? Card

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(except in Rebirth)

? Card is a special card added in The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth.

Effect

  • Replicates the effect of Isaac's activated collectible.
    • (except in Repentance and Repentance+) Single-use items, such as Pandora's BoxPandora's Box, will not replicate but instead activate and disappear.
    • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Single-use items do not disappear after using ? Card, allowing for potential multiple uses of the items.

Notes

  • Being a special card, the ? Card has a significantly lower chance of appearing compared to other cards.
  • The ID of this card was 43 before the Afterbirth+ expansion.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Doesn't work with pocket activated items (such as Character Tainted Bethany icon.pngTainted Bethany's LemegetonLemegeton or items given by Dice BagDice Bag).

Interactions

  • Car BatteryCar Battery: Does not influence the card's effect, activating the active item only once.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Everything JarEverything Jar / (in Repentance and Repentance+) LarynxLarynx: The effect will be determined by the number of charges the active item currently has.
  • Jar of FliesJar of Flies: Expends both the card and all charges with no additional benefit.

Synergies

  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Alabaster BoxAlabaster Box: Causes the Alabaster Box to yield rewards without destroying the item or depleting any of its current charges.
  • Blank CardBlank Card: Teleports Isaac to the I AM ERRORI AM ERROR room of the current floor. This will consume both the Blank Card and the ? Card. If done on ChestChest or Dark RoomDark Room, will instead spawn an I AM ERROR shopkeeper.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) DiplopiaDiplopia: Duplicates all pedestal items and pickups in the room, without expending Diplopia.
    • If used with another ? Card dropped on the floor in the room, allows for infinite duplication.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Eden's SoulEden's Soul: Spawns two items without consuming Eden's Soul or depleting its charge.
  • (in Rebirth and Afterbirth) Glowing HourglassGlowing Hourglass: Since the card replicates the effect of moving back one room to the previous state, Isaac keeps the card having not used it as an item until the room later. This effectively gives him charge-free uses of the Glowing Hourglass.
    • (except in Rebirth and Afterbirth) The card is no longer refunded if you enter the room with it in your inventory and use it. (except in Repentance and Repentance+) But if you enter a room, drop it, leave the room, come back, pick it up and use it in that room, you do get a refund as the next time you enter the room the card will be in the floor. This allows for infinite uses.
      • (in Repentance and Repentance+) The Glowing Hourglass loses a charge when the card is used.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) Mystery GiftMystery Gift: Grants an item without consuming Mystery Gift.
  • (in Afterbirth †) Tarot ClothTarot Cloth: ? Card is used twice, giving the active item the same effect as if Isaac had Car Battery.

Trivia

  • The interaction with Blank Card presents a paradox, as Blank Card and ? Card try to replicate the effects of each other. This would result in an endless loop, so a special case was put in.
  • The Blank Card interaction is one of the four reliable ways to reach the I AM ERRORI AM ERROR room in game, alongside Teleport 2.0Teleport 2.0 in certain circumstances, using (in Repentance and Repentance+) Red KeyRed Key to go beyond the 13x13 level grid, and UndefinedUndefined.
  • (except in Rebirth and Afterbirth) Before Booster Pack #5, Glowing HourglassGlowing Hourglass was limited to 5 uses, and uses of the ? Card counted against that limit.
    • This was re-implemented in V1.7.8 (although the limit was changed to 3 uses).

Bugs

Bug Bug! (in Repentance and Repentance+) Using ? Card on any activated item that needs a direction, such as Bob's Rotten HeadBob's Rotten Head or GelloGello will still result in the charges being used once a direction is chosen. The ? Card will be used up as well, despite providing no free use of the item.