How Many Coins Do You Need to Unlock The Keeper in Binding of Isaac?
The burning question on every aspiring Keeper player’s mind is: how many coins do you need to unlock The Keeper? The answer is a straightforward 1000 coins. However, the process to actually deposit those coins is far from simple. These coins must be donated to the Greed Machine, which appears at the end of every run in Greed Mode. This challenging requirement makes The Keeper one of the most difficult characters to unlock in The Binding of Isaac series. The key is not just amassing the coins, but getting them into the machine before it breaks down.
Understanding the Greed Machine and the Challenge
The Basics of the Greed Machine
The Greed Machine, located after defeating Ultra Greed in Greed Mode, is where the coins must be deposited. After each successful run, you are given the opportunity to donate the coins you have accumulated. This sounds easy enough, but there’s a catch: the Greed Machine has a chance to jam or break after each donation, rendering it unusable. This chance increases with each donation and is persistent across game runs.
The True Difficulty in Unlocking The Keeper
This means that while you might easily earn a few hundred coins per Greed Mode run, getting the full 1000 into the machine before it breaks can be incredibly frustrating. Success depends not only on your skill in defeating Ultra Greed but also on luck. This combination of skill and chance is what makes unlocking The Keeper so notoriously difficult and sought after by hardcore Binding of Isaac fans.
Strategies for Speeding Up the Unlock Process
While luck plays a part, there are strategies to improve your chances of donating 1000 coins before the machine breaks. These often involve using items and characters to optimize coin gathering and donation methods. For instance, items like Blank Card combined with 2 of Diamonds can be used to greatly multiply your coin total.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Unlocking The Keeper
Here are 15 FAQs to further clarify the intricacies of unlocking The Keeper:
1. What is the Greed Machine and where is it located?
The Greed Machine is a donation machine that appears at the end of every successful run in Greed Mode after defeating Ultra Greed. It’s the only place where you can donate coins towards unlocking The Keeper.
2. Can you unlock The Keeper outside of Greed Mode?
No, The Keeper can only be unlocked by donating 1000 coins to the Greed Machine found exclusively in Greed Mode. There are no other methods.
3. Why is unlocking The Keeper so hard?
The difficulty stems from the fact that the Greed Machine has a chance to jam or break after each donation. This means that you need a combination of skill and luck to get 1000 coins in before the machine becomes unusable.
4. How many Coin Hearts does the Keeper have?
The Keeper starts with a maximum of two Coin Hearts. It is very difficult to increase this number.
5. Is there a way to get more than two Coin Hearts as Keeper?
Yes, Mother’s Kiss will allow Tainted Keeper to have three Coin Hearts. The item Greed’s Gullet also has the potential to grant extra Coin hearts. However, dropping Mother’s Kiss will cause the extra Coin Heart to disappear.
6. Does the Wafer item help The Keeper?
Yes, the Wafer item halves the amount of coins lost when hit by an enemy for both the Keeper and Tainted Keeper.
7. What does 20/20 item do for the Keeper?
The item 20/20 removes the Tainted Keeper’s fire rate penalty. However, it still reduces his overall damage to 80%.
8. Can The Keeper take Devil Deals?
Yes, The Keeper can take Devil Deals. However, this is usually done in a more complicated way. By spawning a co-op baby, taking the deal, and then removing the baby, The Keeper can take a two-heart devil deal.
9. What is the quickest way to farm coins in Greed Mode?
The most efficient way to farm coins is to use items like Blank Card combined with 2 of Diamonds to repeatedly duplicate coins. Using a character with high damage potential will also improve efficiency.
10. Can The Keeper gain broken hearts?
Yes, both the Keeper and Tainted Keeper will only gain one broken heart when taking fatal damage as opposed to the normal three hearts that other characters will take.
11. Can The Keeper use the Alabaster Box?
The Keeper cannot use any charges stored within the Alabaster Box, making it an unhelpful item for this character. It may be more useful for a co-op partner.
12. Can you break the game to get the Keeper unlocked quickly?
Yes, there are game-breaking strategies to greatly expedite the unlocking of the Keeper. One such strategy involves using Blank Card and 2 of Diamonds and then using an R Key to repeat this process repeatedly. This can unlock the keeper in a single run.
13. What are some good starter characters for Greed Mode?
Characters with a higher starting damage output are generally helpful for Greed Mode. Some good starter characters for Greed Mode include Azazel and Cain.
14. Can the Machine jam even with no donations in the current run?
No, the Greed Machine only has a chance to jam or break after you make a donation. If you have coins but do not deposit any in that run, it will not jam or break for that specific run.
15. Does The Keeper have a different starting health in Greed Mode?
No, The Keeper has the same two Coin Heart maximum health regardless of the game mode.
Conclusion: Persistence is Key
Unlocking The Keeper in The Binding of Isaac is a testament to patience, skill, and a little bit of luck. The requirement to deposit 1000 coins into the Greed Machine makes it a formidable challenge. However, by understanding the mechanics of the game and using effective strategies, you can eventually unlock this unique and rewarding character. Remember to be persistent, and don’t be discouraged by the occasional machine jam – your effort will be rewarded in the end. Good luck on your journey to unlocking The Keeper!