Tears

Attributes

Health

Damage

Tears

Range

Shot Speed

Speed

Luck

Hidden Attributes

This article is about the attribute. For Isaac's primary weapon, see effects.

The Tears attribute affects the rate of fire of the character. It is used to calculate the tear delay, which in turn is used to calculate the fire rate (number of tears fired per second). Higher tears decreases tear delay, and lower tear delay increases fire rate.

The tears attribute is represented by 3 arrows. However, on the Found Hud that shows Isaac's attributes in-game, this symbol is used for fire rate instead.

Fire Rate Calculation

The formulas for tear delay and fire rate are:

${\text{Tear Delay}}={\begin{cases}5&{\text{if }}T>T_{max}\\16-6\times {\sqrt {T\times 1.3{+}1}}&{\text{if }}T\geq 0{\text{ and }}T\leq T_{max}\\16-6\times {\sqrt {T\times 1.3{+}1}}-6\times T&{\text{if }}T<0{\text{ and }}T>-0.77\\16-6\times T&{\text{if }}T\leq -0.77\end{cases}}$

${\text{Fire Rate}}={\frac {30}{{\text{Tear Delay}}+1}}$

• $T$ is the tears stat.
• $T_{max}$ is the tears cap, defined as the number that brings you to 5 tear delay (and therefore 5 fire rate) assuming no direct modification to tear delay or fire rate. Increasing the tears stat beyond this does nothing.
• Tear Delay is rounded down to the nearest integer. $T_{max}$ is just under 1.37, meaning two items with +0.7 tears is enough to get your tear delay to under 6 and therefore to 5, assuming you start at 0.
• Tear Delay is no longer rounded down. $T_{max}$ is just under 1.82.

Tear delay is therefore the additional delay between fired tears beyond 1/30 seconds, in units of 1/30 seconds. For example, 7 tear delay means 8/30 seconds between tears, or 30/8 = 3.75 fire rate.

Items can directly reduce tear delay.

• The minimum tear delay is 1, corresponding to 15 fire rate.
• Tear delay reduction has accelerating returns, meaning each -1 tear delay is more effective the more tear delay reduction (and the higher tears stat) you have.

Almost all direct tear delay reduction is replaced with fire rate increase.

• Generally, each -1 tear delay is replaced with +0.5 fire rate increase.
• The maximum fire rate is 120, corresponding to -0.75 tear delay.
• Damage per second depends linearly on fire rate, meaning it is more effective as a percentage increase the less of it you have (and the less tears stat you have).

Characters

Different characters start with different initial tears:

• Samson/ Tainted Samson: -0.1
• Azazel: +0.5, x0.267
• Eden: ±0.75
  • Eden/ Tainted Eden: +0.75 to -0.5
    • Tainted Eden's base tears rerolls every time they take damage.
• Keeper: -2
  • Keeper: -1.9
• Tainted Keeper: -2.2
• Jacob and Esau: +0.277 for Jacob, -0.1 for Esau
• Tainted Jacob: +0.277
• Tainted ???: -0.35
• Tainted Eve: -0.5, then x0.66 (Has a 3.3 TPS softcap)
• Dead Tainted Lazarus: -0.1
• Tainted Apollyon: -0.5
• All other characters ( Isaac, Magdalene, Cain, Judas, Dark Judas, ???, Eve, Lazarus, The Lost, Lilith, Apollyon, The Soul, Bethany, Tainted Isaac, Tainted Magdalene, Tainted Cain, Tainted Judas, Tainted Lazarus, Tainted Lost, Tainted Lilith, and Tainted Bethany) have the base +0 (2.73) tears.
• Some characters have tears multipliers that decrease or increase all tear changes:
  • Azazel: x0.267
  • Tainted Azazel: x1/3
  • The Forgotten/ Tainted Forgotten: x0.5
  • Tainted Eve: x0.66 (Has a 3.3 TPS softcap)

Direct modifiers to Tear Delay / Fire Rate

Several items directly modify tear delay after the main calculation. Almost all such items directly modify fire rate instead.

Item	Tear delay adjustment	Fire rate adjustment
Anti-Gravity	-2	+1
Brimstone	x3	x1/3
Cancer	-2	+1
Capricorn	-1	+0.5
Chocolate Milk	x2.5 (for maximum charge)	No change, displayed value = maximum charge time
Cracked Crown	x0.8	Fire rate over base value x1.2
Cricket's Body	-1	+0.5
Dataminer	N/A	±0.5
Dr. Fetus	x2.5	x0.4
Epiphora	x0.5 (while at maximum "charge")	x2 (while at maximum "charge")
Eve's Mascara	Fire rate x0.5, not tear delay	x0.66
Experimental Treatment	N/A	±0.5
Guillotine	-1	+0.5
Haemolacria	x2, then +10	Still modifies tear delay, not fire rate
Hallowed Ground	x0.5	x2.5
Ipecac	x2, then +10	x1/3
Milk!	-2	+1
Missing No.	N/A	±0.5
Mom's Perfume	-1	+0.5
Monstro's Lung	x4.3	x1/4.3
Mutant Spider	x2.1, then +3	x0.42
Pisces	-1	+0.5
Polyphemus	x2.1, then +3	x0.42
Purity	-4	+2
Soy Milk	x0.25, then -2	x5.5
Technology 2	N/A	x0.66
The Inner Eye/ XII - The Hanged Man?	x2.1, then +3	x0.51
Tractor Beam	N/A	+1
Brittle Bones	N/A	+0.4 per bone heart lost
Dark Prince's Crown	N/A	+2
Death's List/ Void/ Black Rune	N/A	+0.5
Almond Milk	N/A	x4
Berserk!/ Soul of Samson	N/A	x0.5, then +2
Bloody Gust	N/A	Up to +3 after taking damage 6 times
VII - The Chariot?	N/A	x4
Consolation Prize	N/A	+0.5
III - The Empress?	N/A	+1.5
Eye Drops	N/A	x1.2
IBS/ Soul of ???/ Tainted ???	N/A	+1.5 while on unique creep Additional x3 if the creep is in contact with white poop
It Hurts	N/A	+1.2 on the first hit, then +0.4 on subsequent hits
Luna	N/A	+1 for the first beam of light, then +0.5 for subsequent beams
Paschal Candle	N/A	+0.4 for every room cleared without taking non-self damage, up to +2 total
Wavy Cap	N/A	+0.75 (halved if Isaac leaves the room, and wears off at the rate of one room clear per use)

Notes

• Polyphemus, Mutant Spider, and Inner Eye's tear delay formulas do not stack with each other, meaning that there is no downside to taking another after you have already taken one.
• Charge-bar items like Monstro's Lung or Brimstone stop working at 30 fire rate.

Items that affect tears

Activated Items

Name	ID	Icon	Quote	Description	Quality
D8	5.100.406		Reroll stats	Re-rolls Isaac's damage, tears, range, and speed.	1
Dataminer	5.100.481		109	Displaces enemy sprites for the current room, randomly increases one stat and decreases another.	0
Berserk!	5.100.704		Rip and tear	Isaac goes berserk for 5 seconds, greatly increasing his speed, tears, and damage, but restricting him to using a melee weapon instead of his tears. This item charges by dealing damage to enemies instead of clearing rooms.	1
Mega Mush	5.100.625		I'm a big boy now!	Gigantifies Isaac for 30 seconds, increasing damage and range while lowering tears, granting invulnerability, and allowing Isaac to crush enemies and obstacles he walks on. The effect persists between rooms.	4
Wavy Cap	5.100.582		Tears up. A mind changing experience!	Increases fire rate, decreases speed, and distorts the screen. All effects become more pronounced with repeated use, and wear off by clearing rooms.	0

Passive Items

Name	ID	Icon	Quote	Description	Quality
Anti-Gravity	5.100.222		Anti-gravity tears + tears up	Tears float in position until firing ceases, after which they will fly off in the direction they were shot in. -2 Tear Delay. +1 Fire Rate.	1
Blue Cap	5.100.342		HP + tears up + shot speed down	Gives one full Red Heart container, +0.7 tears, and -0.16 shot speed. Heals 1 additional Red Heart.	3
Capricorn	5.100.307		All stats up	Adds 1 Red Heart Container, gives +0.5 Damage, +0.1 Speed, +1.5 Range, and -1.0 Tear Delay, and gives 1 Bomb, Penny, and Key. Adds 1 Red Heart Container, gives +0.5 Damage, +0.1 Speed, +0.75 Range, and +0.5 Fire Rate, and gives 1 Bomb, Penny, and Key.	3
Chocolate Milk	5.100.69		Charge shots	Grants charged tears that deal greater damage when fully charged.	3
Cricket's Body	5.100.224		Bursting shots + tears up	When tears hit an object or deplete their range, they spawn 4 smaller tears, whose range and damage scale with Isaac's. Grants -1 tear delay and reduces range. Grants +0.5 fire rate and reduces range.	3
Death's Touch	5.100.237		Piercing shots + DMG up	+1.5 damage, -0.3 tears. Tears are replaced with large piercing scythes.	3
Dr. Fetus	5.100.52		???	Tears are replaced by Bombs that benefit from bomb-enhancing effects and slide for a fixed time after being fired.	4
Eve's Mascara	5.100.310		DMG up, tears + shot speed down	Doubles damage, halves tears stat, and greatly reduces shot speed. Doubles damage, 0.66x tears multiplier, and greatly reduces shot speed.	3
Experimental Treatment	5.100.240		Some stats up, some stats down	Randomly increases and decreases some of Isaac's stats. Increases four random stats and decreases the other two.	1
Godhead	5.100.331		God tears	Grants homing tears with a damaging halo. +0.5 Damage, -0.3 Tears -0.3 Shot Speed, +0.8 Tear Falling Speed, and +1.2 Range. Grants homing tears with a damaging halo. +0.5 Damage, -0.3 Tears, and -0.3 Shot Speed.	4
Guillotine	5.100.206		DMG + tears up. An out-of-body experience!	Isaac's head becomes an orbital familiar that blocks shots and deals contact damage. Tears are still fired from the rotating head. +1 damage, -1 tear delay. +1 damage, +0.5 fire rate.	0
Ipecac	5.100.149		Explosive shots	Replaces tears with explosive and poisoning projectiles fired in an arc from the mouth.	4
Libra	5.100.304		You feel balanced	Gives 6 Coins, 6 Bombs, and 6 Keys and balances out all attributes.	1
Missing No.	5.100.258		Syntax error	Randomizes all passive items and stats upon pickup and at the start of each succeeding floor.	0
Mom's Perfume	5.100.228		Fear shot + tears up	Adds a chance to shoot fear tears. Decreases tear delay by 1. +0.5 fire rate.	2
Monstro's Lung	5.100.229		Charged burst attack	Replaces normal tears with a charged shot that fires 14 tears in the same fashion as Monstro.	2
Mutant Spider	5.100.153		Quad shot	Isaac shoots four tears at once with lower fire rate.	3
Number One	5.100.6		Tears up + range down	Grants +1.5 tears, but severely reduces range.	2
Odd Mushroom	5.100.120		Tears + speed up, DMG down	+1.7 tears, +0.3 speed, slightly reduces damage.	2
Ouija Board	5.100.115		Spectral tears + tears up	Grants spectral tears that travel through obstacles (but not enemies). +0.5 tears.	2
Pisces	5.100.309		Tears up + knock-back shots	-1 Tear Delay, adds knock-back shots and increases tear size. +0.5 Fire Rate, adds knock-back shots and increases tear size.	2
Polyphemus	5.100.169		Mega tears	Isaac fires huge tears that deal massive damage, but fire rate is greatly decreased. If a tear kills an enemy, it travels on with any leftover damage.	4
Rosary	5.100.72		Tears + faith up	Grants 3 Soul Hearts. Causes The Bible to appear in any item pool. +0.5 tears.	2
Sacred Heart	5.100.182		Homing shots + DMG up	Adds a Red Heart Container. Grants homing tears, a x2.3 Damage multiplier, +1 flat Damage, -0.4 Tears, -0.25 Shot Speed, and +4.125 Range. Adds a Red Heart Container. Grants homing tears, a x2.3 Damage multiplier, +1 flat Damage, -0.4 Tears, and -0.25 Shot Speed.	4
Screw	5.100.255		Tears + shot speed up	+0.5 tears, +0.2 shot speed.	2
SMB Super Fan	5.100.189		All stats up	+1 Red Heart container, +0.3 damage, +0.2 tears, +0.2 speed, +0.5 range, +1 tear falling speed. Fully restores all red hearts. +1 Red Heart container, +0.3 damage, +0.2 tears, +0.2 speed, +2.5 range. Fully restores all red hearts.	3
Soy Milk	5.100.330		DMG down + tears way up	Tears are smaller and do much less damage, but fire in very rapid succession.	2
Squeezy	5.100.196		Tears up	+0.4 tears, spawns 2 Soul Hearts.	3
Technology 2	5.100.152		Extra laser	Replaces the tears fired from Isaac's right eye with a rapid-firing low damage piercing laser. Damage down.	2
The Halo	5.100.101		All stats up	Grants one full Red Heart container, +0.3 damage, +0.2 tears, +0.25 range, +0.3 speed, and +0.5 tear falling speed. Grants one full Red Heart container, +0.3 damage, +0.2 tears, +1.5 range, and +0.3 speed. Heals 1 additional Red Heart.	3
The Inner Eye	5.100.2		Triple shot	Isaac shoots three tears at once with lower fire rate.	3
The Pact	5.100.80		DMG + tears up	Grants two Soul Hearts, +0.5 damage, and +0.7 tears. Grants two Black Hearts, +0.5 damage, and +0.7 tears.	3
The Sad Onion	5.100.1		Tears up	+0.7 tears.	3
The Small Rock	5.100.90		DMG up + speed down	+1 damage, +0.2 tears, -0.2 speed.	3
Tooth Picks	5.100.183		Tears + shot speed up	+0.7 tears, +0.16 shot speed.	3
Torn Photo	5.100.341		Tears + shot speed up	+0.7 tears, +0.16 shot speed.	3
Wire Coat Hanger	5.100.32		Tears up	+0.7 tears.	3
Binky	5.100.438		Tears up	Grants one Soul Heart, +0.75 tears and decreases Isaac's size.	3
Eden's Blessing	5.100.381		Tears up + your future shines brighter	+0.7 tears up. Grants a random item at the start of the next run.	3
Epiphora	5.100.368		Intensifying tears	Shooting in one direction increases Isaac's rate of fire until the cap is reached. As soon as Isaac changes direction or stops shooting, rate of fire is reset to its normal amount.	1
Kidney Stone	5.100.440		Matt's kidney stone	Isaac is occasionally forced to stop firing and charge an attack that launches a massive piercing, spectral kidney stone and a barrage of tears. -0.2 speed, decreases range.	2
Marked	5.100.394		Directed tears	Isaac will automatically fire tears directed at a red target on the ground. The target can be moved with tear controls. +0.7 tears, increases range.	0
Milk!	5.100.436		Don't cry over it...	Spawns a glass familiar that spills on the floor upon taking damage. After the milk spills, Isaac's tear delay is decreased by 2 for the current room. After the milk spills, Isaac's fire rate is increased by 1 for the current room.	1
Mr. Dolly	5.100.370		Range + tears up	+0.7 tears, +5.25 range, +0.5 tear falling speed, Spawns a combination of 3 Red Hearts, Soul Hearts or Black Hearts on the floor when picked up. +0.7 tears, +2.5 range, spawns 3 random types of Hearts on the floor when picked up.	3
Purity	5.100.407		Aura stat boost	Boosts one of Isaac's stats depending on the color of the aura around him. The aura disappears upon taking damage and reappears with a random color upon entering a new room. Red boosts damage, blue boosts tears, yellow boosts speed, and orange boosts range.	3
Tractor Beam	5.100.397		Controlled tears	Isaac's tears are bound to a beam emitting in the direction he's firing. +0.5 Tears, +5.25 Range, +0.16 Shot Speed. +1 Fire Rate, +2.5 Range, +0.16 Shot Speed.	3
Zodiac	5.100.392		The heavens will change you	Gives Isaac a random zodiac item effect that changes every floor.	1
Analog Stick	5.100.465		360 tears!	+0.35 tears up. Allows Isaac to fire tears diagonally.	2
Apple!	5.100.443		Trick or treat?	+0.3 tears. Adds a chance to fire a razor blade that deals 4× Isaac's damage.	3
Brittle Bones	5.100.549		Everything hurts	Replaces all Red Heart Containers with 6 empty Bone Hearts. Upon losing a Bone Heart, Isaac fires bones in 8 directions and permanently gains a tears up. Upon losing a Bone Heart, Isaac fires bones in 8 directions and permanently gains a fire rate up.	3
Camo Undies	5.100.497		Camo kid	Isaac becomes camouflaged at the beginning of each room. Until he shoots, all non-boss enemies will be confused. Isaac gains +0.5 Speed while camouflaged, and gains Tears and Damage upon breaking it.	3
Dark Prince's Crown	5.100.442		Loss is power	When at exactly one Red Heart, +0.75 tears, +1.5 range, and +0.2 shot speed. When at exactly one Red Heart, +2 fire rate, +1.5 range, and +0.2 shot speed.	1
Divorce Papers	5.100.547		Tears up + you feel empty	Grants one Bone Heart, +0.7 tears, spawns a Mysterious Paper.	3
Haemolacria	5.100.531		I'm seeing red...	Tears are now fired in an arc. Upon hitting the floor, an obstacle, or an enemy, they burst into many smaller tears in all directions. Increases tear delay.	4
Hallowed Ground	5.100.543		Portable sanctuary	Spawns a white poop familiar, which turns into a White Poop when Isaac is hurt. White poop has an aura that increases tear fire rate and can block enemy shots. The aura also increases damage by 20% and gives homing.	1
A Bar of Soap	5.100.564		Tears + shot speed up	+0.5 Tears, +0.2 Shot Speed.	2
Act of Contrition	5.100.601		Tears up, you feel forgiven	+0.7 tears, grants an Eternal Heart. Allows Angel Rooms to appear even if a Devil Deal has been taken before. Reduces the Devil/Angel room chance penalty for taking Red heart damage.	3
Almond Milk	5.100.561		DMG down + tears up + you feel nutty	Quadruples fire rate, with ×0.3 damage multiplier. Each tear is given a random effect that alters its movement.	1
Binge Eater	5.100.664		All you can eat	+1 Red Heart Container and fully heals Isaac. Item pedestals also offer a random food item. Picking up a food item temporarily grants +3.6 damage and permanently boosts 2 stats.	4
Bloody Gust	5.100.695		May your rage bring haste	The first 6 times Isaac takes damage on a given floor, he gains Speed and Fire Rate for the rest of the floor, up to a maximum of +1.02 and +3.00, respectively.	2
Candy Heart	5.100.671		Power of love	Gives Isaac a permanent stat boost whenever he heals with Red Heart pickups.	1
Consolation Prize	5.100.644		+1 to lowest stat	Increases Isaac's lowest stat and drops either 3 Coins, 1 Bomb, or 1 Key depending on what Isaac has the least of.	1
Eye Drops	5.100.600		Tears up	Increases the fire rate in Isaac's left eye, causing his eyes to fire at different rates.	3
It Hurts	5.100.560		No it doesn't...	Releases a ring of tears and increases fire rate for the current room when Isaac takes damage.	1
Luna	5.100.589		The moon's blessing shines upon you	Adds an extra Secret Room and Super Secret Room to each floor. Secret Rooms contain a beam of light that increases Fire Rate for the current floor and gives a Half Soul Heart.	3
Paschal Candle	5.100.567		Keep the flame burning	Gives Isaac a familiar that grants +0.4 Fire Rate for each consecutive room he's cleared without taking damage. The bonus stacks up to five times.	3
Pluto	5.100.598		Size down	+0.7 tears. Significantly shrinks Isaac, allowing him to squeeze between objects and makes some enemy shots pass over him.	3
Sausage	5.100.669		All stats up	Adds a Red Heart Container, fully heals Isaac, and gives +0.2 Speed, +0.5 Damage, +0.5 Tears, +2.5 Range, +0.2 Shot Speed, and +1.0 Luck. Increases the chance of encountering a Devil Room, Angel Room, and/or Planetarium each by 6.9%.	3
Soul Locket	5.100.686		Power of faith	Gives Isaac a permanent stat boost whenever he picks up a Soul Heart.	1

Trinkets

Name	ID	Icon	Quote	Description
Cancer	5.350.39		Yay, cancer!	-2 tear delay (effectively increases fire rate of tears). +1.0 fire rate.
Hook Worm	5.350.26		Zip zoop!	Tears move shifting left to right on a square-wave-like path. +10 Range (effective Range remains about the same). Tears move shifting left to right on a square-wave-like path. +0.4 Tears, +1.5 Range (effective Range is slightly lower).
Ring Worm	5.350.11		Woop woop!	Isaac fires in a fast spiraling pattern. Also grants +0.4 Tears and spectral tears.
Wiggle Worm	5.350.10		Wiggle waggle!	Isaac's tears travel in a wave-like pattern. +0.4 Tears up. Also grants spectral tears.
Cracked Crown	5.350.92		Stat booster	Decreases Isaac's tear delay by 20%, and improves the effectiveness of his other stat upgrades by 33%. Improves the effectiveness of stat upgrades by 20%.
Dim Bulb	5.350.101		I think it's broken	Provides a boost to all stats when Isaac's active item is completely uncharged.
Ouroboros Worm	5.350.96		Foop foop!	Tears travel in a large spiral pattern and gain spectral, with a small chance to gain homing. Also adds +0.4 Tears.
Vibrant Bulb	5.350.100		It needs power	Provides a boost to all stats when Isaac's active item is fully charged.

Other

• Tears up pills increase tears by 0.35 and tears down pills decrease tears by 0.28.
• The Conjoined transformation decreases tears by 0.3.
• In co-op, Cry Baby will occasionally briefly increase tears. Dark Baby will occasionally briefly increase all stats, including tears. Buddy Baby will occasionally briefly grant the Guillotine effect, which increases tears.

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