacksmith route from the iRO guide. It centers on Cart Revolution for pack clearing, while layering the Blacksmith buff package of Adrenaline Rush, Weapon Perfection, Power Thrust, and Maximize Power. Those upkeep windows are much friendlier on AoY because Adrenaline Rush lasts 3.5 minutes, Power Thrust lasts 2.5 minutes, and Weapon Perfection lasts 2 minutes.

The iRO guide also notes that Hammer Fall is excellent for temporarily disabling mobs, while Mammonite stays available for stronger single-target finishing at 50% reduced zeny cost on AoY.

This is the more accessible battle route from the iRO guide and is the one most often recommended for players with less funding. It focuses on high attack speed, strong melee uptime, and the Blacksmith buff trio of Adrenaline Rush, Weapon Perfection, and Power Thrust. On AoY, those buff durations are stretched to 3.5 minutes, 2 minutes, and 2.5 minutes respectively, which makes the route feel much less maintenance-heavy.

The iRO warning for this route is that Renewal Blacksmith flee is weaker than thief-class dodging, so you usually still need some sustain gear and recovery items. It is a strong option if you want a simpler combat-oriented Blacksmith without leaning fully into expensive Mammonite spam.

The iRO guide still documents the traditional pure forger route, but it also strongly warns that the build is no longer recommended for general play because better weapons, converters, and endows now outperform classic forged elemental gear in most situations.

If you still want to follow the forging path, the guide recommends leveling first as a battle build and only resetting later into high DEX and LUK. It also notes that most modern smith players get more long-term value by progressing into Whitesmith instead. AoY does give the niche forging route one custom upside, though: forged weapons can roll Random Options on this server.