Characters

This article is about the main player character. For the additional multiplayer characters, see Babies. For non-player characters, see NPCs.

There are 34 playable characters in The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, with 11 available in the base game and 23 available in the DLCs. Five of these characters ( Isaac, Magdalene, Cain, Judas, and ???) came with the original The Binding of Isaac, while two additional characters ( Eve and Samson) were added later. Eve was added in The Binding of Isaac's Halloween Update, while Samson was added in the Wrath of the Lamb expansion. Rebirth contains four new characters ( Azazel, Lazarus, Eden, and The Lost). In the Afterbirth expansion, one new character ( Lilith) was added, plus one more character via an update ( Keeper). In the Afterbirth † expansion, one character ( Apollyon) was added, plus one more secret character ( The Forgotten) added via a Booster Pack. In the Repentance expansion, two characters ( Bethany and Jacob and Esau) were added. Each character starts with different stats and abilities that give them their own unique playstyle.

Repentance also added an alternate 'tainted' version of all 17 characters, unlockable in the expansion's final endgame area. Each tainted character maintains the same general theme as the original incarnation, but twisted or taken to an extreme. Many have unique, game-changing mechanics, but often come with a corresponding drawback. Tainted characters have their own set of completion marks and corresponding unlocks, albeit fewer than the original characters — a single unlock for both of the timed challenges (Boss Rush and Hush), one for all of the main path bosses (Isaac, ???, Satan, and The Lamb), and one for each endgame boss, excluding 'normal' Ultra Greed.

Each character's progress can be gauged by checking their completion marks.

Character	Rebirth													Afterbirth		Afterbirth †			Repentance
	Isaac	Magdalene	Cain	Judas		???	Eve	Samson	Azazel	Lazarus		Eden	The Lost	Lilith	Keeper	Apollyon	The Forgotten		Bethany	Jacob and Esau
	Isaac	Magdalene	Cain	Judas	Dark Judas	???	Eve	Samson	Azazel	Lazarus	Lazarus Risen	Eden	The Lost	Lilith	Keeper	Apollyon	The Forgotten	The Soul	Bethany	Jacob	Esau
Health													No health
Damage	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.20)	3.5 (*1.35)	3.5 (*2.00)	3.5 (*1.05)	3.5 (0.75) (1.00 at )	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.50)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (1.20) 3.5 (1.40)	3.5 ± 1.0 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.20)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.50)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	2.75 (*1.00)	3.75 (*1.00)
Tears	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0	-0.1	+0.5, x0.267	+0	+0	±0.75 +0.75 to -0.5	+0	+0	-2 -1.9	+0	+0, x1/2	+0	+0	+0.277	-0.1
Shot Speed	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1.31	1	1	1	1 ± 0.25	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1.15	0.85
Range	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	4.5 17.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	5.0 18.75	4.5 17.75	4.5 17.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 ± 1.5 23.75 ± 5.00	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5 23.75	6.5	5	8
Speed	1.0	0.85	1.3	1.0	1.1	1.1	1.23	1.1	1.25	1.0	1.25	1.0 ± 0.15	1.0	1.0	0.85 0.9	1.0	1.0	1.3	1.0	1.0	1.0
Luck	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-1	0	0 ± 1	0	0	-2	0	0		0	+1	-1
Starting Pickup(s)	x1 bombs	x1 Full Health pill x1 Speed Up pill	x1 key, Paper Clip	x3 coins	None	None	None	Child's Heart	0 - The Fool	x1 pills	None	x0-2 bombs x0-1 keys x0-5 coins x0-1 trinket, pill, or card	x1 coins	None	x1 bombs x1 coins Store Key	None	None		x4 soul charges	None	None
Starting Item(s)	The D6	Yum Heart	Lucky Foot	The Book of Belial	None	The Poop	Whore of Babylon Dead Bird Razor Blade	Bloody Lust	Short range Brimstone Flight	None Anemic	Anemic A permanent version of Anemic	Random active item Random passive item	Flight Spectral tears D4 Eternal D6 Holy Mantle	Blindfolded Incubus Cambion Conception Box of Friends	Triple shot Wooden Nickel	Void	Bone club	Flight Spectral tears	Book of Virtues	None	None
Achievements
Boss Rush
Mom's Heart
Satan
Isaac
The Lamb
???
Ultra Greed
Ultra Greedier
Hush
Delirium
Mother
The Beast
Mega Satan
Mega Satan with every character
All Marks completed
All Marks with every character

Character	Repentance
	Tainted Isaac	Tainted Magdalene	Tainted Cain	Tainted Judas	Tainted ???	Tainted Eve	Tainted Samson	Tainted Azazel	Tainted Lazarus		Tainted Eden	Tainted Lost	Tainted Lilith	Tainted Keeper	Tainted Apollyon	Tainted Forgotten		Tainted Bethany	Tainted Jacob
	Tainted Isaac	Tainted Magdalene	Tainted Cain	Tainted Judas	Tainted ???	Tainted Eve	Tainted Samson	Tainted Azazel	Tainted Lazarus	Dead Tainted Lazarus	Tainted Eden	Tainted Lost	Tainted Lilith	Tainted Keeper	Tainted Apollyon	Tainted Forgotten	Tainted Soul	Tainted Bethany	Tainted Jacob
Health												No Health				No Health
Damage	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*0.75)	3.5 (*1.20)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.20)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.50)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.50)	3.5 ± 1.0 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.30)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.50)	－	3.5 (*1.00)	3.5 (*1.00)
Tears	+0	+0	+0	+0	-0.35	-0.5, x0.66	-0.1	+0, x1/3	+0	-0.1	+0.75 to -0.5	+0	+0	-2.2	-0.5	+0, x1/2	－	+0	+0.277
Shot Speed	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1 ± 0.25	1	1	1	1	1	－	1	1
Range	6.5	6.5	4.5	4.5	6.5	6.5	5	6.5	4.5	6.5	6.5 ± 1.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.5	－	6.5	6.5
Speed	1.0	1.0	1.3	1.23	0.9	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.9	1.0 ± 0.15	1.0	0.85	1.0	1.0	－	1.0	1.0	1.0
Luck	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-2.00	0 ± 1	0	0	-2.00	0	0		0	0
Starting Pickup(s)	1 bomb	None	1 key	3 coins	3 Poop bombs	None	None	0 - The Fool	None	None	0-2 bombs 0-1 key 0-5 coins 0-1 trinket, pill, or card	1 coin Holy Card	None	1 bomb	None	None	None	6 blood charges	None
Starting Item(s)	None	Yum Heart	Bag of Crafting	Dark Arts	Hold	Sumptorium	None	None	Flip	Flip	Random active item Random passive item	Flight Spectral tears	Demonic baby attack	None	Abyss	Bone club	Flight	Lemegeton	Anima Sola
Achievements
Hush and Boss Rush
Isaac, ???, Satan, and The Lamb
Ultra Greedier
Delirium
Mother
The Beast
Mega Satan

Unlocking

Each character is unlocked by accomplishing a certain task in the game. The unlock requirements are as follows:

Character	Unlock requirement
Isaac	None; unlocked by default
Magdalene	Have 7 or more Red Heart Containers at one time
Cain	Hold 55 Coins at one time
Judas	Defeat Satan
???	Defeat Mom's Heart 10 times
Eve	Don't pick up any Hearts for 2 floors in a row
Samson	Complete 2 floors in a row without taking damage
Azazel	Make 3 Deals with the Devil in one run
Lazarus	Have 4 or more Soul Hearts at one time
Eden	Complete Chapter 4
The Lost	It's complicated Die in a Sacrifice Room while holding Missing Poster
Lilith	Defeat Ultra Greed as Azazel
Keeper	Donate 1000 Coins to the Greed Donation Machine
Apollyon	Defeat Mega Satan
The Forgotten	It's complicated
Bethany	Defeat Mom's Heart/It Lives! on hard mode as Lazarus, without dying at all
Jacob and Esau	Defeat Mother
Tainted Isaac	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Isaac
Tainted Magdalene	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Magdalene
Tainted Cain	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Cain
Tainted Judas	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Judas
Tainted ???	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as ???
Tainted Eve	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Eve
Tainted Samson	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Samson
Tainted Azazel	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Azazel
Tainted Lazarus	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Lazarus
Tainted Eden	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Eden
Tainted Lost	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as The Lost
Tainted Lilith	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Lilith
Tainted Keeper	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Keeper
Tainted Apollyon	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Apollyon
Tainted Forgotten	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as The Forgotten
Tainted Bethany	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Bethany
Tainted Jacob	Use Red Key (etc.) to open the hidden closet in Home as Jacob and Esau

Trivia

One common theory (which was confirmed by Edmund) is that all characters are different forms of Isaac himself. This theory suggests that every character is a creation of Isaac's imagination which he assumes the personality and appearance of when playing as them. Most characters represent different issues that Isaac believes he has, while ??? is Isaac after dying by suffocation inside The Chest, Azazel is who Isaac sees himself as, and The Lost is Isaac's wandering soul (which can be seen upon dying).
- Additionally, Keeper is Isaac's desiccated corpse, as evidenced by Ending 18.
- The Forgotten could be Isaac's skeleton shown in Ending 17 and Ending 20.
- This theory is also confirmed by the cutscene before fighting The Beast, in which Isaac briefly turns into The Lost, The Forgotten, and ??? as he grows angel wings.
While on the character selection screen for the tainted characters, a male voice sings instead of the normal female voice, and the song is distorted. The same is true when loading into the game after selecting a tainted character.
- Also, when a tainted character is selected or being selected, the taskbar icon of the game changes to look like Tainted Isaac.

In the Requiem expansion for the Four Souls card game, the tainted characters have their achievement names (e.g. "The Broken" instead of "Tainted Isaac") unlike in the video game. This was decided in a poll made by Edmund via twitter.
- Before that, Edmund had posted an image of Isaac's alternate version being referred to as "Tainted Isaac".
When switching back and forth between the tainted and normal characters, you can see Isaac's face behind the Who Am I? note, which either appears as Normal or Tainted Isaac depending on which side you switch to.
The closet you find any tainted character in is the same closet you see during Ending 21. This is reflected in how the characters you find inside the closet are usually hurt or damaged in some way, like how a child might look after being forced into a closet.
Most of the tainted character's Delirium unlocks are their starting ability. Exceptions to this are Tainted Isaac, Tainted Lost, Tainted Keeper and Tainted Eden.
Many, if not all, of the tainted characters have similar abilities to their non-tainted variants, with them having a "twist" on the original character that alters the playstyle in significant ways. An example of this is Isaac and Tainted Isaac, where the former uses D6 to reroll unfavorable items, and the latter automatically is presented with 2 options each pedestal, at the cost of an inventory allowing only 8 passive items at a time.