The Harbingers

The Harbingers is the achievement that unlocks Famine, War, Pestilence and Death as four additional bosses. The Harbingers are referenced in the Bible as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. These bosses are only unlocked once Mom has been defeated for the first time. These bosses, with the exception of Conquest, are guaranteed to drop either a Ball of BandagesOrbiting familiar that deals damage to enemies. If collected while already having one, makes the familiar evolve. Only drops from Horsemen. Similar to Cube of Meat. or a Cube of MeatOrbiting familiar that blocks enemy shots and deals damage to enemies. If collected while already having one, makes the familiar evolve. Only drops from Horsemen. Similar to Ball of Bandages.. By using the Book of RevelationsAdds 1 soul heart, increases the chance for a Devil or Angel Room to appear, and increases the chance for the next boss to be a Horseman (except on XL floors and floors with fixed bosses such as Mom). on a floor, there is a much higher chance that the boss for the current floor will be a harbinger unless the floor has a fixed boss (for example, Mom in The Depths and Necropolis) or the harbinger has been fought already.

Famine

Famine is the Harbinger for Chapter 1.

Pestilence

Pestilence is the Harbinger for Chapter 2.

War

War is the Harbinger for Chapter 3. War cannot be found in The Depths and Necropolis II, as Mom will always be the boss of that floor.

Death

Death is the Harbinger for Chapter 4. Death cannot be found in The Womb and Utero II, as Mom's Heart or It Lives will always be the boss of that floor.

Conquest is an alternative boss to Death in Chapter 4. He is unlocked once 10 items have been taken from Angel Rooms. Conquest does not drop normal Horseman items and drops White PonyPassively grants flight and increased speed. Upon use, Isaac charges in the direction the pony is facing, becoming invulnerable during the charge and damaging enemies while also casting the effect of Crack the Sky. instead.

Unlockable Achievements

• 

  The Book of Revelations - Defeat a Harbinger for the 1st time.

• 

  7 Seals - Defeat all 5 Harbingers.

Trivia

• Conquest was added in the Binding of Isaac: Wrath of the Lamb. In the Bible, Conquest is actually the first Horseman to appear, while Pestilence is a Horseman existing only in popular culture, coming from a different translation of the Greek word 'Thanatos', often meaning Death instead (the canon four Horsemen, thus, are Conquest, War, Famine and Death).
  • Conquest's entry in the secrets is called "The Forgotten Horseman", because of that very reason.
• Death is the only horseman specifically given a name in The Book of Revelation.
• The use of the Book of RevelationsAdds 1 soul heart, increases the chance for a Devil or Angel Room to appear, and increases the chance for the next boss to be a Horseman (except on XL floors and floors with fixed bosses such as Mom). item to summon a horseman for the current floor is reference to the fact that the book of the Bible in which the horsemen are described is Revelation.
• A horseman known as The Headless Horseman can replace any other Harbinger in-game.
• None of the Harbingers have a death animation.
• The horses used by the Harbingers resemble stick horses.