are an integral part of the game play of The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth. They modify Isaac’s attributes, grant or modify tear effects, and much more.
Items are classified into several distinct types and groups. Some items are passive, which add an effect permanently to Isaac, while others only activate when used.
- The original The Binding of Isaac had 196 items.
- Rebirth has a total of 341 items.
Afterbirth added 95 new items, for a total of 436 items.
Afterbirth † added 111 new items, for a total of 547 items.
Repentance added 169 new items, for a total of 716 items. An update for Repentance, V1.7.5, added 3 new items, for a total of 719 items.
In Afterbirth † and prior, 13 items are considered special and will be less likely to appear if the player has already come across other special items. The Repentance expansion removed the Special Item mechanic, replacing it with the item weight and item quality mechanics.
For a list of which items can potentially appear in a given special room or under certain conditions, see item pool and Item Tags.
For the grids of items that appear in the stats menu, see Collection Page.
Not to be confused with cards and runes, pills, and trinkets.
Unless the player has Schoolbag, only one activated item can be held at a time, with the old collectible being placed on a pedestal if a new activated item is picked up. Most activated items need to recharge before use, with the recharge bar filling either by clearing rooms or recharging over time. Other activated items do not have a charge bar, and, with a few exceptions (such as How to Jump), will instead either disappear after a single use or require resources such as coins or health. Some activated items will also grant passive effects as long as they are equipped.
In some special circumstances, activated items can be placed in the consumable slot instead of the standard activated item slot. This counts as both an extra activated item slot and an extra consumable slot, meaning that other activated items and consumables can be picked up as normal. Items in this slot are used with the consumable key, and can’t be lost through any means (unless they’re consumed like items from Dice Bag). Otherwise, they function the same as other activated items.
Notes
- Batteries, Charged Keys, and Battery Beggars charge the item(s) in the activated item slot first, then the item in the consumable slot. The exception to this is the Mega Battery, which recharges the items in both slots.
- Most trinkets that work with activated items (e.g. Vibrant Bulb, Panic Button, etc.) ignore the items in the consumable slot.
- There is a total of 171 activated items.
Trinkets are a type of collectible with their designated slot that can provide passive bonuses. Only one trinket can be carried at a time and must be dropped if you wish to carry another. Some of these limitations can be bypassed with certain items; Mom’s Purse and Belly Button allow two trinkets to be held at once, and trinkets can be absorbed by Smelter, Marbles, or Gulp!. Absorbed trinkets do not take up a trinket slot and act as permanent passive effects.
Compared to items with a similar effect, trinket effects are typically more subtle, less powerful, or less reliable. For example, the Callus only prevents damage from spikes and creep, while many items that do the same also grant Isaac flight.
The original Binding of Isaac DLC ‘The Wrath of the Lamb’ introduced Trinkets as a mechanic and had 33 trinkets. Rebirth has a total of 60 trinkets. Afterbirth added 29 new trinkets, for a total of 89 trinkets. Afterbirth † added 38 new trinkets, for a total of 127 trinkets. Repentance added 61 new trinkets, for a total of 188 trinkets.
All trinkets have a chance to be Golden Trinkets.