Indie fans, it’s time to put down your Hollow Knight: Silksong controller for a moment. The Binding of Isaac: Repentance+ has released a new patch today, the 1.9.7.13, packed with changes to items, trinkets, and an interesting new addition in terms of “game knowledge”. Many of the things we’re about to see have been eagerly awaited by fans for a long time! Since there are so many changes, this article will be divided into three sections: items, trinkets, and other. Each change will be followed by a brief comment on the possible reason for it. So, without further ado, let’s look closely at each change included in the patch:
1. Items Reworks
When it comes to changes to items, the list is relatively short but full of surprises, some more shocking than others.
1.1 Simple Item Reworks
- Revelation no longer gives 2 soul hearts on pickup ⭢ Meaning that it is still a great ally for those seeking flight, but not for health.
- Mega Blast now receives 6 charges instead of 3 when picking up a battery, 9 Volt, Battery Pack, and 48 Hour Energy ⭢ A little help recharging this 12-charge powerhouse.
- Car Battery now has personalized interaction with some specific items, such as Gello, Book of Belial and others ⭢ Otherwise, these items would not have had any synergy with it.
- Thin Odd Mushroom now breaks the soft tears cap ⭢ Such as other items, such as Coat Hanger and Sad Onion, already do.
- Seraphim now contributes to the Seraphim transformation ⭢ Well, it just makes sense at this point!
From left to right: Revelation, Mega Blast, Car Battery, Thin Odd Mushroom, and Seraphim.
1.2 Game-Changing Item Reworks
Below, on the other hand, are changes long awaited by fans, or modifications designed to make items more appealing and worth picking up.
- The baleful active item Plan C now has a longer activation time, that allows both Delirium and Mother to die in time ⭢ This means that we finally have at least one guaranteed method to knock out Delirium, the most unpredictable and sometimes unfair boss in the entire game, almost instantly.
- 2Spooky now also adds +0.5 tears and +0.2 shot speed ⭢ This change was probably made because, for many, the basic effect of 2Spooky (Applies fear to enemies in a small radius around Isaac) was not worth giving up hearts for.
- Black Powder now grants larger explosions. Furthermore, fireplaces now explode when extinguished ⭢ In the end, the developers simply applied the rules of physics regarding gunpowder: it all makes sense.
- Blood Rights now grants a tears upgrade for the current room ⭢ Another item that, without additional effects, almost no one collects and that could now have a new beginning.
- Pageant Boy now always drops a penny trinket as part of its rewards ⭢ This change seems to have been made both to make Pageant Boy more appealing and to help players earn more money in the early game.
From left to right: Plan C, 2Spooky, Bloody Rights, Black Powder, and Pageant Boy.
2. Trinkets Reworks
The list of changes to trinkets is significantly longer than that for items. In fact, many trinkets have been either ignored or disliked by fans until now, so any changes made represent a significant development that should not be underestimated. As above, this list also contains some simple changes and others that are truly unexpected. Let’s take a look at them together, starting with the straightforward ones.
2.1 Simple Trinket Reworks
- Super Ball‘s boucing tears now scale with luck ⭢ Many items and trinkets on TBOI scale with luck, so it was only a matter of time before Super Ball met the same fate.
- Bob’s Bladder now contributes to the Bob transformation ⭢ As with Seraphim, it was simply strange that a “Bob”-themed item did not contribute to the transformation. Boom, problem solved (get it?).
- Used Diaper‘s chance to activate the Skatole effect (by which fly enemies alter their behavior toward Isaac) has been raised from 15% to 33%. Furthermore, a blue fly now spawns when entering a new combat room ⭢ This change seems to have been made to make Used Diaper more worth picking up.
- Modelin Clay & Error now both correctly display the mimicked item/trìnket in Extra HUD when gulped ⭢ Change probably made to help the player have better understanding of the items in their possession.
- Louse now spawns a blue spider when completing a combat room ⭢ The effect was previously only occasional. A minor change.
- Purple Heart‘s chance of spawning champion enemies has been increased. Chance for champion specific loot drops raised to 50%. Champion loot rewards are doubled ⭢ Let’s be honest: champion enemies are a real pain. Any help or additional reason to fight them is welcome.
- Cursed Penny‘s chance to teleport Isaac to different rooms based on the coin collected has been increased ⭢ It makes sense: more coins, different values, different effects.
- Added effects for all golden trinkets that did not previously have them ⭢ One more reason to try out all those trinkets we’ve ignored until now.
The character Lilith with a golden trinket (bottom left).
2.2 Game-Changing Trinket Reworks
Let’s now take a look at all those changes that could potentially leave you speechless:
- Missing Poster now has a 33% chance to reveal the Super Secret Room when entering a new chapter ⭢ A trinket as difficult to find as Missing Poster must have an additional buff beyond unlocking The Lost.
- Rosary Bead now also forces the deal to be an Angel Deal ⭢ This one is a game changer. We basically have a trinket-like Eucharist now!
- Karma now reduces the chance of the Donation Machine jamming. Donating to a Beggar now has a chance to refund the penny, heal Isaac for one heart or increase Isaac’s luck. Blood Donation Machines and Confessionals have a chance to heal Isaac for one heart, spawn a beggar, or increase Isaac’s luck. Restock Machines have a chance to increase Isaac’s luck ⭢ Tricky change, right? This was clearly made for all gambling lovers.
- Equality now gives +2 tear rate when keys, bombs and coins are all equal in number ⭢ Compared to the old effect (All pickups on the ground become their doubled variants as long as Isaac’s held pickups are all the same number), this definitely makes the trinket more interesting to collect.
- Lazy Worm now gives +0.5 damage ⭢ I honestly think this change is a tribute to TBOI YouTuber Lazy Mattman.
- Mom’s Toenail now makes Mom stomp on the location the trinket is dropped ⭢ No more dying because Mom’s foot doesn’t hit where it should. This method makes Mom’s Toenail more intuitive to use.
- Child Leash now gives familiars a small damage multiplier when held ⭢ We have a trinket that increases the tear rate of familiars (Forgotten Lullaby), one that makes familiars’ tears homing (Baby-Bender), but we were missing one that increased the damage. Now we have it.
- Poker Chip retains its original effect of 50/50 chance for chests to have double rewards or a hostile fly. If the reward was an item and quality 0-2, the item rolls into another of higher quality. Can pull items from outside of the golden chest pool occasionally. Slightly increased the odds of a payout from slot machines, fortune tellers, crane games, shell games, and restock machines ⭢ It may seem complicated, but in fact the biggest change regarding this trinket transforms it into a sort of trinket version of the Sacred Orb.
3. Other Reworks
This section will cover all changes that do not concern items or trinkets. Many of them are bug fixes, but one of them has been rumored for a long time, and now it is finally a reality. Let’s take a look at the most important ones together.
3.1 Internal Item Description & More New Added Dynamics
-
Added Item Descriptions to the game after defeating Mom one time per save file. Items will need to have been collected one time before their description will appear ⭢ This isn’t the first time developers have taken inspiration from a mod to introduce a change to the game: it already happened with the antibirth mod, which became Repentance. This time, the fan-favorite mod “External Item Description” is to become an integral part of the game (and thus internal). However, unlike in the mod, item descriptions will only be visible once the item has been collected at least once, so that players don’t miss out on the experience of learning for themselves what an item does (and even dying from it, if necessary).
-
Several Devil Deal items now have a sacrifice spike cost instead of permanent HP loss. There is a 50% chance to award the item on the first play and 100% chance on the second ⭢ This change was probably made because many items are not worth losing hearts for.
-
Travelling to a new floor via Error Rooms or Genesis will now keep the player on the Alt Path if they were on that route. On Downpour/Mines 2, traveling this way will bring the player back to the standard path if they haven’t collected the knife pieces on those respective floors ⭢ A bug fix that couldn’t be overlooked.
-
Removed Broken Glass Cannon as a potential starting item for Eden ⭢ Every active item at the start of the run must be charged. It doesn’t make sense otherwise.
-
Removed Brother Bobby and Sister Maggy from the Devil pool and added Dry Baby in their place ⭢ As mentioned above, many items were not worth taking in exchange for hearts: Brother Bobby and Sister Maggy were among them, and have in fact been removed.
-
Holy shields from different sources now stack consistently and have a unique icon showing what the source of the next shield is. The priority is Wooden Cross, Blanket, Holy Mantle, Holy Card ⭢ A mantle hierarchy can only be useful.
- Hagalaz rune now destroys Stone Fatties, stone turrets and many stone-based enemies. It also breaks the armor of many others including Hosts and Knights ⭢ It makes sense; destroying rocks also means destroying enemies made of rock.
-
Added a new transformation, “Necromancer” ⭢ Transformation achievable with the items The Necronomicon, Missing Page 2, and the trinket Missing Page. After obtaining them, The Necronomicon emits a red light from its eyes and mouth and the charge fills with a purple charge that depletes by 10% each time The Necronomicon is used. It also gives a 5% chance to deal 120 damage to the room when getting hit. In this state, the Necronomicon cannot be recharged in any usual manner, but instead recharges fully upon reaching the next stage. If the chargebar is fully depleted, The Necronomicon turns back to normal for the rest of the stage albeit with an empty chargebar, as if Isaac does not have the transformation.
How the Necronomicon looks in the active slot and during activation while being a Necromancer.
3.2 Horse Pills Reworks
Furthermore, there are quite a few changes regarding horse pills:
-
Percs! Horse Pill now full heals Isaac in addition to adding The Wafer effect for the room.
-
Addicted! Horse Pill now gives Isaac a broken heart.
-
I’m Excited!!! Horse Pill now applies the effect for the duration of the floor.
-
I’m Drowsy Horse Pill now applies the effect for the duration of the floor.
-
??? Horse Pill now add additional curses with each use.
-
Telepills Horse Pill now guarantees a teleport to a special room.
-
Gulp! Horse Pill now gulps the golden version of the held trinket.
I would say you have a lot to try out in this brand new patch. What are you waiting for? Go play The Binding Of Isaac: Repentance+!
Source: The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth Steam Page
