Challenges

Challenges are unique runs in the game. Isaac typically starts each challenge with one or more specific items which make normal play more difficult. With few exceptions, Treasure Rooms are not available during challenges. Each challenge unlocks new content for the game, such as Runes when completed.

General Strategy

Most challenges are designed to increase the difficulty of the game in a unique fashion. This doesn't mean all challenges are difficult, however; challenges like Computer Savvy are quite easy to beat. Some challenges do compensate for this by being especially punishing; Solar System is a good example of this. Each challenge has certain strategies that can be employed to make the run easier. However, there are a few strategies that can apply to all challenges.

• Challenges can be played in co-op, allowing a second player to contribute to the run without being hindered in the same way Isaac is. This is especially useful in any challenge where Isaac is Blindfolded, as the second player will be allowed to fire tears normally.
• Due to the lack of Treasure Rooms, Devil Rooms become much more valuable. Some challenges can be made much easier by making just one deal, but it is worth noting that other challenges reduce Isaac's health to the extent that Devil Deals become too risky.
  • Some rooms (including Crawl Spaces) may have Treasure Room items by default. Since these items are random, results can vary from run to run.
  • Because locked Treasure Rooms won't spawn, keys can be used far more liberally. Also, Trinkets and Items that generate more coins, along with upgraded shops, can help Isaac acquire a greater range of powerful items.
• The Bible instantly kills Mom and Mom's Heart / It Lives. All challenges require defeating Mom, and most require defeating Mom's Heart or It Lives, making this an extremely powerful item, especially in challenges where Mom or Mom's Heart / It Lives is the final boss.
  • Pandora's Box will spawn The Bible if used in Womb II, Utero II, or Scarred Womb II, making it a reliable way to acquire The Bible.
• Curse Rooms can spawn items, making them valuable.
• In some challenges, Dice Rooms and the D4 are very useful, allowing that challenge's starting items to be rerolled, thus removing most of the difficulty. NOTE: This changes depending on the challenge. Most challenge pages contain details on the results of rerolling.
  • Butter!Using an active item will drop it onto a pedestal on the ground. Taking damage may result in dropping a passive item. can also remove starter items.
• Blindfolded challenges are arguably the most difficult challenges due to Isaac's inability to fire tears. There are several methods to work around this.
  • Familiars can provide an alternative method of dealing damage. Powerful familiars like Daddy Longlegs, Lil Brimstone, and Incubus are therefore highly useful items.
  • The Boomerang, The Candle, and Red Candle are also useful for blindfolded challenges, since they recharge based on a timer, rather than an amount of cleared rooms.
  • Clicker can allow Isaac to change into Lilith, whose Incubus overrides the Blindfolded effect by default.
  • Some spacebar items like Tammy's Head can be really helpful, providing an alternative method of dealing damage.
• Chaos is a powerful item in challenges, as it can allow powerful items to be found more commonly, such as in the Shop or after defeating Bosses.
• Defeating a boss beyond the specified end of the challenge (e.g. defeating Mom's Heart when the goal is to defeat Mom) will still spawn the trophy.
  • In some longer challenges (e.g. XXXXXXXXL), using a Sacrifice Room until it teleports Isaac to the Dark Room is a viable strategy. Once in the Dark Room, the trophy can be spawned by defeating The Lamb.

Notes

• Apart from the achievement related to beating the challenge, all achievements are locked. Also, no Donation Machines will appear in any challenge.
• The Challenge reward will not be unlocked unless the trophy is picked up. If a Devil Room or Angel Room appears allowing Isaac to go to Sheol or the Cathedral, the unlock will be forfeited.
• Isaac will not start any challenge with The D6.

Challenges List

Name	Conditions	Goal	Unlocked by	Unlocks
1. Pitch Black	Isaac Curse of Darkness Curse of the Unknown : yes : no		Default	Rune of HagalazComplete challenge #1
2. High Brow	Isaac Starts with: Number One E Coli Butt Bombs Flush! Petrified PoopGreatly increases the chances of a pickup dropping when destroying poop. : no : yes		Default	Rune of JeraComplete challenge #2
3. Head Trauma	Isaac Starts with: Tiny Planet Soy Milk The Small Rock Iron Bar : no : yes		Default	Rune of EhwazComplete challenge #3
4. Darkness Falls	Eve Starts with: Pentagram Dead Bird Whore of Babylon Razor Blade Sacrificial Dagger Dark Matter : no : yes		Defeat Mom's Heart 11 timesDarkness Falls	Rune of DagazComplete challenge #4
5. The Tank	Magdalene Starts with: Infamy Bucket of Lard Thunder Thighs Yum Heart : no : yes		Have 7 or more heart containers at one timeThe Tank	Rune of AnsuzComplete challenge #5
6. Solar System	Isaac Blindfolded Starts with: Distant Admiration Forever Alone Halo of Flies Transcendence : no : yes	/	Defeat Mom's Heart 3 timesSolar System	Rune of PerthroComplete challenge #6
7. Suicide King	Lazarus Starts with: Ipecac Mr. Mega My Reflection 1 random pill : no : yes		Defeat Mom's Heart 11 timesSuicide King	Suicide KingComplete challenge #7
8. Cat Got Your Tongue	Isaac Blindfolded Starts with: Guppy's Hair Ball Guppy's Head Guppy's Tail : no : yes		Become Guppy (Collect 3 Guppy Items)Cat Got Your Tongue	Rune of AlgizComplete challenge #8
9. Demo Man	Isaac Starts with: Dr. Fetus Remote Detonator Match StickIncreases the chance of Bombs dropping after clearing a room, and the chance of finding Bombs when opening a Chest. : no : yes	/	Defeat Mom's Heart 9 timesDemo Man	Chaos CardComplete challenge #9
10. Cursed!	Magdalene Starts with: Blue Map The Compass Raw Liver Treasure Map Yum Heart Child's HeartIncreases the chance of a heart pickup dropping after clearing a room, and the chance of finding a heart when opening a Chest. Curse of the Cursed : yes : yes		Have 7 or more heart containers at one timeCursed!	Credit CardComplete challenge #10
11. Glass Cannon	Judas Starts with: Epic Fetus Loki's Horns : no : yes		Beat challenge #19 and defeat Lokii for the 1st timeGlass Cannon	Rules CardComplete challenge #11
12. When Life Gives You Lemons	Isaac Starts with: 9 Volt Habit Lemon Mishap 1 Lemon Party pill : no : yes		Default	Card Against HumanityComplete challenge #12
13. Beans!	Isaac Blindfolded Starts with: 9 Volt The Bean The Black Bean Butt Bombs Pyro : no : yes		Default	Burnt PennyComplete challenge #13
14. It's in the Cards	Isaac Starts with: 9 Volt The Battery Deck of Cards Starter Deck 2 random tarot cards : no : yes		Default	SMB Super FanComplete challenge #14
15. Slow Roll	Isaac Starts with: Cupid's Arrow My Reflection Polyphemus : no : yes		Default	Swallowed PennyComplete challenge #15
16. Computer Savvy	Isaac Starts with: Spoon Bender Technology Technology 2 : no : yes		Default	Robo-Baby 2.0Complete challenge #16
17. Waka Waka	Isaac Starts with: Anti-Gravity Strange Attractor : no : yes		Default	Death's TouchComplete challenge #17
18. The Host	Isaac Starts with: The Mulligan Spider Baby TickDrains 15% health of each enemy with more than 60 HP (ie. most bosses). It also restores one red heart of Isaac whenever he enters an uncleared boss room. The Tick cannot be swapped out for another trinket. : no : yes		Default	Technology .5Complete challenge #18
19. The Family Man	Isaac Blindfolded Starts with: BFFS! Brother Bobby Dad's Key Rotten Baby Sister Maggy : no : yes		Pick up both Key pieces from the Angels in one runThe Family Man	Epic FetusComplete challenge #19
20. Purist	Isaac : no : yes	/	Defeat Mom for the first timePurist	Rune of BerkanoComplete challenge #20
21. XXXXXXXXL	Isaac : yes : yes Every floor is the size of an XL Womb floor, but does not combine the floors of each chapter.	/	Defeat Mom for the 1st timeXXXXXXXXL	Gold HeartComplete challenge #21
22. SPEED!	Isaac : yes : yes Everything is sped up like the Broken Watch effect.	/ within 16 minutes, otherwise under constant periodic damage every 10 seconds.	Defeat Mom for the 1st timeSPEED!	Get out of Jail Free CardComplete challenge #22
23. Blue Bomber	??? Blindfolded Starts with: Brother Bobby Kamikaze! Pyromaniac Mr. Mega : no : yes		Destroy 10 tinted rocks and defeat Mom's Heart 11 timesBlue Bomber	Gold BombComplete challenge #23
24. PAY TO PLAY	Isaac Starts with: Money = Power Sack of Pennies 50 coins : no : yes Every door costs 1 cent to enter. Isaac drops money when hit. Isaac dies if he run out of money.		Defeat Isaac as CainPAY TO PLAY	2 new pillsComplete challenge #24
25. Have a Heart	Isaac Starts with: Charm of the Vampire : yes : yes Pennies drop instead of red hearts. Many items that restore red hearts have no effect.	/	Defeat Mom for the 1st timeHave a Heart	2 new pillsComplete challenge #24
26. I RULE!	Isaac Starts with: The Boomerang Key Piece 1 Key Piece 2 The Ladder Mom's Knife Trinity Shield : no : yes		Defeat ??? or The Lamb for the 1st time, and defeat Satan as IsaacI RULE!	Poker ChipComplete challenge #26
27. BRAINS!	??? Blindfolded Starts with: 3 Bob's Brain Thunder Thighs : no : yes		Defeat Isaac 5 timesBRAINS!	Stud FinderComplete challenge #27
28. PRIDE DAY!	Isaac Starts with: 3 Dollar Bill Rainbow Baby : no : yes Cannot drop or replace Rainbow Worm.	/	Defeat Mom for the 1st timePRIDE DAY!	D8Complete challenge #28
29. Onan's Streak	Judas Starts with: The Book of Belial Chocolate Milk : yes : yes Missing a shot deals damage to Judas.		Defeat Mom for the 1st timeOnan's Streak	Kidney StoneComplete challenge #29 ( The unlock is bugged and actually unlocks Blank Rune)
30. The Guardian	Isaac Blindfolded Starts with: Holy Grail Isaac's Heart Punching Bag Spear of Destiny : no : yes Isaac's Heart will follow Punching Bag instead of Isaac.	/	Defeat Mom for the 1st timeThe Guardian	Blank RuneComplete challenge #30 ( The unlock is bugged and actually unlocks Kidney Stone)
31. Backasswards	Isaac Starts with: 8-10 random items : no : yes All Chapters progress in reverse order, losing 1 item and 1 red heart container each floor ascended.	The Basement/The Cellar/Burning Basement I	Defeat ??? or The Lamb for the 1st timeBackasswards	Laz Bleeds More!Complete challenge #31
32. Aprils Fool	Isaac : yes : yes The minimap displays the floor's layout accurately, but displays Isaac's position inaccurately. Pedestal items and pickups are not what they appear to be. Active items, pills, cards, and rune effects are randomized upon each use, making them very unreliable or deadly (for example Suicide King). Items with no charge time (i.e. How To Jump, IV Bag, etc) can be used repeatedly for random effects. Stoneys have a chance of being replaced by Cross Stoneys. Every boss is The Bloat. Isaac's health is not what it appears to be. Key and bomb numbers are accurate.	/	Defeat Mom for the 1st timeAprils fool	Maggy Now Holds a Pill!Complete challenge #32
33. Pokey Mans	Isaac Starts with: Friendly Ball Mom's Eyeshadow : no : yes Each use of Friendly Ball causes a random monster to be spawned. Friendly Ball instantly charges once the spawned monster is killed.		Defeat Mom's Heart 11 timesPokey Mans	Charged KeyComplete challenge #33
34. Ultra Hard	Isaac Starts with: Key Piece 1 Key Piece 2 Curse of the Labyrinth Curse of the Blind Curse of the Lost Curse of the Maze : yes : yes All enemies spawn as champions if possible. Boss fights will be double trouble if possible. No heart pickups drop.		Defeat ??? or The Lamb for the first time. Possession of The Polaroid/The Negative is required, prohibiting getting to Dark Room through a Sacrifice Room.Ultra Hard	Samson Feels Healthy!Complete challenge #34
35. Pong	Isaac Starts with: Cupid's Arrow Rubber Cement : no : yes Damage fixed at 100, tear delay fixed at 150.		Defeat Isaac 5 timesPONG	Greed's GulletComplete challenge #35