One relic can present four different decisions
A relic's normal description explains what it does while owned. A hidden description can add a separate passive or relationship. A forge link points to another relic record with its own effect. [Shatter] is the effect triggered when the current item is dismantled. Combining those lines into one vague sense of value leads to bad decisions.
Read the record in this order: current effect, trigger condition, hidden or linked effect, forge destination, then Shatter. Ask what works now before pricing a future upgrade. A relic that is weak today does not become strong merely because its forge destination is attractive if you cannot realistically reach that destination.
The Relics database keeps normal text, hidden text, forge relations, unlock conditions, and Shatter data together.
Use a keep-or-dismantle checklist
Keep it when it increases a frequent action
An effect that improves a trigger you already produce—such as a magazine event, Transmutation, health state, or stage transition—has immediate coverage. Estimate how many opportunities it receives before comparing its printed payoff with another relic.
Hold it when the forge route is realistic
A forge target is a plan, not current power. Hold the base item when the target would materially improve the existing loop and the run still has a credible path to forging it. Do not let a speculative upgrade block several stronger immediate pickups.
Dismantle it when the slot and trigger are both weak
If the normal effect rarely triggers, the hidden relation is inactive, and the forge target does not fit the build, dismantling can reduce clutter. Before confirming, check whether Shatter, tarot, or another relic turns the dismantle action into a payoff.
Shatter changes the timing of item value
Shatter is not a refund label; it is a defined trigger that occurs when the item is dismantled. Some rewards are therefore valuable at the moment you stop owning them. That creates a timing decision: dismantle immediately for tempo, wait for another effect to become active, or keep the relic because its normal contribution is still larger.
Do not assume a Shatter line is always available or always superior. Check the exact item record and every condition that interacts with dismantling. A triggered effect belongs in the conditional ledger until the dismantle actually happens.
Read the exact rule and every linked record on the Shatter mechanic page.
Tarot can turn cleanup into a planned trigger
Upright and reversed tarot faces are separate records with separate effects. Some reversed effects interact with dismantling or with the trigger vocabulary carried by a relic. That means the order of operations matters: read the tarot condition, identify the matching relic tag, and only then dismantle.
A good dismantle plan names the exact reward you expect. If the explanation is only “this might help the tarot,” pause and verify the face text. This avoids consuming an item before the required condition is present.
Compare both orientations and their exact text in the Tarot database before treating dismantling as part of the build.
Judge rarity after trigger coverage
Rarity can change item availability, effect scale, and upgrade expectations, but it does not prove fit. A modest relic with a trigger that occurs every magazine may contribute more over a run than a rare relic whose condition appears once or never. Keep a high-rarity item when its actual effect and future route justify the opportunity cost, not because the frame color is difficult to ignore.
Frequently asked questions
What does Shatter mean in Pass the Fear?
Shatter is the effect triggered when an item is dismantled. It is separate from the relic's normal owned effect and from any forge relationship.
Is a forged relic the same item with better numbers?
No. A forge relationship points to a separate relic record with its own description and data. Evaluate the current relic and the forge destination independently.
Should I dismantle every relic that does not fit my build?
Not automatically. Check its Shatter text, hidden relationship, forge path, current tarot, and any other dismantle triggers before deciding when to remove it.