The Binding Of Isaac Rebirth: Best Items

Summary

• Obtain Holy Mantle for one-time protection from first damage in each room, essential for survival.
• Acquire items like Death’s Touch to pierce enemies and Abaddon for stat boosts and special tears.
• Prioritize getting The Mind to reveal all rooms on the map, and Stop Watch to slow down gameplay for an advantage.

Beating The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is no joke, especially when players don’t have the right items on hand. Luckily, as they progress through floors and beat enemies, players will have a chance to complete challenges and obtain some effective items. Some of these items are essential to making the hardest characters more manageable.

The best items can even take a player’s run over the top, guaranteeing victory. Some need to be unlocked, while others appear in various rooms or in shops. Players should focus on grabbing these items as soon as possible to ensure their run is a success.

9

Holy Mantle

One-Time Protection

• Passive item
• Negates first damage taken in each room from most enemies

The Holy Mantle is a passive item that can be used to help Isaac survive a run. Each time the player enters a new room, this item’s unique effect is recharged, and it’s pretty powerful. The first damage taken from almost any source will be instantly negated. While protection from one hit may not seem like a lot, this one-of-a-kind item can be a game-changer.

Instead of having enemies slowly pick away at a player’s health, the player can safely enter a room and confidently know they won’t take damage immediately. This allows them to reserve more hearts for the more important enemies: the bosses.

8

Brimstone

Fiery Laser To Replace Tears

• Active item
• Changes tears into a piercing beam

Tears aren’t always effective in the most intense rooms. Obtaining Brimstone can make a world of difference. While Azazel comes equipped with this item automatically, other characters will need to pick it up. Unlike tears, it can affect multiple enemies at once, potentially clearing the room quickly and easily.

Players can find this item in devil rooms. It works much like regular attacks, in that Damage upgrades will enhance its attack power. When players acquire two Brimstones in one run, the effects stack, allowing for a wider, stronger beam to lash out at their enemies.

7

The Mind

Gain Incredible Knowledge

• Passive item
• Provides the combined effect of all mapping items

The game is full of secrets, including special rooms that require bombs to access. The only problem is that these consumable items are often in short supply. When players have The Mind, this is no longer a problem. This special item reveals every room on the map by combining the effects of all other mapping items.

In other words, players with this item will now see every single room on any given floor. This includes those hidden secret rooms and other special rooms. Players can use this to their advantage, whether they’re trying to avoid the most dangerous areas or go for a speed run. The Mind is unlocked after players defeat Satan with The Lost.

6

Abaddon

Boost Speed And Attack

• Passive item
• Boost Damage and Speed

Abaddon is an interesting item. It adds a lot of bonuses for Isaac that work really well when combined. Taken on their own, these stat boosts wouldn’t be as impressive, but the combination is what matters here.

When Isaac has Abaddon, he’ll receive a Damage and Speed boost, along with having his red hearts changed to black and the potential to shoot Fear Tears. It’s a great resource to have unless players must have red hearts for a specific goal. This item can be unlocked by defeating ??? with Azazel.

5

Death’s Touch

Scythes Replace Tears

• Passive item
• Changes tears into scythes

There are a few items that can change tears into different weapons. One in particular is Death’s Touch. This item transforms tears into scythes, increasing Isaac’s attack but slightly reducing his tear rate. Due to the Damage buff, it’s a pretty fair trade-off.

This item is also a stand-out because it pierces. While accuracy is key in this game, piercing enemies can make a world of difference during the most intense combat. Death’s Touch is unlocked by completing Challenge #17: Waka Waka.

4

The Wafer

Reduce Damage Taken

• Passive item
• Reduces most damage taken to one-half of a heart

Once players make it beyond the Depths II, things get a little bit more challenging, with most contact damage taking a whole heart. That’s where The Wafer comes in. This handy item reduces most damage taken down to one-half of a heart.

Not only does this make Isaac more formidable against his enemies, but it also allows him to take more chances that he wouldn’t normally be able to. Players can confidently use items that cause self-inflicted damage and use things like Sacrifice Rooms twice as often.

3

Stop Watch

Slow Time Down

• Passive item
• Slows everything in a room

Stop Watch is an essential item to have during any run. It can mean the difference between crushing all enemies and dying a quick and painful death. Once picked up, everything slows down, including enemy attacks and movements. Not to mention, players will see their own speed pick up.

Some of the final bosses are well-known for launching tons of tears at once, making it nearly impossible to get in a good hit without taking serious damage. Stop Watch changes that, allowing players to deal the most damage possible while dodging enemy attacks.

2

Mom’s Knife

Take A Stab At The Enemy

• Passive item
• Transforms tears into a piercing knife

Mom’s Knife is pretty handy. It transforms Isaac’s tears into, well, Mom’s Knife. The knife can be shot as a projectile that pierces enemies and travels through obstacles, and can also be used as an upfront melee item. The longer players charge the attack, the further the knife will travel.

To make the most of this item, players will need to combine it with compatible items. For example, the 20/20 will increase the number of knives Isaac can fire at one time, making Mom’s Knife even more effective. Players will need to defeat Satan as Isaac to unlock this item.

1

Godhead

Home In With Tears

• Passive item
• Homing halo tears

Godhead is one of the most powerful items in Rebirth. Once picked up, players will have the advantage of Isaac’s tears gaining a halo that causes AoE damage. Even better, the tears home in on enemies, making them super effective. Players will be nearly invincible with this item on hand.

It can be challenging to obtain Godhead, which makes it even more valuable once available. Players must play on Hard mode as The Lost and earn 12 Completion Marks. Once unlocked, this will likely be one of the first items they seek out on any run.