No wonder, I didn't even know that. I guess there's also the option of renting out high level pawns. At least for the parts I get stuck on.
The exception is the final story boss in the game prior to the start of the post-game). That boss will dragonforge every piece of forgeable equipment the Arisen has equipped, regardless of the equipment's state.
Once that opportunity is gone, there is still a relatively easy way to secure at least one dragonforge upgrade per encounter.
1) Reforge your equipment to at least two stars (usually costing gold and lesser materials). Consider three stars if you have the gold and the required materials aren't too rare.
2) Find a comfortable, preferably outdoor dragon fight (like the one just outside Gran Soren during the post-game) and engage it.
3) Get it down to critical health, then ease off completely and let your pawns get it down to 1 hp. Killing blows can only be delivered by the Arisen, so as long as you hang back, there's no chance of messing this part up.
4) Retreat enough to get the dragon to break off its attack and fly back to its usual spawn point, but not enough to entirely end the fight (noted by the game's changing of the battle anthem back to exploration music).
5) SAVE THE GAME!!
6) Run up to the dragon and land the finishing blow.
7) Note what, if anything, gets dragonforged. If you're not content, reload and return to step 6.
Heeeeeeeee...
PS: Do note that only the Arisen's equippables are subject to Dragonforging. Pawns' equipment (your's or hirelings') does not apply.
/sadface
PPS: Dragon encounters, such as the one just outside Gran Soren during the post-game, respawn after seven in-game days!
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