On units
On units: Poison and 3 more
Damages and poisons an enemy.
4 spells the game runs with the same code.
DamagesPoisonsHow is the total effect worked out?
Total effect: what one unit receives over the whole spell. The real figure depends on who casts and who receives it, so it is worked out for a fixed reference: the caster has magic 30 (Isaac at level 1), the element at level 1–10 and a perfect stroke (quality 1); the receiver has defense and magic defense 0, a neutral element and no weakness or shield; no random factor. “up to” is a maximum that needs every hit to land, or the unit to stay where the spell reaches it; “not confirmed” marks what the code read so far does not settle.
To cast a spell you draw its runes, each in one stroke and each scored on its own: a long stroke with many turns takes longer and gives more chances to slip out of the shape. Each spell shows its runes, drawn from their strokes, with their level (I to III) and how long their strokes are added up, in widths of the rune: the game scales the drawing, so its size on screen does not count. A higher level is usually longer, but not always (Water II is shorter than Wind I).
Best spells · Which spells pay off and why, each with the number behind it. The filters leave only what Isaac already has at hand.
Dark · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,520 · Poison 80 × 19 (always) · only while it moves or attacks
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status lasts
- 20 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,520 ÷ 30 = 50.7. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the most efficient: it beats 91 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 4 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 1,520 and 6,080 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 22.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 4 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 1,520 and 6,080 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 100 px · Lasts 1 s
Dark · Level II
Total damage
2,850 · Vile poison 150 × 19 (97.3 %)
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status lasts
- 20 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 2,850 ÷ 50 = 57. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Among the most efficient: it beats 92 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 5,700 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 38.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and 2 times with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 5,700 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 100 px · Lasts 1 s
Dark · Level III
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,520 · Poison 80 × 19 (97.3 %) · only while it moves or attacks
Higher is stronger.
A maximum: every hit added up, as if all of them landed; in a battle it is often less. «Total» is what a unit always receives.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status lasts
- 20 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Most damage for each MP point: 1,520 ÷ 70 = 21.7. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 58 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 1,520 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 54.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 1,520 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 100 px · Radius 50 px · Lasts 1 s
Dark · Level IV
Total damage
2,850 · Vile poison 150 × 19 (97.3 %)
Higher is stronger.
It adds up every hit or pulse one unit receives during the spell.
- Affects
- Enemies
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status lasts
- 20 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor.
Per MP
Higher is better: it gives more for each MP you spend.
Total damage for each MP point: 2,850 ÷ 85 = 33.5. It compares which spell gives more for the MP it costs.
Around the middle: it beats 71 % of the 234 damage spells.
A high per MP does not make it the strongest spell: the total says that.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 2,850 of damage.
MP
What it costs with the element at level 1–10; with the element at level 41–50 it costs 65.
With Isaac’s full bar he casts it not once in a row with 30 MP (level 1) and once with 130 MP (level 50).
Together: 0 and 2,850 of damage.
In a battle Isaac recovers 5 MP every 0.5 s, and 1 more for each rise in a row without chanting, up to +5. Each mana crystal of his adds 1 more per rise (2 MP/s). After a chant the first rise comes after 3 s, 0.5 s sooner for each crystal, 0.5 s at least.
Range 100 px · Radius 50 px · Lasts 1 s
Worked out for a caster with magic 30 and a perfect stroke, against defense and magic defense 0, with no random factor. How is it worked out?
Poison
Dark · Level I
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,520
MP
30
50.7 per MP
Poison 80 × 19 (always) · only while it moves or attacks
Easy to drawDamagesPoisonsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 30
- Runes
- III
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 4.0
Range and area
- Radius
- —
- Aim
- Tap a unit
Status
- Status chance
- 100 %
- Status strength
- 80
Vile Poison
Dark · Level II
Cost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 50
- Runes
- IIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 5.8
Range and area
- Radius
- —
- Aim
- Tap a unit
Status
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status strength
- 150
Poison Smog
Dark · Level III
Most damage, if every hit lands
1,520
MP
70
21.7 per MP
Poison 80 × 19 (97.3 %) · only while it moves or attacks
DamagesPoisonsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 70
- Runes
- IIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 7.5
Range and area
- Radius
- 50 px
- Aim
- Draw a circle
Status
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status strength
- 80
Vile Smog
Dark · Level IV
Total damage
2,850
MP
85
33.5 per MP
Vile poison 150 × 19 (97.3 %)
DamagesPoisonsCost
- MP (level 1–10)
- 85
- Runes
- IIIIII
- Stroke (rune widths)
- 8.0
Range and area
- Radius
- 50 px
- Aim
- Draw a circle
Status
- Status chance
- 64.8 %
- Status strength
- 150
Grouped by the effect class and subkind of each spell in the game’s data, as the research did; the notes come from reading the code, not from playing.