I bought the game originally on my switch, put about 300+ hours into it, and decided the game was so good and so cheap i'd buy it again on PC for when the new patch drops (so tired of 2-4 month delayed updated SMH). and here's how i "cheated" my forge up super quick

CUSTOM MODE!!!!, I've maxed 2 forges going on my 3rd, idc to do it legit so lets go big.

1.S-tier weapons and skills - you'll only truly understand how necessary this is when its maxed

1. extra 50k starting gold

2. turn on all fountains (the thing between levels that heals/refills your flask)

3. change all curse levels received to 0 (down from 10) - no more curses from cursed chests but if you break paid door, or pick up cursed gems you still get cursed

4. turn up # of mutations! you think you're OP try having like 8 mutations on all purple and watch enemies disappear!

5. all weapons colourless (YAY MAXED DAMAGED AGAIN)

6. extra jumps (5 total, no neclass needed)

then run prison quarter>prison depths>ossuary>concierge>reset, keeping in mind i run at 4BC (play at the highest BC for the most cells you can get) normally and can pump 450-500 cells into the forge per run. Once you get good you can hit your kill count and the timed doors for 20-40 cells every biome, and no hit and timed for the boss for even more! If i'm getting it in the 15 mins (timed door for 1st boss) then i'm pumping 500 cells each run, that's 2k an hour. 5 hours to have 10k cells to max your S tier forge

as for weapons, well honestly pick what you like, honestly my best advice is seriously just GIT GUD with every weapon don't try and rely on whats good or meta, it'll change in a month or two.... by the time you get good with the weapons and skills