Unlocking the Keeper in The Binding of Isaac: A Comprehensive Guide
The Keeper is one of the most challenging and unique characters to unlock in The Binding of Isaac, and even more demanding to master. This guide provides a clear path to unlocking the Keeper and answers key questions about playing as this demanding character.
How Do You Unlock the Keeper?
The Keeper is unlocked by donating 1000 coins to the Greed Machine located at the end of every Greed Mode run. This task isn’t as simple as it sounds. The Greed Machine has a tendency to jam after each donation, which means you have to be methodical and persistent. It’s a test of patience as much as skill. Every donation to the Greed Machine increases the chance of it breaking and becoming unusable for that run. Successfully hitting the 1000-coin mark will unlock the Keeper, granting you access to his unique and difficult gameplay.
Understanding the Keeper’s Unique Mechanics
The Keeper’s playstyle is defined by his limitations. His health is not measured in standard hearts, but in coins. He starts with only two coin hearts, and any other hearts you acquire turn into blue flies. The Keeper is also unable to hold more than two coin hearts at any time, initially. This makes him extremely fragile, requiring a tactical approach and meticulous item management.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do you get 3 hearts as the Keeper?
Normally, the Keeper is limited to two coin hearts. However, the trinket Mother’s Kiss allows the Tainted Keeper (a different, more challenging version of the character) to hold three coin hearts. Dropping this trinket will remove the third heart. Gulping it down with an item that lets you consume a trinket, like the Gulp! pill, will grant a permanent third coin heart. The item Greed’s Gullet also adds a permanent coin heart.
2. What is the easiest method to unlock the Keeper on Isaac Reddit?
The most efficient method often mentioned on Reddit is to use the Blank Card and Two of Diamonds combo. This involves defeating Ultra Greed in Greed Mode, then using the Blank Card to duplicate the Two of Diamonds card, which provides coins. This allows for a large number of donations to the Greed Machine until it jams. Then you can use the R Key to restart your run and repeat this. It’s a faster way to rack up donations and unlock the Keeper in a single session.
3. Can the Keeper take Devil deals?
Yes, the Keeper can take Devil deals, but it’s tricky. He can exploit a workaround by spawning a co-op baby, taking the deal as the co-op character, and then removing the co-op baby, which will leave the Keeper with one coin heart remaining if it’s a two-heart deal. This is a risky maneuver, as it involves a loss of health that’s more impactful with Keeper’s limited health pool.
4. Does the Wafer affect the Keeper?
Yes, The Wafer is very helpful for the Keeper. It halves the amount of coins lost when hit. This drastically increases his survivability and greatly mitigates his primary weakness. Without it, taking damage is much more punishing, but with it, it allows for more errors.
5. What is the easiest character to unlock in Isaac?
Lazarus is often considered one of the easiest characters to unlock. Players simply need to have 4 Soul Hearts or Black Hearts at once. While Soul Hearts aren’t too difficult to find, managing damage and finding enough of them at once is key to unlocking him.
6. How do you unlock the Golden God achievement?
The Golden God achievement is unlocked by completing endings 1-15, that is defeating the various final bosses in the game. Notably, defeating Mega Satan (ending 16) is not required. The required endings typically involve defeating Mom’s Heart and other subsequent bosses that appear in later iterations of the game. This requires significant game completion and exploration.
7. How do you unlock Blue Baby?
Blue Baby is unlocked by completing the game 10 times. After this, Isaac will find him in a chest during the ending cutscene. This involves defeating Mom’s Heart ten times and experiencing the ending cutscenes.
8. Can the Keeper get broken hearts?
Yes, the Keeper will gain 1 broken heart instead of 3. This means that when the Keeper would normally die, he instead gets a broken heart and can continue playing. The Tainted Keeper, however, is different; taking fatal damage will kill him immediately.
9. How do you unlock shopkeepers in Isaac?
There are two special types of shopkeepers: standard and hanging. Special shopkeepers are unlocked by donating 234 coins to the Greed Machine, and special hanging shopkeepers are unlocked by donating 14 coins to the Greed Machine. This is another reward for utilizing the Greed Machine.
10. How do you unlock Greedier Mode?
Greedier Mode is unlocked by depositing 500 coins in the Greed Machine. Playing in this mode causes Ultra Greed to have a second phase when his gold statue comes to life, making the mode more difficult and offering unique challenges.
11. What are some effective strategies to beat the Keeper boss?
The Keeper boss is a unique enemy with his own mechanics. Fully upgraded Explosive bolts can one-shot kill him, while two normal ones will also get the job done. The Magnum is another reliable choice for dealing with him due to its high damage potential. You should always prioritize dodging his shots while carefully targeting him.
12. How do you unlock Isaac as a boss?
Isaac himself is a boss found in the Cathedral. You can access this location by defeating Mom’s Heart 11 times and then defeating It Lives!, or entering an Angel Room and touching the beam of light after defeating Mom’s Heart.
13. How many hearts can Isaac have?
The maximum number of hearts the player can hold is twelve. This can be any combination of red hearts, soul hearts, and black hearts. Understanding this limit will allow you to plan out item acquisitions effectively.
14. What do the 6-pip rooms do in Isaac?
If Jacob and Esau activate a 6-pip room, the items of both characters will be re-rolled. A 1-pip room will only re-roll the items of the character that steps on it. Items contained in red key rooms are generally unaffected by these effects.
15. Is The Wafer useful in Greed Mode?
The Wafer is less useful in Greed Mode because chapter damage multipliers aren’t present in this mode. However, the damage reduction it provides can still offer an advantage, especially on runs where you’re making some mistakes.
Mastering the Keeper
Unlocking the Keeper is just the beginning. Successfully playing as the Keeper requires a deep understanding of his mechanics and a cautious approach. Prioritize items that boost your damage output and offer survivability. Knowing when to take risks, particularly with Devil deals, is essential for a successful Keeper run.
Ultimately, unlocking the Keeper is a rewarding challenge. The path may be demanding, but mastering him offers a unique gameplay experience that’s incredibly satisfying for The Binding of Isaac players.