Tears
The Tears attribute affects the rate of fire of the character and is represented by 3 arrows. This attribute is related to tear delay (the delay between successive shots, as opposed to the inverse 'tears per second'); a higher tears stat means a shorter delay and a higher fire rate. The tear stat is a measurement of tear frequency, as opposed to Shot Speed, which measures how fast those shots move.
Tear Delay Calculation
The formula for tear delay is:
"T" in the above formula is equal to the normal tears stat, with all adjustments added together. Tear Delay is always rounded down to next whole number. For example, picking up
The Sad Onion would grant 0.7 tears, making Isaac's tear delay 7.7, which is rounded down to 7.
The minimum tear delay that can be reached with regular tears up items is 5, giving Isaac a soft cap of 5 tears fired per second. With items that directly reduce tear delay, tear delay can be reduced further, down to a hard minimum of 1 tear delay (15 tears fired per second).
The number of tears per second that Isaac fires is found by the formula: .
Conversely, Tear Delay can be calculated from the fire rate given ingame with the formula . Note that the fire rate given by the ingame HUD is rounded.
Tear delay as a mechanic is no longer as significant in Repentance, and instead items that used to affect the tear delay now instead affect the fire rate directly. Effectively, this means tear delay can be less than 1.
- The absolute maximum fire rate achievable is 120, corresponding to -0.75 tear delay.
Characters
Different characters start with different initial tears:
-
Samson/
Tainted Samson: -0.1
- Tears fired per second is halved and then increased by 2 while berserking as Tainted Samson.
-
Azazel: +0.5, x0.267
Eden: ±0.75
Eden/
Tainted Eden: +0.75 to -0.5
Tainted Eden's base tears rerolls every time they take damage.
Keeper: -2
Keeper: -1.9
Tainted Keeper: -2.2
Jacob and Esau: +0.277 for Jacob, -0.1 for Esau
Tainted Jacob: +0.277
Tainted ???: -0.35
Tainted Eve: -0.5, then x0.66 (Has a 3.3 TPS softcap)
Dead Tainted Lazarus: -0.1
Tainted Apollyon: -0.5
- All other characters (
Isaac,
Magdalene,
Cain,
Judas,
Black Judas,
???,
Eve,
Lazarus,
The Lost,
Lilith,
Apollyon,
The Soul,
Bethany,
Tainted Isaac,
Tainted Magdalene,
Tainted Cain,
Tainted Judas,
Tainted Lazarus,
Tainted Lost,
Tainted Lilith, and
Tainted Bethany) have the base +0 (2.73) tears.
- Some characters have tears multipliers that decrease or increase all tear changes:
-
Azazel: x0.267
Tainted Azazel: x1/3
The Forgotten /
Tainted Forgotten: x0.5
Tainted Eve: x0.66 (Has a 3.3 TPS softcap)
-
Direct modifiers to Tear Delay/
Tears Fired per Second
Several items directly modify tear delay after the main calculation:
Many items that used to modify tear delay now modify tears fired per second instead. They still allow the soft cap of 5 tears per second to be broken, but now have a greater impact on runs that have a lower fire rate compared to those with a higher one; this is in contrast to Afterbirth+, where the opposite was true. Generally, for these items, each unit of tear delay in Afterbirth+ and before converts to +0.5 tears per second in Repentance.
Item | ![]() |
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---|---|---|
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-2 | +1 |
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x3 | x1/3 |
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-2 | +1 |
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-1 | +0.5 |
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x2.5 (for maximum charge) | No change, displayed value = maximum charge time |
![]() ![]() |
x0.8 | Fire rate over base value x1.2 |
![]() |
-1 | +0.5 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | ±0.5 |
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x2.5 | x0.4 |
![]() ![]() |
x0.5 (while at maximum "charge") | x2 (while at maximum "charge") |
![]() |
x2 | x0.66 |
![]() |
N/A | ±0.5 |
![]() |
-1 | +0.5 |
![]() ![]() |
x2, then +10 | Tear delay adjustment, not fire rate |
![]() ![]() |
x0.5 | x2.5 |
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x2, then +10 | x1/3 |
![]() ![]() |
-2 | +1 |
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N/A | ±0.5 |
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-1 | +0.5 |
![]() |
x4.3 | x1/4.3 |
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x2.1, then +3 | x0.42 |
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-1 | +0.5 |
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x2.1, then +3 | x0.42 |
![]() ![]() |
-4 | +2 |
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x0.25, then -2 | x5.5 |
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N/A | x0.66 |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
x2.1, then +3 | x0.51 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +1 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +0.4 per bone heart lost |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +2 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
N/A | +0.5 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | x4 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
N/A | x0.5, then +2 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | Up to +3 after taking damage 6 times |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | x4 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +0.5 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +1.5 |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | x1.2 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
N/A | +1.5 while on unique creep Additional x3 if the creep is in contact with white poop |
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N/A | +1.2 on the first hit, then +0.4 on subsequent hits |
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N/A | +1 for the first beam of light, then +0.5 for subsequent beams |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +0.4 for every room cleared without taking non-self damage, up to +2 total |
![]() ![]() |
N/A | +0.75 (halved if Isaac leaves the room, and wears off at the rate of one room clear per use) |
Notes
- Assuming no other modifications to the tears stat, +1.4 tears up is enough to bring you to the normal delay cap. In this case, it would reduce the delay to 5.92, which rounds down to 5.
- With a tear delay of 1, the maximum achievable rate of fire is 15 tears per second (every 2 frames).
- Polyphemus, Mutant Spider, and Inner Eye's tear delay formulas do not stack with each other, meaning that there is no downside to taking another after you have already taken one.
Charge-bar items like Monstro's Lung or Brimstone stop working at 30 tears per second.
Items that affect tears
Activated Items
Name | ID | Icon | Quote | Description | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
D100 | 5.100.283 | ![]() |
REEROLLLLL! | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.406 | ![]() |
Reroll stats | Re-rolls Isaac's damage, tears, range, and speed. | |
![]() |
5.100.481 | ![]() |
109 | Displaces enemy sprites for the current room and randomly increases one of Isaac's stats while decreasing another. ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.477 | ![]() |
Consume | Consumes all pedestal items in the room. Activated items will have their effects added to Void, and passive items will grant random stat upgrades. | |
![]() |
5.100.704 | ![]() |
Rip and tear | Isaac goes berserk for 5 seconds, greatly increasing his speed, tears, and damage, but restricting him to using a melee weapon instead of his tears. This item charges by dealing damage to enemies instead of clearing rooms. | |
![]() |
5.100.625 | ![]() |
I'm a big boy now! | Gigantifies Isaac for 30 seconds, increasing damage and range while lowering tears, granting invulnerability, and allowing Isaac to crush enemies and obstacles he walks on. The effect persists between rooms. | |
![]() |
5.100.556 | ![]() |
Temporary demon form | Grants ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.582 | ![]() |
Tears up. A mind changing experience! | Increases tears, decreases speed, and distorts the screen. All effects become more pronounced with repeated use, and wear off by clearing rooms. |
Passive Items
Name | ID | Icon | Quote | Description | ![]() |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anti-Gravity | 5.100.222 | ![]() |
Anti-gravity tears + tears up | Tears float in position until firing ceases, after which they will fly off in the direction they were shot in. ![]() ![]() |
|
Blue Cap | 5.100.342 | ![]() |
HP + tears up + shot speed down | Gives one full Red Heart container, +0.7 tears, and -0.16 shot speed. ![]() ![]() |
|
Brimstone | 5.100.118 | ![]() |
Blood laser barrage | Tears are replaced with a blood laser beam that pierces through all enemies and obstacles in its path and deals high damage. Can only be fired after a short charge-up period. | |
Capricorn | 5.100.307 | ![]() |
All stats up | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Chocolate Milk | 5.100.69 | ![]() |
Charge shots | Grants charged tears that deal greater damage when fully charged. | |
Cricket's Body | 5.100.224 | ![]() |
Bursting shots + tears up | When tears hit an object or deplete their range, they spawn 4 smaller tears, whose range and damage scale with Isaac's. ![]() ![]() |
|
Death's Touch | 5.100.237 | ![]() |
Piercing shots + DMG up | +1.5 damage, -0.3 tears. Tears are replaced with large piercing scythes. | |
Dr. Fetus | 5.100.52 | ![]() |
??? | Tears are replaced by ![]() |
|
Eve's Mascara | 5.100.310 | ![]() |
DMG up, tears + shot speed down | ![]() ![]() |
|
Experimental Treatment | 5.100.240 | ![]() |
Some stats up, some stats down | ![]() ![]() |
|
Godhead | 5.100.331 | ![]() |
God tears | ![]() ![]() |
|
Guillotine | 5.100.206 | ![]() |
DMG + tears up. An out-of-body experience! | Isaac's head becomes an orbital familiar that blocks shots and deals contact damage. Tears are still fired from the rotating head. ![]() ![]() |
|
Ipecac | 5.100.149 | ![]() |
Explosive shots | Replaces tears with explosive and poisoning projectiles fired in an arc from the mouth. | |
Libra | 5.100.304 | ![]() |
You feel balanced | Gives 6 ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Missing No. | 5.100.258 | ![]() |
Syntax error | Randomizes all passive items and stats upon pickup and at the start of each succeeding floor. | |
Mom's Perfume | 5.100.228 | ![]() |
Fear shot + tears up | Adds a chance to shoot fear tears. ![]() ![]() |
|
Monstro's Lung | 5.100.229 | ![]() |
Charged burst attack | Replaces normal tears with a charged shot that fires 14 tears in the same fashion as ![]() |
|
Mutant Spider | 5.100.153 | ![]() |
Quad shot | Isaac shoots four tears at once with lower fire rate. | |
Number One | 5.100.6 | ![]() |
Tears up + range down | Grants +1.5 tears, but severely reduces range. | |
Odd Mushroom | 5.100.120 | ![]() |
Tears + speed up, DMG down | +1.7 tears, +0.3 speed, slightly reduces damage. | |
Ouija Board | 5.100.115 | ![]() |
Spectral tears + tears up | Grants spectral tears that travel through obstacles (but not enemies). ![]() |
|
Pisces | 5.100.309 | ![]() |
Tears up + knock-back shots | ![]() ![]() |
|
Polyphemus | 5.100.169 | ![]() |
Mega tears | Isaac fires huge tears that deal massive damage, but fire rate is greatly decreased. If a tear kills an enemy, it travels on with any leftover damage. | |
Rosary | 5.100.72 | ![]() |
Tears + faith up | Grants 3 ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
Sacred Heart | 5.100.182 | ![]() |
Homing shots + DMG up | ![]() ![]() |
|
Screw | 5.100.255 | ![]() |
Tears + shot speed up | +0.5 tears, +0.2 shot speed. | |
SMB Super Fan | 5.100.189 | ![]() |
All stats up | ![]() ![]() |
|
Soy Milk | 5.100.330 | ![]() |
DMG down + tears way up | Tears are smaller and do much less damage, but fire in very rapid succession. | |
Squeezy | 5.100.196 | ![]() |
Tears up | +0.4 tears, spawns 2 ![]() |
|
Technology 2 | 5.100.152 | ![]() |
Extra laser | Replaces the tears fired from Isaac's right eye with a rapid-firing low damage piercing laser. ![]() |
|
The Halo | 5.100.101 | ![]() |
All stats up | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
The Inner Eye | 5.100.2 | ![]() |
Triple shot | Isaac shoots three tears at once with lower fire rate. | |
The Pact | 5.100.80 | ![]() |
DMG + tears up | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
The Sad Onion | 5.100.1 | ![]() |
Tears up | +0.7 tears. | |
The Small Rock | 5.100.90 | ![]() |
DMG up + speed down | +1 damage, +0.2 tears, -0.2 speed. | |
Tooth Picks | 5.100.183 | ![]() |
Tears + shot speed up | +0.7 tears, +0.16 shot speed. | |
Torn Photo | 5.100.341 | ![]() |
Tears + shot speed up | +0.7 tears, +0.16 shot speed. | |
Wire Coat Hanger | 5.100.32 | ![]() |
Tears up | +0.7 tears. | |
![]() |
5.100.438 | ![]() |
Tears up | Grants one ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.381 | ![]() |
Tears up + your future shines brighter | +0.7 tears up. Grants a random item at the start of the next run. | |
![]() |
5.100.368 | ![]() |
Intensifying tears | Shooting in one direction increases Isaac's rate of fire until the cap is reached. As soon as Isaac changes direction or stops shooting, rate of fire is reset to its normal amount. | |
![]() |
5.100.440 | ![]() |
Matt's kidney stone | Isaac is occasionally forced to stop firing and charge an attack that launches a massive piercing, spectral kidney stone and a barrage of tears. ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.394 | ![]() |
Directed tears | Isaac will automatically fire tears directed at a red target on the ground. The target can be moved with tear controls. +0.7 tears, increases range. | |
![]() |
5.100.436 | ![]() |
Don't cry over it... | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.370 | ![]() |
Range + tears up | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.407 | ![]() |
Aura stat boost | Boosts one of Isaac's stats depending on the color of the aura around him. The aura disappears upon taking damage and reappears with a random color upon entering a new room. Red boosts damage, blue boosts tears, yellow boosts speed, and orange boosts range. | |
![]() |
5.100.397 | ![]() |
Controlled tears | Isaac's tears are bound to a beam emitting in the direction he's firing. ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.392 | ![]() |
The heavens will change you | Gives Isaac a random zodiac item effect that changes every floor. | |
![]() |
5.100.465 | ![]() |
360 tears! | +0.35 tears up. Allows Isaac to fire tears diagonally. | |
![]() |
5.100.443 | ![]() |
Trick or treat? | +0.3 tears. Adds a chance to fire a razor blade that deals 4× Isaac's damage. | |
![]() |
5.100.549 | ![]() |
Everything hurts | Replaces all ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.497 | ![]() |
Camo kid | Isaac becomes camouflaged at the beginning of each room. Until he shoots, all non-boss enemies will be confused. ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.442 | ![]() |
Loss is power | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.530 | ![]() |
Just hope you're not next... | Grants a pickup or stat upgrade if all enemies in a room are killed in the order they are marked. | |
![]() |
5.100.547 | ![]() |
Tears up + you feel empty | Grants one ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.531 | ![]() |
I'm seeing red... | Turns Isaac's tears into large blood tears fired in an arc. Upon hitting the floor, an obstacle, or an enemy, they burst into many smaller tears in all directions. Increases tear delay. | |
![]() |
5.100.564 | ![]() |
Tears + shot speed up | +0.5 Tears, +0.2 Shot Speed. | |
![]() |
5.100.601 | ![]() |
Tears up, you feel forgiven | +0.7 tears, grants an ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.561 | ![]() |
DMG down + tears up + you feel nutty | Quadruples fire rate, with ×0.3 damage multiplier. Each tear is given a random effect that alters its movement. | |
![]() |
5.100.664 | ![]() |
All you can eat | +1 Red Heart Container and fully heals Isaac. Item pedestals also offer a random food item. Picking up a food item temporarily grants +3.6 damage and permanently boosts 2 stats. | |
![]() |
5.100.695 | ![]() |
May your rage bring haste | The first 6 times Isaac takes damage on a given floor, he gains Speed and Fire Rate for the rest of the floor, up to a maximum of +1.02 and +3.00, respectively. | |
![]() |
5.100.671 | ![]() |
Power of love | Gives Isaac a permanent stat boost whenever he heals with ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.644 | ![]() |
+1 to lowest stat | Increases Isaac's lowest stat and drops either 3 ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.600 | ![]() |
Tears up | Increases the fire rate in Isaac's left eye, causing his eyes to fire at different rates. | |
![]() |
5.100.560 | ![]() |
No it doesn't... | Releases a ring of tears and increases fire rate for the current room when Isaac takes damage. ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.589 | ![]() |
The moon's blessing shines upon you | Adds an extra ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.567 | ![]() |
Keep the flame burning | Gives Isaac a familiar that grants +0.4 Fire Rate for each consecutive room he's cleared without taking damage. The bonus stacks up to five times. | |
![]() |
5.100.598 | ![]() |
Size down | +0.7 tears. Significantly shrinks Isaac, allowing him to squeeze between objects and makes some enemy shots pass over him. | |
![]() |
5.100.669 | ![]() |
All stats up | Adds a Red Heart Container, fully heals Isaac, and gives +0.2 Speed, +0.5 Damage, +0.5 Tears, +2.5 Range, +0.2 Shot Speed, and +1.0 Luck. Increases the chance of encountering a ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.686 | ![]() |
Power of faith | Gives Isaac a permanent stat boost whenever he picks up a ![]() |
|
![]() |
5.100.651 | ![]() |
Follow the light | Spawns a star familiar that slowly travels towards the ![]() |
Trinkets
Name | ID | Icon | Quote | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cancer | 5.350.39 | ![]() |
Yay, cancer! | ![]() ![]() |
Hook Worm | 5.350.26 | ![]() |
Zip zoop! | ![]() ![]() |
Liberty Cap | 5.350.32 | ![]() |
Touch Fuzzy, Get Dizzy | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ring Worm | 5.350.11 | ![]() |
Woop woop! | Isaac fires in a fast spiraling pattern. ![]() |
Wiggle Worm | 5.350.10 | ![]() |
Wiggle waggle! | Isaac's tears travel in a wave-like pattern. +0.4 Tears up. ![]() |
![]() |
5.350.67 | ![]() |
You feel cursed... kinda. | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.350.64 | ![]() |
Bleep Bloop Blop | Isaac's tears gain a worm effect that changes every 3 seconds. |
![]() |
5.350.92 | ![]() |
Stat booster | ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
5.350.101 | ![]() |
I think it's broken | Provides a boost to all stats when Isaac's active item is completely uncharged. |
![]() |
5.350.96 | ![]() |
Foop foop! | Tears travel in a large spiral pattern and gain spectral, with a small chance to gain homing. ![]() |
![]() |
5.350.100 | ![]() |
It needs power | Provides a boost to all stats when Isaac's active item is fully charged. |
![]() |
5.350.162 | ![]() |
Unleash your inner demon | When clearing a room, adds a 33% chance to turn into ![]() |
![]() |
5.350.132 | ![]() |
Mystery medicine | Grants a chance to gain a random syringe effect for the current room. |
Other
- Tears up pills increase tears by 0.35 and tears down pills decrease tears by 0.28.
- The
Conjoined transformation decreases tears by 0.3.
In co-op, Cry Baby will occasionally briefly increase tears. Dark Baby will occasionally briefly increase all stats, including tears. Buddy Baby will occasionally briefly grant the
Guillotine effect, which increases tears.
Absorbing an item using
Black Rune can increase fire rate by 0.5.
III - The Empress? increases fire rate by 1.5 for the duration of its effect.
VII - The Chariot? greatly increases fire rate for the duration of its effect.
XII - The Hanged Man? grants triple shot and reduces fire rate (similar to
The Inner Eye) for the duration of its effect.
Standing near a
White Poop or White Dip will greatly increase fire rate.
Standing on brown creep produced by
IBS or
Tainted ??? will increase fire rate by 1.5.
Soul of Samson activates the
Berserk! effect, which increases tears.
Judas +
The Book of Belial +
Birthright +
Decap Attack: Grants Judas ×3 fire rate while his head is detached from his body.
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