Black Rune

From The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Runes
(except in Rebirth and Afterbirth)

Black Rune is an unlockable rune added in The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth †.

Effects

  • Deals 40 damage to all enemies in the room.
  • Turns pickups into Blue Flies and Spiders.
  • Absorbs items and turns them into random stat upgrades.

Notes

  • Black Rune's effect is similar to Void.
    • Unlike Void, the Black Rune will grant stat ups for sacrificing active items. This makes Black Rune useful even while holding Void, as any active item that would be detrimental to absorb can instead be absorbed by Black Rune.
    • Like Void, stats gained by a Black Rune will be removed when Isaac's build is re-rolled (e.g. with D4 or a Dice RoomDice Room).
  • Using a Black Rune to absorb items in Boss RushBoss Rush or Boss Challenge RoomBoss Challenge Rooms counts as taking the items and will cause waves of bosses or enemies to start spawning.
  • If Black Runes have not been unlocked, they will be replaced by random Cards of any type, rather than (in Repentance and Repentance+)Rune ShardRune Shards, in any room layouts containing them.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) If Isaac uses the Black Rune to absorb items from a room with choice pedestals, it will only absorb one item, and the other item vanishes.

Strategy

  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) If a Black Rune is used while Isaac is holding an item above his head, it will consume the item. This allows him to immediately absorb passive items bought from Devil RoomDevil Rooms, Black MarketBlack Markets, or ShopShops. This also can be used to give Isaac a chance to see what an unknown item is before deciding if he wants to consume it.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+) The Black Rune can be used to absorb Knife Piece 1 if Boss Mother secondphase ingame.pngMother isn't the goal of the run. Can also be used to absorb Key Piece 1 or Key Piece 2.

Synergies

Interactions

  • (in Repentance and Repentance+)Tarot Cloth: No effect.
  • (in Repentance and Repentance+)Death Certificate: Only allows the consumption of one item. The consumed item is treated as if it was picked up causing all other items in the room to disappear and forcing Isaac to leave the area.
  • Endless NamelessEndless Nameless: The newly spawned Black rune will spawn before the effect goes through, transforming it instantly into blue flies.

Bugs

Bug Bug! (in Repentance) Using a Black RuneBlack Rune in a room with exactly one pickup and one item while being near the fly limit won't absorb the item.
SmallIsaac.pngThe Binding of Isaac: RebirthSmallIsaac.png
Retrieved from "https://bindingofisaacrebirth.wiki.gg/wiki/Black_Rune?oldid=246618"